# Sisal vs Plastic



## mjedd12 (Jan 25, 2015)

Due to the extreme increase in Sisal (dealer explained it as a sisal factory in brazil closing and increased demand for sisal in China) we decided to switch to plastic twine in our square bales that we sell. Still bought enough sisal to use on the hay we feed at home in part because we use spent twine to tie lambing jug panels and just dispose of it in manure pack.

Should i be making any adjustment to the baler or know anything upfront before making the switch?

Mike


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## JeffMNY (Jan 5, 2014)

I can't quite remember but I think some balers might require a different bill hook maybe?? Or possibly an adjustment?? :huh: I'm sure someone who knows more will correct me if I am wrong.

I use plastic 7600' in my CIH 8530. Works well for me. The guy I bought the baler from used it and I just continued with it. Here, it is about half the price of sisal twine so that is a plus to me. I don't have any complaints about the plastic from customers either. A friend owns a small Farm/Hardware store and he was telling me today he wouldn't be able to get sisal from his regular supplier now.


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

As JeffMNY says, you may have a billhooks issue. But without knowing which ones you have now, there's no way to know whether a change is in order.


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## Josh in WNY (Sep 7, 2010)

John Deere balers have two types of billhooks, one for sisal only and the other is a multi-twine. I posted a snapshot from the service manual that explains/shows the differences. If you can't find the posting using the search feature, let me know and I can post it again.

I'm not sure about other baler brands.


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## mjedd12 (Jan 25, 2015)

thanks for the help. Im using a NH 570 that has been on sisal since we bought it 3 yrs ago. Unsure what previous owner used for twine but seeing as it hasn't had any issues since we bought it, there may be a change needed to use poly. ill look into it.


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

mjedd12 said:


> thanks for the help. Im using a NH 570 that has been on sisal since we bought it 3 yrs ago. Unsure what previous owner used for twine but seeing as it hasn't had any issues since we bought it, there may be a change needed to use poly. ill look into it.


I think, in most if not all areas, that the poly/sisal billhook is the standard. Some dealers don't even know another exists. It probably has what you need. There is a slightly different shape of the hook between the different hooks. A picture should be available somewhere to compare to yours.


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## PaCustomBaler (Nov 29, 2010)

Like 8350 and Josh in NY said, there's those two different types of billhooks. If you have a NH 570, I'd say most likely you'll be fine but I'd still double check for sure.


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## Mike120 (May 4, 2009)

8350HiTech said:


> I think, in most if not all areas, that the poly/sisal billhook is the standard. Some dealers don't even know another exists. It probably has what you need. There is a slightly different shape of the hook between the different hooks. A picture should be available somewhere to compare to yours.


 On the JD's, the gap in the closed billhook for sisal is a little wider than the combo billhook to allow for the use of heavier twine. As far as I know, most are delivered with the combo and a switch to the sisal-only is done at the dealer during pre-delivery as an extra. If I remember correctly, it requires a timing adjustment as well. Mine has the combo and all I run is sisal but have had no problems running the odd roll of plastic if I run short of sisal.


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## FCF (Apr 23, 2010)

Depending on the age of your 570 and work that may have been done on it earlier; check for wear on the needles. The early ones did not have hardened needles and the poly twine will wear them out faster. Later balers came with hardened needles standard. BTDT


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## eastsidehayguy (Aug 12, 2013)

Run plastic in my 570 never made any changes but, I did buy it used...


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