Knotter issue Anyone?

Not going to tell you the make and model, until later...
All knotters are pretty much the same, regardless of brand, so asking for a broad amount of experience here.

Left knotter works fine - knocking them out one after another.

Right hand knotter missing many ties. Only picking up one twine instead of two when it ties.
So far, everyone is saying a twine finger issue. NO - twine supplied to knotter is being picked up fine off the needle, by twine finger, and being tied and being grabbed by twine disk for next bale/knot. Both ends are cut off by knife, but only one end is tied.

However that twine (one in disk) appears NOT to be drawn tightly across the bill hook, stays loose in front of billhook, so is not picked up and knotted.

Going to see if I have another bill hook, and swap it out next. But don't think it is the problem. Hay dogs, wedges, chamber, plunger face all seem OK, although another next project is to get a inspection camera in there and look for anything not right. Tension on the rails that controls bale density doesn't seem to change knotting, although, at one time, I made a one rotation of the handles - looser, and things went better.

Any suggestions?

For those who gotta know, this is a NH 268 Hayliner.

Ray, I was about to make a new post that would have been an exact duplicate of yours so my ears are wide open. Mine is a New Holland if that matters.

The needles deliver the twine to the twine disc, the twine finger can be way out and the twine disc will still pick up the twine.
The function of the twine finger it to put the twine to the bill hook so it can grab it. So it sounds like something is loose on the twine finger allowing to move around. Could also be the the twine finger spring or the cam follower for the twine finger being worn.
If there is a twist in both twines but no knot or the knots it does produce have short tails, then the issue is will the bill hook. Could be sticking or something with the tension on it. Also could be from a worn bill hook and not putting enough pressure on the twine to pull a good knot.
I have never worked on a NH but I expect it is very similar to my MF #12. I was having all kinds of problems with it not tying knot with the 130# plastic twine until I modified the bill hooks to close tighter and hold on to the tails better.

Don't tell me to get a manual. Got both the baler manual and knotter manual. Both say the same thing, an don't address this problem adequately. You can stop baler, mid bale, run back and that twine will be snug and tight across left bill hook. Right one will be loose and slack and not touching bill hook.

Also check the spring and tension at the twine box. If it pulls to easy or the spring is broken it can cause the same problem of the twine not being pulled into the bill hook.

At least I'm not the only one with this problem! Misery loves company.

Do you get a knot on the needle twine or a knot on the twine over the bale?

From your description is sounds like the bill is not grabbing both twines or one is slipping out after the knot forms. I scanned the page from my 273 manual but can't get it to upload. Send me your email address and I'll get it to you.

OK you got manuals. When I started this reply there were no others.

The first thing I'd do is make sure you don't have broken dog springs on the bad side and also WALK alongside the baler and make sure the dogs are dropping at normal work rates. It may not be obvious to you as you stand beside the baler at idle speed. It may not be obvious at light load... but when you push it a bit, if the spring is weak or broken, you're baling spongy hay or you have some other plunger issue... then the dogs may not drop. If they don't, you will get misses. So that's the first thing I'd check.
Following that I would check the twine tension. I say second... because if the other side it working fine then by nature of most of those adjusters the other side should not be that far off on tension. So unless there is some other information you're not giving us, that's what I'd look at if you're getting a bottom strand pullout with no knot.
As to your original assertion.... it does matter a good deal whether you're dealing with a Deering knotter or an All Twine, Massey or Claas knotter. It doesn't matter much if the brand is NH, Hesston, Deere, Ford, Long, A/C etc but those all use the Deering mechanism...

Rod

Have you checked the needles to see if twine has worn a groove in needle if that has happened groove will have be filled in with weld and polished with dremel or die grinder. What happens is twine is to far away for the bill hook to to grab properly.Scott

The adjustment for how the twine lays across the disc on my baler is the twine tension back in the twine bin.

I have a IH 45 Baler, so knotter issues are not uncommon. This may (or may not) help from notes added to the back of my owner's manual:

Problem: Twine over bale is not tied and there is a simple knot in the needle twine.
Twine over bale is tearing through disc at time knot is being formed because the distance between the twine knife and front disc of cord holder is less than that specified - adjust.

Problem: Needle twine is not tied and there is a simple knot in the twine over the bale.
Twine knife is cutting too early - relocate.

Problem: Knot was completed, but has become untied.
Too little knotter hook tension - increase
Dull or late twine knife - sharpen and/or relocate.
Twine knife is too low - raise

Good luck,
SadFarmall

I second what RodInNS says. Also whenever you have a mysterious problem like this, slow way down and loosen up bale tension to help identify

I had similar issues with one of my NH 276 balers, turned out the twine tension plates at the twine box were worn almost completely thru. I replaced those plates and the problem resolved its self. I would check those plates.