Is this a good idea?

[Ohiowoodguy]

I tried this on the firewood forum; didn't get much help:

We currently have grapple-truck loads of 24', 5"-20" diameter hardwood logs delivered to us (99% freshly cut), we process them into firewood and the conveyor loads the truck from the splitter. We hand-stack them into rows for seasoning, and then throw it back into the truck for deliveries. But we occasionally get enough "dry" logs (usually red elm, ash, cherry) to avoid the stacking, seasoning, loading steps- going directly to the customer from the splitter. We rarely get a log that is completely split in half from felling-trauma; and notice it is often seasoned clear-through.
What if we mill the logs in half with a "cheap" bandsaw mill, sort them by species and stack them crisscrossed, cut side down, to season; and then be able to cut, split, conveyor into the truck, and deliver to the customer?
We really are getting tired of all the stacking and reloading.
(Options like a TW-10, or a firewood kiln are way too expensive. Whole logs rarely totally season {oak and hickory}, even after 5 years.)

 

[Hillbilly3995]

If i were going to that much trouble to speed the drying, I would quarter the logs, they'll dry that much faster...halved they are gonna warp pretty bad.
quartered will probably warp bad too.
however I were making firewood I would figure out a way to split them,no need for that pretty cut, no wood loss to sawdust, and even a cheap mill would be expensive compared to splitting equipment.

Just think if you had a hydraulic splitter that split a section, drop in a wedge, advance the log, split again, drop in a wedge etc...probably faster too.

Good Luck.

 

[ChainsawmanXX]

My dad had a log splitter that would split 8ft logs.. It had a trash compactor cylinder on there, Thats would really be what you need... Im sure a D6, D8 cylinder would work as well? I dont think the bandmill process would be very effeciant myself.

 

[Ohiowoodguy]

Unless you have a big engine running a giant pump running a huge cylinder, a splitter that big is going to be extremely slow- in and out. The TW-10 is $35000. Firewood warpage is not a concern.

 

[Hillbilly3995]

Unless you have a big engine running a giant pump running a huge cylinder, a splitter that big is going to be extremely slow- in and out. The TW-10 is $35000. Firewood warpage is not a concern.

A good reason for splitting from the side and dropping wedges, but either way its gonna be faster than a small band mill, and a he!! of a lot less trouble.

On the other hand if you are secretly trying to justify spending your money on a bandmill, then well I think you've made up your mind.

Good Luck

 

[billmartin]

I tried this on the firewood forum; didn't get much help:

We currently have grapple-truck loads of 24', 5"-20" diameter hardwood logs delivered to us (99% freshly cut), we process them into firewood and the conveyor loads the truck from the splitter. We hand-stack them into rows for seasoning, and then throw it back into the truck for deliveries. But we occasionally get enough "dry" logs (usually red elm, ash, cherry) to avoid the stacking, seasoning, loading steps- going directly to the customer from the splitter. We rarely get a log that is completely split in half from felling-trauma; and notice it is often seasoned clear-through.
What if we mill the logs in half with a "cheap" bandsaw mill, sort them by species and stack them crisscrossed, cut side down, to season; and then be able to cut, split, conveyor into the truck, and deliver to the customer?
We really are getting tired of all the stacking and reloading.
(Options like a TW-10, or a firewood kiln are way too expensive. Whole logs rarely totally season {oak and hickory}, even after 5 years.)

I think your on to something there. Work smarter not harder

If. Myself and a friend can grab truck length logs that we can lift we throw them in whole. Then cut rounds as we drag it out of the truck.

Less steps the better! Quarter or half, whatever ends up suiting your needs.

Then for fun you can hop up a chainsaw and stick a short bar on it to just rip thru the wood!

Enjoy!

Bill