Square baler followed me home

1939farmall · Oct 9, 2020

I’ve been looking for a small baler for awhile now. This New Holland 268 came up for auction and I jumped on it. Looks like it’s been sitting for a long time but it’s pretty clean. I put my lead mechanic on it so it should be good in no time! I can see it needs a few springs and about 5 gallons of grease! Let me know if you guys have any tips or advise about this thing.

1939farmall · Oct 9, 2020

Here’s what I’ll be pulling it with.

DeltaSteve · Oct 9, 2020

The first thing is to order a book,then read it .That 35 dollar book will save you hundreds of dollars in 'repairs'. Not to mention houres of grief when it wont tie.I would also suggest checking all the knotter adjustments as a bit of preventative mainenance.Just go touugh it with the book to make sure everything is 'up to snuff'.Those are good little balers,you will be happy with it.Hard to find a good mechanic these days,especially one that does house calls.

Looks like you got a good one!

jal-SD · Oct 9, 2020

You are probably going to get a lot of comments about no live power on your M. I wonder just how many millions of bales have been made with a combination similar what you have pictured above. (Just different colored tractors and bailers, but all without live power.) Your M and that New Holland are a perfect match in my opinion!

DeltaSteve · Oct 9, 2020

I used to bale with a SuperM. Baled thousands of bales. True,it wasn't 'live' but it worked,got used to it to where there was no issues at all.Always enjoyed listening to that M,especially when following a big heavy windrow.

1939farmall · Oct 9, 2020

I just got the operator manual for it and started reading. So far I know I need 6 pickup teeth 3 springs and some extra shear bolts. once I have time to get the parts I figured I’d pull it into the shop and go over it front to back.

RayP(MI) · Oct 9, 2020

I'v got two of them. Pulled first with a JD B and a Farmall 200. no live power in not a real problem, just back off and get baler moving before you get into windrow. Can always slip into neutral to clear bunches of hay if you get a buildup. I've had lots of issues with knotters, proper adjustment is critical. be sure hay dogs are good and operating properly, inspect for broken springs. Be sure knife on plunger sharp and properly adjusted. Bale density cranks on back can have influence on knotter performance as well. Feeder forks need to be properly adjusted. Can have a lot to do with creating or not creating banana bales.

Do not ride on baler to watch knotter action. First of all, it happens so fast that you cant see what happened. Second, you will sooner or later allow your hand to slip between housing and needle basket crank, and you'll get a serious injury to hand. My second baler has a shield over that part, see yours doesn't. If you want to see knotter in action, with power shut off, have a helper slowly turn flywheel, so you can see it in action. Keep ypur hands in your pockets!

bc · Oct 9, 2020

Did you buy the rocker in the back of the pickup so you can watch your helper do all the work?

Be sure to check it in the spring. We had a mother cat put all of her kittens inside in the hay. Had a heck of a time getting all of them out. Probably have to watch out in the winter as possums and skunks will burrow inside the hay.

Have fun and have plenty of shear pins. There are some little ones such as maybe in the rod that runs the knotter. Baling wire will only tie one or two bales before it shears.

1939farmall · Oct 9, 2020

LOL! I was wondering if anybody would notice that rocking chair. My
wife made it a point to let me know she really wanted it so I made
sure it ended up on the truck to bring home to her. I was waiting for a
Beverly Hillbilly reference!

We just cleaned out all the old hay and mice nests. I’m still reading
the book to see where all the shear pints are at. I figure I’ll get a few
of them to keep on hand.

rustred · Oct 9, 2020

lol. that looks like my rocker! have the same one with that design. yes tractor and baler good match.

bc · Oct 9, 2020

(quoted from post at 10:11:27 10/09/20) LOL! I was wondering if anybody would notice that rocking chair. My
wife made it a point to let me know she really wanted it so I made
sure it ended up on the truck to bring home to her. I was waiting for a
Beverly Hillbilly reference!

We just cleaned out all the old hay and mice nests. I m still reading
the book to see where all the shear pints are at. I figure I ll get a few
of them to keep on hand.

Rustred give me an idea. Mount the rocker on the tractor and you can be baling hay till you are a 100 years old!!!

Olliejunkie · Oct 9, 2020

The only thing I can ad is make sure plunger block works properly every year.

rvirgil_KS · Oct 9, 2020

It is the windrow that determines the benefit of or no need for live power

It is uneven bunched up windrows with need to stop and go that create the need for live power.
With even windrows where you can maintain a constant speed live power is not necessary

GordoSD · Oct 9, 2020

I have the twin to that rocer. My GGF bought it at sears late 1800's

Hockeygoon · Oct 9, 2020

My brome fields have the windrows 6-7' apart and I'm still kicking my power director into neutral even at 1.6 MPH with a 276 New Holland. I quit using my 350 on the baler because I spent most of the time riding the clutch at 2.5 MPH.

caserd · Oct 10, 2020

My dad owned one like it, but had a thrower on back. As i remember it treated us very well. Every nite he made certain to clean all dirt and chaff from knotter area with an air nozzle, and he always put it in the shed at nite. He would be very particular about a tight square knot, with short tails, between bales of twine. At the end of the season he cleaned out the hay left in the chamber. I would maybe spray some lubricant in chamber after season to keep any rust from starting. As i remember sharp knives on the plunger and chamber opening helped keep from from shearing bolts that go through the fly wheel in front to drive the rest of the baler. Live power on the tractor would be nicer, it just depends on conditions and how much baling your doing. Maybe all stuff you already know. Basically good baler if all things can function as the manufacturer intended. Thanks for posting the pic.

Square baler followed me home

1939farmall

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