Bundles of pre-looped baler wire ties and a coil of strapping tape on a pallet next to an HSM V-Press vertical baler

Baler Wire and Strapping for Vertical Balers: Gauge, Length and HSM V-Press Compatibility

Baler wire comes in three forms and your machine dictates which one you use. Channel balers such as the HSM VK series cut and twist ties automatically from a heavy coil of strapping wire. Vertical balers such as the HSM V-Press use either pre-looped single-loop bale ties, cut to length with a loop formed at one end, or polyester strapping tape, depending on the model and the bale weight. Horizontal balers such as the HSM HL 7009 use quick-link wire with a formed connector at each end. The wire gauge on HSM ties is 2.45 mm or 2.8 mm and the lengths are 3700 mm or 4400 mm, and the length must match the bale chamber of the specific baler; a tie that is too short will not reach around a full bale. Most vertical balers take three to five ties per bale. Buy the tie the manufacturer lists for the model, not a generic near-equivalent, because the loop size and length are set for the tying slots in that chamber.

The three consumable types and where each is used

Coil strapping wire is the raw material. It comes as a heavy coil, typically several tens of kilograms, of continuous annealed steel wire. Fully automatic channel balers pull wire from several coils at once, wrap it around the bale in the channel, twist it and cut it without operator involvement. The HSM 2.8 mm strapping wire in 40 kg coils is the consumable for the HSM VK 12, VK 23, VK 30 and VK 42 channel balers. Coil wire is also used by some operators of vertical balers who cut and twist ties by hand, but this is slow and hard on hands, and pre-looped ties have largely replaced it in that role.

Pre-looped bale ties, also called single-loop bale ties, are lengths of the same wire cut to a set length with a loop formed at one end. On a vertical baler, the operator feeds each tie through the slots in the platen and the chamber floor around the compressed bale, passes the straight end through the loop, pulls tight and twists it off. The tie's length is chosen for a specific chamber so that it reaches around a full-size bale with enough tail to twist. HSM lists 2.80 x 3700 mm pre-looped wire for the V-Press 840, 860, 860 S and 860 P and the VL 225 and VL 500, and 2.80 x 4400 mm pre-looped wire for the larger V-Press 1160.

Quick-link wire is the horizontal-baler equivalent: a cut length with a formed connector at each end that hooks together, which is faster to close in the confined tying position of a horizontal machine. The HSM 2.45 x 4400 mm quick-link wire fits the HL 4809 ST and the HL 7009 horizontal baler.

Polyester strapping tape is the non-wire alternative for vertical balers. It is a woven or composite polyester band on a reel, threaded through the same slots as wire and closed with a wire buckle. It is lighter, does not rust, does not cut hands and can be cut with a knife rather than shears. HSM lists it in widths designated WG 30, WG 40 and WG 55, each matched to a group of balers. The full range is in the strapping wire and strapping tape collections.

Coil of baler wire, bundle of pre-looped single-loop bale ties and a reel of polyester strapping tape with buckles on a workbench

Gauge and length, and matching them to the bale

Gauge is the wire diameter. HSM's vertical-baler ties are 2.8 mm and its quick-link wire is 2.45 mm; the difference reflects the tying method and the bale each machine produces rather than one being better than the other. Thicker wire has a higher breaking load and resists the outward push of a dense cardboard bale as it relaxes after the platen lifts, which is why vertical balers making heavy bales use 2.8 mm. Thinner wire is easier to close in a quick-link connector and adequate for the bale profile of the horizontal machines it is specified for. Do not substitute a lighter gauge to save money on a machine specified for 2.8 mm; a tie that snaps as a bale is being rolled out of the chamber is a genuine safety hazard.

Length is set by the bale's cross-section plus the tail needed to twist or hook. A 3700 mm tie is listed for the V-Press 840 and 860 family and a 4400 mm tie for the V-Press 1160, because the larger chamber makes a bale with a longer perimeter. If you feed a 3700 mm tie into an 1160 it will not reach; if you feed a 4400 mm tie into an 860 it will close but leave a long tail that has to be cut and wastes wire. Match the length to the model designation, and if you are unsure of your baler's exact model, the rating plate on the side of the chamber gives it. Bales that are consistently under-filled can be tied with the specified length; the tail is simply longer.

Strapping tape has a width class rather than a gauge. The WG number indicates the band width class and its breaking strength band, and HSM matches each to a set of balers. Tape that is too narrow for a heavy bale can stretch and let the bale loosen, so the same rule applies: use the class listed for the model.

Ties per bale

Most vertical balers use three ties per bale on standard cardboard, and four or five on larger chambers, on denser bales, or on materials such as plastic film that spring back more than cardboard. Tying slots in the chamber floor and platen set the maximum; the manual for the model states the intended number. Fewer ties than specified is the most common cause of bales that bulge or burst on ejection. The practical advice is to use the number of slots provided, keep the ties evenly spaced, and twist each one tight while the platen is still holding the bale under pressure. Horizontal balers typically use more ties per bale because the bales are longer; channel balers set the number automatically.

Tape versus wire

Polyester strapping tape suits lighter bales and cleaner handling. It is the usual choice on smaller V-Press machines in retail back rooms, where the operator is a store employee rather than a warehouse hand, where bales are of modest weight, and where a rusty wire end on a bale going into a recycling truck is a nuisance. Tape can be cut with a safety knife, does not need shears or twisting, cannot puncture a hand or a forearm, and is usually accepted by recyclers without objection because it is easily removed. Its disadvantages are that it stretches slightly under load, that the buckle closure needs to be done correctly to hold, and that it costs more per tie than wire on heavier bales.

Wire is the choice for dense, mill-size bales. A tightly compacted bale from a mid-size or large vertical baler pushes outward hard when the platen lifts, and steel wire holds that load without stretch. Brokers and mills are used to wire-tied bales and their handling equipment is designed around them. Wire is cheaper per tie at scale, and pre-looped ties make it fast. The costs are gloves, shears or a twisting tool, and the care that wire under tension demands. Some operators run tape on the smaller machines at store level and wire on the larger machine at the distribution centre; there is nothing wrong with that as long as each is the type listed for the model.

Gloved operator feeding a pre-looped wire tie through the tying slot of a vertical baler chamber around a compressed cardboard bale

Estimating annual consumable spend

The calculation is simple and worth doing before you sign a lease or a purchase order. Count the bales you produce per week (or estimate from your cardboard volume with the help of our baler sizing guide), multiply by the ties per bale for your model, multiply by the weeks per year you operate, and you have ties per year. Divide by the number of ties in a bundle or the length of a reel to get bundles or reels per year, and multiply by the price. Add a small allowance for waste: ties that are dropped, mis-threaded or cut off short. For a store making a handful of bales a week the annual spend is minor; for a distribution centre making dozens of bales a day on a horizontal machine it is a line worth negotiating on volume.

Two things reduce the figure. First, buying the correct length: over-long ties waste wire on every bale. Second, buying in reasonable quantity: consumables are heavy and freight is a real share of the delivered price, so an order that covers a quarter or a year costs less per tie than a bundle at a time. Store the ties dry so they do not rust, and keep them near the baler so operators do not skimp on ties because the bundle is across the warehouse.

Storage and safety

Wire under tension is the main hazard. A tie that is twisted tight and then cut leaves two sharp ends that can spring outward; wear cut-resistant gloves and safety glasses when tying and when cutting bales open, and twist the ends down against the bale or fold them in before ejection. Keep bundles of pre-looped ties stacked flat and secured so they cannot slide off a shelf; a bundle is heavy and a falling one can injure a foot. Coil wire for channel balers should stay on its pallet or stand and be handled with a forklift, and the free end should be secured because a coil that unwinds unexpectedly is dangerous. Strapping tape is lighter and safer to handle but a stretched band that releases can still snap back; cut it with a proper tool, not by hand.

Store all wire and tape indoors and dry. Rust on wire weakens it and marks bales, and mills prefer clean ties. Keep the stock rotated so old bundles are used first, and keep the tie type and length written on the baler or on the wall beside it so that whoever reorders buys the right item. The most common consumable mistake we see is a well-meaning purchase of a generic tie of the wrong length after the original reorder information was lost.

HSM compatibility list

The following is the wire and strapping fitment for the HSM balers we supply, taken from HSM's product designations. Always confirm the model on the rating plate before ordering.

Note that the V-Press 860 and 1160 appear on both a pre-looped wire listing and a strapping tape listing. Both are valid; wire is the usual choice for mill-size bales and tape for lighter loads or where handling wire is a concern. Our V-Press model guide describes each machine and the baler press collection lists them.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use generic baler wire on an HSM V-Press?

Only if it matches the gauge, length and loop type HSM lists for the model. Generic ties of the wrong length either fail to reach around the bale or leave a long wasted tail, and lighter gauge wire risks breaking on a dense bale. The listed HSM tie removes the guesswork.

How many ties does a vertical baler need per bale?

Typically three to five, set by the number of tying slots in the chamber. Use every slot the machine provides; under-tying is the main cause of bales bulging or bursting when ejected.

Should I use wire or strapping tape?

Tape for lighter bales, cleaner handling and operators who are not warehouse staff; wire for dense mill-size bales that brokers expect and for the lowest cost per tie at volume. Both are listed for the V-Press 860 and 1160, so the choice on those machines is yours.

Which wire fits the HSM V-Press 1160?

Pre-looped wire 2.80 x 4400 mm, or strapping tape WG 55. The 3700 mm tie for the 860 family is too short for the 1160 chamber.

What safety gear do I need for tying bales?

Cut-resistant gloves and safety glasses at minimum, with a proper twisting tool or shears for wire and a safety knife for tape. Fold or twist wire ends against the bale before ejecting it.

HSM Machines is an authorized HSM dealer and stocks the pre-looped wire, coil wire, quick-link wire and polyester strapping tape listed above for HSM V-Press, HL and VK balers, along with the balers themselves. Send us your baler model and weekly bale count through the contact page for a consumables quote sized to a quarter or a year, or order directly from the strapping wire and strapping tape collections.

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