[GSBN] re tying half bales

[Athena & Bill Steen]

Derek,
I don't know what kind of bales were there on site that required such  
a large amount of compression, but it sounds like they were lacking  
the kind of density one wants in building quality bales.  If I think  
back over the years I can't remember using bales that required any  
additional compression.  As for dividing and retying we seem to do  
quite nicely using two very simple methods.  The first is to use an  
awl in loop to separate the twine so that it doesn't fray.  That way  
it is easy to exert a great deal of pressure on the twine with no  
negative side effects.  The second involves using something like a  
short section of a wood dowel or bamboo and wrapping it around the  
twine as one would do with one's trusty old Sears lawn mower or some  
other outboard engine.  With those two methods there is no damaged  
twine or fingers.
If the bales being used are so bad that they require additional  
compression, then I would initially look for different bales.

Bill
Athena & Bill Steen
caneloproject at gmail.com
www.caneloproject.com
www.caneloproject.blogspot.com




On Oct 29, 2009, at 11:08 AM, Derek Roff wrote:

> As others have mentioned, I haven't experienced this specific  
> problem with arm pain.  However, it might be more common than we  
> imagine, since workshop participants are likely to be unsurprised by  
> being sore after a bale raising, and unlikely to call us, even if  
> the pain persists.
>
> On the other hand (the right hand, usually), I have seen many  
> workshop participants with blisters or lacerated fingers due to the  
> repeated abrasion by the bale twine.  Usually right at the upper  
> joint of the little finger, where the twine feeds through the hand,  
> as they are pulling it tight.
>
> I consider this to be a more serious thing than the injured people  
> do. It is a surface wound, and if properly cleaned, it will heal  
> quickly. But with all the micro-organisms around bales, if it isn't  
> cleaned, it has a good chance of getting infected.  Bale frenzy  
> tends to lead to people not taking care of themselves.
>
> At the recent colloquium in Oregon, someone (Chris Magwood?)  
> referred to an approach that was new to me.  They suggested using  
> four bar clamps to divide and compress the bale, before retying.   
> The head of a bar clamp is pushed into the bale at the length of the  
> future partial bale.  Then the screw part of the clamp is brought up  
> to the end of the bale, and tightened.  Use two clamps per side, so  
> four clamps are needed to divide a bale this way.  Next, the strings  
> are cut, and the bale divided.  Finally, the partial bale is retied,  
> without the need to provide much compression via the new strings,  
> since the clamps are providing pressure.  If the remaining portion  
> of the bale needs to be retied, the clamps can then be moved to that  
> piece.
>
> This approach is supposed to be faster and easier, eliminating all  
> the work with the bale needles.  I'm planning to try it.  Has anyone  
> else seen this approach?
>
> Derek
>
>
> --On Thursday, October 29, 2009 6:32 AM -0400 Carolatkn at aol.com wrote:
>
>>
>> Hi
>> I'd really appreciate your thoughts on re tying bales. I did a straw
>> bale workshop 3 weeks ago and my left arm is still throbbing from
>> making half bales. It is very painful. I've noticed this for a few
>> days before, but it is definatley much worse this time. It could have
>> been exacerbated by the fact that they only had the really thick
>> baler twine which is very difficult to pull through.
>> We call our knot the "truckers hitch" although I don't think that is
>> strictly correct - a loop on the end, a loop a hand width away,
>> threaded through and pulled in as tightly as possible and tied off.
>> So my questions are
>>
>> Is this just me or has anyone else experienced something similar? I
>> don't want to be demonstrating this technique if I could be injuring
>> some one.
>> Is there a better way to do it or a tool perhaps that could take the
>> strain? I've seen someone use a pallet strapper but the best tension
>> is achieved with a metal buckle - could those buckles be a
>> condensation point in the wall? I've also heard of farmers making
>> half size bales but inevitably some adjustment will be needed so
>> customising will always be needed.
>>
>> best wishes
>> Carol Atkinson
>> www.strawcottage.co.uk
>>
>
>
>
> Derek Roff
> Language Learning Center
> Ortega Hall 129, MSC03-2100
> University of New Mexico
> Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
> 505/277-7368, fax 505/277-3885
> Internet: derek at unm.edu
>
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