Firewood Processors

Rugged made
Wesspur
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wdchuck said:
Medic, 4cords an hour?, ....4 full cords per hour, from log to split for homeowners, regardless of log diameter? that is a tough pill to swallow.

I operate a Multitek processor, 20+yrs old, and 1cord/45min is average to good, considering the logs are varied in diameter, and straight to crooked as a boomerang. 8"dia to 30" dia, oak, locust, elm(@#$), doesn't matter, an 8way splitter just leaves many pieces too large once the log exceeds 14" dia.

If I were shopping for a processor, I'd pay money to see a manufactured setup that does 4cords/hr.

Large log produces large splits, they need to be fed back through the splitting process, that takes time to keep the fingers attached to their original hands.

4cords/hr, even if they were telephone poles, I can't imagine that rate of production, and I run a $100k+ machine.

Maybe we don't know what we are doing, but 20+yrs of two generations should have the bugs worked out.

Medic, not trying to be a naysayer, it's just hard to picture that kind of production rate.
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finally, some one on here that is knowledgeable and knows his machine! :clap: :clap:
 
thejdman04 said:
The wedge on the "super splitter" seems short. I get some logs that are 48". I flip my splitter I got now vertically, and even the wedge and backstop on that are short enough that I usually have to split it, turn it split it etc quite a few times before I can get the wood to split. Some of the stuff I split is pretty wet and stringy, I just dont know if the wedge on that machine is tall enough to split big logs that are stringy.
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Keep the machine you have now for 1/4ing the big stuff and then use the SS for the 1/4ed pieces. I have split 30" Elm with my SS. It will do the big stuff but it does slow it down. Remember your going after production. When I com to a tough one I toss it to the side. Why waste a bunch of time on a tough block when I can split 4-5 regular blocks in that time. That old saying sometimes you have to step over a nickle to get a dollar come to mind. I work them up later.

Scott
 
thejdman04 said:
I have the wood, and the support machinery(way to haul it away or pile it and a skid steer with forks and grapple. Guess I need to find a good used one, that maybe the real challenge.
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that can be tough. i found mine locally for cheap. the guy was going through a divorce and made him an offer. i had to do some work to it (hydraulic saw, much bigger pump) so it wasnt all fun and games, but now it works good.

look through my previous posts, i posted a link to a video of my machine.
 
thejdman04 said:
I have the wood, and the support machinery(way to haul it away or pile it and a skid steer with forks and grapple. Guess I need to find a good used one, that maybe the real challenge.
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I am aware of a tree guy that also has a processor, monster of a machine actually, might be able to hook you up. Was on his property once, and it looked portable, let me know where you are in northern Illinois.
 
I've never seen any other processor in action firsthand, so my experience is limited, that said, it limits the credibility of my comments.

Just to fair to those who have experience with other and more equipment.
 
i'm thinking of selling kits you can weld together yourself.

i'm currently working on a web site to include full specifications, except for the hydraulics.
The hydraulics I would sell.

Target price is 10k for a complete system built that you pick up, or 5k for the hydraulics and all moving parts.

pics can be seen at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAckm2YdLEQ
 
medic977 said:
You are most definitely welcome.

I absolutely love the timber wolf products, I am considering going to the packaged end of the business as well, I have been able to locate a couple of retail areas, and one of them is just up the road from me, and directly on the way to Vt. so may just give that a shot. I was considering trading the 5 I bought this year up to a 7, they offer a fantastic box wedge system that would be exceptional for the packaged end of the market.

With regard to the processors, I just don;t think as I mentioned that you could beat a timberwolf, but it sure is a ton of money to lay out, but I am really hooked on that top roller system, but with the cost and the unbelievable wait to get one in, when I found the woodbine, I was sold, and Chris (designer, builder and fabricator) has really been great. As you mentioned all things will break, but again as you said service is paramount. When I first started to run into problems, he called me right away, talked me through some of them, as simple as adjusting the pressure on the pump he uses for the bar and chain oil, to offering to ship me a new wedge when it first went hay wire, or I could come over and pick it up. He builds them about an hour or so from me so over I went. He has the parts he uses to build them in stock, even the chains, for a ton less than I could buy locally, Oregon 404 96 dl for $20.00. I think if I had an independent power plant on it, it would do better, and if I was isolated to just poles, but some loggers will as mentioned tell you one thing and then deliver another.
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Before investing any $ into a packaged wood business you might want to check with USDA. I thought I remember reading about regulations that require all packaged wood being sold as retail needed to be kiln dried. Just a heads up!
 
I guess the question is now, can I afford a processor. I guess I am thinking aloud, but was wondering what you guys think about having a processor come in and split my wood. For you guys that have processors, would you process somones wood at your location? At their location? For how much? Per hour? Per cord? At first I was thinking about hauling the wood to their location, and then hauling the finished product out of their location but that seems like much more work then somone bringing a processor to my location. I have ths support equipment(way of getting the wood away from the processor(and a way to load the table). I would hate to pay somone by the hour, and keep track of hours, if they are unhonest, if they are slow, for whatever reason they are slow because their machine is having problems. I would rather have a fixed number xx per face cord processed, but depending on log diameter species etc would dictate time it takes to process a cord. I want it to be fair for both sides. I want to make money, and I understand a processor is a large investment, and up keep on one of them isnt real cheap either. Any thoughts? Anyone else out there ever done some "custom processing"? Rates? Firewood around here is only going for 80-120 on the very high end a face cord (1/3 cord) so I just dont know if I can make that large of an investment, unless I found a decent used one. I figure though, if a processor can do 3 cords and hour and I need about 400 face cords, that would only be a little over a weeks work if somone brought a machine in.
 
dnf0929 said:
I used the analogy of a hot dog cart vs. a restaurant. Do I want to be financially tied to the firewood business where it becomes something I absolutely have to do to keep up with the loan payments or do I want to make some money doing something I enjoy. Granted the amount I can make with a small pickup, saw and splitter is limited and a with a processor it might be higher but the for me at this point didn't seem worth the risks given all the things I considered.

Employees: Do I want any? How much do you pay? Under the table or on the books? SS, Medicare, Workers Comp? What if they get hurt?

Logs: Can I find a reliable source? Will costs go up that I can pass on?

Equipment: I don't have another business like construction or landscaping where I have a skid steer/tractor/dump truck. Is a firewood business alone enough to justify these purchases?

Insurance, fuel costs, maintenance and parts. Demand for and price of the product.

Right now the money I have invested (a little over 3k for my Super Split) can be recouped by what I save in heating costs in a couple of years and the rest is gravy. Most importantly I get a lot of enjoyment cutting, splitting, stacking, burning and discussing firewood.

Good luck no matter what you do!
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You took the words right out of my mouth!
 
Don't plan on 3 cord per hour. without a cord king it won't happen. If someone wanted me to come cut up their wood (and had that much) I would do it for around 20 bucks per face cord. for sure if they would keep it loaded for me. but that's just me and wood only sales for 150 per real cord here. I would forsure look into that if I were you.
 
blackdiesel said:
Don't plan on 3 cord per hour. without a cord king it won't happen. If someone wanted me to come cut up their wood (and had that much) I would do it for around 20 bucks per face cord. for sure if they would keep it loaded for me. but that's just me and wood only sales for 150 per real cord here. I would forsure look into that if I were you.
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Well even if it were only 2 cords per hour, 400 face cords wouldnt be or take somone with a processor that long. If I could get somone to process it for 20 a face, I have some labor, fuel etc involved, with the skidsteer and keeping wood away from the machine, but I feel I could easily get it "made" for 35 a face cord, if I only paid 20 per face to the processor. If I got it made for 35 a face and sold it for 80 I would be very happy. I would have no problem keeping a processor loaded, my bob cat with forks or a grapple should be able to keep the table fed, no problem. I also have either a 24ft tandem dump goosneck trailer to haul the wood from the processor, or if he had a conveyor and could pile it and move the processor back every so often to make a row, that wouldnt be a problem either. I would be very happy to pay 20 a face, and not have to do much physical labor. Its not that Im being lazy, but when you only have 1 person and you are trying to do 400 face cords a year with a box store spiltter, it just seems that there has to be a better way.
 
after watching that impressive video !!! an old saying from my dad came to mind( son it takes money to make money!!! ) and another one that i just rememberd ( son theres a right tool for every job ) but we dont own any of those now get over there and grab the bucket of tools we do have...
 
thejdman04 said:
Well even if it were only 2 cords per hour, 400 face cords wouldnt be or take somone with a processor that long. If I could get somone to process it for 20 a face, I have some labor, fuel etc involved, with the skidsteer and keeping wood away from the machine, but I feel I could easily get it "made" for 35 a face cord, if I only paid 20 per face to the processor. If I got it made for 35 a face and sold it for 80 I would be very happy. I would have no problem keeping a processor loaded, my bob cat with forks or a grapple should be able to keep the table fed, no problem. I also have either a 24ft tandem dump goosneck trailer to haul the wood from the processor, or if he had a conveyor and could pile it and move the processor back every so often to make a row, that wouldnt be a problem either. I would be very happy to pay 20 a face, and not have to do much physical labor. Its not that Im being lazy, but when you only have 1 person and you are trying to do 400 face cords a year with a box store spiltter, it just seems that there has to be a better way.
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you keep wood on the deck, crap cleaned out from underneith the conveyor, and fuel in the tank and i'd come cut GOOD wood for 60 bucks a cord. you'd need to furnish labor to stack the wood, so its fair for both parties. and dont expect anybody to cut 400 rick in a week. 20 rick a day would be busting a nut and thats only if something dosnt break down. to those that say "i can do 20 rick in a day by hand" i say have at it. and those that say "i could cut 50 rick a day with a processor" i say try it.

anyways, point is your looking at atleast 3 weeks in real world time, if you could find someone with a high quality machine that hasnt been beaten and abused. and this is given if you have good weather.
 
How are you going to get your logs that cheap. $45 a cord is what you are planning on spending. It's about $75-$90 a cord to have good logs dropped here. Maybe it's just higher here. I have thought about a processor also. It came down to a money factor for me. I can buy wood for $105 a true cord here. It's not worth buying a processor and having logs brought in. I did talk to a guy with a cord king that live 120miles away. He said he would come and work it for me if I had the logs ready to go. I think we were going to be around $100-$125 an hour range. That was also when diesel was around $4.70 a gallon. The numbers just didn't work for me right now. If I loose my supplier then I will look closer at that option. I really think you should look at te super splitter. That and a conveyor you could do 6-7 cord of wood a day splitting. And that is splitting small. That's a lot of work though.

Scott
 
wow.
we were doing 10 full cord a day, and that was with us bucking the 42 foot logs in half, and loading them onto the table ourselves. Granted, those are 9 hour days, and things had to not break a whole lot, and I couldn't be delivering on those days.

so, as I understand it, a face cord is one third of a cord? so you'd be paying me 60 a cord to process?

400 face cords is 133 full cords. so, that comes out to 7,000 bucks????

I'd sell you the processor I had in the video for that price.
 
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