# Best Processor Under $20,000



## Chris(Glen) (Sep 29, 2011)

I have been looking around at a few different brands and just wondering peoples opinions. I have looked into Blockbuster, Built-Rite, Multitek. Don't know if I am missing any. I am looking for something to process 200 cord a year maybe more later on. I have another thread about my business idea and such. I know I will need a machine to load the machine. Just looking for opinions on the possible processors under 20k.


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## leon (Sep 29, 2011)

*firewood processor*

The Rainer Hydraulics Company has three models of the 
Chomper Firewood Processor that are under $20,000 U.S.D.,
per the 2008 price sheet 

The models are:

Simplex 14PTO/farm tractor powered and mounted to the 3 point implement hitch.
The Simplex 14PTO Model requires a tractor with a minimum of
45 horse power at the power take off.

The Simplex 14 which has an 18 horse power Honda engine.

The Simplex 14S which has an 24 horsepower Honda engine.


The Chomper Firewood Processor does not require a machine to load it
as it has small hydraulic winch that pulls the log length firewood logs into
the shearing chamber.


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## dancan (Sep 29, 2011)

I looked around a while ago and there are a few out there .
Here's a 9000 $$ unit that looks like it would do the job but I think it would benefit from a conveyor .


[video=youtube;UjP3nrktIK4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjP3nrktIK4&feature=player_detailpage[/video]


I think Hudson's had a decent looking unit as well .
A few units have been popping up on Kijiji in your price range .


Disclaimer , I have not seen or used any of the above mentioned machines or affiliation with any company .


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## wdchuck (Sep 30, 2011)

Too bad you are so far away. Theres a multitek 2040 that I've run and gets used regularly that might fit your budget. It has a factory conveyor too.


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## KiwiBro (Sep 30, 2011)

What sort of logs/wood are you likely to be splitting? E.g. diameter, delivered to you in a yard in log form, tree service offcuts of varying diameters, are you processing on various landings or staying put at a yard, etc, etc.

Do you NEED the loader/skid steer for anything else or mainly to support the processor? Could your business be better off in the long run spending some of the money on advertising and on your or a rep's time getting your business known to your market?

How likely is it that you'll be doing less than 200 cord p.a. and also how likely is it you'll be doing much, much more than that, over, say, the next 3-5 years? E.g. how variable and flexible in the production requirements do you need to be and could you be better off achieving that flexibility by hiring/firing labour?


It strikes me the best processing businesses have a system (or options thereof to keep it flexible if need be, and that's not always needed) that best suits their inputs and market expectations, so it's best to figure out those things and buy the processor as part of the most favourable system rather than a be all and end all machinery acquisition, if you get my drift.


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## jcl (Oct 1, 2011)

I have a block buster 14-18 i cut 70 cords a year. ive had it for 5 years no problems when i was looking block buster was the strongest easiest to operate I agree with KiwiBro you also have to think about how your want to load a processor. And a some lower costing processors have limits on how large in dia you can cut. like mine only 18"


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## Chris(Glen) (Oct 2, 2011)

KiwiBro said:


> What sort of logs/wood are you likely to be splitting? E.g. diameter, delivered to you in a yard in log form, tree service offcuts of varying diameters, are you processing on various landings or staying put at a yard, etc, etc.
> 
> Do you NEED the loader/skid steer for anything else or mainly to support the processor? Could your business be better off in the long run spending some of the money on advertising and on your or a rep's time getting your business known to your market?
> 
> ...



All good questions. I am going to be getting the logs delivered from my girlfriends father who does 8' lengths. I do not need a skid steer for anything else right at this current time, but I am in the process of buying a 100 acres of land which will have a very long driveway so it will also be a plow, or I can borrow one from my work. 

Wood around this area goes like hot cakes. I have talked to a few people who are turning people down who don't want to sell green wood, and even saw an add for green wood selling at 225 a cord, dumped in your driveway plus a small delivery fee. 

I want a processor for the fact I can do it myself if need be as a side gig or the help of a buddy or two on the weekends to make some extra cash in the long run. Yes the processor is a large up front cost but it should pay for itself in the first year due to my cost of wood being next to nothing for 200 cords.


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## KiwiBro (Oct 2, 2011)

Chris(Glen) said:


> All good questions. I am going to be getting the logs delivered from my girlfriends father who does 8' lengths. I do not need a skid steer for anything else right at this current time, but I am in the process of buying a 100 acres of land which will have a very long driveway so it will also be a plow, or I can borrow one from my work.
> 
> Wood around this area goes like hot cakes. I have talked to a few people who are turning people down who don't want to sell green wood, and even saw an add for green wood selling at 225 a cord, dumped in your driveway plus a small delivery fee.
> 
> I want a processor for the fact I can do it myself if need be as a side gig or the help of a buddy or two on the weekends to make some extra cash in the long run. Yes the processor is a large up front cost but it should pay for itself in the first year due to my cost of wood being next to nothing for 200 cords.



Oh for a perpetual supply of next to no cost wood cut to 8' lengths, delivered. You lucky sod. What diameters? Do you have 'lecky power (single or 3-phase?) at the processing site?

So, 200 cord p.a. from the weekend crusades of yourself and a buddy sounds like a plan. Will you have plenty of good-access area to let it season (assuming you are getting those logs green - don't tell us you are getting them seasoned) or do you plan on selling the wood green like you mentioned others do? What's the weather like - can you split year round or over how many weekends? Similarly, what's the log supply like - year round or over a condensed period (which is fine if you've got the room to store it and chip away at the log piles).


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## Chris(Glen) (Oct 2, 2011)

KiwiBro said:


> Oh for a perpetual supply of next to no cost wood cut to 8' lengths, delivered. You lucky sod. What diameters? Do you have 'lecky power (single or 3-phase?) at the processing site?
> 
> So, 200 cord p.a. from the weekend crusades of yourself and a buddy sounds like a plan. Will you have plenty of good-access area to let it season (assuming you are getting those logs green - don't tell us you are getting them seasoned) or do you plan on selling the wood green like you mentioned others do? What's the weather like - can you split year round or over how many weekends? Similarly, what's the log supply like - year round or over a condensed period (which is fine if you've got the room to store it and chip away at the log piles).



I have yet to see a log over 20inches in diameters being delivered by him. I likely would just have single phase power (going to build a house). 
My origional plan was to buy a gooseneck and a pallet jack or bag handler of some sort and do 1/3 or 1/4 crd bags. But to start off I may just do dump loads (lower start up costs). The wood is going to be sold seasoned. I can get all the wood at once or whenever I need it (oops loads went missing), I am looking at buying a big tarp building (100'x20') their around 10k to put the processor and all processed wood in to keep it all dry and so I can do it all winter long. I work road construction so the winters are slow and this will be my main time to process the wood.

After man long conversations with the gf's father (which annoys her, takes away from her time lol) he said the best way to get doing this is buy the gear and save my back. He will get me going and said only sell seasoned wood, make a name for yourself and once you get enough going you can grow and buy from other suppliers.


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## dancan (Oct 2, 2011)

Make sure zoning is not an issue , hate to see plans fall apart because of sh_ty neighbors .
Yes , most of our wood is 20" and down but keep in mind that the bigger processor the bigger the $$ . A chainsaw and a splitter for for the bigger stuff is cheaper .

What part of the province are you in ?


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## Chris(Glen) (Oct 2, 2011)

dancan said:


> Make sure zoning is not an issue , hate to see plans fall apart because of sh_ty neighbors .
> Yes , most of our wood is 20" and down but keep in mind that the bigger processor the bigger the $$ . A chainsaw and a splitter for for the bigger stuff is cheaper .
> 
> What part of the province are you in ?


 
I live in Kentville, Nova Scotia. The land I am about to purchase is listed as forestry and I am going to meet with the local development office before I purchase on a few items including zoning for a firewood business. What I have read so far says its a go.


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## dancan (Oct 2, 2011)

I have friends in Berwick .
Make sure you do all your homework and don't turn into a slave to the payments on the gear .
I was talking to a fellow I know who has a Hakki Pilke and has been satisfied after he re-engineered the lighter duty parts that broke .
You'll get less waste on 16' if it is available .
Does your FIL want to sell wood in Halifax ?


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## Chris(Glen) (Oct 4, 2011)

So got a price from a place on a Built-Rite 18SCP $27,000 and $30,000 with no extra options. Anyone tell me if this is high or normal. I almost fell off my chair when I heard that for a price. I had heard the 24SCP was down around 24k. Maybe I need to go to another dealer?


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## leon (Oct 4, 2011)

*firewood*



Chris(Glen) said:


> So got a price from a place on a Built-Rite 18SCP $27,000 and $30,000 with no extra options. Anyone tell me if this is high or normal. I almost fell off my chair when I heard that for a price. I had heard the 24SCP was down around 24k. Maybe I need to go to another dealer?


 

Hello Chris,


I think you will have to deal with a high price 
for any large processor.

For that kind of money you could buy a Chomper 
and a Wood Mizer Band Mill and a used farm tractor 
with a loader to handle the slabs as they come off 
the Wood Mizer. 

Later on you could load the chomper with the tractor by 
sliding the slabs on a roller table to feed the Chomper.



How far are you from Pugwash?


Edit:


The thing is the wood mizer will give you the option 
to make band saw milled lumber quickly to help you
make more money by selling clean sawn hardwood and 
softwood lumber as well, simply because the firewood 
business is cyclical and warm winters help no one except 
the insects.


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## Chris(Glen) (Oct 4, 2011)

leon said:


> Hello Chris,
> 
> 
> I think you will have to deal with a high price
> ...


 

I am about 4 hours from pugwash. 

Why would I buy a mill when I don't have a use for one? This is going to be a side business where I cut in the winter and sell in the summer for basically something to keep me sane well we don't work in the summer. I am looking into a processor so I can do it myself with minimal work and labour at my own pace.


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## sbhooper (Oct 6, 2011)

Chris, 
What is the reason for the extreme wood prices there? Everything is forested. Is it hard to find a place where you can cut the wood?


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## Chris(Glen) (Oct 6, 2011)

sbhooper said:


> Chris,
> What is the reason for the extreme wood prices there? Everything is forested. Is it hard to find a place where you can cut the wood?



To be brutally honest I am not sure. I know a lot of people will buy 8' logs delivered for $120 a cord. I was talking to a supplier an hour away and they have a waiting list with their price being $285 a cord split and delivered.


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## SPOOGE67 (Feb 12, 2012)

*Chomper for sale*

:msp_rolleyes:
I currently own both a chomper and a rapido loco(just got it two weeks ago) and loved the chomper. In the offseason I would take two employees with me to our wood lot and fell skid process and truck 7 cords of hardwood firewood in 5 hours from standing to processed in truck with cat 508 grapple and chomper. They are great for long lengths but not great for residential trees(12' minus).The chomper is listed for $21000.00 w 942 hrs. runs good just time for new style.
The new one has a 50 inch circular blade and does 2.75-3.25 cords per hour(nice wood products at end).
my first post hope it was helpful
thanks


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## genesis5521 (Feb 13, 2012)

Chris(Glen) said:


> I have been looking around at a few different brands and just wondering peoples opinions. I have looked into Blockbuster, Built-Rite, Multitek. Don't know if I am missing any. I am looking for something to process 200 cord a year maybe more later on. I have another thread about my business idea and such. I know I will need a machine to load the machine. Just looking for opinions on the possible processors under 20k.



Hi Chris:

There are a lot of firewood processors under 20K. Just go to youtube and do a search on "firewood processors". The one from Black Creek mentioned above is a good one. Hud-Son makes a bunch of them for under 15K. Do the youtube search, and you'll be amazed at what you will find for under 20K.

Don <><


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## mesupra (Feb 13, 2012)

How about a couple Chainsaws ($1500), a SuperSpliter ($2500), conveyor (5,000), used skid-steer/tractor (10,000), total investment of ($19,000) not including a delivery truck. I think the overall maintenance, cost of operation and return on investment would have you buying a top of the line processor in a matter of 3 years. If it doesn't work out sell the individual pieces of equipment and move on. No offense but I think the KISS theory (keep it simple stupid) should be applied to all business models.


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## Chris(Glen) (Feb 13, 2012)

mesupra said:


> How about a couple Chainsaws ($1500), a SuperSpliter ($2500), conveyor (5,000), used skid-steer/tractor (10,000), total investment of ($19,000) not including a delivery truck. I think the overall maintenance, cost of operation and return on investment would have you buying a top of the line processor in a matter of 3 years. If it doesn't work out sell the individual pieces of equipment and move on. No offense but I think the KISS theory (keep it simple stupid) should be applied to all business models.





I completely agree. But, I did go over my budget and got a smoking deal 2025 Mulitek w/30' Conveyor and 2002 Ford F550 delivery truck for 35,000 all in. So I took the plunge on that. My father in law has got me going with his porter to load the machine for now but it has recently broken and he doesn't want to fix it asap. I am currently now hunting for a skidsteer or something to load the processor and the truck.


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## mesupra (Feb 13, 2012)

Sounds like you are in business! Keep everything properly maintained and treat your customers right! You should have no problem making a great living.


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## blackdogon57 (Feb 13, 2012)

Great deal - good luck


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## Chris(Glen) (Feb 13, 2012)

blackdogon57 said:


> Great deal - good luck



Thanks Thought so. Now to find a cheap way of loading it..


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## Hedgerow (Feb 13, 2012)

Chris(Glen) said:


> I completely agree. But, I did go over my budget and got a smoking deal 2025 Mulitek w/30' Conveyor and 2002 Ford F550 delivery truck for 35,000 all in. So I took the plunge on that. My father in law has got me going with his porter to load the machine for now but it has recently broken and he doesn't want to fix it asap. I am currently now hunting for a skidsteer or something to load the processor and the truck.



We want video!!!


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## KiwiBro (Feb 16, 2012)

SPOOGE67 said:


> :msp_rolleyes:
> I currently own both a chomper and a rapido loco(just got it two weeks ago) and loved the chomper. In the offseason I would take two employees with me to our wood lot and fell skid process and truck 7 cords of hardwood firewood in 5 hours from standing to processed in truck with cat 508 grapple and chomper. They are great for long lengths but not great for residential trees(12' minus).The chomper is listed for $21000.00 w 942 hrs. runs good just time for new style.
> The new one has a 50 inch circular blade and does 2.75-3.25 cords per hour(nice wood products at end).
> my first post hope it was helpful
> thanks


Welcome aboard. Do you have any photo's of your previous and current gear, for us to drool over? As of about 6 months ago, when I last looked seriously at this, the Rapido Loco was my favourite processor. Owners seem to love it and great bang for your buck. would be really keen to learn what you think of it and how well it and the woodbine service shapes up in the real world. One day when my business grows up, one of 'em might be on my shopping list.


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## SPOOGE67 (Feb 18, 2012)

*Thanks boys for welcome*

My rapido loco is on you tube under "SJS CRD" as part of the sale of my machine. The chomper was shown on here for sale up until last week(congrats to kelly in california on his purchase).We have three excavators (4 ton to 15 ton)
2 skid steers one track tl150(awesome) and a jd 328(cool with tires) a cat 508 grapple skidder duratech hd-10 tub grinder, 1 15"chipper 1 bandit 280 hd(bad ass) whole tree chipper 2 rolloff dumpster trucks 2 f550s 60 foot bucket
vermeer 505 track grinder.....saws etc
Back to the rapido it dumps onto a 60 foot stacking conveyor and it is badass!!!!!!My brother is my right hand and we worked together(me loading him processing) and did 22 cords in 7 hours.Thats no bs because we did the 8 cord log truck showed up with load at 9am and by 11:10 we finished his pile.Mind you I prep the logs so they go seamlessly.
I will try to send pictures of the 35 foot piles we stack in two days.
thanks
scott


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## Hedgerow (Feb 19, 2012)

SPOOGE67 said:


> My rapido loco is on you tube under "SJS CRD" as part of the sale of my machine. The chomper was shown on here for sale up until last week(congrats to kelly in california on his purchase).We have three excavators (4 ton to 15 ton)
> 2 skid steers one track tl150(awesome) and a jd 328(cool with tires) a cat 508 grapple skidder duratech hd-10 tub grinder, 1 15"chipper 1 bandit 280 hd(bad ass) whole tree chipper 2 rolloff dumpster trucks 2 f550s 60 foot bucket
> vermeer 505 track grinder.....saws etc
> Back to the rapido it dumps onto a 60 foot stacking conveyor and it is badass!!!!!!My brother is my right hand and we worked together(me loading him processing) and did 22 cords in 7 hours.Thats no bs because we did the 8 cord log truck showed up with load at 9am and by 11:10 we finished his pile.Mind you I prep the logs so they go seamlessly.
> ...



Please do... Watched the video... Yes... Badass... How often do you have to sharpen the teeth on that blade??? :msp_confused:


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## blackdogon57 (Feb 19, 2012)

Wow that's one fast machine !! The only flaw I see is it cranking out a lot of waste - splits that are too small to sell - at least for me.


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## SPOOGE67 (Feb 19, 2012)

*Sharpening?????*

My understanding is 350 cords so maybe once a month.I had an old blanchard processor w a lombardini diesel and a 40 inch cabide that did 250 easily.It was 40.00 to sharpen.I think I will just order new blade and switch them out.
As fara as shorts or small wood we sell cordwood in bulk(unstacked) as 6-6.5 yards to a stacked cord(translates to 135-140 cu ft) and my client base appreciates the small stuff to start the stove. Im yet to find someone to complain when more is given than expected.
My decision to go crd vs cord king was 2 fold.All parts(95%) are available at grainger and Im a "do it yourself" guy.
Cord king people said they spent more time welding the waffle iron than splitting wood.I can buy two rapidos for the price of one cord king. Thats just my two cents
:cool2:


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## SPOOGE67 (Feb 19, 2012)

*almost forgot*

wedge is capable of 2 or 4 or 6 or 8 way based on where you position wedge.Minimum cut is 14 maximum is 26 inch
hope this is helpful


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## Afansler (Feb 20, 2012)

SPOOGE67 said:


> wedge is capable of 2 or 4 or 6 or 8 way based on where you position wedge.Minimum cut is 14 maximum is 26 inch
> hope this is helpful



Holy super bad ass!

How many cords per year do yo plan doing with your processor?


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## SPOOGE67 (Feb 20, 2012)

*Cords??*

I would be overjoyed to do 500 but wood is scarce here so tree length is a a premium.:msp_sneaky:
just finished another 20-22 cords today(pile is so massive i crawl on it w/ hitachi 120 excavator to knock it down into
the voids).I will take pictures very soon


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## owbguy (Feb 20, 2012)

I watched your youtube video. that Rapido Loco is fast and nice. only real problem I see is the splits piling up at the operator's feet. seems like a conveyor is necessary. i'd love to use one like it for a month each year.


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## KiwiBro (Feb 20, 2012)

Do you move your Rapido Loco around or keep it in one place? I can't recall and don't have my notes on me but at the time I looked at these I think finding an electric motor option for it was going to be the shizzle for us.


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## SPOOGE67 (Feb 20, 2012)

*Conveyor....*

I need to take a video because the machine comes with a slick conveyor system tha stores on top of machine during transport(no wood at your feet) .The conveyor has a 2 inch gap between 2 rubber belts that are powered by same hydraulic motor. The gap allows small bark and sawdust to fall between the gap and wood proceeds forward.At my place it then goes up a 60 foot conveyor at a 55 degree angle(35' high) onto concrete only to be touched when going into truck for sale

As far as electric options....no idea!


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## cowtipper (Feb 20, 2012)

keep the videos coming


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## Como (Feb 20, 2012)

It seems a big investment to be used 25 days a year.


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## SPOOGE67 (Feb 21, 2012)

*Investment*

As far as investment I agree.I intend to sub our services out all spring and summer processing other peoples wood. The going rate is 50 per cord Im hoping to do it for 45 locally. Besides under the current tax laws we can depreciate the equipment and get great tax benefits from buying new.


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