Round baler advice

Bulls Notion

Well,
looking for some advice off all you machinery men on a round baler.
I may be purchasing a round baler next year(could be down to the replys on this thread)
My contracters bales are just not big enough at the moment.
I have a 105hp Valmet to work one.
I make about 400-500 bales a year.
I would be defiantly looking for something the cheaper end of the market.
What sort of balers do you reckon would suite me?
Thanks

rs8

you get what u pay for, welger or mchale and keep the blades sharp

jersey101

Bulls Notion wrote: »

Well,
looking for some advice off all you machinery men on a round baler.
I may be purchasing a round baler next year(could be down to the replys on this thread)
My contracters bales are just not big enough at the moment.
I have a 105hp Valmet to work one.
I make about 400-500 bales a year.
I would be defiantly looking for something the cheaper end of the market.
What sort of balers do you reckon would suite me?
Thanks

Have you a wrapper??

Bulls Notion

Nope, no machinery. Bought tractor 2 months ago, and over the next couple of years hope to build up!

GERMAN ROCKS

for bales you will need
1. mower
2. baler
3. wrapper
4. something to stack them
5. a trailer if there is a long draw.

very cheap balers will be muck. you will spend as much on chains and rollers and pray that the net goes on right. Id say you would need to spend around 10k for something decent. doubt you would get a McHale for that money. It will probably be a claas or a welger but I couldn't advise you about them

Bulls Notion

Ok,I don't think im prepared to spend 10k,
do yee reckon I would get a mower or wrapper for 5k?

agriman27

Mc hale have taken over the baler market around my area, seldom see other makes on the road now. One contractor near me has over eighty thousand bales made with one of the first mc hales with little trouble, and I can tell ya he never spares it flat out revs, solid bales

tomwaterford

Bulls Notion wrote: »

Well,
looking for some advice off all you machinery men on a round baler.
I may be purchasing a round baler next year(could be down to the replys on this thread)
My contracters bales are just not big enough at the moment.
I have a 105hp Valmet to work one.
I make about 400-500 bales a year.
I would be defiantly looking for something the cheaper end of the market.
What sort of balers do you reckon would suite me?
Thanks

You wont b able to make them any better with only 105hp IMO unless you go for older type baler (which may be prone to break-downs)....ull also need a rake as well
Try another contracter ,they are ten-a-penny around here anyway lads with balers anyway .very competitive (dunno how they profit tbh,just seems like hassle to me)

GERMAN ROCKS

tomwaterford wrote: »

You wont b able to make them any better with only 105hp IMO unless you go for older type baler (which may be prone to break-downs)....ull also need a rake as well
Try another contracter ,they are ten-a-penny around here anyway lads with balers anyway .very competitive (dunno how they profit tbh,just seems like hassle to me)

he wont need a rake once his mower has a conditioner. you would be all out to get a decent mower and wrapper for 5k id say.
you would probably get an old jf or Kuhn 8ft conditioner mower for 3k. ideally you would want a 10ft but id say a lot of 10ft mowers for that money could be wrecked because they would more tan likely be owned by contractors whereas an 8ft might be owned by a farmer who has only done 50 acres a year with it. im not sure about a wrapper.

http://www.donedeal.ie/mowers-for-sale/mower-for-sale/5798048 this one is 4 but looks clean if it was power washed

reilig

In the cheaper end of the market, I wrap 600 bales a year for 2 brothers. They have a non chopper Krone chain and slat baler and work it on a MF 4255. They take their time, wilt their grass well and make good wide rows and pack the bales well. Their bales are as big as any bales that I have wrapped or seen (inc McHale) and better made than any of the other farmers that I wrap for.

They paid 6000 for the baler about 10 years ago. They get it serviced and cheched over every year for a 200 to 300 euro by a neighbour who specialises in baler repair. I have never seen it give them any bother!

It's another option if you want to make a small amount of bales for yourself.

McHale balers are out of the price range for any farmer making less than 1000 bales per year IMO. If you buy one cheap you'll have your pocket emptied buying parts.

Bulls Notion

GERMAN ROCKS wrote: »

http://www.donedeal.ie/mowers-for-sale/mower-for-sale/5798048 this one is 4 but looks clean if it was power washed

Very small mower

GERMAN ROCKS

Bulls Notion wrote: »

Very small mower

it doesn't say but I would guess its an 8ft. the thing then with balers that don't have choppers is that the cattle can tend to pull in the grass into the slats of wherever and this can be a pain then when agitating as the grass gets blocked up around the agitator. with chopped bales this isn't a problem.

grazeaway

Building up the machinery a piece at the time is the way to go alright. Thing is what to start with.

The mchale balers are more geared to the contractors rather then the farmer so are more pricey. I would aim more to weglars. Get one with chopper.

Like that other say you get what you pay for so be prepared for hardship if you get a cheap one.

Bulls Notion

Another quick question, can a disc mower put the grass into the rows

jersey101

Yep. Our 10ft here mowing in the summer. Conditioner on her

nashmach

jersey101 wrote: »

Yep. Our 10ft here mowing in the summer. Conditioner on her

On the 9880 I see

For that many bales, it is a no brainer, switch contractor unless you like hardship.

All bales are around 4x4 in size so not sure what you mean by small bales!

Bulls Notion

jersey101 wrote: »

Yep. Our 10ft here mowing in the summer. Conditioner on her

Nice mower of yours ! http://www.donedeal.ie/mowers-for-sale/dmd-260-discmower-2010/6135356 Would something like her be good for mowing?

jersey101

Bulls Notion wrote: »

Nice mower of yours ! http://www.donedeal.ie/mowers-for-sale/dmd-260-discmower-2010/6135356 Would something like her be good for mowing?

Still need to wilt it. A lot of lads would use a rake even after a conditioner mower. Going that way ourselves next year

caseman

Bulls Notion wrote: »

Nice mower of yours ! http://www.donedeal.ie/mowers-for-sale/dmd-260-discmower-2010/6135356 Would something like her be good for mowing?

From reading through your posts, you don't seem to have a bulls notion about machinery.
My advice is change contractor, unless you have some knowledge of machinery or can do your own fixing you'll be robbed.

Bulls Notion

caseman wrote: »

From reading through your posts, you don't seem to have a bulls notion about machinery.
My advice is change contractor, unless you have some knowledge of machinery or can do your own fixing you'll be robbed.

No,I was never a machinery man, i always focused on the livestock.

jersey101

Bulls Notion wrote: »

No,I was never a machinery man, i always focused on the livestock.

Stick to contractor so. Get a loader for tractor and trailer if ye want

caseman

Bulls Notion wrote: »

No,I was never a machinery man, i always focused on the livestock.

At least you'll make money with stock.
All machinery will do is take money out of your pocket ,even contractor are making nothing.

agriman27

Bulls Notion wrote: »

Nice mower of yours ! http://www.donedeal.ie/mowers-for-sale/dmd-260-discmower-2010/6135356 Would something like her be good for mowing?

I wouldn't buy a fort mower everyone says they're scrap, I have a similar type vicon mower which has done a lot of work a lot of good talk about kuhn mowers, I like the look of the malone mower too, seems strong. I kinda think old type drum mowers cut very clean and are good value

Livestockmad

Bulls Notion wrote: »

Well,
looking for some advice off all you machinery men on a round baler.
I may be purchasing a round baler next year(could be down to the replys on this thread)
My contracters bales are just not big enough at the moment.
I have a 105hp Valmet to work one.
I make about 400-500 bales a year.
I would be defiantly looking for something the cheaper end of the market.
What sort of balers do you reckon would suiteits grand on a year like this.me?
Thanks

We make our own bales too and its a disaster. Silage slab down next spring hopefully. But if u still want hardship and bother a Welger rp 200 or krone 130(make sure wide pick up, and wide angle pto. And a chopper if u want but not necessary) they are two solid balers but are still simple and little or no electrics. But it will save u money in long run to have it in a pit.. would u cut and wrap urself? If so it is very time consuming, but its grand on a year like this.
Hope it helps

Livestockmad

Bulls Notion wrote: »

Well,
looking for some advice off all you machinery men on a round baler.
I may be purchasing a round baler next year(could be down to the replys on this thread)
My contracters bales are just not big enough at the moment.
I have a 105hp Valmet to work one.
I make about 400-500 bales a year.
I would be defiantly looking for something the cheaper end of the market.
What sort of balers do you reckon would suiteits grand on a year like this.me?
Thanks

We make our own bales too and its a disaster. Silage slab down next spring hopefully. But if u still want hardship and bother a Welger rp 200 or krone 130(make sure wide pick up, and wide angle pto. And a chopper if u want but not necessary) they are two solid balers but are still simple and little or no electrics. But it will save u money in long run to have it in a pit.. would u cut and wrap urself? If so it is very time consuming, but I

Farmer Pudsey

nashmach wrote: »

On the 9880 I see

For that many bales, it is a no brainer, switch contractor unless you like hardship.

All bales are around 4x4 in size so not sure what you mean by small bales!

I agree switch contractors however all bales are not the same it depwnds on the age of machine it ability to pack and if contractor put knifes on to chop it. Know a lad that went from 17 bales/acre to 12 bales/acre I think from changing contractors.

Bulls Notion wrote: »

No,I was never a machinery man, i always focused on the livestock.

then keep away from balers especially, the last thing you want is for it to break down with 20 acres to bale and rain forecast in the evening

Livestockmad wrote: »

We make our own bales too and its a disaster. Silage slab down next spring hopefully. But if u still want hardship and bother a Welger rp 200 or krone 130(make sure wide pick up, and wide angle pto. And a chopper if u want but not necessary) they are two solid balers but are still simple and little or no electrics. But it will save u money in long run to have it in a pit.. would u cut and wrap urself? If so it is very time consuming, but its grand on a year like this.
Hope it helps

I do not think I would move from bales because of the flexibility of cutting the. It allows me to cut grass near enough when I want to with cuts of 80-90 bales 2-3 times and as low as 30 bales. Contractor has no issues as I am one of the first he cuts and bales for and one of the last every year. I never cut between early june and early july.

Zr105

I have to agree with the lads, and say change contractor and stay way from a baler if your not experience with machinery or spannering.

At 500 bales a year at €7.50 baled and wrapped(plus plastic) your talking about €3750( give or take)

Followin a small mower around the field with baler when your not use to it you'll be doin well to make 30 bales an hour, so that means around 16 hrs driving... Then you have to go back draw them in and wrap them, again your probably looking at similar time to wrap them... And thats if you dont get a break down... 16 hours by €10 for tractor,€10 for yourself and €5(probably not enough) for diesel your looking at €400 a year to drive the baler alone, then add in finance or even just a cost to baler your talking another 3300 minimum to pay for it...

At 10k a baler is more than likely lookin for a new set of chains which will cost you up to another 2 grand for decent chains, then your also lookin at bearings going in rollers, not the most expensive but from experience its a bloody time consuming job to change them, and when one goes you may aswell do them all, (same with chains) its a good days stripping if you know what your at to get at them, and to pay a lad to do it hours will rack up fast....

Were making around 1k bales here between our own 2nd cut silage and straw, then hayledge, hay an silage thats currently a part contract job and when we sat down to do the figures last year there was no way we could ever make it stack up.

Oh and just one last thing if you have to go finance route on a baler the bank wont do it over anymore than 3 years so at 10k your talking 3300 a year before you add in the interest.

agriman27

That's a very interesting reality overview there zr105 from a man that knows first hand. I suppose us lads that get baling done think that it's expensive and don't really look into costs in that much detail:pac:

Sharpshooter82

agriman27 wrote: »

That's a very interesting reality overview there zr105 from a man that knows first hand. I suppose us lads that get baling done think that it's expensive and don't really look into costs in that much detail:pac:

only learning the workings of a square baler myself, last year was my first with it and it was interesting :rolleyes:

Zr105

Sharpshooter82 wrote: »

only learning the workings of a square baler myself, last year was my first with it and it was interesting :rolleyes:

Have the square baler in the shed and would love to get rid in some ways but couldn't in others, only does a few hundred of straw and hay for customers but its such a pain having to go hook up to it and faf about for small numbers, grand if your taking in to a reasonable amount of ground tho! It's not the worst job tho as its an ap61 and well able to take stuff in! Put around about a 6 meter swarth of hay into it before and it makes a savage bale then, jus drop the gears right down!

Sharpshooter82

Zr105 wrote: »

Have the square baler in the shed and would love to get rid in some ways but couldn't in others, only does a few hundred of straw and hay for customers but its such a pain having to go hook up to it and faf about for small numbers, grand if your taking in to a reasonable amount of ground tho! It's not the worst job tho as its an ap61 and well able to take stuff in! Put around about a 6 meter swarth of hay into it before and it makes a savage bale then, jus drop the gears right down!

I've a new holland 274 and baled about 1000 bales last year. Was 15 years since I squared baled last before that. In fairness I loved every minute of it even when I was breaking shear bolts for sport

9935452

GERMAN ROCKS wrote: »

it doesn't say but I would guess its an 8ft. the thing then with balers that don't have choppers is that the cattle can tend to pull in the grass into the slats of wherever and this can be a pain then when agitating as the grass gets blocked up around the agitator. with chopped bales this isn't a problem.

The mower is a fc202, which would be 2.02m wide 6 foot 6 wide i believe. FC 240 would be 8 foot.

When feeding bales to the cattle we scrape the slats quickly in the morning behind the barriers to remove any lumps of grass.
part of the key for feeding bales is to keep the bales back from the barrier and make the cattle stretch for the grass. Some lads push the bale up to the barrier and the cattle dont even have to put their heads through the barrier. The bad point is you have to spend more time pushing in silage to them.
I have agitated a tank where the bales were pushed all the way in . Every minute the agitator was getting partially blocked with grass. in the end i had a few wheelbarrows of silage pulled from the agitator. The agitator was a Cross contractors model which are meant to be unblockable.

just do it

2Ft from the barrier for the bale to last 3 days. Obviously push it in 2ft each morning.

maidhc

Zr105 wrote: »

At 10k a baler is more than likely lookin for a new set of chains which will cost you up to another 2 grand for decent chains, then your also lookin at bearings going in rollers, not the most expensive but from experience its a bloody time consuming job to change them, and when one goes you may aswell do them all, (same with chains) its a good days stripping if you know what your at to get at them, and to pay a lad to do it hours will rack up fast....

I don't agree. A €10k baler should be a reasonably fresh one. Bearings are an overrated problem, and largely cured with later models that have grease points.

I mentioned on this forum before that I bought an old RP12s in 2001, did about 15,000 bales over 10 years and sold the baler at a profit in the end. It was slow, and maxed out at about 25 bales an hour, but it did the job.

Replaced it a couple of years ago with a Deere 575. 1998 model and well looked after for €5k. I needed to weld one of the rollers this year, and will need to spend about €500 sorting it properly during the winter, but no big deal.

They key is you do need to be interested in machines though, and if you need to call a mechanic every time the machine throws a wobbly then forget it.

Zr105

maidhc wrote: »

I don't agree. A €10k baler should be a reasonably fresh one. Bearings are an overrated problem, and largely cured with later models that have grease points.

I mentioned on this forum before that I bought an old RP12s in 2001, did about 15,000 bales over 10 years and sold the baler at a profit in the end. It was slow, and maxed out at about 25 bales an hour, but it did the job.

Replaced it a couple of years ago with a Deere 575. 1998 model and well looked after for €5k. I needed to weld one of the rollers this year, and will need to spend about €500 sorting it properly during the winter, but no big deal.

They key is you do need to be interested in machines though, and if you need to call a mechanic every time the machine throws a wobbly then forget it.

I'll agree that bearings isn't that massive an issue once a baler has been greased fairly regularly.

But the thing is a 10k baler may be a fairly modern baler but the problem there is a lot of the time a modern baler has been driven harder, making more bales with a lot more power in front of it than an older baler. Its rare to see a contractor balin with much less than 130 up front now, and that would be small enough at that really. Plus with choppers being pushed harder the chains are bein worked harder.
Having driven 2 balers that are still worth a fair share more than 10k and both have had chains replaced, which is why id expect them to be heading into breakage territory....

But as you say if your mechanically minded its not that bad, but still for the sake of a few hundred bales i dont think its worth it.

Sounds like you got a good deal with the 575 though!