britainswomble Posted May 26, 2007 Share Posted May 26, 2007 I suppose this should really be in the nostalgia section. Does anyone remember the Howard Big balers that came out in the seventies. Does anyone have a leaflet on them they could post up. Howard also had a special grab for their bales and having just looked at the Freeman Baler reminded me of them. I haven't seen one for years and wonder if someones got one they still use or tucked away in the back of a barn somewhere. They were the first company to offer a big baler, and were rather crude. They gathered the crop in a chamber that had a fixed rear door and used that to compress the crop against. The chamber had a steel frame with heavy Keruin boards around it. I can't remember how the bale was ejected though. The big problem was uneven density and in short crops the bales often fell apart, but they were brave enough to try out the idea long before anyone else. There were large round balers like the Farmhand Vermeer type available and they worked much better.. By the way, have you ever spent a day baling with a manual tie round baler. Makes you really appreciate modern technology Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdc Posted May 26, 2007 Share Posted May 26, 2007 I suppose this should really be in the nostalgia section. Does anyone remember the Howard Big balers that came out in the seventies. Does anyone have a leaflet on them they could post up. Howard also had a special grab for their bales and having just looked at the Freeman Baler reminded me of them. I haven't seen one for years and wonder if someones got one they still use or tucked away in the back of a barn somewhere. They were the first company to offer a big baler, and were rather crude. They gathered the crop in a chamber that had a fixed rear door and used that to compress the crop against. The chamber had a steel frame with heavy Keruin boards around it. I can't remember how the bale was ejected though. The big problem was uneven density and in short crops the bales often fell apart, but they were brave enough to try out the idea long before anyone else. There were large round balers like the Farmhand Vermeer type available and they worked much better.. By the way, have you ever spent a day baling with a manual tie round baler. Makes you really appreciate modern technology Oh yes, many a happy(?) day with NHs. Wiggling the handling to try and get the twine end to catch on the bale..... Chain and bars too - those were the days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starbrush Posted May 26, 2007 Share Posted May 26, 2007 i got some photos of a howard big baler last year, also got a brochure and hand book of e-bay. i never used one, but the brochure is very interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
britainswomble Posted May 26, 2007 Author Share Posted May 26, 2007 i got some photos of a howard big baler last year, also got a brochure and hand book of e-bay. i never used one, but the brochure is very interesting. Any chance of a peek please. We'd all love to see it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIGEL FORD Posted May 26, 2007 Share Posted May 26, 2007 Yet another I'll get to one day then, though I think it's more accessible than some, I'll be getting my pc sorted soon once my radio slot's finished next week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
britainswomble Posted May 26, 2007 Author Share Posted May 26, 2007 Yet another I'll get to one day then, though I think it's more accessible than some, I'll be getting my pc sorted soon once my radio slot's finished next week. Hope you soon get your scanner working Nigel, can't wait to see all your pictures and I'm getting on a bit so don't be too long. Did you see the post of the Parmiter factory. Ref the Flowell feeder. Did you, or do you know Richard Flower from Framfield? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIGEL FORD Posted May 26, 2007 Share Posted May 26, 2007 No , didn't see the Parmiter post (Driver? ), haven't been on much lately, Never met Richard but remember seing articles about his feeder in Ag press when new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
britainswomble Posted May 26, 2007 Author Share Posted May 26, 2007 No , didn't see the Parmiter post (Driver? ), haven't been on much lately, Never met Richard but remember seing articles about his feeder in Ag press when new. The Parmiter post is a bit further down the page from the implements subject. I'm sure it'll trigger a few memories for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
britainswomble Posted May 28, 2007 Author Share Posted May 28, 2007 Good news folks, I've just found an instruction book on E Bay for the Big Baler. With a bit of luck and my crafty bidding tactics; it'll soon be mine I will post up any interesting pictures if I get it. It wasn't a very good machine but interesting to look at and read about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archbarch Posted June 1, 2007 Share Posted June 1, 2007 the last time i saw one was 1983 hell of a machine for its day, i also remember a bale packer for small bales which was towed behind the baler like a sledge and stacked 20 bales and banded them with wire i think this was built by howard as well \ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gav836 Posted June 1, 2007 Share Posted June 1, 2007 the last time i saw one was 1983 hell of a machine for its day, i also remember a bale packer for small bales which was towed behind the baler like a sledge and stacked 20 bales and banded them with wire i think this was built by howard as well \ I know McConnel used to make something along those lines called the "Bale Slave", never seen one in use though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tractorman810 Posted June 2, 2007 Share Posted June 2, 2007 I know McConnel used to make something along those lines called the "Bale Slave", never seen one in use though i seem to remember seeing a brouchure for one of those on ebay recently gav, or something very very similar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gav836 Posted June 3, 2007 Share Posted June 3, 2007 Good news folks, I've just found an instruction book on E Bay for the Big Baler. With a bit of luck and my crafty bidding tactics; it'll soon be mine I will post up any interesting pictures if I get it. It wasn't a very good machine but interesting to look at and read about. What happened to your crafty bidding tactics........not that I mind of course Will post up some picturse of it when it arrives Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIGEL FORD Posted June 3, 2007 Share Posted June 3, 2007 I know McConnel used to make something along those lines called the "Bale Slave", never seen one in use though The Bale Slave was just a foreloader attachment for picking up a square pile of 8, though 7 was better as the 8th one used to drop off so easily apparently. The Balepacker indeed used to band about 20 together as a bound stack (lette!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
britainswomble Posted June 5, 2007 Author Share Posted June 5, 2007 What happened to your crafty bidding tactics........not that I mind of course Will post up some picturse of it when it arrives Sadly I missed out on it because I was down my stepdaughter's house building a compound for her cats, and forgot all about it. I was really annoyed about it. It went for one pound and one pound postage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
britainswomble Posted June 5, 2007 Author Share Posted June 5, 2007 the last time i saw one was 1983 hell of a machine for its day, i also remember a bale packer for small bales which was towed behind the baler like a sledge and stacked 20 bales and banded them with wire i think this was built by howard as well \ Howard had their own bale grab for the big bales. The Bale Packer was made by Mc Connel.. I think we ST's only sold a couple of them, one of which I picked up from their factory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gav836 Posted June 5, 2007 Share Posted June 5, 2007 Sadly I missed out on it because I was down my stepdaughter's house building a compound for her cats, and forgot all about it. I was really annoyed about it. It went for one pound and one pound postage. It arrived today, certainly worth the ?2 it cost Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deerepower Posted June 5, 2007 Share Posted June 5, 2007 The Bale Slave was just a foreloader attachment for picking up a square pile of 8, though 7 was better as the 8th one used to drop off so easily apparently. The Balepacker indeed used to band about 20 together as a bound stack (lette!). I remember my dad using a McConnel Balepacker when I was a young boy it was towed behind a New Holland baler which was powered by a 4wd County 4000 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
britainswomble Posted June 6, 2007 Author Share Posted June 6, 2007 It arrived today, certainly worth the ?2 it cost GRRRRRRR >:(If I had been bidding on it, you wouldn't have won it. It would have been mine, cos I wanted it so badly I was going to whop in a biggy bid to make sure I got it, and in the last thirty seconds too. Spiteful little bleeder aint I? Still I'm glad it went to a good home and look forward to any pictures you post. No hard feelings , ya li'l bu**er. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starbrush Posted June 6, 2007 Share Posted June 6, 2007 sorry britains womble i dont know how to get photos ect on here, not got a digi camera or the brains. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gav836 Posted June 6, 2007 Share Posted June 6, 2007 GRRRRRRR >:(If I had been bidding on it, you wouldn't have won it. It would have been mine, cos I wanted it so badly I was going to whop in a biggy bid to make sure I got it, and in the last thirty seconds too. Spiteful little bleeder aint I? Still I'm glad it went to a good home and look forward to any pictures you post. No hard feelings , ya li'l bu**er. As soon as I get some spare time I'll post some up here, maybe tomorrow as its raining now so will be too wet for silage baling \ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gav836 Posted August 24, 2007 Share Posted August 24, 2007 As promised, finally got round to scanning this today so I could share it with you guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
britainswomble Posted August 25, 2007 Author Share Posted August 25, 2007 Many thanks for posting up the pictures and getting your scanner working. Perhaps you could PM Nigel Ford and tell him how to get his working as he has many pictures of farm machines of that era, that I and probably many more of us would like to see... I only ever used one of those once; and that was at the South of England show. We had a load of small bales which had got broken up and we rebaled them with it. I've never actually seen one working in the field though. We only ever sold a few of them before the Farmhand Vermeer and the Claas Rollant 62 appeared and immediately cut short Howards chances of selling any more. It was a good idea at the time, but just wasn't well enough developed to be a success. Once again, many thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tractorman810 Posted August 25, 2007 Share Posted August 25, 2007 tell you what for 1972 thats a big bale aint it, given most farmers only used small bales at that time, dont think even round bales had really caught on then had they?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerrabbit Posted August 25, 2007 Share Posted August 25, 2007 I've just listed an operators instruction manual for the Howard Bigbaler on Ebay just this morning if you're interested. I will post up the link in a mo so's you can look at it. Here it is. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=320151695796&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT&ih=011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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