Yes I'm just hoping they aren't gonna displace American manufacturing with the Chinese components, I'm sure it's tempting to just ship some container loads of parts over.
We used to run both balers in the same field but I haven't had an extra driver to rake for me the last two years. Also short drivers as we had 3 trucks delivering baskets to customers while the balers ran. I'm looking for a Vermeer r23 or similar that I can add the rake and bale setup to as we bale right behind the rake already.
If the 1840 performs well, and a rake falls in my lap, I'll add acid and run just the one baler so I can get the bales per day I need.
The 348 will probably stay as I have no neighbours to borrow a baler from if mine goes down. I have a round baler but the bales are worthless to sell here.
We grow all grass hay, all mainly timothy. We use hay baskets at the moment but I'm trying to figure out other options. I can stage my six baskets and work alone but then I'm done at 600 bales. I will then dump groups of 250 bales to load onto our flat racks to make it until I have help to deliver hay and bring me back empty baskets.
That's a nice looking baler. It ought to deliver the mail!
I'd be surprised if all of the balers produced today don't use some chinese component, i.e. bearings, etc to some extent. It's a global economy now days.
You're getting rid of the JD 336 and I gather keeping the JD 348.
Do you typically run 2 balers in the field? Is this what drove you to the 1840, a higher capacity baler than the 336 or is the goal to pair down to the 1840?
What kind of hay are you producing? How are you getting up your bales? For some reason I was thinking kickers and wagons?
That should be an interesting comparison as JD and Hesston/MF inline balers are such different designs. I'm looking forward to a progress report come June!
Good luck,
Bill
