Wallenstein WP830 Processor

[FLRA_Dave]

Just thought I'd share a short video of the WP830 "processor" that I bought in December 2014.

Probably the best part of the machine is not feeling like my body got beat up man handling the rounds. Yesterday me and my step brother (the one in the video) went from log to loaded onto the trailer in about 4 hours for 2 cord. I had him keep cutting and splitting while I kept the trailer tidy (keep splits separate from the splitter trash), logs at the ready, and kept sharpened the chain that was off the saw.

So it looks like we could only manage about 1/2 cord per hour with this machine. I was hoping for more, but the video demonstrates how much time having to re-split takes. I also have the 6 way, but it can make a mess in a hurry if the wood isn't right for it.

 

[jrider]

Thanks for sharing. I've looked at their stuff but I just can't justify the price on what seems to basically be a log lift. I already have a tractor with forks so I don't have to bend over while sawing. With the perfect size logs, you could make some time but how often do you get them?

 

[FLRA_Dave]

One of the reasons I like this machine is because of the winch. It's not very often I have my tractor on the property to handle the logs.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Wallenstein builds good stuff! I have their FX90... I looked at 830's and really liked them, but I was worried that my firewood logs wouldn't work well with one, as anything I have that's a nicer log goes to straight to my BSM! I just can't bring myself to cut up/burn logs that make good saw logs! To me it's a waste of resources!

Then there was the price too, so I ended up buying a Timberwolf 3HD splitter and then using my tractor and chainsaw to get my crooked logs down to splitter size.

Those 830's sure look like nice machines though!

SR

 

[cantoo]

Do you really need to split everything that small? When I burnt inside using my Hotblast I always had big pieces for overnight and when long burn times were needed. So if I have 25% bigger splits it wasn't a problem. And that wood is so dry you don't need them small to season quicker. Looks like lots of small crap to deal with.
Also your cutting is definitely a slow process, maybe the saw was dull at that point but it was cutting slow. Also hard to tell but it looks like he was slowing down to avoid dropping the saw when he finished the cut. Or he was just tired from handling the saw. Or his cutting position is just a little too tall for him, maybe stand on a 3'x3' plywood box about 6 to 10" higher. Height looks good on him for the splitter work but bit too high for the bucking. I know when I cut off my loader forks that if I have the bucket too high it's hard on my back.
I like the unit but agree that the price is too high for my use and the equipment I already have.

 

[FLRA_Dave]

I'm sure the saw was getting dull. We were about 2 hours into cutting. He may have been tired as well.

As far as the size of the splits... what the customer wants, the customer gets. We cut, split, and delivered 4.66 cord during the weekend.

 

[cantoo]

Yup, I read it too quick and didn't realize you were selling the wood. I now split all my 16" long wood into smaller pieces, it fits and looks tighter when stacked in a cord to sell. Someday I might actually sell some instead of giving it away for labor trades.
FYI, the Wallenstein factory is about 60 miles from where I live and I don't own a single Wallenstein product. Maybe I'm just too cheap for quality? I'm an auction guy and every time a Wallenstein product comes up it usually sells for new price. We have tons of amish around here and many shops produce stuff that "looks" identical to the Wallenstein stuff but isn't the same quality.

 

[zogger]

Yup, I read it too quick and didn't realize you were selling the wood. I now split all my 16" long wood into smaller pieces, it fits and looks tighter when stacked in a cord to sell. Someday I might actually sell some instead of giving it away for labor trades.
FYI, the Wallenstein factory is about 60 miles from where I live and I don't own a single Wallenstein product. Maybe I'm just too cheap for quality? I'm an auction guy and every time a Wallenstein product comes up it usually sells for new price. We have tons of amish around here and many shops produce stuff that "looks" identical to the Wallenstein stuff but isn't the same quality.

I have a terminology question. Since I have been here and exposed to what are called processors, they all have an automatic saw on them. Except now. This one looks to be a big splitter with a log dragger inner, some guy still has to stand there and hand cut the wood. I don't get it.

What is the dividing line officially, when does something qualify to be bumped up from a splitter to be called a processor?

 

[FLRA_Dave]

I have a terminology question. Since I have been here and exposed to what are called processors, they all have an automatic saw on them. Except now. This one looks to be a big splitter with a log dragger inner, some guy still has to stand there and hand cut the wood. I don't get it.

What is the dividing line officially, when does something qualify to be bumped up from a splitter to be called a processor?

I was always hesitant to call it a processor. I call it my 'Splitter plus'.

 

[dancan]

I think that if you need small splits any splitter will be your bottleneck for production if you have big wood unless you have one of the large units that can do 8 way or more .
I'd run the "Splitter Plus" and set up a workstation with your other splitter to resplit down to the size you need for your customers .

 

[FLRA_Dave]

I think that if you need small splits any splitter will be your bottleneck for production if you have big wood unless you have one of the large units that can do 8 way or more .
I'd run the "Splitter Plus" and set up a workstation with your other splitter to resplit down to the size you need for your customers .

We were talking about dowing that. Only I think that if the WP830 was allowed to just run and not worry about re-split's that the other guy/splitter would be overwhelmed in a hurry. I normally work alone though.

 

[jrider]

I sell wood as well and those are the size splits that I produce because that's what my customers want. It's also probably why I can season oak in a year or under out in the sun and wind.

 

[zogger]

Are there inline progressive processors that will do this splitting from huge to smaller? Big mama does the heavy duty big stuff, goes down a chute.conveyor whatever, to the next step where it resplits it smaller?

Having a one sits fits all logs splitter seems rather hard, over two splitters sized to task.

 

[dancan]

We were talking about dowing that. Only I think that if the WP830 was allowed to just run and not worry about re-split's that the other guy/splitter would be overwhelmed in a hurry. I normally work alone though.

Start stockpiling the big splits when you have time and then grab and resplit when you have orders or process the big rounds as you are doing if the Wallenstien is faster than a 2 step/splitter process .
It does kinda suck but unless you want to buy much bigger gear you have to make what you have work for you .
A Super Split would be the answer on the resplit .
A fella sure looks around hard to find efficiencies when working alone because you can't fire the worker that isn't pulling his own weight LOL

 

[FLRA_Dave]

Start stockpiling the big splits when you have time and then grab and resplit when you have orders or process the big rounds as you are doing if the Wallenstien is faster than a 2 step/splitter process .
It does kinda suck but unless you want to buy much bigger gear you have to make what you have work for you .
A Super Split would be the answer on the resplit .
A fella sure looks around hard to find efficiencies when working alone because you can't fire the worker that isn't pulling his own weight LOL

I normally go from log -> cut/split -> up the chute and into the trailer. It seems that just taking the time to re-split while I have it on the machine is the way to go. Otherwise I'll probably end up with more large pieces off to the side than what goes on the trailer. If I was selling seasoned wood it might be different how I handle it.

Not all people buying wood from me want it that small. I try to accommodate and cut at the length/size that they want. My normal goal for split wood is about 4"x 3".

I'm not even sure what machine would split a small 12" round into 16 pieces with a single pass, let alone what it would take on a 20"-24" round, but I know what your saying.

 

[FLRA_Dave]

Wow... just going to a 22" diameter round goes to 40 splits per round.

 

[NSMaple1]

Wallenstein does build nice stuff. My Surge Master splitter is a re-badged Wallenstein. I got it used, pretty sure it split a LOT of wood before I got it, but it works just great. (Wish it had bigger wheels on it but anyway...).

I'm not sure using the 830 would make me more productive than what I am. You still have to stop after every cut to do the splitting - and for resplitting looks like the layout could be better for the repositioning etc., that would likely go quicker if the operator was closer & there was a bigger table. A conveyor to load right off the splitter is a definite plus, and having the log at a good height to cut shorts off of is a plus. But I think just cutting shorts off a big pile of logs (or logs on a deck), then doing a bunch of splitting, would be as productive - although maybe be harder work.

 

[jrider]

Wow... just going to a 22" diameter round goes to 40 splits per round.

Yup, this sounds just about right to me. My record is 111 splits from one piece. And no I'm not that anal, was just curious with the big one.

 

[cantoo]

zogger, everyone calls anything other than just a splitter a processor. There can be so many steps to getting wood from a standing tree to on fire in a stove that no one machine does it all.
A processor cuts the tree down, removes branches, cuts it to a length and lays it on the ground. A processor gathers up the log plus several more and transports it to a landing. A processor cuts it to another length and stacks it onto a truck. A processor cuts it into round, drops it into a tray and the splitter splits it and maybe has a conveyor attached to it and maybe a cleaner is attached to that and maybe a stacker or a bundler is added to that and it loads it onto a truck or a wagon or into a tote or just onto a pile. There are a pile of processes to processing wood so I guess that's why they are all called Processors? I would assume that anything that does more than one step would be called a Processor.
Maybe pdqdl or spidy can answer it better?

 

[hamish]

FYI, the Wallenstein factory is about 60 miles from where I live and I don't own a single Wallenstein product. Maybe I'm just too cheap for quality? I'm an auction guy and every time a Wallenstein product comes up it usually sells for new price. We have tons of amish around here and many shops produce stuff that "looks" identical to the Wallenstein stuff but isn't the same quality.

A lot of the "other stuff" most notably the Surge-Master line are still owned by EMB Mfg, just for a different price market and distribution. As a Wallenstein dealer its an aggravation, the Surge-Master lineup is the older Wallenstein product for the most part.