Bombproof round baler

[beardedcountryboy]

Hey I'm potentially looking at getting a used round baler, i want something cheap, simple and easy to fix that makes 4ft bales of everything from silage to straw. Can anybody recomend anything that they've had good experiences with. Or not so I know what to stay clear of.
Cheers

 

[spin cycle]

Hey I'm potentially looking at getting a used round baler, i want something cheap, simple and easy to fix that makes 4ft bales of everything from silage to straw. Can anybody recomend anything that they've had good experiences with. Or not so I know what to stay clear of.
Cheers

don't we all

 

[Wellytrack]

Nothing is bomb proof. They all work. They all break.

Good luck.

 

[DrWazzock]

I have a Sipma Hussar that I would happily reverse over a land mine.

 

[Nithsdale]

Buying used it's a lottery... you've just no idea how the previous owner looked after it.

For example a baler with 100k bales on the count which has been well looked after could well be a better buy than one with only 30k bales but has never seen grease or oil...


Of the current crop of balers, it's pretty fair to say McHale is probably the most reliable, which to many make it also the best.

 

[DrWazzock]

John deere belt balers make a nice tight centred bale but in my experience don't like it too wet or too dry. We have used a JD550 for years but it struggles in wet silage or dry straw. It laps up damp straw. A bit old hat nowadays. It makes a tighter bale than a McHale in my experience but is slower and less able to cope with diffcult conditions.

Avoid anything Eastern European. Utter shite.

 

[beardedcountryboy]

John deere belt balers make a nice tight centred bale but in my experience don't like it too wet or too dry. We have used a JD550 for years but it struggles in wet silage or dry straw. It laps up damp straw. A bit old hat nowadays. It makes a tighter bale than a McHale in my experience but is slower and less able to cope with diffcult conditions.

Avoid anything Eastern European. Utter shite.

Cheers, not too bothered about speed, looking at between 700-1000 bales per year from first cut to third so nicely spread out.

 

[DrWazzock]

My neighbour who is a proper livestock farmer runs a McHale. We, who just do a few for the sheep, runs JD550. I think that says it all.

I think a 1000 bales of damp silage with a JD550 would be a recipe for a nervous breakdown. Haylage would probably be just about doable.

 

[Nithsdale]

Cheers, not too bothered about speed, looking at between 700-1000 bales per year from first cut to third so nicely spread out.

Greatest respect, we do just slightly more - usually 1100-1200 and I wouldn't consider buying 2nd hand. Buy new and keep it 25 years... expensive outlay initially but it'll cost you very little over its life and there's no hidden horror story you don't know about.

 

[Chae1]

New baler prices went mad too, over 30k for a new McHale now. Last one cost about 20k 8 years ago. Baling price not gone up much.

Fair do's if you can justify one on 1200 bales. Mines done over 40k and can't make sums add up to change it.

 

[som farmer]

both the last 2 class rollants I bought used, both ended up igniting themselves while baling straw, not to be recommended, the 1 before, new, brilliant, before that, wellgar 200, brilliant, haven't got one now.

 

[Nithsdale]

New baler prices went mad too, over 30k for a new McHale now. Last one cost about 20k 8 years ago. Baling price not gone up much.

Fair do's if you can justify one on 1200 bales. Mines done over 40k and can't make sums add up to change it.

McHale f5500 was 34k in 2013 when we bought it... but that included a ridiculous charge from McHale for the finance they bit us with AFTER buying/signing up! We made our thoughts about that bloody clear to the dealer

 

[Martyn]

a clean welger 235 if well looked after good solid bales well built and more realistic price than a mchale

 

[Andy Nash]

Buying new would of course be great but in my situation impossible, so when I was faced with the same dilemma as you ten years ago I bought a welger rp12. It was slow but reliable needing bearings every now and then. When it started breaking chains I bought a rp200 for £3800 which was much quicker but does the odd bearing every now and then.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

if You enjoy having a full head of hair then avoid a JD 550 or 590
Both are shite

 

[Mursal]

Fixed chamber roller, stay away from the belts, Claas might be worth a look ......

 

[Zebbedee]

Fixed chamber roller, stay away from the belts, Claas might be worth a look ......

Nothing wrong with belts we run welger balers, belt baler will be cheaper to run than roller but requires a better operator to make it work in any conditions.

 

[michael N123]

Our vicon rf235 bales anything you put in front of it

 

[valtraman]

Mchale 550 plenty on the used market nowadays . Simple string baler even with high count

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Fixed chamber roller, stay away from the belts, Claas might be worth a look ......

I wouldn’t have anything but belts