# How to get round bale string to wrap tight



## SCtrailrider (May 1, 2016)

NH648 4x5 round baler, the book doesn't go into much details about it....

The book says to snug the spring plate where the string passes through, but there is also a cone shaped spring loaded tip where the string feeds on the roll..

How is the best way to get tight strings on this baler, if the plate is snuged up the string doesn't like to start, if it's looser the string is loose also... Do I need to snug up the cone things the string passes through also..

How do I get tighter strings here.....


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

On my old NH 650 (I don't have anymore), there was a tensioner that got tighter after the first pass across the bale (the twine arm trip it once the arm got clear to the right side of the bale), then the twine was harder to pull (winding tighter) the second wrap on the bale.

Sounds like this the tensioner plate you are possibly referring to, it so I found that having these plates smooth / shiny worked best (no rust or grooves) and the tripping mechanism working right. My two cents.

Larry

Forgot to mention, I had mine tight enough that I had to have hay going into the machine to grab the twine to start the wrapping process.


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## Supa Dexta (May 28, 2014)

Ensure it's routed properly from twine box to twine arm. And that the cutter is cutting it off cleanly. If thats all in proper order then tighten down that tensioner and it really should be good.

Getting it to leave enough tail to catch and start tying is most important, and once it catches it will pull a lot of tension.


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## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

Ditto on being sure twine tension plates don't have a groove worn in them. Usually tighter wrapped bales will have tighter wrapped twine.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Make sure your tails are long enough after it cuts the twine, should start wrapping regardless, if it doesn't with more tension on the twine it's because the tail isn't long enough for the bale to grab.


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## mike10 (May 29, 2011)

When I set up a baler I remove all tension from the tension plates. There are enough bends and guides to add tension that all you add is potential problems with starting the twine on the next bale. Tension on the twine will not make a loose bale tight. The bale is contained by the belts and rollers and what little tension that is added to the twine will make no difference. If the bale is well formed and tight the ejected expanding bale will make the twine tight.


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## RockmartGA (Jun 29, 2011)

It has been my experience that you want enough tension on the twine that it will cut when the twine arms bring it across the knives. Too much tension and the twine will "snap back" a bit , sorta like a rubber band, and you will not have enough twine exposed to start the next bale.

The way I adjust the tensioners is to slowly increase tension to the point where the string consistently cuts - then stop.


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## mike10 (May 29, 2011)

With the NH setup the twine would cut even if it had no tension since the knives pivot down against a striker plate with the twine caught in between when cutting. The tension on the twine actually comes on the back side of the knives by the bale pulling on the twine through the closed knife and with the downward angle of the knife the twine will pull the knife even tighter to cut.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

mike10 said:


> If the bale is well formed and tight the ejected expanding bale will make the twine tight.


So glad to hear you state this. That concept is foreign to some.


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## glasswrongsize (Sep 15, 2015)

Would too few of wraps of twine (especially at the beginning and end) cause allow the bale to expand more? Essentially there might be too little friction from the string to the bale due to too few wraps which would allow the bale to expand more?

I really like the above explanation, and had not realized that before.

73, Mark


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## mike10 (May 29, 2011)

It is very similar to a square baler. It is not the twine that makes the bale tight but the compression that is happening in the bale chamber. The twine only contrains the hay after the bale is out of the chamber.


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## SCtrailrider (May 1, 2016)

I see what your saying, my rolls are tight, around 2200psi on the gauge, and ya might get 1 knuckle deep in the sides. it just seems the ends of the roll, where the last few wraps are the string gets less tight..

The rolls are well shaped & full, I'm wrapping the most wraps the machine will offer, 23.... plenty of string going around them... I also don't think there is much adjustment in the twine system, maybe I'll get it fine tuned, it's not loose I just think the string could do better .. might be the string I'm using also maybe...


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

Maybe putting a new spring on the tensioner could help, you didn't say if you have tried doing that yet. If it old it could be getting 'weak'.


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## mike10 (May 29, 2011)

The thing is with that many wraps on the bale there are a lot of end wraps that are not being held by any hay and are just laying on top of the twine already wrapped or the lower or first deposited end wrap of twine is holding the tension of the bale and there is nothing for the additional wraps to grab onto.


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## freedomfarm83 (Sep 26, 2021)

mlappin said:


> Make sure your tails are long enough after it cuts the twine, should start wrapping regardless, if it doesn't with more tension on the twine it's because the tail isn't long enough for the bale to grab.


What is the best way to adjust the string tails.?Lately I have had to pull out a couple of inches on each string. Should the string stay under the cut knives. It cuts the strings , but the tails are too short(6-8 ")


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