# Twine Education



## kfarm_EC_IL (Aug 5, 2008)

I have looked at different twines and twine prices and the most I can say about them is that some worked better than others. Some tied better and some were not that great on my hands after a days throwing hay.

So give me an education on the what the numbers mean and what the different uses would be etc. Sm. Sq, lg sq & rounds.

Thanks guys
Mark


----------



## Heyhay..eh (Aug 7, 2009)

Hi Kfarm

You need to speak to jpritchett who is very often on this site in the chat room. He is a twine and wrap guru, Note the ad on this site.

Go to his information and you will be able to get his email address.

Good guy to communicate with.

Take care


----------



## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

We used 20,000 ft rolls of polypropylene last season in our round baler, worked out fine. I'd like 
to know if anyone has used the biodegradable polypropylene. We feed all our to our own 
livestock and I'd rather not be finding 10 year old twine wrapped around mower spindles. 
I hear it's gone after 2 years of exposure to the elements.


----------



## HALLSHAY (Nov 30, 2008)

Not all twine is created equal. In our business we need every string to be there on our 4x4's. I have tried to buy cheaper twine before and regretted it all the way through the pallets. I believe in American made products and therefore use and sell PolyExcel twine manufactured in Utah. I have actually been to the plant and am good friends with a sales rep. They tensile test twine from lots of other manufacturers and twine doesn't always break at the knot strength it was rated. Orange twine seems to be more abrasive than some other colors. I have been told that it is colored with iron-oxide. I like the blue, green, or white. I also like to run 400 on the outside 2 strings and 350 on the inside. A ball of twine makes about 30 bales on a 4x4 so a buck or 2 more for good twine is a minimal expense. Just my opinion.

twine numbers 
knot strength / feet per roll

One more note: Twine starts out as a liquid and is extruded as a flat tape. If you take a piece of twine and untwist it you can about lay it back out into that flat tape.


----------



## kingranchf350 (Dec 13, 2009)

We have been running 20,000 solar degradeable on round bales for about 6 years, which totals about 21,000 or so rolls. The best I have found so far is from Tytan. It will usually weaken within 10 months (Sunlight exposure) or so to the point that when you pick it up it will crumble rather easy. Hope this helps.


----------



## kfarm_EC_IL (Aug 5, 2008)

Thanks guys, I wondered about whether the color meant anything or not. The oxide would make sense for the color and the harshness.

What about various differences in thickness. One neighbor swears by using the thickest he can find. However has not worked for me, yet the thinest twine hasn't either. What is everyones thoughts on this.
Thanks Mark


----------



## hayray (Feb 23, 2009)

I use all sisal twine. Basically from what I have found is that the number is the length of twine, however someone will have the exact numbers because I don't think 9000 twine has 9000 feet, isn't more like 8700? The smaller the number of feet the twine is thicker diameter. However, I use 7200 sisal in both my small square and 4x4 round baler and some brands of twine I notice that 7200 does not seem any thicker then the 9000 twine that is sold, so I look for a twine that is noticeably thicker and consistent in thickness. Last summer got a real bad batch from a guy who is in the twine business and he did not know squat about twine quality. Weak twine will often break behind the knot. I have found the best sisal twine is New Holland and Holland extra strong 7200. The Holland Gold 9000 is junk. If your stripper arm knives are sharp it should not matter if you use plastic/poly or sisal for knot consistency. My thoughts are that in general for most companies is that their buyers travel South and buy the cheapest crap they can find in the sisal brands, especially nowadays because sisal is not used too much anymore and experts available to analyze quality of sisal products are not available during the buying process. My hats off to New Holland at least.


----------



## Hay DR (Oct 28, 2009)

When purchasing sisal twine you need to look at the weight of the bale. A standard 16000, 10000, & 9000 bale of twine should have 38 LBS of sisal twine and a total weight of 40 Lbs. Ambroco, Winne & Universal twine companies are now selling a 35-36 Lbs bales with less twine in it. That means a 16000 marked bale actually has around 14000. I am not talking about the quality of the twine but you are receiving less twine in a package marked the same as the full weight bale.


----------



## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

Geeeze what next.Cereal in smaller boxes now twine.At least the cereal has the onces on the box.To label the twine as 16,000 and only have 14,000 is decieving if not a outrite lie.If I was to by some and found out later it was shorter it would be returned.And I would NEVER by from that twine co again.


----------



## Rodney R (Jun 11, 2008)

I was told that you also have to look at the weight of the plastic twine? That maybe some 9600/170 (for instance) would be stronger (weigh more) than others.

Rodney


----------



## hayray (Feb 23, 2009)

I knew Hay Dr would have the scoop.


----------



## kfarm_EC_IL (Aug 5, 2008)

Another question ...how many rolls of twine on a pallet or like seed how many units per pallet? Net wrap?
Thanks again Mark


----------



## Hay DR (Oct 28, 2009)

kfarm_EC_IL said:


> Another question ...how many rolls of twine on a pallet or like seed how many units per pallet? Net wrap?
> Thanks again Mark


Some companies have 40 bales per pallet and some companies have 50 & 60 bales per pallet. Generally a truck load is 40,000-44,000 Lbs depending on your state's load limit. Usually 1000-1100 bales of sisal twine per truck load of sisal twine.

We are not located in net wrap territory so we don't sell truck loads of netwrap and I just do not remember how many rolls are on a pallet. There is some new 12,000+ feet rolls of netwrap hitting the market this year.


----------



## jpritchett (Sep 22, 2009)

On a full trailer of netwrap there are 512 rolls. 32 16 roll pallets.


----------



## haflingerhay (Feb 12, 2010)

has anybody had problems with 130 9000/130 for small squares. I have been using the 170lb but 130 is a lot cheeper. I do alfalfa and grass hay.


----------



## chief-fan (Aug 27, 2009)

I have been running the Holland 9000/130 for about 3 years in my NH S69 small square baler. Get along fine with it with no twine problems. Occasionally a knoter will mess up but that is not the twines fault. I tried using plastic twine last year and had a problem with the knots pulling apart after they bales is out of the bale chamber. Don' know what causes it and really don't care as I just stay with the sisal and keep on baling.


----------



## hayray (Feb 23, 2009)

Probably have a weak bill hook. The last time I had that happen it did not matter what twine I had. The bill hook cam was not strong enough to hold the knot long enough while the stripper arm was pulling the knot tight and cutting, the bale would get out of the bale chute and expand and poof. Went through 3 mechanics, alot of headaches, and finally got my dad out there with a digital camera and we were able to slow it down and see what was going on.


----------



## OneManShow (Mar 17, 2009)

After years of using Bridon twine-we switched to PXL last year to save a couple bucks per box. We do small squares and use 9600' 170lb knot twine. The PXL twine doesn't hold knots as well as the Bridon twine. Had to futz around with knotter tension quite a bit, and still had knots busting loose. We had to re-bale way too much because the knots would give way in the bale wagon pick-up head and make quite a mess. Knots pop when bucking bales by hand too. We'll be back to Bridon this year.


----------



## baddog201 (Sep 18, 2010)

for small square i use 170 knot strength twine and have never had a problems


----------



## nitsud13 (Sep 17, 2010)

We use biodegradable polypropylene twine and like it a lot. It sure beats finding red twine in the field or spreader. The only thing you have to watch for is getting it fed up if you store your hay outside. The twine will last about all winter then it tends to get pretty weak and not hold together.


----------

