After the separation forks have delivered the hay to the press, it is lifted into the compression chamber and an 8 inch hydraulic cylinder pinned to a 2 ½ inch thick plate squeezes the hay down to 16 inches. A gate is opened and the newly formed log of hay is then ejected into the strapping paddles. The Strapack strapping machine traverses the length of the paddles applying 6 or 9 heat sealed plastic straps to the pressed log of hay. With the next cycle, a newly pressed log of hay is ejected and forces the strapped log out of the paddles onto the output scale platform.