Baler Wire Superstore

What length of wire do I need ?
Just measure the bale wire path around the bale and add a minimum of one foot extra. This will allow you to feed the wire through the loop and wrap it around itself several times.

What gauge of wire do I need ?
For Manual Tie Vertical Balers, 14 Gauge is most common for baling cardboard We recommend 12 or 13 Gauge for plastics or textiles. For Manual Tie Horizontal Balers, 13 Gauge for cardboard, 12 gauge for plastics or textiles. For automatic tie balers, use the manufacturer recommended gauge of boxed or carrier wire.

How tight should I tie the bales ?
The bales need some room for expansion. Try to leave a uniform amount of slack on each tie wire. If the wires are tied too tightly they may break when the bale expands as it is removed from the baler. If your wires are breaking, you are either pulling them too tight or you need a heavier gauge of wire for your product.

What is the difference between “black annealed” and “galvanized” wire ?
With prelooped baler wire used in manual tie balers, black annealed and galvanized are both treated to resist rust and corrosion on the wire. The “black annealed” wire has an oily coating on the outside of the wire and is black in color. Galvanized wire is “galvanized” to resist corrosion, has a dry surface, and is silver in color.

Both types of prelooped wire are basically the same tensile strength. When you are dealing with automatic tie balers, the galvanized wire is typically Hi-Tensile and is sold on a stand/carrier and is normally used for 2-Ram balers. Black annealed wire used in open-end auto-tie balers is available as “boxed” wire in coils or on a stand/carrier and is a softer wire (not Hi-Tensile).

How is the wire packaged for shipment?
Bundles of looped wire can be shipped individually or in packages of two bundles taped together. This method allows us to ship via normal UPS ground, 2^nd day or next day air. Larger quantities are shipped coiled on pallets or in Gaylord boxes and shipped via LTL truck freight. Boxed wire or is shipped stacked and packaged on a pallet via LTL truck freight. Stand/carrier wire is also shipped via LTL truck freight.

What is the difference between a vertical and horizontal baler?
Vertical Baler: The “ram” or “platen” moves vertically to crush the material, and is normally loaded from the front about shoulder high by hand. A feed gate is opened and closed to gain access to the loading chamber. Bales are tied manually.Horizontal Baler: The “ram” or “platen” moves horizontally to crush the material.. The product is loaded into a hopper on the top of the baler and can be continuously fed as the ram cycles. Both automatic tie and manual tie models are available.

Why is my bale wire breaking?
Typically, the #1 cause of wires breaking is tying the bales too tight. Certain products like plastic tend to expand when released from the bale chamber. If the wires are too tight, the material will stretch the wire past its breaking point. Try leaving a little more slack when you tie the bale. If this does not work, try a heavier gauge of wire.

How do I tie bales in my vertical baler?
When the baler is full or you wish to tie off the bale, follow all the manufacturer recommended procedures to tie off the bale. Normally this involves opening the chamber door with the hydraulic ram down compressing the bale, inserting the bale tie wires individually through each of the slots in the bottom of the ram until they come out the back of the baler, going around to the back of the baler and pulling each tie wire down to the bottom of the baler and pushing them through the bottom slots back to the front of the baler, then go back to the front of the baler and tie off the bale by putting the straight end of the wire through the looped end , pull the wire hand tight, bend the straight end parallel with the wire and wrap it around itself two or three times. After all the ties are tied follow the baler manufacturer instructions for removing the bale. Always be sure to observe all safety practices recommended by the manufacturer of your machine and any local, state or national agencies.

How do I tie bales in my horizontal baler (manual tie models)? When the baler is full or you wish to tie off the bale, follow all the manufacturer recommended procedures to tie off the bale. Normally this involves inserting the bale tie wires individually through each of the slots in the front of the ram until they come out the other side of the baler, going around to the other side of the baler and pulling each tie wire to the end of the made bale and pushing them through the tie slots back to the other side of the baler, then go back around the baler and tie off the bale by putting the straight end of the wire through the looped end, pull the wire hand tight, bend the straight end parallel with the wire and wrap it around itself two or three times. After all the wires are tied follow the baler manufacturer instructions for removing the bale. Always be sure to observe all safety practices recommended by the manufacturer of your machine and any local, state or national agencies.

Why do I have trouble getting the wires to slide through the slots?
Typically this means the you have some of your baled material protruding into the slot where the wire needs to be. We sell a tool called a “slot reamer” specifically designed to clean out your bale wire passages. There are several styles available in our accessories section. Another solution to this problem would be to insert a “slip sheet” of flat cardboard at the end of the bale before you start baling. Then when you have completed the bale, insert another flat sheet of cardboard at the other end of the bale. This will help prevent the baled material from protruding into the bale wire slots.

What safety equipment should I be using?
Follow all manufacturer recommended safety procedures listed in the baler operator’s manual. In addition, it is recommended that gloves and OSHA approved safety glasses be worn while tying and moving or removing bales. Always be sure to observe all safety practices recommended by the manufacturer of your machine and any local, state or national agencies.