Round baler advice for small holding

[Macleanr]

Hello there

I’m thinking of upgrading an welger rp12 which we have had since 1986 ! It has served us well and apart from the odd fart been pretty faultless and simple. Ideally I’m after something reliable, not loaded with science fiction and easy to repair efficient .
I was thinking of a more modern welger or class however I’m seeing various others which I’m clueless about ie krone, JD , Vicon etc. Anyone out there got experiences of what are good and what are best to avoid?
As always any info appreciated

 

[bobk]

Hello there

I’m thinking of upgrading an welger rp12 which we have had since 1986 ! It has served us well and apart from the odd fart been pretty faultless and simple. Ideally I’m after something reliable, not loaded with science fiction and easy to repair efficient .
I was thinking of a more modern welger or class however I’m seeing various others which I’m clueless about ie krone, JD , Vicon etc. Anyone out there got experiences of what are good and what are best to avoid?
As always any info appreciated

How many bales ?

 

[Dave W]

Hello there

I’m thinking of upgrading an welger rp12 which we have had since 1986 ! It has served us well and apart from the odd fart been pretty faultless and simple. Ideally I’m after something reliable, not loaded with science fiction and easy to repair efficient .
I was thinking of a more modern welger or class however I’m seeing various others which I’m clueless about ie krone, JD , Vicon etc. Anyone out there got experiences of what are good and what are best to avoid?
As always any info appreciated

This will be interesting. Most folk seem to think you can’t bale with anything other than a brand new mchale or welger. Or ever you need a contractor.

What are you wanting to bale and what are you rowing up with?

 

[Wellytrack]

Going to make a big difference what you’re actually baling. In grass Silage a Welger is hard to beat.

RP 220 a good if aging baler.

 

[Macleanr]

likely 200 a year.

 

[balerman]

Going to make a big difference what you’re actually baling. In grass Silage a Welger is hard to beat.

RP 220 a good if aging baler.

Yep,still a good baler.I would steer clear of an RP200,not their best.An early McHale should be ok,or a Vicon RF135.Older Claas and JD had their share of problems too.

 

[bobk]

likely 200 a year.

You have more than enough

 

[Macleanr]

It’s generally silage I do but occasionally do a few acres of hay which I’m aware can cause slippage on rollers of some machines. The old welger manages it all. Just a bit slow with the string and silage bales could be a bit more robustly made.

 

[bobk]

It’s generally silage I do but occasionally do a few acres of hay which I’m aware can cause slippage on rollers of some machines. The old welger manages it all. Just a bit slow with the string and silage bales could be a bit more robustly made.

It's an 800 quid baler ffs

 

[Macleanr]

Have a 2.8 Mtr mower conditioner which tbh has been a driver for this as itreally highlighted how inefficient messing about with smaller disc mower then rowing up etc was. Hope I can get similar efficiency with a more modern baler

 

[Wellytrack]

Yep,still a good baler.I would steer clear of an RP200,not their best.An early McHale should be ok,or a Vicon RF135.Older Claas and JD had their share of problems too.

21 seasons ago I was baling for a contractor with one. Was fine in the right grass/swath. Had an awful day with it in overgrown scraggy and weedy grass, constantly blocked at the side auger and couldn’t be careful enough to enter and leave the swath dead on straight.

I’m a good bit older now and if I had the same I would just rage quit.

 

[DrDunc]

The old krone chain and slat machines machines are one of the simplest, easiest to fix, and most versatile machines I've ever operated

They'll bale anything!

Slat bearings take minutes to change, they don't need many horses to drive, especially compared to a roller, and the netter works better than their latest models

Think they call them "bellima" now, and price new is probably still less than most used

Only real issue I remember is tinnitus from the noise

 

[Wellytrack]

The old krone chain and slat machines machines are one of the simplest, easiest to fix, and most versatile machines I've ever operated

They'll bale anything!

Slat bearings take minutes to change, they don't need many horses to drive, especially compared to a roller, and the netter works better than their latest models

Think they call them "bellima" now, and price new is probably still less than most used

Only real issue I remember is tinnitus from the noise

Noise indistinguishable from a Lambeg drum.

 

[Macleanr]

Would these slats wear quite quickly? I was told yrs back most roller balers were needing major overhauls at 30k bales .Ideally looking to steer clear of anything needing alotta work or maintenance.

 

[Sharpy]

Noise indistinguishable from a Lambeg drum.

You are advised to replace a broken back window quickly with those balers, my experience is 30 years old now but @DrDunc isn't far off the mark, in particular I remember someone baling a wee bale complete with strings! Not a baler for extreme output, but will be a lot better than your rp12

 

[DrDunc]

Would these slats wear quite quickly? I was told yrs back most roller balers were needing major overhauls at 30k bales .Ideally looking to steer clear of anything needing alotta work or maintenance.

Don't recall slats being an issue

Chains stretch and need replaced, same as a roller. Sorry don't know if they're expected to last the same as a roller. Sure someone else will know?

Was told a full set of bearings and new chains is a days labour. Anyone know if that's about right?

The tracks in which the slat bearings run will eventually wear out, but I reckon there won't be much else left of the baler by then?

The intake throat is definitely smaller than anything "modern", but I don't recall it being a slow baler by any means

Just a shame they weren't supplied with noise cancelling headphones as standard

 

[Horn&corn]

Just check price and availability of a local contractor doing the baling. Might be much cheaper than owning your own for 200 bales

 

[essexpete]

Just check price and availability of a local contractor doing the baling. Might be much cheaper than owning your own for 200 bales

Perhaps the OP wishes to be independent?

 

[balerman]

Just check price and availability of a local contractor doing the baling. Might be much cheaper than owning your own for 200 bales

Yeah if there’s a good local chap that’s likely to be available when you want him.Problem is it’s probably only 50 at a time,so likely to be well down the list if the weather is against you.
I would look for a Welger 220,biggest disaster is gonna be a roller breaking up,but they don’t go suddenly,normally crack first.
A 220 should have greaseable bearings,so not too much else to worry about.

 

[debe]

Sorry to hijack but a similar question here, about 1000 bales of silage a year, all fed through a mixer wagon. Currently borrowing brothers krone 150, but it has no knives so anything drier is a pain! 220/235 again?