The Ole 68 Pulled Through!

Well, I just finished up my little field with the NH 68 baler a couple of hours ago...

The engine powered it great, it only missed two bales, and that was because it didn't tie on the right side

I only screwed up twice because I accidentally triggered the knotters and made a 2 inch bale - and I sheared the bolt off the controls bale length, so it is currently stuck in one position.

The Bales:

I NAILED the density, PERFECT.
However, due to the fact that I broke the adj. ALL of the bales are about 14-16 inches long...

Mom made the smart remark that now because I have mini bales, I need to get mini horses...

I pressed 49 bales, and that is off 1 acre. I think it went pretty well.

I will get some pictures of the entire process tomorrow!

All in all, one more step towards a farming career for Bryce kind... Bryce

Good Job!!!you can substitute a cable clamp for the bale hength stop.Count the strokes per bale for more consistent bales.15-20 spb is what I like. Again,Good job!!

Bryce. you are doing well. You don't hesitate to try something and you don't mind admitting it when you make a mistake. That is all part of the overall picture, and you are learning while most young men are losing time by playing games. Yep, I do believe you have a good future ahead of you! Should you decide you would rather not farm full time, sounds like you may be interested in mechanical engineer or such.

Congratulations Bryce,

Keep up the good work!

Tom in TN

Good deal! hey I can fix you right up with the mini horses. ^D

Way better than my first time. I baled a neighbors backyard because he was away on an extended work assignment. Due to shade it didn't dry adequately and I think I got three bales that were five feet long and weighed 150 lbs each.

You might want to check the condition of the friction disc that the trip arm rides in. Mine was getting worn down and even though I had the clamp set to where I wanted it on the trip arm because the teeth on the friction disc was getting worn down it would still occasionally make an odd length bale. I have my 68 tore down right now to replace the plunger slides. New Holland wants $129.00 a piece for a piece of wood. I had a wood worker here make me some. I took him an original slide that was unworn at the back and he used it to make me some new ones. I got all four made for $40.00. The downside it while I had the baler tore down bumblebees decided to build a nest in it in a place that you can not get to without some serious dismantling. I love my 68. It was originally powered by the Wisconsin engine and they pulled it with a Ferguson TE-20. It still has the three stripes on the flywheel from the belts. When they bought a new MF 165 in 1965 my grandfather traded the engine set up for the pto shaft set up. I remember him telling me if you got too much hay in the baler and the governor would open up that you would see smoke coming off the belts...lol.I found the note pad in it where my grandfather kept count of the square bales in 1957 thru 1961 and they averaged between 5,000 and 6,000 those years with that set up!

Sounds like you did a great job. Better luck that I had my first time out. Congrats! I made about 15 of those 2 inch bales once, the trip arm got stuck, and it was knotting every cycle. The impressive thing was every one of those 15 tied...

Bryce, by the way, how is the neighbor's tractor doing? Have not seen any updates, hope you have been able to get it fixed.

Good job ! I love my old 68, it is a simple and rugged machine. I made 200 bales last saturday without a miss, and 500 last summer with no misses. Nice tight square bales too, if you have good sized windrows going in.

Those mini bales might just be the ticket.
Bale up some straw and haul them to a big town and sell them for Halloween decorations and such.

you'd be AMAZED at what they sell mini bales for in the pets stores around here!

(for rabbits)

I've seen them as high as $25.00!!!

I used to jump off the wagon and trip a bunch of half sized bales.They were easier to stack on the shelf in my four sheep sheepshed.

Mini big squares, Ive had a few of those myself lol.

When I first made this baler work, the length setting was at MAX, and the bale it made was 45 inches long before I manually tripped the knotters, and it was about 3/4's of the way down it's track!! BIG Bales, on a small scale! Bryce

Alright, here are a few good pictures for you guys!

1954 Ferguson TO-30 All Done...

All of my babies...

1952 Farmall Super C + John Deere No.5

1954 John Deere 40T + John Deere 594 High Wheel Rake

The guy that baled our hay one year had a kid running the baler, who didn't notice that the bale length collar had come loose, so the bales were all about 4 1/2 feet long. Guy showed up just as he was finishing, showed him the problem. We were loading them up, and I figured he'd try to get an "adjustment" in the price- but he came over and said "Those long bales are sure enough a PITA to handle, but look at the bright side, I said so much a bale, and that's what it will be, so you're at least getting a break on the price."

How about a picture of the ol' 68, while you're at it? Looks like you're getting everything pretty well figured out. If you can get a #5 mower to cut well, and any older baler to tie, you've pretty much got 'er whipped.

You really have some nice stuff there! And making an old baler like that work that good is a feat that can make a grown man cry, at least make me cry anyway.

Yep, I will go get one in just a minute. I thought that mom had taken a few shots of me bailing, but I didn't see any on the camera???

I need to get a picture of it like it is for future reference, and to prove that I didn't borrow the neighbors 124 Massey... I'll be back with on in just a minute, STAY TUNED!! Bryce