Engine-Powered Pine Straw Baler
Mike Murphy’s GR$$N Machine takes some of the labor out of baling pine “straw” needles, which is a common sideline business for many folks in Southern states. The Salem, Alabama, man was inspired to invent his compactor/baler after his pastor told him he had manually baled about 200 bales in a day.
Murphy’s unit allows one person to bale 300 to 400 bales a day.
“The Lord showed me how to build it,” says Murphy, a retired sheet metal worker. “It works like a log splitter.”
After loading the twine, fill the hopper and cage with a couple of big handfuls of pine needles. Start up the 5 1/2 hp motor and the 2-in. hydraulic shaft with 8,000 psi compresses the needles into 14-in. sq. by 28-in. long bales ready to manually tie. Remove the bale, reset the twine and go again. Bales weigh between 15 and 20 lbs. and are ready to sell to the landscape market for about $2.50 wholesale or $3.50 retail.
Murphy builds the units on 4-ft. wide trailers that fit easily between pine trees planted in rows 6 ft. apart. The trailers are built out of angle iron and expanded metal. The compacting unit is made of 10-gauge sheet metal.
Pine trees have become the South’s big cash crop, Murphy says, and he built the baler with his grandsons in mind. There are plenty of needles to be purchased and collected (for 50 cents/bale) to start their own businesses. He also sells his patent-pending unit for $4,500.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Mike Murphy, 324 Lee Road 792, Salem, Ala. 36874 (ph 334 742-8024; m2murphy0316@yahoo.com).
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Engine-Powered Pine Straw Baler BALERS Mike Murphy’s GR$$N Machine takes some of the labor out of baling pine “straw” needles which is a common sideline business for many folks in Southern states The Salem Alabama man was inspired to invent his compactor/baler after his pastor told him he had manually baled about 200 bales in a day Murphy’s unit allows one person to bale 300 to 400 bales a day “The Lord showed me how to build it ” says Murphy a retired sheet metal worker “It works like a log splitter ” After loading the twine fill the hopper and cage with a couple of big handfuls of pine needles Start up the 5 1/2 hp motor and the 2-in hydraulic shaft with 8 000 psi compresses the needles into 14-in sq by 28-in long bales ready to manually tie Remove the bale reset the twine and go again Bales weigh between 15 and 20 lbs and are ready to sell to the landscape market for about $2 50 wholesale or $3 50 retail Murphy builds the units on 4-ft wide trailers that fit easily between pine trees planted in rows 6 ft apart The trailers are built out of angle iron and expanded metal The compacting unit is made of 10-gauge sheet metal Pine trees have become the South’s big cash crop Murphy says and he built the baler with his grandsons in mind There are plenty of needles to be purchased and collected for 50 cents/bale to start their own businesses He also sells his patent-pending unit for $4 500 Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Mike Murphy 324 Lee Road 792 Salem Ala 36874 ph 334 742-8024; m2murphy0316@yahoo com
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