Modelling a variety of bales.

[Stabliofarmer]

So with the prototype working I now have enough happening to warrant its own topic.

So starting with the prototype, works on the same principle as a real baler. Feed straw in, compact, tie string, push out the back.

Looking down the bale chamber. Note the three holes on each side that hold the string in place. I've found that the middle string is necessary to stop the two side strings slipping off during compaction, the middle string isn't tied and is just removed once the bale is pushed out of the chamber. Its possible that the two outer strings need bringing closer to the centre.

Showing signs of wear but not till after it had proved the theory.

The bales from the prototype, these leave the chamber at 28mm long but due to a design issue I couldn't tie the string very tight and have now stretched out to 35mm.

 

[Stabliofarmer]

Next step was a wooden version. This allowed for more compaction to be put into the bale making for a nicer bale. The string tightening issue was fixed with wider slots where the string is held across meaning the knot could be tightened down to where it should be.

And the bales that it produced, these have stayed at the 28mm length despite being a more compacted bale.

And with a fine thread, the only issue really arising is the end of the bale that is at the bottom of the chamber has a rounder shape than the end that is being compacted and knotted which finishes nice and square.

[dm434]

very clever stuff , well done james

[dm434]

your gonna make a fortune with this , get a copy right on it 

[Stabliofarmer]

Happy with the results I could now try what I set out to make, which is a quadrant bale to make up a load for a truck. So I supersized the baler.

Working on the same principle as the smaller baller the most noticeable difference is the five string guides.

The other major difference is the introduction of a slot in the chamber, this was to replicate the line of straw that sticks out along the centre of the bale in real life.

The resulting bales, again they have the issue of one round and one square end.

It is just about possible to make out the line down the centre of the bale, it is more visible in the flesh than on a photo.

[Stabliofarmer]

The material I'm using as straw is sisal rope chopped into fine strands about 5mm long. It acts just like straw clumping together. And if you cut the strings on a bale it falls apart in sections like a real bale. The only issue with it is the colour. It's having a bit of an identity crisis, too yellowed and pale to be a hay bale, would pass as a very off old bale maybe, and too light for a straw bale. I will be experimenting with dying the sisal to get the right colour next. 

I also want to try the baler with a material called coir fibre, which has a nice dark golden colour, and should require less processing than the sisal.

Coir is what I'm going to try and use for making round straw bales too. But this time using coir matting and rolling a strip of it and tying it up.

Once I've got a set of plans neatly drawn up I will publish them for anyone that wants to make there own.

Any ideas on how to improve the highlighted issues please let me know!

[mb86]

Excellent James. They look better with the finer string. I think the ones I have from the French guy have been mixed with glue before he made them, might hold everything together better but making them will be messy.

I dyed some sisal to make hay but it isn't quite the right colour, needs to be a thinner mix or a lighter shade.  I used a watercolour diluted with water and soaked the chopped sisal in it, put it in a plastic bag and hung it above a radiator to dry, the colour lightened a bit as it dried out but not as much as I wanted.  I used some coir mat to make round bales, the first stuff I got was a good colour match but the second from the same seller was too bright of a yellow, it's put me off making any more until I find the right shade.  

[Stabliofarmer]

Cheers Martin, mixing with glue is also on the list of things to try, I think a thinned down PVA mix to make a sisal paste, as I've read a few times they split after a while so hopefully the glue would stop this. 

Ah yes, I remember you making the round bales now. I've been ebaying this and that and Coco matting seems to be a nice deep shade. Will order some and find out.

With dying it I plan to use a similar method to making flock out of sawdust, mixing in a bit of acrylic paint at a time till the desired shade is reached and then let it dry out, or bale it as soon as its died and let the paint hold it together.

[mb86]

Looking forward to how you get on, I'm sure you are providing inspiration to many. 

[Valley Axe Man]

Great progress there James, Good on you for trying and developing your own small scale baler  A 16th version of your 32nd small bale would be fantastic if your baler plans could up scale? Thinking about your curved end  to the bale.... What if you placed a small concave in the bottom of the chamber at the end across the bale, more of your chosen material would then compact down either side of this so when you pull the strings tight it would pull that back into the bale making the end appear flatter and squarer? 

[Stabliofarmer]

Some interesting ideas Paul, will have to give the concave panel a shot. I'm sure the plans would scale up fine.

[Stabliofarmer]

Trialled a new material today, hanging basket liner, peeled off the backing sheet and shoved in the baler. Held its shape really well and a great colour but not quite the same texture as the sisal.

Then got bored at tea and started baling some pencil shavings, frustratingly they came out squarer than the sisal!

[Tractorman810]

i am just waiting for the plans and the how to toipc james.  what about a blend of the sissal and hanging basket?? 

[Stabliofarmer]

Will get them drawn up some time in the week. I think if I can dye the sisal to a similar colour then that will be perfect

[Stabliofarmer]

I'd been hoping to build up a few more articles before sharing this but this is a blog I'm working on as I construct my new farm diorama. But for now I have now written up a series of articles on it for making square bales as shown above, I will add the plans for balers when I get time to draw them, have a few assignments due for uni that are taking most of my time up.

Anyway here's the guide https://modelfarming132.blogspot.co.uk/2018/02/making-square-bales-making-straw-and.html?m=1

Any errors or improvements, both in the blog and actually making the bales please let me know thanks.