Nylon banding verses steel which is best

[plasticweld]

The guy I work with runs a small mill and was looking into banding and compared costs of steel verses nylon. It is less to get started with nylon but it is not as strong. Any advice as to which way is works best and which is more cost effective..Bob

[Larry]

The important thing is what the buyer will accept.  Most want to see steel on either lumber or slabs.

You can get started on the cheap by getting a 300' roll of steel with the clips for less than $50.  I've got a HF crimper that will work on either steel or plastic.  Picked up a couple of tensioners at auctions.  And if you know somebody that wants to buy or trade for a 1-1/4" heavy duty crimper let me know...I may just have one. :D

[Bibbyman]

Our customers don't care one way or the other. 

We've switched to plastic years ago.  Lots of advantages - cost for one,   it stretches a little so tends to keep bundles tight even if they're around sticked and drying lumber, and it does not rust or stain the lumber.

[red oaks lumber]

 i won't use plastic this world is filled with that destructive stuff. i use steel  buy 4,000 ft rolls 3/4 for $65 after its useds and used we recycle it and get paid for it. does that work for plastic?

[stavebuyer]

I have used both and prefer the plastic. Both are widely used.

[Larry]

i use steel  buy 4,000 ft rolls 3/4 for $65 after its useds and used we recycle it and get paid for it. does that work for plastic?

Where you getting it for that price?

[red oaks lumber]

mcgegors strapping supply in georgia somewhere if you want i'll get the phone number tommorrow.

[paul case]

red oaks has a good point. thats  all i have to say about that.

i use nylon. baileys $99 strapping kit is where i started.  $.08 ft for more strap and more for buckles. i tried a uline product that is lighted and cheaper. a lot cheaper. 3000 ft and 300 buckles for less than $50. works good enough for me. i can put 4 of these on a bundle and have less money around it than 1 poly strap. pm me if you want mo info . pc

[PineNut]

I use a plastic product from U-Line. Most of my strapping is for my own use and I band most anything I move around. The plastic and the buckles can be used over and you only lose about 2 inches of strapping every time you use it.

[red oaks lumber]

for our bundles that are deadstacked we use 2'' rachet straps keeps the pile secure and straps last for years, sure beats repiling after you knock them over

[Brucer]

There's all kinds of "plastic" strapping.

I use the polyester strapping sold by Bailey's (our new gallery sponsor) to hold my slab bundles together. It's stronger than 1/2" steel strapping and the rolls are lighter and easier to move around the yard.

I tell my slab customers that I can recycle the strapping and I get about 80% of it back. On average it gets reused 3-4 times.

When I used steel strapping I couldn't get the recycling facility to take it. They don't want "thin" pieces of steel.

[Kansas]

We switched from  steel to plastic when steel got so high. It looks exactly like Bibbys. I believe we been getting it from McGregors. I think its stronger than steel. 3/4 inch wide in rolls that look a lot like steel, put the roll on a dispenser, and uses clips that crimp on. Its a little more than half the cost of steel, last I remember. I doubt we will ever go back.