Pete -- I have never known anyone in my life that explains things (anything) so well as you do. I grew up on a farm in Iowa in the 60's-70's and nobody ever taught me how any of our equipment worked. I was just a farmhand. Just a warm body in a seat (much like most of the new breed of truckdrivers today). So I want to thank you for explaining your operation so well. You are one of my favorite TH-camrs, and maybe even the most favorite. Take care, always.
We just bought a 268 last week. The owner didn't have a tractor on site to run it but we took a chance and bought it anyway. We got it home and tested it out. It ran ok so next day we baled 500 bales. Made another 168 the following day. The baler didn't miss once. I'm sold on New Holland.
@@Huntersprojects Yes. Doing very well. Made a couple thousand bales again this year. Just did routine maintenance and replaced a few wear parts. One of the best investments I've ever made.
I remember back in the 60s when I had only just became a teenager our local farmer, who we always helped at harvest time, bought a brand new New Holland Super Hayliner 268 to replace his ageing International baler. WELL! With the old one, the group of us kids could handle the flow of bales from the International baler but man, could that new thing spew out bales!!! The farmer was traveling at nearly twice the speed and the 268 just gobbled it up quick style. We knew we had done a days work after that but it was good grounding for all of us and taught us good work ethics. Got a lot to thank that new baler for.
We had a new Holland bailer back in the later 60s and 70s. The sounds of the knotters doing their thing still echos clearly in my memory. We stacked every bale that thing threw into the wagons. Very hot hard work. I can’t think of a better place to grow up than on that neighbors farm. If I had the chance I’d do it all over again. Thanks for stirring up some very old memories.
The engineering that made modern farming possible is pretty amazing. I can only imagine the years of trial and error before they created something that actually worked. Thanks for sharing
Your content is so educational, thorough, fun and well produced! I feel like each video is it's own episode of a PBS show. Thanks for taking the time to provide this content to everyone on the internet.
Ben, my father sold them from 59-87 at local dealer here in NC along with Allis Chalmers. When I was 15 back in 1974 we took the camper up to Lancaster and New Holland and toured the plant. Great memories for this 61 year old. We have a local NH dealer here and they do well. Lots of those old square balers still running around here for the horse folk. Most cattle folk use round balers.
When I grew up on the farm back in the 60's and 70's we had a NH compact 65 that baler was a awesome machine. We did hay commercially and averaged 20,000 or more bales a year with that baler. Those were great years growing up even though it was hard hot work. It's amazing the skills and work ethic I gained from the experience.
You know Pete, you would make on hell of a good guest lecturer at an Ag College. You get your detailed point across in a way that is easy to digest IF one is at all interested in the topic.
I like these in-depth and informative videos on older equipment, as i am a bit of a "nostalgia nerd". But, more importantly, it shows that you do not have to have large loans, pay high interest rates and be in debt to the bank to create a living for yourself and your family. Best regards from Sweden.
"nostalgia nerd" is also a youtube channel, but that channel does old vintage computers and video games not farming or related topics. I agree with you about the older equipment. If you know how to repair older farm equipment, they are a cheaper option instead of buying new.
Hi from Australia (Tasmania actually, down under Downunder!). I grew up with my father's NH 275, and now have an older NH Hayliner 69 which is in excellent order. Last year was my first year making hay "on my own" (that is, having to do the thinking) as my Dad passed away 11 years ago. Interesting how much you learnt that you didn't know you were learning when you have to make it work on your own. All went well and did 220 bales (all the grass we had to spare), but are hoping to do twice that this year, grass permitting. My only point to add to the excellent presentation you did is in regard to joining the two ball of twine. Dad showed me, and I think it is in the manual, that you divide the ends of the string into two even "strands" of say 6 inches length, then tie a knot in one strand of each ball and another knot in the other two strands (one from each ball) but make sure the two knots don't line up (ie say two inches from the end on one strand and four inches from the end of the other strand). That way two smaller knots consecutively pass through the system rather than one big knot. I see also that the twine has worn a groove in the eye of your needles. This will cause problems such as binding the string passage, catching the knots where the balls are joined (as described) as well as delivering the string out of position to the knotted mechanism. You can weld or braze the eye to replace the missing metal or drill a small hole (say 3/16") across the offending worn area and fit a hardened dowel pin for the string to bear on. Many thanks for your work.
As a part time farm kid in the 70s to the early 80s I have lugged many a bale of hay. It was my aunt’s small farm in NW New Jersey & we pitched in at hay time. She had a New Holland baler, however despite being mechanically inclined I knew not to touch it was mysterious machine, she was not having anyone fool with it. The thrower would blow out some chaff just before launching the bale. I and who ever on the wagon would attempt to stack the hay as best we could. If done right we fill the wagon to the top. She went round bales as we grew up and moved on. Great times 👍🏻
30 yrs ago, as a teenager, I spent countless hours on the wagon bucking bales for the neighborhood farmers. Never thought about how they worked at the time!! Thanks for bringing back a lot of old memories!!
Your tendency to hang onto 'old' bailers and tractors reminds me of my grandpa on the ranch: we had some very exotic looking tractors (huge monsters to a wee lad), all sorts of combines and spud harvesters laying about near the workshop for ages. When they finally sold the ranch, all the old timers from nearby ranches came to the auction to get parts to repair their old stuff. He just couldn't let anything go---even his old Model T's and A's who were way beyond their prime (but still worked)---after he'd put so much time and effort into keeping them up. They were family!
Excellent run through the mechanism and tips for better operation, maintenance, storage, tuning in the field and lessons learned over the years. I ran a few NH balers in the past and still learned a lot here. Great style and pace of delivery of knowledge, it’s obviously about the subject and not the presenter... well done. I really enjoyed this video. Thanks very much for making the effort and sharing your knowledge and experience.
Excellent video, thanks for taking the time to make this. These are great old machines and as you mention, they only need some basic knowledge to keep running at optimum level. Your educational video will be really valuable to folks who have never had to repair and maintain these balers. Awesome work!
Yes, incredible knowledge and teaching. If I were with you, and you went over everything many times, and slowly, I might eventually become a master like you.
Spent a lot of time haying with my Uncle. He had a NH baler powered by a Wisconsin engine hand crank to start. Had a bale thrower that hooked to the frame of the truck and tossed the bale to the poor chap stacking. If it was going to rain my uncle could drive pretty fast. whew. Thanks for the great video. 🇺🇸🐢🐄🚒🚑
Thanks for showing us your baler. If Ed Nolt, George Delp, Abe Zimmerman, Larry Skromme, and Shaun Seymour (all worked for New Holland years ago developing predecessors to this product) got to see this, I'm sure it would have put a smile on their faces.
The person or company that invented the knotters amazes me. To me, that's a complicated Rube Goldberg device that really works and serves an important purpose. Several people had patents on various designs and improvements.
I enjoyed this video. My grandfather owned and operated a farm machinery dealership in Northwestern PA. I spent many hours there as a youngster watching and learning. Brings back great memories!
What an absolutely fantastic explanation and review of the New Holland. Great job! Anyone that has ever run one can appreciate the engineering of these things. 🤠❤️🇺🇸
You a one of the best teachers/instructors that I have had the pleasure of watching. I remember as a boy baling hey, with a New Holland, with my grandfather and uncles. I remember them fussing with it when we went into the fields until it worked seamlessly. We would bale hey for weeks. A lot of work! Thank you.
After watching far too much bad news lately, it was time for something a bit more down to earth. Your very clear, explanation of this complicated piece of equipment brought me back down to earth. Thank you.
Excellent video, Sir. For a guy like myself in my early 30s, this knowledge is priceless and I'm sure everyone can appreciate you passing it on. Hope to be Haying my 6 acres with a New Holland like this by next year.
I have stumbled across your videos and channel quite by accident. I am so glad I did. I'm 52 myself and watching your videos is bringing back all my childhood memories of exactly the same tractors and equipment I first got to know. God bless, keep em coming, mate. Chris, Cheshire, UK.
Awesome video. Ed Nolt put NH balers on the map by inventing the system that allowed a bale to be held in tension while the twine was being knotted. His system (from the 1930’s) was quite different than what was shown here, but no one else had come up with anything that worked, so he got his invention patented and went to NH with it. They liked it and implemented it and consequently almost had a monopoly on small square balers for the next 30-40 years. And made Ed Nolt a rich man. He was a humble Mennonite guy, and his solution for his wealth was to establish a trust fund that still provides funds for Mennonite parochial schools to this day.
When I was young we baled 120,000 bales a summer for winter feeding for the cows. It was a wire binding baler. The wire didn’t break as often. Unfortunately we had to stack the hay and then feed out in the winter. Bales weighed 60-80 pounds great workout for young folks. It was a new Holland as far as I remember. Thanks for the memories. It was life not drudgery.
Hi Pete, I run a 268, and that was a very good, informational video. I picked up a couple of useful tips watching it. I wanted to mention that I use a square knot to join balls of twine. and like you said cut off the excess tail after the knot is tight. I know some argue that square notes aren't the best knot for certain applications but it hasn't failed me(as far as I know) in joining the balls. I'm with you on changing courses because of the exuberant amount of work with small squares, and for my lambing season, I have found large squares to be my solution to back problems. you are made to work with forks and spears verses you back. they stack nicer, IMO. and when kept dry, flake off nicely. I still appreciate the nostalgia of the small squares, and it is a good workout for the young men. plus those small square straw balls are good money in the fall for Halloween decorations. I'm glad this popped up on my suggestions. thanks, and have a great day.
WOW Pete another Master Class from you ,i just hope many small young farmers were watching this lesson on running storing and adjusting New Holland square balers ,Thank you.
Great job teaching about the new Holland square. I have two of them. A 315 and a 273. You did the best job that I have ever seen on u tube. God bless! Bobby in McCrory Arkansas.
Love this video. Just got out my grandfathers square baler to do fall hay. Our uncle who always helped us hay has died and I need to get this baler ready this is great! Thanks
My grandpa had a baler like that new holland you got. It didn't have a kicker it just fell out on the ground and me and my brothers would load the bales on a trailer. Thank you for going through this. I have always wanted to know how this baler worked. 🤠👍
My dad had aa Hayliner "67" ..... the plunger actually run on cherrywood slides against the steel (no bearings),... along with the chaff,.. in the chamber that's all it ever had,... I remember the chamber where the wood run would be very shiny,... and in all the years,... we never replaced them,..... I miss it,.......thanks for the very well prepared video,... very professionally done,....New Holland did a good job in designing their machines,...... thanks again..........
Had a 273 new holland for more then 20 years, we averaged 3000 to 5000 bales per year with the old baler. Updated to a 570 high capacity several years ago and I'm very happy with it. New Holland does make a great baler.👍
Peach, I hope there’s not a quiz over all of that information because I’m sure I’m going to flunk but I certainly did enjoy learning about this Baylor and all that it can do… I definitely did Enjoy learning learning About this piece of equipment and how it works but also just listening to you talk about something you’re so passionate about!! It is so relaxing and I want to thank you for this video. Every day is a great OK when I get to hear one of your videos❣️❣️ Thanks Hillary for being a behind the Scenes support♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
Hi Pete, fellow farmer here, I assembled these balers for my uncle (farmer who introduced NH to our community in the early sixties). Later, we studied this baler in our mechanized agriculture engineering class. This series of baler which was made for nearly 30 years with few modifications (it was a low capacity "entry-level" baler for the tractors of the day). The shear pin on your flywheel is not for the overload hay in the bale chamber, it is to disconnect the drive if the needles safety interlock would be activated (i.e. a piece of wood get in the plunger needle grooves and prevents the needles from wrapping the bales - the interlock will block the plunger from coming back and breaking the needles). The different bale chamber feeding mechanisms that you described have to do with the capacity of the baler. At 540 rpm, this as fast as the bale feeding mechanism could work because of the momentum of the feeder arm assy. This system was better than IHC because did split the hay partly where the plunger knives would cut the bale. All the gear on this baler including the plunger supports were roller-bearing mounted. It was made to require very little power from the tractors of that era. Finally, I would suspect that this 269 had a dealer-installed thrower (Hayliner 271/273 would have the factory-installed throwers). You made a wise choice to install the model 70 bale thrower as it enables you to drop your bales in the field if you want to. It was discontinued because its frame was more fragile than the model 53, 54... and some less "gentle" farmers would break them (usually hitting a fence post with them or bottoming them in a gully. My brother has the family farm and he gave me the 268 (short tongue) with bale thrower (added) that we bought new in 1967, I am his neighbor. I am trying to model my farm to the way farming was done back in the 50s~60s, restoring implements of that era. My brother has the large "efficient" family dairy farm. PS: Back in the sixties/seventies, NH was the most innovative American implement company - it is amazing the amount of designs/patents that they came up with over the years. Peace be with you, Ciao, L (Maine)
It’s not junk they are collectors that’s what I call the folks who have all kinds of stuff sitting around I’m new to the channel but the first video I started following you great content really enjoy your videos hope you and the family have a Merry Christmas
Great run through! Wish this video existed when I got my 273 14 years ago. I remember chasing my tail since mine was sold to me with plastic twine in... Took me forever to figure out it needed sisal to tie properly!
I've spent many hours on a wagon behind one of them rigs that had a chute on it I was always amazed at how a machine could tie a Knott in them strings like that
I have always been fascinated by square balers. They are very complex and amazing pieces of farm equipment. I saw an old 277 New Holland for sale so I purchased it for $3,000. It came with a 310 parts machine. I have yet to bake hay with it but it is on my bucket list. This video was very helpful to me.
Pete, appreciate all your videos, but this one especially! We just bought 20 acres and will be having a portion of it (even though I know it's not the most cost efficient method). I didn't grow on a farm and all this is relatively new to me and balers have always seemed like a mystical creature. You did an incredible job of explaining it all in a very easy to understand manner. I dont feel nearly as overwhelmed as I did before I watched this and will have a better idea of things to look for on a used baler. Thanks!!
Always enjoy your very informative videos. I have a 268 and a 269. Been baling with the 268 for about 30 years. This video taught me a few things I didnt know mainly the cable system that locks the outbound wheel.
Very nice walk around of this baler. Just a funny story. My dad was so cheap when we were kids, he made us take the used bale strings and tie them back together end for end and reroll it back into a ball for the next year. We got really good at making small tight knots and strangely enough, we had very little trouble with them going through the baler the next year. Each bale then had 2 knots in each string. It was a different time back then I guess but we saved him 10s of dollars. Lol
Pete, thanks so much for this video, it brought back a lot of late 70's and early 80's memories for me. My grandfather was a farmer in western Illinois and I worked summers helping out from about 10yrs old to my late teens. Putting up hay was one of my first jobs and he had a New Holland very much like yours. I still vividly remember that monster shaking back and forth just waiting to chomp up the windrows. I also remember him having to replace that shear pin a couple times during the season (don't remember if his had the slip clutches) and I learned quickly how to correctly tie the twine knots like you say to keep them from binding. He didn't use twine in balls, it was in coreless spools that fed out of the center. Great memories!
Pete, well done. I can relate to every word you say. I own and use a Massey Ferguson 53 (1968). Your New Holland is a show stopper. Yes picked up a few tips from you, thanks.
Hi Pete, about knots, older balers could not take the type of knot you are describing - we used a modified square knot, mixing the fibers of the twine (old type twine) together. It is hard to explain in writing but it is described in older baler books. Great video, Ciao, L
This is awesome. My grandson wants to start putting up square bales. It's been a minute since we ran a 268. My uncle was a new holland dealer for 40 years, so i learned a lot. One thing that i noticed was your discussion of the pto shaft. The 269 was a "long tongue" version of the "short tongue" 268. The 269 had the extra bearing.
I am learning so much about stuff, I have absolutely have no need to know! Loving every minute of it. Kidding aside, I think we all should know what goes into bringing food to market. Thank you!
Thanks so much Pete. This is the best overview of the old NH balers on the Internet. I could say the same about all your videos on small the farm topics! I am learning as I go on an old NH 319 I got a couple of years ago and hope to eventually get the bugs out of that knotter. I will make sure to follow up on your suggestions. Thanks !
Everytime I see square bales think of my head bleeding stacking them Bales in the barn from the nail sticking through the purlin. sure do miss my grandfather. You never know the importance of a moment until it becomes a memory . Spend time with the ones you love. Tell them you love them
Pete. anytime I have a question about how to do something on my farm you're one of my first go to's on how to do. Thanks for doing what you do. (I'm currently working on getting a 269 to operational condition.) Thank's Pete.
She's a beauty! Always loved the process of making hay ever since I was a kid and your deep dive into the baler was awesome. Great job restoring the machine!
Grandpa bought a NH 280 serial number 1960. Dad ended up with it. Uncles bought models 281, 282, 283. Those models used the chain driven raker teeth to feed the bale chamber. The 280 worked better for baling straw than the 260, because the chain lifted the raker teeth up out of the incoming straw. We used the 280 mostly with a IHC Farmall M gas, Super M gas, then lastly a SMTA gas with live PTO. That was heaven, being able to push the clutch in & the PTO kept running. Numerous times on the M & SM we were shifting with the plunger, sometimes the tractor would end up in 2 gears at once stopping the motor NOW & sliding the rear tires. We used the 280 so much that the floor of the bale chamber wore out. One thing that I like about the 260 is that the needles come up through a gap in the plunger, on the 280, the plunger could hit the needles breaking them! Dad always kept 1 new needle & 2 welded up needles under the bench. Hello from north east Montana. 10 miles from the Canadian border.
Wow. Thank you. I am new to cutting hay. I have a new Holland 268 that we got for 1200. your video has taught me a lot. I’m still working out all the kinks in the baler but hopefully soon it will bale great again.
Spent a summer on my Uncle's PA farm behind one of these stacking bales in a cart. Taking a bale in the face taught me to ALWAYS keep my eye on the thrower... ;)
Just crushed a 269 baler. Had a broken connecting rod on the plunger. Easily fixed but didn't need the baler any longer Thoroughly enjoyed your video and tracked right along with everything you described felt like I was right out in the hayfield 20 years ago making it work.
This is a great video. I grew up baling (on the wagon of course) with a NH 273 baler my dad had. The mechanics always fascinated me but I never took the time to learn how it all came together. I can hear every sound now. It was very distinct. Dad always fixed it when something went haywire (pun intended). Thanks to you all these years later I now have learned something that always wondered about and eluded me due to my own laziness. It has brought back many great memories. Dad's 273 would throw pins pretty often so your explanation on that was interesting. Our 273 was a wire baler but the rest of the machine was the same. NH made the best as you said. 256 hay rake was hard to beat as well. Thank you very much for your time putting this together.
great video we had the same baler on our family farm when i was growing up back in the 70's . brings back a lot of memories . remember we just had the chute and we stacked the bales on the wagons hired high schoolers we would bale 1-2 thousand bale a day . then couldn't get help latter on in the late 80's then bought the thrower for it .
Thanks Pete I just purchased an International 1975 model 440 wire bailer it needs some work but really a good machine been stored inside but needs gone through and painted I’ve been using round bailers for a while but always wanted to do some squares I’ve got plenty of customers to sell to that want square hay, you definitely proved that a restoration is possible for older machines like these because Blue Collar guys like us can’t justify spending $25,000 dollars on a new machine, thanks again brother awesome video!!!!
No worries. I’ve been involved with baling for over 25 years, and my dad has for 50 or so years. We never really understood the knotters on our New Holland 276 very well until this year. It started giving us some trouble and I proclaimed, “We WILL learn EXACTLY how this works and get it tuned up!” So we did!
I grew up on a Dairy Farm in the 70’s and 80’s. Calumet and Fond du Lac counties is where our farm was. Always had a view of Lake Winnebago. We had this bailer with the throw belts. Except that we used twine spools instead of twine balls. Three crops of hay. Bailed oat straw for bedding. We did not clean out the bailer but bailed dry straw through for winter storage. Greased all inserts after a few hours of operation. All farm equipment was stored in machine sheds to protect from the elements. My Mom always drove the tractor that pulled the bailer. She spliced the twine and replaced sheer pins herself. I raked hay with an Allis charmers tractor and New Holland rake. In my teenager years ( when my brother Jerry started taking over and was my boss, so to speak, I cut hay too. I either unload hay wagons or stacked in the hay mow. It was long, long, long days. No AC while sleeping. Parents hired local teenagers to help. A favorite I remember is Mom order take out for all from a local bar/restaurant. When I think to myself how hard my family use to work….well I keep going with my task for home upkeep and overtime at work as a welder for Oshkosh Defense. Thank you for posting and take care.
Pete -- I have never known anyone in my life that explains things (anything) so well as you do. I grew up on a farm in Iowa in the 60's-70's and nobody ever taught me how any of our equipment worked. I was just a farmhand. Just a warm body in a seat (much like most of the new breed of truckdrivers today). So I want to thank you for explaining your operation so well. You are one of my favorite TH-camrs, and maybe even the most favorite. Take care, always.
I agree! I love all the details!
You are the BEST small farm channel on TH-cam! !! Thank you!
We just bought a 268 last week. The owner didn't have a tractor on site to run it but we took a chance and bought it anyway. We got it home and tested it out. It ran ok so next day we baled 500 bales. Made another 168 the following day. The baler didn't miss once. I'm sold on New Holland.
How is it? And are you still using it?
@@Huntersprojects Yes. Doing very well. Made a couple thousand bales again this year. Just did routine maintenance and replaced a few wear parts. One of the best investments I've ever made.
😊😊😊😊
😊
Thank you for the update.
Never had anyone explain a baler like that. Thank you!
The videos are gold dust - not just in the present, but for future generations. Thanks again Pete!
I always feel like Just a few Acres is right on par with PBS This old house level quality knowledge and entertainment value.
I remember back in the 60s when I had only just became a teenager our local farmer, who we always helped at harvest time, bought a brand new New Holland Super Hayliner 268 to replace his ageing International baler.
WELL!
With the old one, the group of us kids could handle the flow of bales from the International baler but man, could that new thing spew out bales!!!
The farmer was traveling at nearly twice the speed and the 268 just gobbled it up quick style.
We knew we had done a days work after that but it was good grounding for all of us and taught us good work ethics.
Got a lot to thank that new baler for.
We had a new Holland bailer back in the later 60s and 70s. The sounds of the knotters doing their thing still echos clearly in my memory. We stacked every bale that thing threw into the wagons. Very hot hard work. I can’t think of a better place to grow up than on that neighbors farm. If I had the chance I’d do it all over again. Thanks for stirring up some very old memories.
The engineering that made modern farming possible is pretty amazing. I can only imagine the years of trial and error before they created something that actually worked. Thanks for sharing
Never have farmed likely never will but I can (and have) listen to Pete for hours. Great presentation.
Your content is so educational, thorough, fun and well produced! I feel like each video is it's own episode of a PBS show. Thanks for taking the time to provide this content to everyone on the internet.
New to the game and just bought an old New Holland 311. It wasn't tying off bales, and your video helped me figure out the issue quickly. Thanks!
The engineering behind that knotter is mind blowing. The guy that came up with that is a real genius
I work in the Plant that builds the Small Square baler, still going strong building them every day!
Hi Ben, that is something to be proud of!!
Ben, my father sold them from 59-87 at local dealer here in NC along with Allis Chalmers. When I was 15 back in 1974 we took the camper up to Lancaster and New Holland and toured the plant. Great memories for this 61 year old. We have a local NH dealer here and they do well. Lots of those old square balers still running around here for the horse folk. Most cattle folk use round balers.
Awesome!
My dad worked at a dealership in the late 50's / early '60's, and they sold new Holland equipment as a shortline.
@@DLTJR1959 I wonder if your dad sold my dad's D10 when it was brand new. 99% sure it's spent it's whole life in the GSO area.
28 minutes 48 seconds well spent, thank you!
When I grew up on the farm back in the 60's and 70's we had a NH compact 65 that baler was a awesome machine. We did hay commercially and averaged 20,000 or more bales a year with that baler. Those were great years growing up even though it was hard hot work. It's amazing the skills and work ethic I gained from the experience.
Pete you explained a very complicated piece of machinery in very good simple terms that everyone can understand, Brilliant
You know Pete, you would make on hell of a good guest lecturer at an Ag College. You get your detailed point across in a way that is easy to digest IF one is at all interested in the topic.
I like these in-depth and informative videos on older equipment, as i am a bit of a "nostalgia nerd".
But, more importantly, it shows that you do not have to have large loans, pay high interest rates and be in debt to the bank to create a living for yourself and your family.
Best regards from Sweden.
"nostalgia nerd" is also a youtube channel, but that channel does old vintage computers and video games not farming or related topics. I agree with you about the older equipment. If you know how to repair older farm equipment, they are a cheaper option instead of buying new.
Hi from Australia (Tasmania actually, down under Downunder!). I grew up with my father's NH 275, and now have an older NH Hayliner 69 which is in excellent order. Last year was my first year making hay "on my own" (that is, having to do the thinking) as my Dad passed away 11 years ago. Interesting how much you learnt that you didn't know you were learning when you have to make it work on your own. All went well and did 220 bales (all the grass we had to spare), but are hoping to do twice that this year, grass permitting. My only point to add to the excellent presentation you did is in regard to joining the two ball of twine. Dad showed me, and I think it is in the manual, that you divide the ends of the string into two even "strands" of say 6 inches length, then tie a knot in one strand of each ball and another knot in the other two strands (one from each ball) but make sure the two knots don't line up (ie say two inches from the end on one strand and four inches from the end of the other strand). That way two smaller knots consecutively pass through the system rather than one big knot. I see also that the twine has worn a groove in the eye of your needles. This will cause problems such as binding the string passage, catching the knots where the balls are joined (as described) as well as delivering the string out of position to the knotted mechanism. You can weld or braze the eye to replace the missing metal or drill a small hole (say 3/16") across the offending worn area and fit a hardened dowel pin for the string to bear on. Many thanks for your work.
As a part time farm kid in the 70s to the early 80s I have lugged many a bale of hay. It was my aunt’s small farm in NW New Jersey & we pitched in at hay time. She had a New Holland baler, however despite being mechanically inclined I knew not to touch it was mysterious machine, she was not having anyone fool with it. The thrower would blow out some chaff just before launching the bale. I and who ever on the wagon would attempt to stack the hay as best we could. If done right we fill the wagon to the top. She went round bales as we grew up and moved on. Great times 👍🏻
30 yrs ago, as a teenager, I spent countless hours on the wagon bucking bales for the neighborhood farmers. Never thought about how they worked at the time!! Thanks for bringing back a lot of old memories!!
Your tendency to hang onto 'old' bailers and tractors reminds me of my grandpa on the ranch: we had some very exotic looking tractors (huge monsters to a wee lad), all sorts of combines and spud harvesters laying about near the workshop for ages. When they finally sold the ranch, all the old timers from nearby ranches came to the auction to get parts to repair their old stuff. He just couldn't let anything go---even his old Model T's and A's who were way beyond their prime (but still worked)---after he'd put so much time and effort into keeping them up. They were family!
Thanks for a great tour of your shinny "new" New Holland baler.
You amaze me at your attention to detail. I remember those knotters giving us the most problems back in my youth. Keep up the great content.
Excellent run through the mechanism and tips for better operation, maintenance, storage, tuning in the field and lessons learned over the years. I ran a few NH balers in the past and still learned a lot here. Great style and pace of delivery of knowledge, it’s obviously about the subject and not the presenter... well done. I really enjoyed this video. Thanks very much for making the effort and sharing your knowledge and experience.
Excellent video, thanks for taking the time to make this. These are great old machines and as you mention, they only need some basic knowledge to keep running at optimum level. Your educational video will be really valuable to folks who have never had to repair and maintain these balers. Awesome work!
Hey Pete,,,gotta say,your equipment is ALWAYS in great shape. Less complicated,,,more reliable. Admire the fact you understand how it works.
We never had a thrower, stood behind an ol hayliner for many hot summer days! Great Vid, love your perspectives on farming and life!
I don’t know why I am watching this but you make it incredibly interesting!!
Yes, incredible knowledge and teaching. If I were with you, and you went over everything many times, and slowly, I might eventually become a master like you.
"Hello, and welcome to Pete's Garage..." What a hoot!
Thank you for this great video. This old woman is looking for equipment and your wonderful explaination is a true blessing!
Spent a lot of time haying with my Uncle. He had a NH baler powered by a Wisconsin engine hand crank to start. Had a bale thrower that hooked to the frame of the truck and tossed the bale to the poor chap stacking. If it was going to rain my uncle could drive pretty fast. whew. Thanks for the great video. 🇺🇸🐢🐄🚒🚑
Thanks for showing us your baler. If Ed Nolt, George Delp, Abe Zimmerman, Larry Skromme, and Shaun Seymour (all worked for New Holland years ago developing predecessors to this product) got to see this, I'm sure it would have put a smile on their faces.
The person or company that invented the knotters amazes me. To me, that's a complicated Rube Goldberg device that really works and serves an important purpose. Several people had patents on various designs and improvements.
I enjoyed this video. My grandfather owned and operated a farm machinery dealership in Northwestern PA. I spent many hours there as a youngster watching and learning. Brings back great memories!
What an absolutely fantastic explanation and review of the New Holland. Great job! Anyone that has ever run one can appreciate the engineering of these things. 🤠❤️🇺🇸
You a one of the best teachers/instructors that I have had the pleasure of watching. I remember as a boy baling hey, with a New Holland, with my grandfather and uncles. I remember them fussing with it when we went into the fields until it worked seamlessly. We would bale hey for weeks. A lot of work! Thank you.
After watching far too much bad news lately, it was time for something a bit more down to earth. Your very clear, explanation of this complicated piece of equipment brought me back down to earth. Thank you.
Thank you. Just thank you for being educational, thorough and fun. We're venturing into farming and a little understanding goes a long long way.
Excellent video, Sir.
For a guy like myself in my early 30s, this knowledge is priceless and I'm sure everyone can appreciate you passing it on.
Hope to be Haying my 6 acres with a New Holland like this by next year.
I have stumbled across your videos and channel quite by accident. I am so glad I did. I'm 52 myself and watching your videos is bringing back all my childhood memories of exactly the same tractors and equipment I first got to know. God bless, keep em coming, mate. Chris, Cheshire, UK.
Awesome video. Ed Nolt put NH balers on the map by inventing the system that allowed a bale to be held in tension while the twine was being knotted. His system (from the 1930’s) was quite different than what was shown here, but no one else had come up with anything that worked, so he got his invention patented and went to NH with it. They liked it and implemented it and consequently almost had a monopoly on small square balers for the next 30-40 years. And made Ed Nolt a rich man. He was a humble Mennonite guy, and his solution for his wealth was to establish a trust fund that still provides funds for Mennonite parochial schools to this day.
Thank you Mennonites!
When I was young we baled 120,000 bales a summer for winter feeding for the cows. It was a wire binding baler. The wire didn’t break as often. Unfortunately we had to stack the hay and then feed out in the winter. Bales weighed 60-80 pounds great workout for young folks. It was a new Holland as far as I remember.
Thanks for the memories. It was life not drudgery.
Hi Pete, I run a 268, and that was a very good, informational video. I picked up a couple of useful tips watching it. I wanted to mention that I use a square knot to join balls of twine. and like you said cut off the excess tail after the knot is tight. I know some argue that square notes aren't the best knot for certain applications but it hasn't failed me(as far as I know) in joining the balls. I'm with you on changing courses because of the exuberant amount of work with small squares, and for my lambing season, I have found large squares to be my solution to back problems. you are made to work with forks and spears verses you back. they stack nicer, IMO. and when kept dry, flake off nicely. I still appreciate the nostalgia of the small squares, and it is a good workout for the young men. plus those small square straw balls are good money in the fall for Halloween decorations.
I'm glad this popped up on my suggestions. thanks, and have a great day.
The time you take to show and explain how a small farm operates has made this channel my favourite farm channel.👍👍👍
OUTSTANDING!
Both the explanation of the workings of the baler and the tricks-of-the-trade.
Thank you so totally.
WOW Pete another Master Class from you ,i just hope many small young farmers were watching this lesson on running storing and adjusting New Holland square balers ,Thank you.
Great job teaching about the new Holland square. I have two of them. A 315 and a 273. You did the best job that I have ever seen on u tube. God bless! Bobby in McCrory Arkansas.
Thank you Pete just inherited my own 269 she will need lots of work but you have inspired me to get outs going strong.
Love this video. Just got out my grandfathers square baler to do fall hay. Our uncle who always helped us hay has died and I need to get this baler ready this is great! Thanks
Your videos are better than primetime tv,job well done.
My grandpa had a baler like that new holland you got. It didn't have a kicker it just fell out on the ground and me and my brothers would load the bales on a trailer.
Thank you for going through this. I have always wanted to know how this baler worked. 🤠👍
I grew up using a New Holland baler. Those people were geniuses who invented it with all its moving parts and timing.
I don't speak english, but I understood how a baler works!
Thank you, my farm friend!👋
I can’t thank you enough for all the knowledge you share! It’s so greatly appreciated!
My dad had aa Hayliner "67" ..... the plunger actually run on cherrywood slides against the steel (no bearings),... along with the chaff,.. in the chamber that's all it ever had,... I remember the chamber where the wood run would be very shiny,... and in all the years,... we never replaced them,..... I miss it,.......thanks for the very well prepared video,... very professionally done,....New Holland did a good job in designing their machines,...... thanks again..........
Congratulations you have produce a jewel on the operation of this baler. Your tips are great. Thanks!
Had a 273 new holland for more then 20 years, we averaged 3000 to 5000 bales per year with the old baler. Updated to a 570 high capacity several years ago and I'm very happy with it. New Holland does make a great baler.👍
Peach, I hope there’s not a quiz over all of that information because I’m sure I’m going to flunk but I certainly did enjoy learning about this Baylor and all that it can do… I definitely did Enjoy learning learning About this piece of equipment and how it works but also just listening to you talk about something you’re so passionate about!! It is so relaxing and I want to thank you for this video. Every day is a great OK when I get to hear one of your videos❣️❣️
Thanks Hillary for being a behind the Scenes support♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
Hi Pete, fellow farmer here, I assembled these balers for my uncle (farmer who introduced NH to our community in the early sixties). Later, we studied this baler in our mechanized agriculture engineering class. This series of baler which was made for nearly 30 years with few modifications (it was a low capacity "entry-level" baler for the tractors of the day). The shear pin on your flywheel is not for the overload hay in the bale chamber, it is to disconnect the drive if the needles safety interlock would be activated (i.e. a piece of wood get in the plunger needle grooves and prevents the needles from wrapping the bales - the interlock will block the plunger from coming back and breaking the needles).
The different bale chamber feeding mechanisms that you described have to do with the capacity of the baler. At 540 rpm, this as fast as the bale feeding mechanism could work because of the momentum of the feeder arm assy. This system was better than IHC because did split the hay partly where the plunger knives would cut the bale. All the gear on this baler including the plunger supports were roller-bearing mounted. It was made to require very little power from the tractors of that era. Finally, I would suspect that this 269 had a dealer-installed thrower (Hayliner 271/273 would have the factory-installed throwers). You made a wise choice to install the model 70 bale thrower as it enables you to drop your bales in the field if you want to. It was discontinued because its frame was more fragile than the model 53, 54... and some less "gentle" farmers would break them (usually hitting a fence post with them or bottoming them in a gully.
My brother has the family farm and he gave me the 268 (short tongue) with bale thrower (added) that we bought new in 1967, I am his neighbor. I am trying to model my farm to the way farming was done back in the 50s~60s, restoring implements of that era. My brother has the large "efficient" family dairy farm.
PS: Back in the sixties/seventies, NH was the most innovative American implement company - it is amazing the amount of designs/patents that they came up with over the years. Peace be with you, Ciao, L (Maine)
Fascinating Peter. Lots of those New Hollands still in the field!
It’s not junk they are collectors that’s what I call the folks who have all kinds of stuff sitting around
I’m new to the channel but the first video I started following you great content really enjoy your videos hope you and the family have a Merry Christmas
First time you didn't open a video with "Hi, I'm Pete, and welcome to Just a Few Acres Farm" Threw me off a little.
Lol
I've been watching a lot of "Jay Leno's Garage" lately...
Great run through! Wish this video existed when I got my 273 14 years ago. I remember chasing my tail since mine was sold to me with plastic twine in... Took me forever to figure out it needed sisal to tie properly!
I've spent many hours on a wagon behind one of them rigs that had a chute on it
I was always amazed at how a machine could tie a Knott in them strings like that
I have always been fascinated by square balers. They are very complex and amazing pieces of farm equipment. I saw an old 277 New Holland for sale so I purchased it for $3,000. It came with a 310 parts machine. I have yet to bake hay with it but it is on my bucket list. This video was very helpful to me.
Pete, appreciate all your videos, but this one especially! We just bought 20 acres and will be having a portion of it (even though I know it's not the most cost efficient method). I didn't grow on a farm and all this is relatively new to me and balers have always seemed like a mystical creature. You did an incredible job of explaining it all in a very easy to understand manner. I dont feel nearly as overwhelmed as I did before I watched this and will have a better idea of things to look for on a used baler. Thanks!!
I enjoy your operational videos especially on the older basic equipment.
Always enjoy your very informative videos. I have a 268 and a 269. Been baling with the 268 for about 30 years. This video taught me a few things I didnt know mainly the cable system that locks the outbound wheel.
Very nice walk around of this baler. Just a funny story. My dad was so cheap when we were kids, he made us take the used bale strings and tie them back together end for end and reroll it back into a ball for the next year. We got really good at making small tight knots and strangely enough, we had very little trouble with them going through the baler the next year. Each bale then had 2 knots in each string. It was a different time back then I guess but we saved him 10s of dollars. Lol
Pete, thanks so much for this video, it brought back a lot of late 70's and early 80's memories for me. My grandfather was a farmer in western Illinois and I worked summers helping out from about 10yrs old to my late teens. Putting up hay was one of my first jobs and he had a New Holland very much like yours. I still vividly remember that monster shaking back and forth just waiting to chomp up the windrows. I also remember him having to replace that shear pin a couple times during the season (don't remember if his had the slip clutches) and I learned quickly how to correctly tie the twine knots like you say to keep them from binding. He didn't use twine in balls, it was in coreless spools that fed out of the center. Great memories!
Getting an old NH S67 in shape myself. Another excellent production! Thanks!
That was great! Made my day for sure! Love listening to the H work!
Pete, well done. I can relate to every word you say. I own and use a Massey Ferguson 53 (1968). Your New Holland is a show stopper. Yes picked up a few tips from you, thanks.
This review is gold.
Hi Pete, about knots, older balers could not take the type of knot you are describing - we used a modified square knot, mixing the fibers of the twine (old type twine) together. It is hard to explain in writing but it is described in older baler books. Great video, Ciao, L
You should make a video on the round baler this video was great and entertaining!
Just an outstanding video. I have a 1963 268 Hayliner. No money could buy it.
This is awesome. My grandson wants to start putting up square bales. It's been a minute since we ran a 268. My uncle was a new holland dealer for 40 years, so i learned a lot. One thing that i noticed was your discussion of the pto shaft. The 269 was a "long tongue" version of the "short tongue" 268. The 269 had the extra bearing.
I am learning so much about stuff, I have absolutely have no need to know! Loving every minute of it. Kidding aside, I think we all should know what goes into bringing food to market. Thank you!
Thanks so much Pete. This is the best overview of the old NH balers on the Internet. I could say the same about all your videos on small the farm topics! I am learning as I go on an old NH 319 I got a couple of years ago and hope to eventually get the bugs out of that knotter. I will make sure to follow up on your suggestions. Thanks !
Everytime I see square bales think of my head bleeding stacking them Bales in the barn from the nail sticking through the purlin. sure do miss my grandfather. You never know the importance of a moment until it becomes a memory . Spend time with the ones you love. Tell them you love them
Pete. anytime I have a question about how to do something on my farm you're one of my first go to's on how to do. Thanks for doing what you do. (I'm currently working on getting a 269 to operational condition.)
Thank's Pete.
She's a beauty! Always loved the process of making hay ever since I was a kid and your deep dive into the baler was awesome. Great job restoring the machine!
Thanks, For this. I love seeing how the "Old" machines worked..
Grandpa bought a NH 280 serial number 1960. Dad ended up with it. Uncles bought models 281, 282, 283.
Those models used the chain driven raker teeth to feed the bale chamber. The 280 worked better for baling straw than the 260, because the chain lifted the raker teeth up out of the incoming straw. We used the 280 mostly with a IHC Farmall M gas, Super M gas, then lastly a SMTA gas with live PTO. That was heaven, being able to push the clutch in & the PTO kept running. Numerous times on the M & SM we were shifting with the plunger, sometimes the tractor would end up in 2 gears at once stopping the motor NOW & sliding the rear tires. We used the 280 so much that the floor of the bale chamber wore out.
One thing that I like about the 260 is that the needles come up through a gap in the plunger, on the 280, the plunger could hit the needles breaking them!
Dad always kept 1 new needle & 2 welded up needles under the bench.
Hello from north east Montana.
10 miles from the Canadian border.
Wow. Thank you. I am new to cutting hay. I have a new Holland 268 that we got for 1200. your video has taught me a lot. I’m still working out all the kinks in the baler but hopefully soon it will bale great again.
Spent a summer on my Uncle's PA farm behind one of these stacking bales in a cart. Taking a bale in the face taught me to ALWAYS keep my eye on the thrower... ;)
Great explanation of baler workings mate & great story. Cheers.👍
Wish there was a double like button for your videos! Always great useful content!
Just crushed a 269 baler. Had a broken connecting rod on the plunger. Easily fixed but didn't need the baler any longer
Thoroughly enjoyed your video and tracked right along with everything you described felt like I was right out in the hayfield 20 years ago making it work.
Really enjoyed this video, glad I learned something! I appreciated the story behind the workmanship you've put into it.
This is a great video. I grew up baling (on the wagon of course) with a NH 273 baler my dad had. The mechanics always fascinated me but I never took the time to learn how it all came together. I can hear every sound now. It was very distinct. Dad always fixed it when something went haywire (pun intended). Thanks to you all these years later I now have learned something that always wondered about and eluded me due to my own laziness. It has brought back many great memories. Dad's 273 would throw pins pretty often so your explanation on that was interesting. Our 273 was a wire baler but the rest of the machine was the same. NH made the best as you said. 256 hay rake was hard to beat as well. Thank you very much for your time putting this together.
great video we had the same baler on our family farm when i was growing up back in the 70's . brings back a lot of memories . remember we just had the chute and we stacked the bales on the wagons hired high schoolers we would bale 1-2 thousand bale a day . then couldn't get help latter on in the late 80's then bought the thrower for it .
Thanks Pete I just purchased an International 1975 model 440 wire bailer it needs some work but really a good machine been stored inside but needs gone through and painted I’ve been using round bailers for a while but always wanted to do some squares I’ve got plenty of customers to sell to that want square hay, you definitely proved that a restoration is possible for older machines like these because Blue Collar guys like us can’t justify spending $25,000 dollars on a new machine, thanks again brother awesome video!!!!
Good video! Other farm videos show work in the field, you explain how and why. I learned a lot. But, I still don’t know how the knotters work.
drive to upstate new york lol
The knotters can go haywire...
I think the knotters are like gravity. No one really knows how it works just that it does. Doesn't everyone's life need a little mystery ?
No worries. I’ve been involved with baling for over 25 years, and my dad has for 50 or so years. We never really understood the knotters on our New Holland 276 very well until this year. It started giving us some trouble and I proclaimed, “We WILL learn EXACTLY how this works and get it tuned up!” So we did!
I grew up on a Dairy Farm in the 70’s and 80’s. Calumet and Fond du Lac counties is where our farm was. Always had a view of Lake Winnebago. We had this bailer with the throw belts. Except that we used twine spools instead of twine balls. Three crops of hay. Bailed oat straw for bedding. We did not clean out the bailer but bailed dry straw through for winter storage. Greased all inserts after a few hours of operation. All farm equipment was stored in machine sheds to protect from the elements. My Mom always drove the tractor that pulled the bailer. She spliced the twine and replaced sheer pins herself. I raked hay with an Allis charmers tractor and New Holland rake. In my teenager years ( when my brother Jerry started taking over and was my boss, so to speak, I cut hay too. I either unload hay wagons or stacked in the hay mow. It was long, long, long days. No AC while sleeping. Parents hired local teenagers to help. A favorite I remember is Mom order take out for all from a local bar/restaurant. When I think to myself how hard my family use to work….well I keep going with my task for home upkeep and overtime at work as a welder for Oshkosh Defense. Thank you for posting and take care.
Reading all the comments after watching a truly worth while video. Too a start up small farmer
It’s price less. Pete. Thanks.
Great video. I’ve been selling parts for 22 years and you’re explanation is spot on.