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Pete: I've got 2 MF #10s that I bought one at a time when in a situation very similar to yours, if I read your question right. My story, with whatever lessons learned and prices I paid: I wanted a small reliable baler that I could do a little haying with using my Ford 8N on fairly rolling land. I knew nothing about balers, but am a good backyard mechanic with a mechanical engineering degree to boot, so I figured "how hard could this be?" I bought the first one for $500 from a small used equipment dealer. No instructions, no manuals. I ordered the manuals (operator's and parts) from the local MF dealer. Decided to try the baler before the books showed up--bad move. I broke both needles within 5 minutes. New needles, as I recall, were $150 each. Chalking it up to experience, I replaced the needles and read the books...discovered that the baler was 'out of time' and retimed it. Ran the baler, and it did ok. Eventually broke one of the knotter hooks (most folks call 'em bill-hooks). Discovered that they are not available new anymore thru MF, so I spent a lot of time finding one used--$80. Friend of mine said an old man up the road had a MF 10 baler that had been very well taken care of. Talked to the 90 year-old's son, and bought a shed-kept, almost like new MF #10 for $350 (he talked me down from $500...didn't want to take advantage of this greenhorn.) I figured I'd keep this beauty to use, and the other one for parts. Anyway, it ran like a charm until I broke a bill-hook on it. I'm honestly not sure why they keep breaking... nothing mentioned in any of the books and haven't been able to get a good explanation from anybody. During the down-time, I discovered that my animals all prefer loose hay anyway, so I just put both balers up for sale, as is. I'll let somebody else figure 'em out. My neighbor, who farms for a living, told me (in advance) I should only consider New Holland balers because, at least in my area, they're the only ones that are services well...all parts available and lots of mechanics with experience on them. I'm sure now that he was right. But if you're in an area where there are some of these around, then buy it. But buy the owner's manual and read it before you do anything with it! good luck,
Tom
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