There are many farm tools and items that farmers use, and some of these are even considered “essentials” for everyday farm life. One of the essential items that every farmer should already have in their toolbox or garage is the baling wire, also known as farm wire or soft wire.
The baling wire is a type of wire that is primarily used to bind together items like hay, straw, and grass. Many farmers would often bind hay or straw together using their hands and baling wire, although there are some that use a baler, a machine that attaches to a tractor and can already cut, rake, and bale crop on the ground into rectangular or circular bales.
Besides farming, baling wire is also used in the recycling industry to bind recyclable materials like cardboard, plastic, paper, and aluminum together. In addition, the baling wire is also used to mend fences, as the wire can provide a stronger connection between two planks of wood for the fences.
Aside from its various uses, the baling wire also has different types that are divided according to the materials used for the wire, as well as their texture or hardness. To know more, here is a guide to the different types of baling wire and their uses.
Single Loop Wire
One of the most common types of baling wire is the single loop wire, which is made from black annealed wire, a kind of wire that is manufactured using low carbon iron or steel. In addition to black annealed wire, the single loop wire can also be made from galvanized wire that is produced using medium carbon steel.
The single loop wire sometimes needs to be tied by hand, even if you use vertical balers. Moreover, this type of wire can be quite flexible, so they are suitable for almost all kinds of uses, like tying straw and hay together and even fixing fences. The single loop wire can also be cut in whatever length you want it to be, so you wouldn’t have to waste a few amounts of wire. You can often buy single loop baling wires in bundles, which is beneficial if you want a lot of wire for agricultural or recycling work but can be a drawback if you only need it for one particular task or procedure.
Double Loop Wire
Unlike the single loop wire that you can usually buy in bundles, the double loop wire can be bought in pre-cut lengths, which means that it is perfect for those that only want a few wires for certain tasks. The single loop wire only has one looped end, while the double loop has loops at both ends of the wire that can be attached together to form a secure connection.
Because it already has loops on both ends, it is much easier to tie it and bind together items compared to the single loop wire that you need to bind by hand. Since they are quite easy and fast to use, the double loop wire is arguably the most popular type of baling wire for farms and recycling centers today. Furthermore, double loop wires have a more secure connection between both of their ends, so they are ideal for commercial use where you would need to pack or tie together bigger and heavier items.
Boxed Wire
The boxed wire is a type of baling wire that is made from specialized black annealed wire, which makes it a little bit tougher and stronger compared to other types. The boxed wire is primarily used for single ram auto-tie balers, which basically means that it is heavy-duty and is suitable for baling machines.
What’s also nice about boxed wires is that they are lightly oiled so that they will loop faster and smoother on balers while also being resistant to rust. However, unlike double-loop wires, the boxed wire is often available in bundles, particularly 100-pound boxes and 50-pound boxes, so you may need to buy plenty of boxed wire even if you just want to use a few.
Black Annealed Wire
The regular black annealed wire is particularly known to be much softer compared to other types of wires, which are sometimes also made from black annealed wire. However, the other types of wires that use black annealed wire are specially treated to be more rigid. Because it is softer, the black annealed wire is much more flexible and can be used for baling machines or baling by hand.
The black annealed wire can come in different gauges or thicknesses, so you have the freedom to choose how thick the wire you want to use for the farm or for the recycling center. These wires are packed on steel carriers that are tubular in shape and can be stacked together for optimal storage. Similar to the boxed wire, the black annealed wire is also lubricated using oil so that it would go through baling machines easier and faster.
High Tensile Wire
The strongest type of baling wire on the list is the high tensile wire. As its name already suggests, the high tensile wire is a very tough material that can withstand heavy machinery and big bundles of items. Like the black annealed wire, the high tensile wire comes in different gauges and is packed in tubular steel carriers. But, a lot of people would choose the thickest gauges of high tensile wire for extra durability and rigidity.
The high tensile wire is particularly used to bind together materials or products that are supposed to be for transport, as this wire can also be strong enough to withstand rough roads and harsh weather conditions outdoors. This type of wire is often used for ram balers that have a much higher strength level compared to other types of baling machines.
And those are the different types of baling wire and how they are used for recycling, farming, or gardening. Make sure to check out every type of baling wire in physical and online stores so that you will know which ones are more suitable for your farm or recycling center.