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Wood processors

Started by mainiac, December 29, 2007, 10:16:26 AM

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mainiac

Not really sure what board to put this into, so I will start here and see what happens.

I am wanting to expand/take the bending over out of my fire wood business. I am currently doing 25-30 regular cord of fire wood per year with a tractor, splitter, and chainsaw. I am confident I could go up to 75-100 cord per year the 1st year and up to 150-200 cord per year if I have the right processor. I also now own a truck that can deliver 2 cord at a time.

The machine I am leaning towards right now is a Timberwolf Pro-MP with a conveyor for the price of about 35K tax included.

I was wondering if anyone has experience with this machine or could recommend another machine for 35K or less that would meet these needs? If I could get the price down, I would like to add a small saw mill to go with it.

Thanks for any input.
Mainiac 
Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious.

Gary_C

Take a look at Blockbuster. I know two people that have them and like them. Price may be similar after you get a conveyor.

Take a look at the picture gallery for member Corley5. I think he has a Blockbuster also.
Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.

letsgetitracing

the mulitec is a decent machine for a store boughten one eiher the 1x or 2x   they won the firwwod cut off at the competition just before escanaba this summer

www.multitekinc.com/
Homemade firewood processor, 200 ton log spliter, 322 cat excavator, 966 c cat loader, 3 semis, 11 trailers, 50 ton low boy 12 inch tree chipper 3120xp 394 xp 372 xp 3 365  357 55 rancher 346xp 338xp  stihl 056 mag ms 290 026 echo cs440  4 cs3000's  jonsered 2165 2150

go BIG or go Home

Ron Wenrich

We have a multitek, and we can produce a trailerload of cut and split wood in about 6 hours. 

What you need to do is start out with a budget and work backwards.  How much machine can you afford?  How soon do you think you'll outgrow it?  Do you have markets?  Do you have raw materials?

We only sell to wholesalers.  That takes out a lot of the hassles of hauling to homeowners.  We can also sell year round.  Pros and cons on both sides of the market.
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

a old timberjack

 timberwolf makes a hell of a unit. miltiteck does to,  but 3 times the money ( if you were gonna get a new one. )  i used to work for a local saw shop that used to sell timberwolf. ( and i own some of there products ) there factory support is the best. also living in new england you will have parts in a day  they are in rutland vermont.i been to there factory dozens of times and it is impressive.not playing favorites, also there machines ( even wood splitters ) are built with average parts you can get from a everyday hyd. shop not alot of hi tec parts. agian , i am not a salesman and tied in with them, but i been around this stuff all of my life and that is just my opinion .it is my first choice.........Brandon
H.T. LOGGING and Trucking, llc, GREENE, Rhode Island

mainiac

You do bring up a good point about the parts and support of them being in the neighborhood. I think that is one reason that I am shying away from the Blockbuster.

Anyone familiar with Built-Rite? I think they are in New England as well.

Mainiac
Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious.

a old timberjack

this is a tuff one to explain, i will try to get it right, built rite is a excellant product also, years ago brute was formed ( awsome products ) they were in buisiness for x amount of years, company had inside problems, employees bought them out and some patents, and formed timberwolf if you look at some early brute splitters , they are the same as some t.w.'s. a few years later the old crew wanted to get brute back and running and but sold everything , including some patents, so they came back on the scene and formed " built rite " wich all make great productsif you play around on the internet and e-bay , you see a company out of n.y. called hudson, they have a deal with built rite and put there name on it, splitters and prossers. as far as i know that is kind of the story to the best of my knowledge, but PLEASE!!!! dont hold me agginst it. stick with timberwolf, you cannot go wrong.
H.T. LOGGING and Trucking, llc, GREENE, Rhode Island

evergreenforestmgmt

Timberwolf and Multitek are great products.  BUT, very expensive.  I too, am in the market for a larger processer.  I currently have a Hakki Pilke 1x37.  It is a pto powered 3 point hitch machine.  Works great, but I am already pushing over 100 cords a season through it.  I want to grow and would like a better machine.  I have checked out both Timeberwolf and Multitek, but they are not in my budget.
     You say that the Pro-MP Timberwolf machine is $35,000?  For that little machine??  That's crazy.  I'd do one or two things.  Look around for a used Multitek or Timberwolf processor for around that price, that is already a larger machine than the Pro-MP that way you'll already have a large enough machine to handle your growth.  Otherwise a couple of years from now, you'll probably want to trade or sell the Timberwolf machine. 
    Another option that I would check into is probably something a lot of people haven't heard of.  It's the woodbine processor made my CRD Metalworks in Massachusetts.  You can buy a trailer model self contained processor brand new for just over $40,000 brand new.  They are built very heavy duty and best of all, uses mostly off the shelf parts that are easy and inexpensive to buy and find.  Check out their website.  www.crdmetalworks.com

Corley5

Off the shelf parts are what I like about Block Busters.  The only thing I've found that can't be purchased locally is the saw chain drive sprocket.  It's made especially for them.  I stock a couple extras.  Everything else I can buy locally from a bearing supplier, hydraulic shop or Car Quest  8) 8)  The same is true for the Bilt Rite conveyor I've got. 
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

hiwayherbie

Mainiac, Have you checked out a Chomper that uses a shear blade ( no chains to sharpen).  I have one and I am Happy with it.  I cut a little over 60 + cords this past fall/winter part time. I plan to do 100 + this year, If my full time job will let me?  ;)
Their web site is www.chomper.net
LT15, Branson3510, 2500HD, chomper14, Stihl 029, Husky 359,372xp,445, EZ dump trailer,6 roto-tiller, 5 bush-hog...Just playing with the toys.....

thecfarm

I finaly got to see one of those chompers in action.If I was looking for a processor I would have one of these.There is no loading area,everything is winched in on ground level.Does not matter how dirty the logs are.You know you will get dirty logs.You move the processor to the pile of logs.I was quite impressesed by the way it worked.You do need a convery to get the logs into a truck because it is at ground level.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

Corley5

How's your Chomper work with frozen or dry wood ???  I stayed away from them because of the reports I got that the machine would crush these conditions of wood instead of shearing them.  Chompers are the easiest to find used too  ;) :)
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

mainiac

Well, this is what I have found so far. Timberwolf $27.5K for a diesel pro-mp $5K for a 20' conveyor 5% sales tax puts it at about $35K.

A Multitek with the same capabilities diesel $54K + 30' conveyor $11K + sales tax = $68250 (ugh)

Blockbuster 18-20 with same capabilities diesel $32.5K + 30' conveyor $6.5K + $2200 shipping(no dealer near me)+ 5% sales = $43260.

Built-Rite prices compare to BlockBuster by the time I figured in the options to compare apples to apples.

I am still leaning towards the Timberwolf. I am not interested in a PTO version as I would have to be thinking of a new tractor to run it as well. Not that I don't want a new tractor, but a man must know his limitations.

Mainiac
Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious.

Corley5

Most of these manufacturers will take a well cared for smaller machine in on trade for a larger machine and give you a really good deal.  This makes it easier to test the waters of your market without going all out the first season.  It's easier to trade up than down  ;)  Just a thought  :)
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

Corley5





With this setup, Dad running the machine, me running the Bobcat loading logs and keeping the wood leveled off in the trailer/truck we can do a standard cord an hour easily.  If the wood is all 8-14" diam it'll do even better.  Do you have something with a loader to handle logs?
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

ScottAR

Scott
"There is much that I need to do, even more that I want to do, and even less that I can do."
[Magicman]

mainiac

I do have a Kubota B7500 that will handle most 12' logs that would land in my yard. I can think of an oak log or two that has gone through here that I would have to use the Ol' chain saw, but they would have been to big for any of the processors I am looking at any way.

ScottAR That looks like a nice setup. What size conveyor is that? Is that a BlockBuster processor?

With all the snow that Maine is getting, I am having a hard time figuring this out. 11" on Monday another 12" at least yesterday. 38 driveways to plow with 3 comm places on top of those-I'm a busy plowman.

Mainiac
Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious.

beenthere

mainiac
Are you text messaging the forum as you plow?  Can't imagine with that much snow to plow, you find time to get on the forum.... ;D ;D ;D    Have fun plowing...

Corley5
Thanks for the pics...glad the weather was ok to split wood.  Hope the logging is going well now. Wishin we didn't have so much snow in the woods, as getting around is tough in the 18" there now.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Corley5

It was actually fairly warm at 33 degrees when the pics were taken  8)  The snow is just about knee deep in the woods now but the forecast is for rain and maybe 50 by Monday with 40s by Sat lasting into Tues.  I'll believe it when it's over  ;) ;D  The processor is a 14-12 Block Buster and the conveyor is 24" Built Rite.  I used hay elevators for the first couple years and just got the Built Rite last fall.  It's a great piece of equipment and compliments the Block Buster very well.  The 14-12 does a DanG good job too :)
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

Furby

Calling for 57° on Monday here with the coldest weather of the season the week after. ::)

Corley5

It was 10 above here this morning but 10 below in town.  The cold doesn't bother me as long as the lake effect snow bands don't park over us  :)
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

woody1

This is a great thread. I too have been considering a pocessor. Thanks for all the info. I really like the 14-12. I have alot of property I am doing tsi on, and tons of pole wood. I am having a hard time making the #s work..skidding, loading, hauling plus the processor. I know the market is here, but thats alot of free firewood to pay for the toys. CODB i quess.  ::) ::) ::)
If you don't want to row, get out of the boat !

ScottAR

That is a very nice setup and I only wish it was mine. 
Scott
"There is much that I need to do, even more that I want to do, and even less that I can do."
[Magicman]

mainiac

Sorry ScottAR, My last posting was while I was right after taking a 2 hr nap and was getting ready to head back out to plow snow. Got who posted what mixed up.

That is a nice set up Corley5 has.

I am looking to fill winter work. My business is seasonal property maintenance and this winter we are getting slammed with snow, but this is not normal here in mid-coast Maine. I already have the truck that can deliver 2 cord at a time and a tractor to move this stuff around. I am sizing the processor to what equipment I already have. I think a 20' conveyor is going to be to small for my truck. It is about 8' from the ground to the top of the side boards. What do you guys think?

Still leaning towards the Timberwolf pro mp.

There is an Agriculture Show coming up in two weeks that I am going to. I have been told that there is some dealers of this type of equipment will be there. The show is naturely shifting towards the small logging firewood operational theme.
Hope my source of info is correct.

Mainiac
Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious.

thecfarm

Here is a link for the exhibitors that will be there,

http://www.getrealgetmaine.com/visit/trades_show.html

I did not see any mention of Timberwolf being there,but they could be coming in under a business name that sells all sorts of differant things.Probaly a place to send a e mail to,to ask.
This is a good link for alot of Ag stuff that is going on in the state.I use it alot.Good luck.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

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