Above is a photograph from the Powerhouse Museum collection of how the wool was pressed about 1900. The photograph was taken between 1884 and 1917. The press features a simple system of gears which doubled the amount of wool that could be compressed into each bale and increased the amount of wool that could be exported. Early presses were patented in about 1877.
The wool press below is the one we purchased at a very fair price last week at Terry McIntosh's Sylvia Vale clearing sale. Really pleased to have been able to buy it and seems fitting that the press followed the stud ewes to our property. It is an older version of a TPW (Theresia Perfection Welding) press made in Perth, WA. It is a huge advance on the 1900s. The TPW press can compress up to 200 kg and each pressing cycle is a fast 15 seconds. It has automatic bale side pining and the fastest wool pack locking system available. Add a larger opening to the filling chamber, compact height and size and high safety devices with ease of use and it is perfect for our shearing shed.
TPW was established by John and Marion Jordans in Perth in 1975 with a $500 overdraft and a ute. Swiss company Heiniger bought the company in 2000, by which time the Jordans had sold 10,850 presses. Our press is green and gold dating it to pre 2000 and has a 'limited edition' model serial number plate. The short square bales the press produces make handling far easier and transportation a breeze. Well, sort of because the bales are still 180 - 200 kg in weight so even though one man can move them they are still heavy!!
Almost can't wait for shearing time again!!
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