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Steel or Poly

Started by True North, May 13, 2010, 05:14:57 PM

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True North

Does anyone use the high strength poly material for banding lumber?  We are looking at what to get, and were wondering if it would do the job well enough.

Brad_S.

I use it. It's not as strong as steel so you need to double up on large, heavy packs.....mine weren't usually that big. The big plus in my book is that poly didn't stain species such as oak with that black stain from metal that sinks in DEEP!
"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." J. Lennon

red oaks lumber

the experts think i do things wrong
over 18 million b.f. processed and 7341 happy customers i disagree

Bibbyman

 



We love using Poly banding.  Been using it for four years. We've not had a problem with strength nor had to double it up.  What we use is 5/8s wide.  About half the price of steel.  It doesn't stain the lumber.  We also use it to band sticked lumber.  The elasticity keeps the bundle tight after some shrinkage.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDE25 Super 25hp 3ph with Command Control and Accuset.
Sawing since '94

red oaks lumber

how well does the poly work for reusing it?
the experts think i do things wrong
over 18 million b.f. processed and 7341 happy customers i disagree

wwsjr

I used steel for a few years, I now use  5/8" poly. I have not had a problem using the same number of band as steel. I changed due to cost savings, I can get twice as much poly for the same price a steel. I band stickered lumber as it comes of the mill. I have reused a few pieces without a problem. Most of my poly leaves with the customer and I do not see it again.
Retired US Army, Full Time Sawyer since 2001. 2013 LT40HD Super with 25HP 3 Phase, Command Control with Accuset2. ED26 WM Edger, Ford 3930 w/FEL, Prentice Log Loader. Stihl 311, 170 & Logrite Canthooks. WM Million BF Club Member.

nas

I use 3/4 orange polycord from Uline http://www.uline.ca/BL_2804/Heavy-Duty-Poly-Cord.  It is as strong as steel, cheaper, safer, and the tool you need is cheaper.  I bundle my slabwood in half cord bundles with it, and I dropped a bundle of W oak slabs several times off the forks(accidentally) and the straps and buckles held. 8)  Another thing is with this strapping, if you leave some extra length, you can tighten it again as the wood shrinks.

Nick
Better to sit in silence and have everyone think me a fool, than to open my mouth and remove all doubt - Napoleon.

Indecision is the key to flexibility.
2002 WM LT40HDG25
stihl 066
Husky 365
1 wife
6 Kids

Kansas

We used steel for years. When the price got so high on that, we switched to poly. We will never go back to steel. The poly works great.

Frickman

I use both, depending on the customer. Coal mine and steel mill lumber must be steel, no exceptions. Most other customers I have switched over to poly. It's easier to use, safer, cheaper, and much easier to dispose of.
If you're not broke down once in a while, you're not working hard enough

I'm not a hillbilly. I'm an "Appalachian American"

Retired  Conventional hand-felling logging operation with cable skidder and forwarder, Frick 01 handset sawmill

Pretend farmer when I have the time

Dave Shepard

Frickman, why steel for the industrial customers, because they can recycle it?

We use the 5/8 polyester banding. It's pretty strong stuff. I like it better than steel, especially the fact it isn't springing all over the place trying to get you. I think everything we use is Signode brand. You can reuse it, but sometimes it will split if it's pulled over a sharp edge. Doesn't seem to bother the strength of it.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

PineNut

I use poly and find it very easy to reuse. Lose about 2 inches for each use and if the tensioning end is left long, can get many uses unless you damage it. If I have some narrow boards, I will strap them just to move them around the lot. That easy and cheap.

Bibbyman

Likely 90% of the banding we use goes one way and never comes back.  We do band some stuff and the customer comes and picks it up and has to hand load it so we cut the strap and re-use it if it's long enough.  We just cut off the seal and pitch that part.

Sometimes we have a bundle and a customer wants some part of it.  Then we cut and reuse it.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDE25 Super 25hp 3ph with Command Control and Accuset.
Sawing since '94

Magicman

I use poly and I can also use it to secure my ReSharp boxes...... ;D


Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Brucer

When I was sawing for the local timber framer, he used 1/2" steel banding to package his timbers, bundle the slabs, etc. He had to use corner protectors when he was banding his timbers. The slab bundles would burst open if you dropped them, or hit a band with the forklift.

When I switched to being a timber supplier, I took a chance and bought a 3/4" poly banding kit (Bailey's sells them). That's the system that uses buckles instead of clips. It is absolutely great. No need for corner protectors on timbers, slab bundles don't break open, and yes, you can reuse the straps.

Poly is stretchier than steel, so if you put too much stress on them (as in overtightening, or dropping a load) the material will stretch a lot before it breaks. If you overstress a steel band, it just snaps.

There's no way I would ever switch back to steel.



Bruce    LT40HDG28 bandsaw
"Complex problems have simple, easy to understand wrong answers."

paul case

i tried something that could save you guys some coin.
orange poly banding from baileys is about $.08/ft without buckles and thats not too expensive. i found some strapping on u line that is way cheaper. 1.5 cents/ ft with buckles. i have been using it for a couple weeks and it works well and my tensioner with the baileys kit will tighten it.it is light weight but i havent been able to make it break yet when it is on a bundle.
look it up 3000 ft with 300 metal buckles for $44.   
uline.com/BL_2752/PolyStrapping-Kits

pc
life is too short to be too serious. (some idiot)
2013 LT40SHE25 and Riehl edger,  WM 94 LT40 hd E15. Cut my sawing ''teeth'' on an EZ Boardwalk
sawing oak.hickory,ERC,walnut and almost anything else that shows up.
Don't get phylosophical with me. you will loose me for sure.
pc

kderby

I use half inch poly-strap with crimpers and some buckles (from Uline).  Five years of utility and I am happy with it.  Most of my "units" are around four hundred board feet of dry lumber.  I have never had any problem with breakage using three straps per unit.  I do not have any heavier strapping, why spend the money? 

I thought someone would chime in with an advanced logic for steel strapping.

I re-use longer straps that have been cut.  For disposal I send it to the dump or it evaporates in the burn pile.  My commercial/industrial customers are satisfied.  What else do I need to know?

Kderby

Mark Webb

5/8" poly work fine for me also
The Lord made enough time in each day to do what we need to do "graciously".

Brucer

When people buy my slab bundles, I tell them that if they want to recycle the material, just cut it near the buckle and drop the banding an buckle off beside my office trailer. I get about two-thirds of it back, and I just use a second buckle and a short piece of strapping to strap the next bundle.

I know some people leave an 18" tail hanging beyond the buckle so they can re-tighten the band later on. That's no necessary. Just leave about 3" and when you want to re-tighten it, make a temporary extension with another buckle and a couple of feet of strapping.
Bruce    LT40HDG28 bandsaw
"Complex problems have simple, easy to understand wrong answers."

paul case

 





this is the u line poly. 1/2'' and as you can see real thin. i cant hardly believe how well it works. 2 straps will hold a bundle together but i put the extra one in the middle in case one that goes around the skid rubs in 2.  pc
life is too short to be too serious. (some idiot)
2013 LT40SHE25 and Riehl edger,  WM 94 LT40 hd E15. Cut my sawing ''teeth'' on an EZ Boardwalk
sawing oak.hickory,ERC,walnut and almost anything else that shows up.
Don't get phylosophical with me. you will loose me for sure.
pc

Bill Gaiche

Hey Paul I could use that for a belt. bg

paul case

are you a black belt too? :D :D :D
the ninja logger/sawyer???
you may have to cut it to get loose from it. pc
life is too short to be too serious. (some idiot)
2013 LT40SHE25 and Riehl edger,  WM 94 LT40 hd E15. Cut my sawing ''teeth'' on an EZ Boardwalk
sawing oak.hickory,ERC,walnut and almost anything else that shows up.
Don't get phylosophical with me. you will loose me for sure.
pc

Bill Gaiche

No not hardly. But I do carry a pocketknife. bg

woodsy

I like the poly too. Ditto to all the advantages previously mentioned. I have been using it for several years for big and small jobs and have never had a problem with it.
LT40HDG38, Logrite T36 log arch, 42 hp Kubota, 6 foot cross cut saw, lots of axes and not enough time

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