Firewood Processors

[wdchuck]

multitek 3040xp2
http://multitekinc.com/app/inventoryapp/new_equipment_and_parts/inventory_view/2-3-26-1.html

Wow thats a machine and with the circular saw looks like is a fast one too. You would have to have a large demand to justify the cost, I bet.

The circle blade looks wicked, lots of mass and inertia. I'll stick to the bar/chain setup, more control over it.
That sure is pretty though, all nice and clean, not much has changed from the one I run to the new ones, based on the picture. Except for the guarding, kind of difficult to run big splits back through.

Maybe that's where the big production numbers come from, all the big splits just keep going up the conveyor, that would add up fast from a volume standpoint, but the customer with an indoor stove would be unhappy.

 

[thejdman04]

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.

60 a cord, with me paying for fuel , I could handle that. The lowest a cord goes for around here is 225. Granted Id have fuel to pay for, time, labor, and delivery costs, getting the wood and limbing it but I still think I could put 100 a cord in my pocket after all my costs.

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

Around here logs are FREE especially if you go get them. MANY MANY piles of logs around here for the taking. There are many subdivisions that are going up in the area. They just take a cat and make a big pile of trees. All I have to do is go with my skid steer pull them out of the pile, limb them there( they will burn the limbs etc) load the logs in my dump trailer and away I go. Some of the wood is junk, some of it is covered in dirt etc, but there is A LOT of it that is good wood you top it out and limb it and its ready to go. They put a pipe line through again they took a cat and if there were trees or mini forests (ie patches of trees) they bulldozed it. The local municpalities around here cut trees down on easements, run the limbs through a chipper and leave the logs. The logs then by an indepenent contractor they pay, get loaded up into a dump trailer and get hauled to the garbage dump to be disposed of. I could have those logs too. They have to haul them 40 miles away and pay to dispose of them, and I would take them for free. I know I could if I had a quicker faster way to process the stuff I could be up to my ears in wood. Granted its not free, I have to go get it, limb it (except for what would come frmo the city, that is limbed), but the problem is, me getting it processed and split, that is the glitch in my system at this point. Granted I dont get the wood for free, I have my time, fuel in the skid steer, truck and wear and tear on the truck and trailer, but I know its much less then 75 a cord.

 

[LAH]

The circle blade looks wicked, lots of mass and inertia. I'll stick to the bar/chain setup, more control over it.
That sure is pretty though, all nice and clean, not much has changed from the one I run to the new ones, based on the picture. Except for the guarding, kind of difficult to run big splits back through.

Maybe that's where the big production numbers come from, all the big splits just keep going up the conveyor, that would add up fast from a volume standpoint, but the customer with an indoor stove would be unhappy.

Very unhappy.

 

[savageactor7]

Great looking processor!

Your self returning ram/valve set up is ingenious. I'm going to give mine a try with some pulleys and cords.

Ditto... very clever props to you.

 

[Moss Man]

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

Nice set up. The only thing I would question is the splitter ram traveling to the wedge automatically? People do slip and make mistakes and that ram isn't gonna know the difference between wood and a human limb.

 

[drmiller100]

Lots and lots of things dangerous about cutting firewood.
The chain doesn't care whether it cuts flesh or wood.
The tractor doesn't care if it drops logs on the table or someone's head.
The engine gets hot and burns flesh.

One safety thing EVERYONE should do. Get in the habit of ONLY holding wood on the round part, never on the flats on the ends. We "kid" each other, but it costs 10 bucks on my job to get caught with your hands on the ends of the wood anywhere near the splitter. And anyone can catch you and collect the money.

If your hands are never on the ends, they aren't as likely to get pinched.

I will also say my saw is a LOT safer then free handing like we all used to do. The chop saw setup holds all the weight, confines it a narrow place, and you don't get near as tired or forgetful.

 

[Zodiac45]

Around here logs are FREE especially if you go get them. MANY MANY piles of logs around here for the taking. There are many subdivisions that are going up in the area. They just take a cat and make a big pile of trees. All I have to do is go with my skid steer pull them out of the pile, limb them there( they will burn the limbs etc) load the logs in my dump trailer and away I go. Some of the wood is junk, some of it is covered in dirt etc, but there is A LOT of it that is good wood you top it out and limb it and its ready to go. They put a pipe line through again they took a cat and if there were trees or mini forests (ie patches of trees) they bulldozed it. The local municpalities around here cut trees down on easements, run the limbs through a chipper and leave the logs. The logs then by an indepenent contractor they pay, get loaded up into a dump trailer and get hauled to the garbage dump to be disposed of. I could have those logs too. They have to haul them 40 miles away and pay to dispose of them, and I would take them for free. I know I could if I had a quicker faster way to process the stuff I could be up to my ears in wood. Granted its not free, I have to go get it, limb it (except for what would come frmo the city, that is limbed), but the problem is, me getting it processed and split, that is the glitch in my system at this point. Granted I dont get the wood for free, I have my time, fuel in the skid steer, truck and wear and tear on the truck and trailer, but I know its much less then 75 a cord.

Well, that may be possible for a while but I sure wouldn't hang my hat on that source of wood as primary. First off, it will be time consuming, 2nd, you'll have too take it all no doubt and not cherry pick the logs. 3rd, people want hardwood firewood of good quality for the $225 price you've stated, not mixed with possible softwood. Around here loggers deliver "firewood" logs in very specific sizes and varieties due too processor needs. Good Luck.

 

[Moss Man]

Lots and lots of things dangerous about cutting firewood.
The chain doesn't care whether it cuts flesh or wood.
The tractor doesn't care if it drops logs on the table or someone's head.
The engine gets hot and burns flesh.

One safety thing EVERYONE should do. Get in the habit of ONLY holding wood on the round part, never on the flats on the ends. We "kid" each other, but it costs 10 bucks on my job to get caught with your hands on the ends of the wood anywhere near the splitter. And anyone can catch you and collect the money.

If your hands are never on the ends, they aren't as likely to get pinched.

I will also say my saw is a LOT safer then free handing like we all used to do. The chop saw setup holds all the weight, confines it a narrow place, and you don't get near as tired or forgetful.

Perhaps you took what I was saying in the wrong way, I know all the dangers of firewood processing very well and I still have all my limbs and fingers.

All I was trying to convey was that I have never seen a manned splitter with the ram going to the wedge automatically, I challange you to show me a commercial splitter that does so. Unmanned splitters can be fully automated, no one is there to be in its way.

 

[drmiller100]

Perhaps you took what I was saying in the wrong way, I know all the dangers of firewood processing very well and I still have all my limbs and fingers.

All I was trying to convey was that I have never seen a manned splitter with the ram going to the wedge automatically, I challange you to show me a commercial splitter that does so. Unmanned splitters can be fully automated, no one is there to be in its way.

Hmmmm.

So what you are saying is you think my splitter is more dangerous BECAUSE of the autocycle????

Interesting.

The right hand starts the Splitter moving, so the right hand cannot be hurt. there is only two inches of "slack" between the log and the splitter, the splitter engages the log in under one second of start.

So my assumption would be you are worried about someone sticking their left hand between the knife and the log, or the log and the foot.

With the right hand to start the cycle, the left hand cannot reach the knife. It is too far away.

So the fear must be someone would set the log in place, then take their left hand, and put it on the far right side of the log, then hit the start lever, and then not be smart enough to immediately push the lever the other way.

 

[thejdman04]

Well, that may be possible for a while but I sure wouldn't hang my hat on that source of wood as primary. First off, it will be time consuming, 2nd, you'll have too take it all no doubt and not cherry pick the logs. 3rd, people want hardwood firewood of good quality for the $225 price you've stated, not mixed with possible softwood. Around here loggers deliver "firewood" logs in very specific sizes and varieties due too processor needs. Good Luck.

I have been getting my wood for about 5 years this way, mainly from guys wanting tree lines thinned, and subdivisions going up. Most of the time I get in there before the trees are bulldozed, and I take what I want, once and awhile I get in on the tail end of things and get there after the logs are piled. Maybe I have just gotton very lucky so far, but I have never had to take everything. Whether the trees are standing and I take what I want or they are already in a pile I have always (so far, and hopefully my luck will hang in there) just taken what I want, limbed it and pushed the limbs and branches back up into a pile. What ever I dont take is almost always burned or burried. They are happy not to burn/bury so much. I am very careful when I pick trees not to pick soft woods. I just go in with my skid steer pull out what logs I like/want, limb them, put the logs in my dump trailer and push the brush back up into the pile.

 

[wdchuck]

Now you just have to start getting paid to clear the whole lot, and leave the stump removal and grading to the next contractor.

The low quality trees could just be ground up for mulch, to be sold to whomever for $22/yard. Have a tub grinder service come in for a day and you'll have plenty of inventory to sell, provided you have a place to store it.

It's a situation that does make people money.

 

[thejdman04]

Now you just have to start getting paid to clear the whole lot, and leave the stump removal and grading to the next contractor.

The low quality trees could just be ground up for mulch, to be sold to whomever for $22/yard. Have a tub grinder service come in for a day and you'll have plenty of inventory to sell, provided you have a place to store it.

It's a situation that does make people money.

Unfortunatly, untreated mulch around here you cant give away. The park district in this area has PLENTY of mulch to GIVE AWAY, they will gladly load it for you too They pickup yard waste, and after storms go around w/a loader and dump truck picking up sticks and tree limbs and they have a small tub they grind it with. They ALWAYS have a huge pile, free, they load. I have tried selling that stuff (ie people who want cheap mulch etc), and people want either dark brown or red etc mulch. I was trying to sell it at 10 bucks a yard, enough to cover my time and fuel (esp if most peole wanted 5-10 yards at most) and never could sell any of it. A guy I know works for the park district and said a few people will come and get pickup loads, a few come and get a few garbage bags of it, but not many.

 

[LAH]

All I was trying to convey was that I have never seen a manned splitter with the ram going to the wedge automatically, I challange you to show me a commercial splitter that does so. Unmanned splitters can be fully automated, no one is there to be in its way.

Not sure what you mean by "fully automated"? I will say my TW-7 has the auto cycle feature. Once you pull the lever it travels to the wedge & returns without the operator doing anything else.

 

[wdchuck]

Unfortunatly, untreated mulch around here you cant give away. The park district in this area has PLENTY of mulch to GIVE AWAY, they will gladly load it for you too They pickup yard waste, and after storms go around w/a loader and dump truck picking up sticks and tree limbs and they have a small tub they grind it with. They ALWAYS have a huge pile, free, they load. I have tried selling that stuff (ie people who want cheap mulch etc), and people want either dark brown or red etc mulch. I was trying to sell it at 10 bucks a yard, enough to cover my time and fuel (esp if most peole wanted 5-10 yards at most) and never could sell any of it. A guy I know works for the park district and said a few people will come and get pickup loads, a few come and get a few garbage bags of it, but not many.

Treat it brown during the grinding/shredding phase, that's the time.

 

[Moss Man]

Not sure what you mean by "fully automated"? I will say my TW-7 has the auto cycle feature. Once you pull the lever it travels to the wedge & returns without the operator doing anything else.

My apologies to drmiller100 then. Just doesn't seem safe to me, most splitters I have seen have the detent on the return cycle only.

 

[thejdman04]

Treat it brown during the grinding/shredding phase, that's the time.

What does the dye cost? Do most grinders charge per hr? Per yard mulched? I have a small 6" chipper, never had or thought of ahving one come in.

 

[Zodiac45]

My apologies to drmiller100 then. Just doesn't seem safe to me, most splitters I have seen have the detent on the return cycle only.

I agree with you Moss. I've never seen it either (on the upswing.) Not saying it's any more dangerous per se. I'm sure it's faster no doubt.

 

[Zodiac45]

I have been getting my wood for about 5 years this way, mainly from guys wanting tree lines thinned, and subdivisions going up. Most of the time I get in there before the trees are bulldozed, and I take what I want, once and awhile I get in on the tail end of things and get there after the logs are piled. Maybe I have just gotton very lucky so far, but I have never had to take everything. Whether the trees are standing and I take what I want or they are already in a pile I have always (so far, and hopefully my luck will hang in there) just taken what I want, limbed it and pushed the limbs and branches back up into a pile. What ever I dont take is almost always burned or burried. They are happy not to burn/bury so much. I am very careful when I pick trees not to pick soft woods. I just go in with my skid steer pull out what logs I like/want, limb them, put the logs in my dump trailer and push the brush back up into the pile.

That's a good situation for you then. My only point was that as soon as people start seeing you as "player" in the firewood bizz, you might find that "free" supply a little harder too get. Best of luck.

 

[thejdman04]

That's a good situation for you then. My only point was that as soon as people start seeing you as "player" in the firewood bizz, you might find that "free" supply a little harder too get. Best of luck.

I know what you meant, no offense taken at all. People are happy not to have to clear as much or not have as big of a pile to burn as more and more every day they get tighter and tighter on big big brush piles like taht (people complain of the smell and smoke) so so far its worked out well for me. How long will it last??????? So far unless I can find a decent used machine I think the best option for me is to try to find somone with a processor and have them come in and do the work for me, If i can find somone to do it.

 

[LAH]

My apologies to drmiller100 then. Just doesn't seem safe to me, most splitters I have seen have the detent on the return cycle only.

If memory serves, the TW-7 has an 8 second cycle time. Normally I lay the round on the rail and pull both levers. The levers lock and the ram moves to the wedge and returns while I reach for another round. Dangerous....................yes. But so are a lot of things.

Jeff Cooper who carried his 1911 Colt cocked and locked was approached once by a hippy type who asked him: Man do you know your piece is cocked man. Cooper replied: Yes. The young man said: Isn't that dangerous man? Cooper answered: Yes.