Archived - Backroom tips needed: The Big Bad Balers

I used to avoid making them as well, but once I learned, I would make them any chance I got. Good excuse to take a few minutes out from running around the back room.

I was taught (especially if the baler is quite full) to use 10 wires. 2 on each outside space, 2 on each inside space, and 1 in each of the other two spaces. So 2-1-2, 2-1-2. It may be unnecessary to use more than 6, but that's how I learned. That's how I do it.

Feed the looped end in through the bottom from front to back, and then out through the top from back to front. So now you have both ends at the front of the baler. Looped end on top, straight end on the bottom.

Feed the straight end upwards through the looped end, then bend it downward towards the floor. Take the straight end and wrap about half of the slack around a few times (number of time depends on how much slack you're dealing with.) Then I bend (still the straight end) upwards and wrap the rest of the slack around the rest of the way.

I make bales fairly often, and never had a wire pop on me.

P.S. PLEASE make sure you position the pallet correctly. As you're facing the front of the baler, the slats should be running in the same direction your wires will be running (front to back, not left to right). I've had to fix a couple new guys' bales when they did it the other way around. Fixing it involves two people and two crowns, and it's a pain to do.

Pro tip: move the pallet jack out of the way when ejecting the bale. Don't leave it in the path of the falling bale. This may cause the pallet to move out of position. I was just do 2 wires for every other hole 2-0-2-0-2-0-2 have yet to have a bail pop on me. Getting the pallet in place took a bit of trial and error so i get it to fall pretty much centered on the pallet. I also do the 2 wires at the same time i feed both of them though both loops and twist twist twist up and down as much as i can. Just remember to wear some level of eye protection, nothing will suck more than going blind because you scratch your eye with the wires. Different stores have different balers. For best results get someone at your store who is familiar with the equipment to help. In general, it's kind of ridiculous to describe the process in text, as it depends so much on your store equipment.

The only important thing is to get a reasonable number of wires around the bale and secure them as best you can. I've seen 3 wires, 4 wires and 5 wires. Everyone I've met prefers a different strategy and ties them differently. Most important thing #2 is be safe. No excuses on that. It's not a science, just get it done without losing an eye to a snapped wire.

A tip I can give, although I have never touched our baler. This tip comes from my ETL-Salesfloor Ops, who learned this the hard way.

Don't overload the baler and over-tighten the wires. When the bale is ejected, it will expand a bit. Leave a bit of room for it to do so. ETL-SFO learned this when a bale burst open on him, spilling cardboard all over the floor.

The way we are suppose to do it in my store is to run the bailer see where the cardboard level is while uncompressed. Run the bailer again and stop it slightly below that uncompressed level. So the cardboard isn't super compressed there are lines at the side of the bailer and the compressing arm to help you tell how much it's traveled. Then you just run the wires as tight as you can because the cardboard isn't going to expand much. Plus it's actually quite hard to make the wires super tight.

No joke @redeye58. My store might be a special case, but my baler opens with just enough clearance right into the side of the steel/power racking/power shelving/whatever your store calls it. There's maybe 18 inches between the edge of the pallet and the steel. Our bale hangs off the edge of the pallet a few inches as well. Someone would get crushed between the bale and the steel if they were standing in front of the baler while you were tipping it out.

Similar our bailer there just isn't room for someone to stand in front of it we regularly have to clear a path of the cardboard carts that line the area leading up to the bailer just to make a bail because there is so little room. You can't get the bailed cardboard out of there if you don't clear a path.

Wired for Baling

Bale ties and baler wire are much more important to the recycling process than we may realize.

Without compacting recycled material into dense, easily stacked bundles, recyclers might not be able to move their materials easily and cost effectively. That’s why most recyclers use baling systems. A baler can be used in most secondary commodity markets, including paper, cardboard, plastic, and ferrous and nonferrous metals and some plastics. Recycling equipment like a baler helps efficiently organize, store, and prepare scrap for recycling.

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Perhaps just as important is the baling wire used to tie and secure the bales. Baling wire safely and neatly secures bales of recyclable material before it is moved on through the recycling process, preventing the bales from coming apart. 

Baling wire may be taken for granted, but it’s essential and vital to the entire recycling process. 

A plethora of types

There are a variety of different types and styles of baling wire used in the industry, and various prices to go with them. Some have black annealed finishes and others have galvanized or corrosion-resistant finishes, depending on the need and application. A coating may be used to adjust the surface properties of the wire to guard against corrosion, improve aesthetic appearance, and improve adhesion. Wire thicknesses and diameters are available in a range (typically 10, 11, 12, 14 and 14.5 gauges), and are selected based on the materials with which the wire will be used.

It’s important to consider your specific application when choosing the type of wire you need, emphasizes Jason Ramsey, President of Crawfordsville, Ind.-based Midwest Bale Ties, a leading manufacturer of bales ties and baling wire in the Midwest. Family-owned and operated, Midwest Bale Tie provides an assortment of quality wire products made from the best American-made raw materials. Its products are made from 100-percent U.S. steel, in 8- to 22- ft. lengths, and custom lengths. 

“There are basically three types of baling systems: vertical or horizontal manual balers, auto-tie balers and two ram balers,” Ramsey says. “Each requires a different wire product. Manual balers use single-loop bale ties, auto-tie balers take 50- or 100-lb. coils of wire and two ram balers require high tensile baling wire on a stem/stump.”

Often coated in zinc to provide excellent cathodic protection, galvanized wire is sometimes referred to as “clean wire,” and tends to be a preferred choice because it resists corrosion and outdoor storage conditions. Black annealed wire is quite pliable, which is convenient when some baled materials re-expand after unloading from the baler, so having a little extra flexibility can help prevent the wire from failing. Lightly coated with oil to resist corrosion, black annealed wire works well indoors but can sometimes rust when the bales are used and stored outdoors. “It’s important to consider your specific application when choosing the type of wire you need,” Ramsey adds.

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There are also low, medium and high carbon versions, and wire with uniform strength and elasticity, which reduces breakage and machine downtime. When the wire is produced via a metal drawing process, its properties change in terms of strength, ductility, fatigue, and shape. The combination of these elements results in a broad range of products. 

Having the right size and specifications allows the customer to not over buy too large a size, Ramsey explains. “Baling wire is priced by weight. If a customer has too small of a product, they may have to use more of the lighter ties, which could be economically inefficient.”

So, what should buyers look for in terms of quality? American-made bale ties undergo stricter quality control standards than wire from other countries, and tends to be more durable. “Wire consistency is probably the best datum for quality,” Ramsey mentions. “If the wire has hard spots, that’s usually a result of a lower quality material, and it can break rather than stretch when being wrapped around a bale. This holds true for manual, auto-tie or two-ram baling.”

Another aspect is bale density. Density and bale sizing are important because they directly affect the use of baling wire. The old adage goes, the bigger the baler cylinder, the more the force, and consequently, the denser the bales. Bigger cylinders provide a denser, heavier bale, and yield fewer bales. That means less wire is used and there is less material handling, wear and tear, and semi loads to transport.

The baler also must use the proper number of wire ties – that number varies depending on the type of material being baled. If excessive wire is being used, wire costs could skyrocket. Many companies are now managing their wire through their baling machines’ automated tying features, which set the correct number of wires and spacing to properly tie off the bale.

Evaluate your baler wire

Thus, it’s wise to evaluate your bale ties and baler wire as part of your next waste audit. As Mid America Paper Recycling points out, if waste is compacted into neat bales before being sent to a sorting facility, it has a better chance of being sold for a profit. Wire ties securing those bales into safer, more easily sold units, allow them to be conveniently transported and reused, says Mid America President Paul Pirkle. “Baler wire is critical to a recycler or generator. Without it, the entire process stops at not only the generation spot but also with logistics to those that are producing tissue and toweling products and packaging materials. The greater the quality of baling wire, the higher the bale integrity, and better the movement of material through the logistics network.” 

Specializing in customer service, Mid America Paper Recycling offers baling wire for sale and can recommend baling equipment tips, models, and other recycling equipment, tools and supplies. Available to answer any questions or address concerns, we would love to help provide you with additional baling assistance. Contact us today to boost your sustainable business (773- 890-).

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