The Importance of Wire Gauge

When shopping for baling wire, gauge is one of the first specs you should consider. Of course, it’s a good idea to buy quality wire—such as that available from Vulcan Wire—but even the best wire in the world won’t serve your needs if it’s the wrong gauge. Let’s look at what gauge means and why it is important in the world of baling wire.

Bigger Number = Smaller Wire

One of the first things to know about wire gauge is that as the numbers get bigger, the wires get smaller. Gauge is simply a measure of the diameter of a wire, and thicker wires are denoted by smaller numbers.

For instance, a 12 gauge wire is going to be thicker than a 14 gauge wire. This inverse relationship between gauge number and wire size might trip you up a bit at first, but it will be second nature soon enough.

Thicker Wire For Strength

Generally speaking, you will want to opt for a thicker wire (lower gauge number) when you need to maximize strength. Thicker wire will generally cost a bit more, and will be heavier, but you’ll receive added strength in exchange for your investment. Of course, added strength might not always be necessary, depending on what the wire will be used for in the end. Always think about the specifics of the job at hand when picking out the right wire for the task.

It should be mentioned that gauge is not the only determining factor when evaluating the strength of a wire. Tensile strength is also an important piece of the puzzle. A wire’s tensile strength is how much tension it can handle before breaking, and this measurement will depend on more than just gauge. Specifically, the type of wire you are using will go a long way toward determining the strength. Only when you evaluate the various elements of wire strength can you be sure that your chosen wire will serve your needs nicely. If you need assistance, simply contact our friendly staff.

Suitable For Your Baler

While it’s important to make sure the wire you select is capable of doing the work it will be asked to perform, you also need to confirm that it will work with your baler. For instance, a vertical baler may require a different wire gage than a horizontal baler, and so on. Fortunately, it should be pretty easy to check the specs on your baler and confirm what size wires will fit. Be sure to do this bit of homework ahead of time so you don’t find yourself with a big coil of wire that won’t fit in your machine.

Shop Vulcan Wire

At Vulcan Wire, we want our customers to come away with the perfect product for their needs, time after time. If you have any doubt as to which wire gauge is right for your work, or if you have any other questions about our products, please contact us right away and we’ll be happy to help. Thanks for visiting!

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