Scrap Metal Baler: Choosing the Right Machine for Non-Ferrous Processing

By Hoosier Machinery Solutions – Wanatah, IN – July 20, 2026 – 8 min read

HMS sells new balers built for non-ferrous processing and rebuilds two ram balers in-house at Wanatah, Indiana. Call (219) 733-2108.

Non-ferrous scrap is dense, abrasive, and valuable – and it demands a baler built for it. A true scrap metal baler is engineered for non-ferrous work: heavier structure, higher platen force, and wear surfaces that stand up to metal. Scrap yards choose between two machine paths – heavy-duty horizontal manual tie balers like the Excel HV9 and HV10, and two ram balers. HMS sells new balers built for non-ferrous processing and also rebuilds two ram balers at our Wanatah, Indiana facility – rebuilding and refurbishing two rams is a large part of what we do.

What Scrap Yards Actually Bale

The main non-ferrous materials: aluminum cans (UBCs) – used beverage cans, one of the highest-volume non-ferrous streams. Aluminum extrusions – window and door frame stock and structural profiles. Painted aluminum siding – sheet aluminum from demolition and remodeling. Radiators – aluminum and copper-aluminum cores, dense and abrasive. Insulated copper wire – among the heaviest bales a yard produces. Miscellaneous non-ferrous scrap. Density matters with non-ferrous because this is high-value material sold by weight: dense, well-formed bales mean more pounds per truckload, easier stacking and storage, and better pricing from the consumers buying your material. The machine’s force and chamber design are what produce that density.

Path One: Heavy-Duty Horizontal Manual Tie Balers

The Excel HV Series brings two ram interlocking construction to a single-ram body with a 1-inch chamber floor and three-quarter-inch side walls. The operator ties each bale by hand with wire; the machine does the compressing, and the heavy build is what lets it do that on metal, day after day.

Excel HV9: 50 HP motor, 9-inch main cylinder, 190,851 lbs platen force, 15-second cycle (11-second short stroke), 60 x 45 x 30 inch bale, manual single-loop wire tie. Typical non-ferrous bale weights: aluminum extrusion 1,000 lbs, painted aluminum siding 1,700 lbs, radiators 1,500 lbs, insulated copper wire 3,300 lbs, miscellaneous non-ferrous 1,300 lbs. Hardox 400 replaceable wear liners and tongue and groove floor. Right for yards processing moderate non-ferrous volumes.

Excel HV10: 50 HP motor, 10-inch main cylinder, 235,619 lbs platen force, 17-second cycle (13-second short stroke). Typical non-ferrous bale weights: aluminum extrusion 1,200 lbs, painted aluminum siding 2,000 lbs, radiators 1,700 lbs, insulated copper wire 3,500 lbs, miscellaneous non-ferrous 1,500 lbs. When non-ferrous bale density and weight are at the top of the manual tie range, the pusher bar is what keeps bale handling practical.

Budget entry point – Excel EX77: the highest-force machine in the EX series at 187,153 lbs platen force from twin 6.5-inch cylinders, and the one EX model rated for non-ferrous scrap. Extrusions around 900 lbs per bale, painted siding and radiators around 1,300 lbs, insulated copper wire around 3,300 lbs. For manufacturers or smaller yards where non-ferrous is one stream among several.

Path Two: Two Ram Balers

A two ram baler compresses material with a main gatherer cylinder, ejects finished bales with a separate eject ram, and ties every bale automatically with an integrated wire tier. No operator threading wire by hand. Two rams process and tie material much more quickly than manual tie machines – on insulated copper wire a machine like the Excel 2R10D moves roughly 10 tons per hour, with radiators and siding running 4 to 5 tons per hour.

New Excel two ram balers: HMS sells Excel’s fully automated two ram line. The Excel 2R10D pairs a 10-inch main gatherer cylinder and dual 50 HP power units with 235,619 lbs of platen force and a 16-second cycle time. Interlocking construction and bolt-in Hardox 400 wear liners are the same heavy-build approach as the HV Series, scaled up for continuous automated throughput across non-ferrous, fiber, and container grades.

Refurbished two ram balers – Harris, Excel, IBC, Marathon, IPS, rebuilt in-house at Wanatah: a large part of HMS’s business is rebuilding and refurbishing two ram balers – machines like the Badger, the Gorilla, 2R10D, HRBs, and the Centurion. When HMS refurbishes one, it goes through our Wanatah shop for a full rebuild and ships backed by the HMS 120-Day Parts & Labor Warranty. For a yard that wants two ram capability without new-machine cost, a rebuilt Harris is often the answer.

How to Decide: Manual Tie or Two Ram

Both machine types handle the full non-ferrous material list and both switch between commodities easily. The decision comes down to volume, production rate, and cost structure. Horizontal manual tie: operator ties each bale by hand, solid production for moderate volumes, lower upfront cost, lower yearly maintenance. Two ram: automatic wire tier, much faster processing at high tonnage, minimal labor per bale, higher upfront cost, higher yearly maintenance.

Choose a horizontal manual tie baler if your non-ferrous volume is moderate and an operator can realistically keep up with loading and hand-tying bales, you want the lowest upfront and yearly maintenance cost in a machine genuinely built for metal, and non-ferrous is a steady stream but not the dominant driver of your labor plan.

Choose a two ram baler if you bale a large amount of non-ferrous every month and production rate is the constraint, you want to concentrate baling into part of the week – plenty of yards run their two ram 2 to 3 days per week and use that labor elsewhere on the yard the other days – or you are weighing a rebuilt two ram against a new machine, since refurbished units can deliver the same value at a fraction of the cost of new.

Who Buys Non-Ferrous Balers

Scrap yards are the primary buyer – yards accumulate every material on the non-ferrous list, and baling turns loose material into dense, shippable, sellable weight. Manufacturers generating aluminum trimmings – extruders, window and door producers, siding manufacturers, and fabricators with continuous non-ferrous streams. Any other operation producing enough radiators, wire, or mixed non-ferrous to justify a machine.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best baler for a scrap yard?

It depends on non-ferrous volume and production rate. Moderate volumes are often best served by a heavy-duty horizontal manual tie baler like the Excel HV9 or HV10, with lower upfront and maintenance costs. High-volume yards typically run a two ram baler, which cycles faster and ties bales automatically. Some yards run a two ram 2 to 3 days per week and redeploy labor elsewhere the rest of the time.

What non-ferrous materials can a scrap metal baler process?

Aluminum cans (UBCs), aluminum extrusions, painted aluminum siding, radiators, insulated copper wire, and miscellaneous non-ferrous scrap. Yards do not bale brass.

What is the difference between a horizontal manual tie baler and a two ram baler for scrap metal?

A horizontal manual tie baler like the Excel HV9 or HV10 requires the operator to tie each bale by hand with wire. A two ram baler ties bales automatically and cycles faster, processing far more material per hour. Horizontal manual tie balers cost less upfront and carry lower yearly maintenance costs. Both switch between commodities easily.

Does HMS sell refurbished two ram balers for scrap metal?

Yes. A large part of HMS’s business is rebuilding and refurbishing Harris two ram balers – including models like the Badger, Gorilla, and HRB Centurion – at our Wanatah, Indiana facility. HMS also sells new Excel two ram balers and the Excel HV Series. Every refurbished machine goes through our in-house rebuild process and is backed by the HMS 120-Day Parts & Labor Warranty.

Bottom Line

Non-ferrous baling comes down to two proven paths. A heavy-duty horizontal manual tie baler like the Excel HV9 or HV10 delivers metal-grade construction and dense bales at a lower upfront and maintenance cost – the right call at moderate volumes. A two ram baler – new or rebuilt in the HMS shop – processes and auto-ties material far faster, which is what high-volume yards need, and what lets some yards bale everything in 2 to 3 days a week and put their labor elsewhere. HMS sells, installs, and services both paths, and rebuilding two rams is a core part of our business. Call (219) 733-2108. Hoosier Machinery Solutions, 9450 W. US Highway 30, Wanatah, IN 46390.