Baling wire has been around for many years. In fact, it first came into existence in the 1800s, pioneered by the agricultural industry. Nowadays, it is an essential tool for many businesses and industries thanks to its strength, malleability and versatility for a wide range of jobs on worksites. And in fact, thanks to the glory of life hacks, it has so many more uses than we originally thought. But I’ll get to that…
In layman’s terms baling wire is a type of wire that is used in either an agricultural or industrial setting for anything and everything from mending fences to manually binding a bale of hay, straw, or cut grass. It is also used to bind together condensed cardboard, textiles, aluminium and other materials that are processed in the recycling industry. Hence why I am drawing your attention to it today.
It’s this stuff …
Baling wire is also commonly used in many non-industrial/agricultural ways, usually in an informal, make-do and mend kind of way. It is one of the basic repair materials and as such is used for a huge range of things. Typical uses range from supporting loose mufflers to patching chain-link fences. Baling wire is a pretty ad hoc, fix-anything kind of material, and falls in the same realms as chewing gum, duct tape and the cable tie.
So! Back to those lifehacks I was talking about. Baling wire is actually number 8 on the greatest tools of all times list, how’s about that? Here is a brilliant list of all the stuff you can use it for.
- Getting your keys back. Combine a length of bailing wire with a chewed up piece of gum to get back that pesky key that fell through the grate.
- Chum tie. Grind up your bait fish in a big milk jug and freeze it with a length of bailing wire sticking through it. Then cut off the plastic and hang it off the back of your boat. Hey presto, a fishes chummy dream!
- Wrench holder. String all your box end wrenches and hook the wire ends together.
- Socket holder. Same as above.
- Fish stringer. Inside the gill out the mouth.
- Wire fisher. Hook it on your coax cable and you can fish it through nearly anything.
- Toasted marshmallows! Poke it on and find a fire.
- Music. Combine a length with an empty bucket and a broom handle. Makeshift instrument, thanks.
- Fastener. It will hold nearly anything that is just a bit too hot for duct tape.
- Lid protector. Attach your rubbish bin lid to one side of the can and – if it’s a particularly windy season and you have those black bins with the lids that everyone hates – the wind won’t blow it away.
Those are just a few uses that google has told me about, and I’m sure there are plenty more besides. Baling wire – not just for tying recycled waste together (although it’s really good at that too).