# New Holland s68 (super 68) square baler



## vinces hay service (Feb 18, 2012)

Hello, i recently purchased a new hollnad s68 square baler. This is the first baler I have owned, and plan on baling about 3 50 acre cuttings per year of grass and clover mix. Will this baler do the job? Also just want some advice and thoughts about it! thanks! Vince


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## Toyes Hill Angus (Dec 21, 2010)

That is a lot of baling for one of those old hayliners. I would make a reasonable assumption of 200 bales per acre spread over three cuttings, you do the math that is a pile of hay for an old woden block plunger bearing baler!
Depending on your feild you could see many more or less bales than the 200, drainage and quality of seeding play a huge role in the density of crop with out getting involved in the soil chemistry and fertility. 
If it were me, I'd be looking for a much newer and bigger capicity baler, those balers were great in their day but that day has long since passed. If 10 000 bales is what you intend on getting off of that feild I would upgrade balers. They do not make very consistant bales, both shape and weight, they have millions of bales through them by now, I think they were made in the 60s (I used one when I was a kid, and it was ancient then!), and the plunger is very slow (few strokes per min). This all adds up to mega headaches for that kid of acreage, and that number of bales. It could be a great baler for some one to do 5 or 10 acres with, 50 scares me 
Just my opinion, but I don't think I am going to sleep tonight now.


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## vinces hay service (Feb 18, 2012)

Okay thanks! I am on the arket for a bigger wire tie baler now!


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## Fowllife (Sep 10, 2010)

I tend to agree, thats a lot of acrage for one of those old balers. 50 acres is a lot to bite off at once if your just getting started. What size rake and mower do you have? What kind of hay are you going to be making? What is your expected yield? Where abouts are you from? I ask these questions because it helps to match the capacity of all you equipment. Also making hay that averages 1 ton/ac/year with 2 cuttings and weeks without rain is a lot different then 6 ton/ac/year and only having 3 days to get it done from cut to in the barn.


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## vinces hay service (Feb 18, 2012)

I have a 9 foot new holland 488, a 4 wheel rake, and an 8 wheel rake. I will be cutting 20 acres of alfala, 30 acres of grass clover mix.


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## barnrope (Mar 22, 2010)

If your going to rely on your super 68 you may want to find another one as a back up or for parts. That is what i do anyway. I run a 271 NH and keep a spare running baler plus a parts baler. I have a total of $900 in all three. The 271 will outbale a 336 JD in many conditions. I average about 75 acres per year with it though, which is half the amount you are talking about baling. Good Luck!


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## RockmartGA (Jun 29, 2011)

I have to agree with the others who say this baler is a little long in the tooth to be placed in a high production capacity. According to the information on Messicks, that baler was built in 1958-60 time frame. S68 NH SUPER SQUARE BALER (8/58-10/60)

If it is in good shape, it would probably do okay for someone wanting to bale a few hundred bales per year.


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## Bret4207 (Mar 29, 2011)

I still us a 68 for my square baling. Over the past few years I've pretty much rebuilt it from end to end. Makes great bales now that I've figured out the feeder tines were worn away and since I went to plastic twine. I don't have a kicker, we load right out of the chute onto a flat rack. The baler will easily do a thousand or more bales in an afternoon. I just don't have the manpower to get that much hay in the barn in an afternoon!

I guess what I'm saying is that the 68 not be modern, but it will work as long as you do if it's in good shape. You still need the people power to get the hay stored away and thats the tricky, and VERY EXPENSIVE part.


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## T&LSkaarfarms (Dec 11, 2011)

I have to agree with a few of these guys. I bale around 7,000 bales a year the last 10 years with a hayliner 270 and have very few problems. I know this is an updated baler from the super 68 but not too much. Granted, I do routine maintnance on the baler to keep it running right. If you were going to use that old boy I would thouroughly go through it this spring and replace anything that looks like it may not make it through the year. Easier now than when you have hay down... And getting a manual will make life easier Good luck!


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## Bret4207 (Mar 29, 2011)

Agree with T&L, and in addition to the 68 manual, try to get some later manuals too. I got a manual for a much later NH baler, I forget the model- 316 maybe?, and the photos in it were much clearer and more explanatory than the 68 manual even though they addressed the same issues.


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