Making a manual hay baler

This is a manual hay baler made using

some draft instructions from Caring
for God’s Acre.
www.caringforgodsacre.co.uk
but with adaptations.
The side supports for the bin are new
3x2 and 4x2 timber, the bin lining is
new plywood. I bought some new
screws and nuts and bolts. The rest is
recycled, mainly from pallets.
You can find a video of how to use the
machine at:
www.caringforgodsacre.org.uk/our-
work/films/
All measurements in cm unless it says
inches.
Caring for God’s Acre is grateful to John
Langran of Llanfyllin for his work in
producing these instructions
First make the base

You need:
3x2:
FIRST 2 lengths @ 150 cmBASE
First makeMAKEthe base THE
2 lengths @ 31 cm
You need:
Pallet wood strong enough to stand on 39.5cm lengths.
You
3x2:need:
2 lengths @ 150 cm
Screws and nails.
3x2: 2 lengths @ 150 cm
22lengths
lengths@ @ 31
31 cm
cm
4 pieces of hose with longways cut to hold strings. Position 12 cm from edges of base but easiest to
Pallet
Palletwood
wood strong
strong enough
enough to to stand
stand onon.39.5cm
39.5cm lengths.
wait until you have made the box so that you can see exactly where they will be. Other designs use
Screws
Screwsand and nails.
nails.
different ways of holding the strings in position inside the box. The important thing is that the string
is held inofplace
4 pieces hosebut
withcan pop outcut
longways of its holders
to hold easily
strings. when the
Position 12 cmbale is complete.
from edges of base but easiest to
4 pieces of hose with longways cut to hold strings. Position 12 cm from edges of base but easiest to
wait until you have made the box so that you can see exactly where they will be. Other designs use
wait until you have made the box so that you can see exactly where they will be. Other designs use
1different
x bolt, nut
ways and washer the
of holding to hold theinfront
strings of the
position compression
inside the box. Theboximportant
in place. Wait
thinguntil you
is that have
the string is
different
held inthe ways
place of holding the strings in position inside the box. The important thing is that the string
made boxbut
or can
you pop
won’toutbeofable
its holders easilyitwhen
to position the bale
correctly. See is complete.
page 7.
is held in place but can pop out of its holders easily when the bale is complete.
1 x bolt, nut and washer to hold the front of the compression box in place. Wait until you have made
2thex right
box nutangle
or you brackets, nutstoand bolts. itThese hod the
See rear
pageof7.box
the compression box in place. Wait
1 x bolt, andwon’t
washerbe able
to holdposition
the front correctly.
of the compression in place. Wait until you have
until you have made the box or you won’t be able to position correctly. See page 7.
made the box or you won’t be able to position it correctly. See page 7.To achieve this drill a hole for
You want this bolt to stay sticking out of the base when you dismantle.
it with a slightly narrower radius and screw it into the base from the underneath. Then pull it into the
2wood byangle
x right tightening the nuts
brackets, nut. and bolts. These hod the rear of the compression box in place. Wait
until you angle
2 x right have made the nuts
brackets, box orandyou won’t
bolts. Thesebe able
hold to
theposition correctly.
rear of the See page
compression box7.in place. Wait until
you have made the box or you won’t be able to position correctly. See page 7.

Closeup of business end of base

Closeup of
business end
of base
Closeup of business end of base
 Then make the box

THEN MAKE THE BOX

Materials:
Side supports: 6 lengths 4x2 x 108cm
Rear guides for lever system:
Top
3x2: 2 x 30cm
4x2: 2 x 22.5cm
Bottom
3x2: 2 x 25cm
4x2: 2 x 22.5cm
Then make the box
Half inch smooth ply for box lining
1 of 100 x 39.5 cm for back
2 of 100 x 30.5 cm for sides
(if ply is smooth then the finished bale will slide out
more easily)
Materials:
Rear retainers for lever mechanism. 4 large eyelets, Side supports: 6 lengths 4x2 x 108cm
2 bolts to fit. Rear guides for lever system:
Top and bottom front braces: 2 lengths 3 x 1 Top
(pallet wood) x 49 cm 3x2: 2 x 30cm
Hooks for strings 4x2: 2 x 22.5cm
Bottom
3x2: 2 x 25cm
Method: 4x2: 2 x 22.5cm
First make rear vertical box supports by screwing 2
lengths of 4x2 together longways. Half inch smooth ply for box lining,
Fix these supports to your base with temporary 1 of 100 x 39.5 cm for back
screws. The supports overlap the sides of the base 2 of 100 x 30.5 cm for sides
and touch the ground. See the picture on page 1. (if ply is smooth then the finished bale will slid

Rear retainers for lever mechanism. 4 large ey

Top and bottom braces: 2 lengths 3 x 1 (pallet
Hooks for strings

Method:
Materials: First make rear vertical box supports by screw
Side supports: 6 lengths 4x2 x 108cm Fix these supports to your base with temporar
Rear guides for lever system:
Top
3x2: 2 x 30cm
to fit on the top of the base.
Fix the front braces.
Fix the rear guides and the horizontal strengtheners that hold the lever vertical su
lever support is normally 2 inches thick. You need to allow a little more space so t
easily.

Make the door

2 Fix
strong
the boxcross pieces
back and both 37cm.
side plywood Top piece:
lining by screwing to the4x1.5cm.
rear supports.Bottom
The plywoodpiece:
butts 8 x 1.5cm
down to
4 fituprights.
on the top of the base.
I used pallet wood 8x2cm x 72cm
Fix the front braces.
Stop and catch 2 of 10 x 3 x 1cm.
Fix the rear guides and the horizontal strengtheners that hold the lever vertical support in place. The
Hinges x 2. My hinges started bending so I replaced them and added 2 large eyele
lever support is normally 2 inches thick. You need to allow a little more space so that it can slide in
wedge
easily. as in the picture, to take theThe strain
insidewhen
top ofthedoorbale is compressed.
is chamfered so that compressor

The inside top of the door is chamfered so that

The vertical board of
the compressor thedoesn’t
board door that
catchison
hinged
it. is also cha
way of the bale coming out of the box.
The vertical board of the door that is hinged is
also chamfered so that the corner does not get in
The slits are of
the way positioned to match
the bale coming out ofthe
theholders
box. for the str
from The
the slits
topareof positioned
the door. to
The bottom
match cross for
the holders piece is xx c
the strings on the base. The top cross piece is 8
cm from the top of the door. The bottom cross
piece is 11 cm from the bottom of the door.
MAKE THE DOOR
2 strong cross pieces both 37cm.
Top piece: 4x1.5cm. Bottom piece: 8 x 1.5cm
4 uprights. I used pallet wood 8x2cm x 72cm
The
Stopinside top
and catch 2 ofof
10door is chamfered so that compressor board doesn’t catch on it
x 3 x 1cm.
Hinges x 2.
My hinges started bending so I replaced them
and added 2 large eyelets, iron bar and wedge as
in the picture, to take the strain when the bale is
compressed.
might have been better to use stronger plywood here, I will probably replac

MAKE THE LEVER ARM Vital measurements:

Vital
ANDmeasurements:
MECHANISM FOR THE A Distance between bolts 18cm
ACOMPRESSOR.
Distance between bolts 18cm
B Plunger bolt hole to plywood compressor plate
B Plywood. IPlunger
piece 36 x 27bolt
cm. hole to plywood compressor plate ??cm
54cm
C Top bolt to bolt in vertical shaft 35cm
C 2 strong bolts
Topwithbolt to bolt
self-locking in vertical shaft
nuts. 35cm
At least 12 x 3 inch screws. D Bolt must be far enough away from the bottom
D Bolt must be far enough away endfrom the bottom
of the handle end of the handle t
to allow rotation
I long bolt with end sawn off and 2 nuts to take
the vertical strain. Mark the back of the vertical support. It is
Mark
3x2: the back of the vertical support. It is sometimes difficult to see
sometimes difficult to see quickly which way it
slides into place when assembling.
quickl
place when assembling.
1 of 120cm
2 of 51cm
4x2:
2 of 27cm
1 of 132 cm
1 of 60cm
The arm here is 3x2. The plunger, the vertical
support and the supports for the plywood are
4x2. It might have been better to use stronger
plywood here, I will probably replace it.
the front view on page 1. The strain bolt B in the vertical shaft slips undernea
box. It stops the shaft moving up when you compre

The hooks C are to take loops that you tie in the end
ertical shaft fits between the supports on the rear of the box and is held in plac
A that pass through eyelets on the supports. Eyelets are slanted so that the bo

bolt BFIT
in IT
theALLvertical
TOGETHERshaft slips underneath the cross pieces at the top of the b
ps theYou
shaft moving
have the uponwhen
front view page 1. you compress a bale. Best to fit this when you as

C areREAR
to take loops that you tie in the ends of the strings to hold them in place
VIEW
The rear vertical shaft fits between the supports
on the rear of the box and is held in place by
the two bolts A that pass through eyelets on the
supports. Eyelets are slanted so that the bolts
don’t slip out.
The strain bolt B in the vertical shaft slips
underneath the cross pieces at the top of the
back of the box. It stops the shaft moving up
when you compress a bale. Best to fit this when
you assemble.
The hooks C are to take loops that you tie in the
ends of the strings to hold them in place.
 ront view of view
Front box of box

Front view of box

FRONT VIEW OF BOX

This shows the bracket in the centre of the front of the
bottom brace that fits over a bolt in the base.
It also shows the strings in position ready for baling.

his shows
Thisthe bracket
shows in the centre
the bracket in theof the front
centre offront
of the the bottom brace that
of the bottom fitsthat
brace overfits
a bolt
overina bolt
the base
in th
t also shows
It alsothe strings
shows thein position
strings ready for
in position baling.
ready for baling.

This shows the bracket in the centre of the front of the bottom brace that fits over a bolt in the bas
the bracket in the centre of the front of the bottom brace that f
It also shows the strings in position ready for baling.

ws the strings in position ready for baling.

This shows one of the two brackets at the bottom of the box side supports which fit over
This
his shows shows
brackets
one on one
of the
the of of
sides
two thethetwo
basebrackets
brackets and at the
are then
at the fixedbottom
bottom ofwith
together
of the box the box
a nut
side side
and supports
bolt.
supports which
Best to fit
which fit overfit over brac
brackets on
these when you have finished everything else, to get them in exactly the right places.
he sidesthe
of sides
the baseof the
andbase
are and
thenare then
fixed fixed together
together with a nutwithanda nut and
bolt. bolt.
Best to Best to fitwhen
fit these theseyou
when
havy
A better way of attaching these rear supports may be to drill a hole through each support
nishedfinished
everything everything
else, to else, to getinthem
get them in exactly
exactly the rightthe right places.
places.
for a 4.5 inch bolt which can then go through a hole in a bracket on the base and be secured
with a wing nut.
This shows one of the two brackets at the bottom of the box side supports which fit over brackets o
the sides of the base and are then fixed together with a nut and bolt. Best to fit these when you ha
 Extras
It is possible to fit a string to the front brace and
compressed bale when tying up

EXTRAS
It is possible to fit a string to
the front brace and an eyelet to
the lever arm to hold down the
compressed bale when tying up.
It is useful to fix a catch or a
string to hold the door open
while you are fitting the strings
or removing a bale.

If you have any difficulties with these instructions or if you can suggest possible improvements
you are welcome to contact the author, John Langran – john@ruslan.co.uk