Hickory and Basswood both are buggers. Our Morbark debarker with its big revolving cutterhead and carbide teeth has trouble with both, the log wizard little revolving head would be a pitiful attempt.
Our Fire insurance guy told us that the number 1 cause of fires in mills with debarkers was caused by the debarkers and an older style cutter head. And almost everytime after a run of basswood or Hickory. It will wrap like twine around a revolving shaft. Friction will quickly dry it to tinder and ignite it. We have had several instances of this over the years, but we expect it with basswood and make sure not to let it happen near the end of a shift. We usually keep a water extinquisher in the debarker cab for this purpose. Its surprising how quick it can happen under the right conditions. You can clean the head, debark one log and see smoke. We have went to a new style head that seems to chop the fibers better. We dont have as much trouble but its still there.
