If price wasn't a factor, what processor would you buy?

[Chainsaw_Maniac]

I have a cord king model 36 (16-30). It's pretty good. It doesn't like wood over 14" though and I am always fighting with crooked longs, bumps, and branches. That being said, I'd recommend the cord king to anyone doing more than 200 cord a year or so who has decently straight logs. FYI, you WILL be cutting some of your wood with a chainsaw because it is too large or crooked to go through the machine.

 

[A100HVA]

Must have 15,000+ hrs on that 1986 Cord King?
The 18-20 we have at the shop is a 2001 and has almost 8000 hrs.

nope not yet, it just turned 5,000 & I have just replaced the water pump bearing, radiator cap & anti-freeze. 1st motor breakdown.
when it sit's for 1-2 years at a time with no luck getting wood the hrs stay low!
my customers love oak log's that's been sitting for more than 3 years, the bark falls off when I drop them on the cement pad before putting them on the deck to be processed.

 

[sam-tip]

Hired a guy on craigslist with a blockbuster 18-20 yesterday. Busted through the logs fast. Good thing I trimmed the crotches off all the logs. Made a big difference. I sent one log that I didn't trim. The crotch got stuck and had to be pounded off the wedge. This processor only had a 4 inch cylinder for the splitter. He had no idea of the problems with the air system yet. Said he goes through a 25" GB bar in about 40 hours. The chain had 7 hours on it before he changed it with a sharp chain. Nails. The radiator did have a small shield. But almost put a log through it. Had a bunch of 5' logs. Had to lay them on the processor. His 8 way wedge was busted so everything was split with a 6 way. Will be spending some time with the super split busting down some of the pieces. He pulled the processor behind a truck with the elevator attached to the back of the processor. Almost 70 ft long. Never unhook the elevator. Pulled in at 5 minutes later we where processing. It was a challenge to keep the log deck loaded.

Still looked like he was working hard. Lots a handling the wood. Resplitting, holding the shorts, and the pieces that don't fall in splitter just right.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

He's doing something wrong to only get 40hrs on a bar!

I get over 20x that. I get about 200hrs on a chain before it's tossed.

 

[muddstopper]

40 hr's on a bar does sound a little quick for wearing out a bar. you mentioned problems with the air, does that machine use air to raise and lower the saw bar.I have more than just a passing interest since My processor plans call for a air operated saw cyl.

 

[sam-tip]

40 hr's on a bar does sound a little quick for wearing out a bar. you mentioned problems with the air, does that machine use air to raise and lower the saw bar.I have more than just a passing interest since My processor plans call for a air operated saw cyl.

Yes just a small air pump for bar return is what I think he said. But it puts lots of pressure on the bar when sawing. The Kubota 1505 motor works hardest when sawing.

 

[Sandhill Crane]

air pump for bar return

Is down pressure hydraulic?

 

[muddstopper]

I guess Valley would be the one to figure this one out, His blockbuster uses air. The only blockbuster I have ever ran was all hyd.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

We have 2 Blockbusters on site. A 2001 18-20 with 30ft conveyor and a 2013 15-20 with 20ft conveyor.

The 15-20 is all hydraulic, the 18-20 uses air for splitter return and bar up, everything else is hydraulic. I'm not too sure exactly how the air works, if it's air over hydraulic or just air. I just know it's a PITA in the winter.

The 18-20 has a 3 cylinder Yanmar, the 15-20 a 4 cylinder Kubota. Both are around 35hp.

I'm not sure what he'd be doing to kill a bar like that. I have about 800hrs on my bar. It's certainly getting worn, but I'll run it till its worn out or the sprocket burns up. Just an Oregon harvester bar, nothing special.
I grind the rails every so often and blow out the lube hole (it gets plugged).

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

All in all a processor isn't going to mean no work, but it's much quicker and less strain for sure. No way I'd be able to cut and split 5-6 cords a day by hand.

 

[KiwiBro]

Hired a guy on craigslist with a blockbuster 18-20 yesterday. Busted through the logs fast. Good thing I trimmed the crotches off all the logs. Made a big difference. I sent one log that I didn't trim. The crotch got stuck and had to be pounded off the wedge. This processor only had a 4 inch cylinder for the splitter. He had no idea of the problems with the air system yet. Said he goes through a 25" GB bar in about 40 hours. The chain had 7 hours on it before he changed it with a sharp chain. Nails. The radiator did have a small shield. But almost put a log through it. Had a bunch of 5' logs. Had to lay them on the processor. His 8 way wedge was busted so everything was split with a 6 way. Will be spending some time with the super split busting down some of the pieces. He pulled the processor behind a truck with the elevator attached to the back of the processor. Almost 70 ft long. Never unhook the elevator. Pulled in at 5 minutes later we where processing. It was a challenge to keep the log deck loaded.

Still looked like he was working hard. Lots a handling the wood. Resplitting, holding the shorts, and the pieces that don't fall in splitter just right.

When you've got it all split down to size, what do you think the cost per cord will work out to?

 

[shamusturbo]

Rapido Loco owner here. I've owned it for 2 years this December. Approaching 250 hours since we bought it. Love the slasher.

To answer original question from Jan 2011: MultiTek 3040 XP2--16 way box wedge with cleanout, grapple shuttle, 6 strand log deck, 2-60' conveyors with a tumbler. Simple enough, right?

A100HVA hit the nail on the head!!! I get a little preachy about the learning curve. You have to slow down before you can go fast or you are going to waste a lot of wood and make a lot of kindling and clean up. We have had way easy to impossibly hard "for-hire" jobs that have help speed up the learning curve. My brother/partner and I play to our strengths. He has become the better processor operator and I am the better skidsteer operator. Like he mentioned, you have to clean them the best you can and sometimes cut crooked ones in half so that they feed better. I am not sure how people work the models with the cab because there is a lot of jumping around. It isn't a beach vacation. The processor is only eliminating a bulk of the hardest aspect of "firewooding" like ValleyFirewood said.

As mentioned, the CRD's are easily the best bang for your buck, price wise. They are the simpliest design and parts are relatively easy to source yourself. You can nit pick these machines all day. The skidsteer machines are outrageous. Once you factor in the machine hours on a skidsteer capable of running them, the production seems quite low. AND, every single machine DOES NOT make finished product.

Sam-Tip: did you write a "review" of your for-hire processor guy yet? I would like to hear what you thought.

 

[shamusturbo]

I wanted badly to build my own processor. I have the barn, welder/tools, suppliers, and talent to do it. With the exception on painting it. I despise painting. Like redprospector said on the thread years ago, crunch some numbers on building something like that and see what you could profit in that same time period and you want to buy it 99 times out of 100.

I do, however, want to upgrade my processor in the near future. I would like to make my conveyor fold like the new models, add another live deck leg or 2 for shorter length poles, and want to add more guards near the engine mostly to keep weather off.

If you want to get into a processor in the real world, with limited funds, I would get the woodbine (from CRD) (the bar and chain models versus the slasher) for sure. Used ones could be had for close to $20k. But with lottery money, the Multitek is the most refined IMO.

 

[muddstopper]

I know if I had to pay full price for the parts to my processor build, I probably wouldnt be building one. I have spent a couple thousand dollars on parts. I still havent secured a engine. Hydraulic hoses and oil will probably be another $1000 or so. I am into a lot of parts pretty cheap and a lot for free. I still need a few parts I most likely will have to buy new. I burnt 10lbs of welding rods just last week. Going to take at least that many more rods to finish just the welding. Some steel I have, but I have had to buy a lot and will have to buy more. I do believe I will be into this machine for way less than the suggested $20,000 cost of a used machine, but I aint counting my time building it either. Then you have the testing phase, where you find out things dont work as planned. You dont know what you will get into until you fire that beast up and start processing wood.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Very much the case that all the brands do it a bit different. The Blockbusters are quite simple, mostly metal available at any steel yard and common bearings, chain and hydraulic parts.

A few brands use a rubber belt for the conveyor. While it's quiet, it doesn't work well year round. The wood just slips if it's wet or cold. (And sometimes the belt slips too) Also have to fuss with belt tracking.

The chain and paddle conveyor is better. I've had to climb up and sledgehammer 3" of ice off it (snowed 8" and then rained and froze... yuk weather!) Makes more noise, but I'm on 5 acres and next door to a 500 acre farm and huge gravel pit that seems to think running CAT 988s and D9 dozers at 3am is wise.

A cab would seem nice but there's too much moving around IMO. Unless you have someone tending to the logs and what not. I keep a 55 gal drum about 8ft away and keep a fire going. In the rain or sun I have an EZ Up roof shelter. Eventually have plans to put the whole machine under a roof.

 

[muddstopper]

Both of my conveyors have flat belts. The belts are rotten and I plan on replacing them with cleated belts. I shouldnt have the problem with the ice like one would in the frozen north. As for a cab, in the summer I found all they do is trap the heat and I dont plan on springing for the cost of AC. If I just set the machine up at my place, I already have a large shed to work under. I suspect most of my processing will be for other people at there place, so working in bad weather might be limited to places with easy access and working in a framers field probably wont be a option if the ground is wet or raining. I dont have any plans of getting into the selling wood business. I dont want the hassel nor do I want to spend the time delivering wood. Any wood I sell would be buyer pickup only. I know that limits sells, but I would rather go fishing than spend all my time trying to fill orders.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Id rather do plenty of other things too, though those other things don't pay the bills.

 

[muddstopper]

Id rather do plenty of other things too, though those other things don't pay the bills.

Depends on the bills and wants. What you want is what creates the bills. I want a processor, but not enough to borrow money to own one. If I dont borrow money, I dont have to pay it back. If i dont have to pay it back, then I dont need to work to make extra money. Its a vicious cycle, You want something, you have to work for it. Some times you have to borrow and when you borrow, your committed to working to pay it back, and there goes your time to do the things you like. Could say the same thing about a fishing boat, you like to fish so you buy a boat, now you have to work to pay for the boat and you dont have time to fish. Cant win. Have fun when your young, work until your to old to do anything else, and then die, cant win

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Depends on the bills and wants. What you want is what creates the bills. I want a processor, but not enough to borrow money to own one. If I dont borrow money, I dont have to pay it back. If i dont have to pay it back, then I dont need to work to make extra money. Its a vicious cycle, You want something, you have to work for it. Some times you have to borrow and when you borrow, your committed to working to pay it back, and there goes your time to do the things you like. Could say the same thing about a fishing boat, you like to fish so you buy a boat, now you have to work to pay for the boat and you dont have time to fish. Cant win. Have fun when your young, work until your to old to do anything else, and then die, cant win

I like having a roof over my head, warm bed and lights. Have to work to keep all that!

 

[muddstopper]

I like having a roof over my head, warm bed and lights. Have to work to keep all that!

Dont we all!!