[GSBN] re tying half bales

[Derek Roff]

Thanks for your comments, Bill.  I have no direct experience with the 
clamping method, and so I don't know to what extent it 
would/could/should compress the bales, and how much it just 
maintains/regains the starting compression.  Certainly many workshop 
participants a frustrated that they lose bale density when they divide 
and re-tie bales.

I think I've figured out how you are using the awl and the dowel, 
although it took some metaphoric head scratching.  Thanks for the tips. 


Derek

--On Thursday, October 29, 2009 12:21 PM -0700 Athena & Bill Steen 
<absteen at dakotacom.net> wrote:

> 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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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