# homemade firewood processor



## mayor (Jan 2, 2010)

Hey gang....I cut about 50 truckloads of firewood a year too supply myself, my neighbor, my dad, and the folks that own the farm I cut on. The farm is loaded with nice hardwoods but we only cut the junk trees that wont make sawlogs.
Mostly black oak and sassafrass with the occasional red oak, hickory, maple, etc.
Right now.....I have a 47 farmall M we use too skid with and pull a firewood trailer.....also have several smaller tractors. We use chainsaws too cut with and we have a nice big log splitter. However, this takes a lot of time to produce substantial ammounts of firewood......fun as it is, I need too step up the production a bit. Which brings us too some parts I have laying around.
1. Nice big trailer axle with 7.50X16 tires/wheels and 8 lug pattern. 
2. Brand new hydraulic cylinder......double acting.....6" outside diameter X 7' long. I'm not sure of the rod size but I think its 3-1/2".
3. 16' X 12" H-beam.
4. Good running 6 cylinder older ford engine (200 cu. in.) with clutch and 3 speed tranny on it.
5. Lathe, Mill, welders, metal cutting bandsaws, grinders, and torches.

I've never attempted too build a firewood processor before but I dont see that it will be that difficult.

What I'm looking for is advice on:
1. Pump size too provide decent speed on the cylinder I have.\
2. Cutoff saw......I'm thinking about a chainsaw bar on a hydrualic motor...where do I get a bar and drive and what size motor should I need?
3. Any features that are "worth they're weight in gold". I've never ran a processor before but I want too build a good one.....this is a once in a lifetime build I hope!....I want it too last a long time.
4. The conveyor system will be built seperately later on but I'm going too add wet lines on the end of the processor too run it with hydraulics also. What speed is optimum for the conveyor?.
5. What size bar/chain combination and what type chain do I look for?
6. I'm going too add a hydraulic log lift instead of a deck (we dont have a loader), what is the best type of feed too build?....I've seen some with the cone shaped deal with teeth cut into them that rolls the log too feed.......and others with conveyor belts.....?????? whats the general consensus.


I guess that's enough too get started.........I'm planning on lots of pics. as I go so I can get everybody involved in the engineering on the fly!.
Any help and ideas is greatly appreciated at this point!.....hopefully...if all goes well.......I can have it ready too use by firewood season in the fall of this year.


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## blackdiesel (Jan 2, 2010)

That's a mighty big cylinder. I don't think your going to get a pump that will make a seven footer any where close to fast. Its only about 5 feet to long and a couple inches to big around. My timberwolf has a 4"x24" cyl. on it. And I don't know how your going to use that motor. I'm sure it can be done, but there are easier ways. If you want to go through the tranny you better check out your direction of rotations on the output shaft of the trans and input of the motor!

I upgraded my unit to a hydraulic saw. I bought all the stuff from timberwolf (if i would have known then what i know now I could have done it much cheaper) the saw box, valves, and pto driven pump all cost me around 3k for it about 4 years ago. If you have an extra tractor, I would use the pto driven pump over the ford motor. heres my setup. going to college, will sell 

IT IS NOT RAN BY THAT TRUCK ANYMORE. Do NOT jump down my throat with a bunch of crap that "itll lock up and run over you" i do not want to hear it

http://s270.photobucket.com/albums/jj100/blackdiesel02/?action=view&current=FirewoodProcessor_0003.flv


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## blackdiesel (Jan 2, 2010)

also you say you dont have a loader, so look into timberwolfcorp.com and check out the pro cmx, which is what i have. it is made to be a stand alone operation, where the "deck" is on a cylinder and will lift logs


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## mayor (Jan 2, 2010)

yeah....I'm thinking that by using the tractor pto....I can do away with the engine deal altogether.......We're going too try too do this on a shoestring budget since I'm not building it too make money with......just a neat toy too play with and help us with our firewooding chores......if it makes a buck or two...well....that's always good!opcorn:


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## blackdiesel (Jan 2, 2010)

mayor said:


> yeah....I'm thinking that by using the tractor pto....I can do away with the engine deal altogether.......We're going too try too do this on a shoestring budget since I'm not building it too make money with......just a neat toy too play with and help us with our firewooding chores......if it makes a buck or two...well....that's always good!opcorn:



Better be prepared to drop several thousand dollars. Pumps hoses and valves are costly. Not to mention steel


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## AKKAMAAN (Jan 3, 2010)

is that cylinder 7' retracted or extracted??Thats probobly a 5.5 inch bore diameter or a heavy duty 5" bore.

What is your power unit? hp? rpm range?



mayor said:


> 1. Pump size too provide decent speed on the cylinder I have.\


What is decent speed for you? 
What spec's and speed do you have on your current splitter?
For every 1000psi a 5.5" will give you 11.9 tons. 35.7 tons at 3000psi RV setting. 
For every 10 gpm, a speed of 1.6 inch per second or 7.4 seconds per ft of stroke on extract, and 4.4 sec per ft on retract.

Go with as high pressure as possible to limit the pump flow and the power losses. 3000psi if possible.

I suppose you have to go with a one stage pump, if you are going to run the saw aswell. Saw motors take some flow!!


> 2. Cutoff saw......I'm thinking about a chainsaw bar on a hydrualic motor...where do I get a bar and drive and what size motor should I need?


Check these guys out...
http://www.danzcoinc.com/html/basic_saw.html


> 3. Any features that are "worth they're weight in gold". I've never ran a processor before but I want too build a good one.....this is a once in a lifetime build I hope!....I want it too last a long time.



I would make the cylinder "two stage" with a regenerative valve. There are valve that are pressure sensitive, and they works like an automatic transmission.....down shifts when more force is needed. It will give you a extract speed the same as a 3.5" bore diameter, if your rod is 3.5". see SUN hydraulics info...
http://akkamaan.com/hydraulic/SUN Regeneration tips.pdf


> 4. The conveyor system will be built seperately later on but I'm going too add wet lines on the end of the processor too run it with hydraulics also. What speed is optimum for the conveyor?.


Saw, splitter and conveyor....all at the same time?? Yu are dealing with flow dividers and priority valves now. Big project..... would concider a ClosedCenter, Constant Pressure system with a variable pump$$$$$, or run it with several pumps........


> 5. What size bar/chain combination and what type chain do I look for?



What size logs are you dealing with? 2' plus I would choose .404"



> 6. I'm going too add a hydraulic log lift instead of a deck (we dont have a loader), what is the best type of feed too build?....I've seen some with the cone shaped deal with teeth cut into them that rolls the log too feed.......and others with conveyor belts.....?????? whats the general consensus.
> 
> 
> I guess that's enough too get started.........I'm planning on lots of pics. as I go so I can get everybody involved in the engineering on the fly!.
> Any help and ideas is greatly appreciated at this point!.....hopefully...if all goes well.......I can have it ready too use by firewood season in the fall of this year.



#6 need fill in from others...
Thats my 2c....
good luck.....


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## nparch726 (Jan 4, 2010)

Maybe if you look around a bit you could find a pump off of an old loader/dozer/excavator or something similar. I guess if you're handy enough you could use on of those pumps and custom fab a mount to that engine you have. One plus to a big pump like that is they should operate bigger cylinders like you have with a little bit of speed.


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## hermit (Jan 4, 2010)

Blackdiesel, Give me a shout at [email protected] I live between Compton and Ponca. I would sure like to look your processor over.


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## mayor (Jan 5, 2010)

Thanks for the feedback guys......
The cylinder is 7' retracted (closed). The only reason I'm using it is the fact that I already have it.
I think its a replacement cylinder for a excavator.....pretty heavy duty built!

Most of this project will be built with used parts as I have access too several old equipment yards too rob parts from.....

as far as fabbing goes.........shouldnt be a problem with anything metal!.

I'm still uncertain about an engine.....I've scratched the gas engine idea in place of a pto driven unit from my tractor or a diesel powered unit.


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## kenny chaos (Feb 3, 2010)

Building your own is quite an engineering feat.
I have several thousand $'s just in the motor, pump, and hydraulics.
The rest was scavenged. I like mine, a lot.
Don't expect much real help other than throwing numbers around.


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## MNBobcat (Feb 3, 2010)

kenny chaos said:


> Building your own is quite an engineering feat.
> I have several thousand $'s just in the motor, pump, and hydraulics.
> The rest was scavenged. I like mine, a lot.
> Don't expect much real help other than throwing numbers around.



Kenny,

Have you posted photos of your machine anywhere here on the forum? I'd love to see some pics. I'm going to build a processor this summer. Photos help a lot with ideas for planning the build.


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## Butch(OH) (Feb 3, 2010)

So I dont load this thread up with my pics here is a link to mine. It is an unusual design that does not require a loader to feed it. http://arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=107824&highlight=processor

If you do an advanced search using "processor" and my user name you will get several threads that have pics taken during the build. As some others have said if you dont have access to salvage you will end up with LOTS invested. It is amazing how fast the dollars add up. I have about 3 K in mine total. Bar and chain will depend on how you handle the logs. As you know dirty wood and std 3/8 chisel chain equals getting nothing done. My processor is using 404 080 mechanical harvester chain and bar and that chain is amazing for its ability to cut dirt and keep on going when compared to regular hand held saw chain. I have very little in my saw system, less than $300 total and that includes 3 chains, the bar and the drive. You will find that hi speed hydraulic drives are $$$$$$$ expensive. I dont sell wood but I feed an OWB and usualy donate quite a few cords to the needy, maybe 20 total each year. My processor made producing those 20 cords very easy.


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## kenny chaos (Feb 3, 2010)

MNBobcat said:


> Kenny,
> 
> Have you posted photos of your machine anywhere here on the forum? I'd love to see some pics. I'm going to build a processor this summer. Photos help a lot with ideas for planning the build.






I have no pictures on here but you're correct about studying them.
I studied many commercial processors and/or pictures before I decided
what features would suit me.
Good luck and have fun with it.


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