Required Baling
Wire Gauges
The required baling wire gauge depends on the size and the type of baler the customer is using as well as the size, density and material or product being baled in that bundle. Vertical balers typically use 12 gauge to 14 gauge depending on what material is being baled.
Horizontal balers typically use 11 gauge to 13 gauge depending on bale size and material being baled. Auto tie balers will typically use 10, 11 or 12 gauge wire depending on the size and density of the bale as well as how many wires the baler uses on each bale. Auto ties with only 4 wires per bale will usually use a thicker gauge wire than auto ties with 5 or 6 wires per bale. Two ram balers typically use 10-12 gauge wire (some of the small two rams use 13 gauge wire but this is VERY rare).
*This list is just rule of thumb NOT an exact science*
Vertical Balers:
Cardboard 13-14 gauge
Newspaper 12-13 gauge
Plastic Shrink Wrap 13-14 gauge
Plastics 12-13 gauge
Foam 11 gauge
Horizontal Balers:
Cardboard 11-13 gauge
Newspaper 12-13 gauge
Plastic Shrink Wrap 11-12 gauge
Plastics 11-12 gauge
Foam 11 gauge
Auto Tie Balers:
Cardboard 10-12 gauge
Newspaper 10-12 gauge
Plastic Shrink Wrap 10-12 gauge
Plastics 10-12 gauge
Foam 10-11 gauge
Two Ram Balers:
Cardboard 11-12 gauge (small two ram balers may use 13 gauge)
Newspaper 11-12 gauge (small two ram balers may use 13 gauge)
Plastic Shrink Wrap 11-12 gauge
Plastics 11-12 gauge
Foam 11-12 gauge you
Common Bale
Tie Lengths
The length of wire will depend on the size of bale your baler makes and which direction the ties go. (Keep in mind length can vary)
The first thing to do is figure out if your baler ties vertically or horizontally. You can do this by looking at your baler or an already made bale. Most vertical balers tie vertically and most horizontal balers tie horizontally. Full penetration or full eject horizontal balers most commonly tie vertically. Look for the tie slots or openings for the wire to feed through and see if it is vertical or horizontal. Once you know which direction your baler ties, then measure the bale chamber of your baler or a finished bale. Vertical tie will be twice the height and twice the depth while horizontal will be twice the length and twice the width. Once you have the full length add 12-18” so you have room to tie off the bale. The wires go vertically so it will be twice the height and twice the width.
Example: A standard 60” vertical baler makes a 60” wide x
48” high x 30” deep bale.
48” x 2 + 30” x 2 = 156” + 12” = 168”
168” is 14 ft, so this baler would need 14 ft long wire
Baling Wire Gauge Chart
10 gauge wire - 0.1350” diameter
11 gauge wire - 0.1205” diameter
12 gauge wire - 0.1055” diameter
13 gauge wire - 0.0915” diameter
14 gauge wire - 0.0800” diameter
15 gauge wire - 0.0720” diameter
* Based on Wash-burn & Moen;
Roebling; or American Steel and Wire Co.
Average Break Strengths
Estimate of bundle weight when failure occurs:
11 gauge: 850 - 1050 lbs 12 gauge: 600 - 800 lbs
13 gauge: 450 - 600 lbs 14 gauge: 300 - 450 lbs
What is a half gauge?
A half gauge falls in between to gauges. Customer may want 1/2 gauge because the weight of their bundle fall between 2 sizes.For example, the bundle they are baling might be too heavy for a 12 gauge and too light for a 13 gauge so a 12-1/2 gauge (around 0.098”) would the best solution. In large quantities the wire diameter can effect the weight of the bundles and save a customer a lot of money.
14 Foot Baling Wire
14 ft wire is most commonly used for vertical balers and full eject/penetration horizontal balers. Some vertical balers will have larger bale chambers and need longer wire like 16 ft. Common bale sizes are 60” x 30” x 48” and 72” x 30” x 48”
16 Foot Baling Wire
16 ft wire is most commonly used for small horizontal balers making a 60” long bale or a larger vertical baler with a 40” deep bale chamber. Common bale sizes are 60” x 30” x 30”, 60” x 40” x 48”, and 72” x 40” x 48”.
18 Foot Baling Wire
18 ft wire is most commonly used for horizontal balers making a 60” long and a 35” - 42” wide bale. Some 72” horizontal balers will use this size if it makes a 30” or less bale width. Common bale sizes are 60” x 36”, 60” x 42”, and 72” x 30”.
21 Foot Bailing Wire
21 ft is most commonly used for horizontal balers making 72” long bales. Common bales sizes are 72” x 36”, 72” x 42”, 72” x 44”. 72” x 46”, and 72” x 48”
Why customers need a reliable,
good quality Single-loop bale ties
Single-loop baling wire is used in vertical balers, where the wire is pushed through slots in the baler and then tied by hand. Poor-quality wire can make bale ties difficult to feed and tie and cause them to snap under pressure. This leads to wasted ties and spilled material that must be re-baled. Additional factors to consider when it comes to single-loop bale ties:
• Cheaper baling ties can be inconsistent in gauge, length and count per bundle.
• The wire ties need to have the right balance between being stiff enough so that you can easily push them through the slots, and malleable enough so that you can tie them tightly by hand.
• They also need to have the correct elongation and tensile strength, so that they don’t snap when the platen eases offthe bale. The correct tensile strength also ensures that thebale maintains its shape after it’s tied, which allows for safer stacking and optimized shipping.
• High-quality single-loop ties are consistent in loop size and in the number of twists creating the loop. If the loop isn’t twisted properly, it can become unraveled once thebale is tied and the wire is under pressure.
• Lower-quality single-loop ties may also not have the correct finish, causing them to rust and making them harder to feed and more likely to break.