iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

Finally Got My Hud-Son Badger

Started by logboy, September 25, 2011, 02:50:34 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

logboy

You might have read on the "build a firewood processor thread" I was looking at building one. After I took a look around and noticed all the other unfinished projects I have I realized this might not be such a good idea. I ended up getting a Hud-Son Badger.  It uses a hydraulic winch to draw the logs up into the machine.  Logs are cut with the manual cutting bar. Wood is split with the 4 way adjustable splitting wedge.

I've run a couple cord through it and I'm finally finding a groove.  Tonight I was finally getting to the point I can process firewood as fast as I can pull the levers. Slow downs in speed come from hooking up to new log and winching it in. I have to keep the logs nice and close to save time. Here are a few random first impressions.

No trailer lights? Not sure why. Legally I'm not supposed to tow it in Wisconsin so I have to build something. A wiring kit cost me $20.Why not just include it?

45mph max tow speed. There is no suspension under the machine. The tongue is also removable which might have something to do with it. I wish it at least had springs. I mean, it weighs 2000 lb. Ever time I tow it hydro fluid leaks out of the breather cap from bouncing.

First thing i did was dump the chain choker and replace it with a sharp set of tongs on the winch. Who wants to wrestle a chain from under a 16" white oak? Not me.The tongs are way faster. Hook them on and walk back to the machine. Its great for a guy like me with one hand.

Operations can be run simultaneously. While one piece is being split I'm feeding the log for the next cut. While the splitter is retracting I'm cutting the next piece of wood.

The splitter seems to have enough power for the 4 way. It stopped once on a 15" gnarly white oak. I split a couple pieces across grain without a lot of problems (not on purpose).

The splitter handles big wood 20+" without problems.  Lifting up big blocks sucks. The adjustment  handle for the splitter height is right in the way. The wedge has to be dropped so the handle is all the way to the left to get big pieces in the splitting trough. I guess using it as a stand alone splitter was not the intention.

Overall its not bad so far. It beats the hell out of handling the same wood 2-3 times. It might not be faster than some of you guys who do it by hand every day but I love the fact I dont have to handle every piece of wood or run a chainsaw till my arm falls off. No more infection under my prosthetic arm or bloody elbow. No more bending over for every piece of firewood either.  If a guy had full tree length logs he could really make firewood since there would be no need to stop and hook up to a new log every 8'.  I'll see if I can cough up some photos in the next couple days.
I like Lucas Mills and big wood.  www.logboy.com

thecfarm

Sounds good to me. What size motor does it have? Selling firewood?
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

logboy

It has a 16 hp B&S. I'm doing a small job for a guy right now. I'm looking for more guys to hire out to.
I like Lucas Mills and big wood.  www.logboy.com

LAZERDAN

What's your territory size going to be ?  What I really meant to say is where are you.  Any Pic's ?  we like pic's.                           Thanks        Lazerdan

logboy

I'm working around NW Wisconsin. I keep forgetting to upload the pics from my phone. Maybe later.
I like Lucas Mills and big wood.  www.logboy.com

logboy



I put the bar down in the below photo to give you an idea how big it will cut. It takes a standard 20" chain.



Tonight I worked for a couple more hours.  The splitting ram was starting to drive me nuts.  It has a smooth face on it so if the wood doesnt have a  90 degree cut then it either pops up or flips sideways and gets jammed on the wedge.  When I'm done with this job and get it back to my place I'm going to weld some little tabs on the face like my wood splitter has.

I figured out how to speed the winch up without switching to the high speed option. There is a sort of flow adjustment lever that can be changed.  It sped things up quite a bit.

I like Lucas Mills and big wood.  www.logboy.com

CRThomas

Quote from: thecfarm on September 25, 2011, 07:02:42 AM
Sounds good to me. What size motor does it have? Selling firewood?
What I am looking for is a firewood processor. My wood comes in pieces from 16 to 20 inchs log. So I need to cut 1 to 6 inchs off to make sixteen inch pieces and then split it. I have called several places but they make stock machines my logs are up to 61 inchs is the biggest one but therein in the 3 ft range most of the time. If any body knows where to go look let me know later and this

logboy

Quote from: CRThomas on September 26, 2011, 12:42:22 PM
Quote from: thecfarm on September 25, 2011, 07:02:42 AM
Sounds good to me. What size motor does it have? Selling firewood?
What I am looking for is a firewood processor. My wood comes in pieces from 16 to 20 inchs log. So I need to cut 1 to 6 inchs off to make sixteen inch pieces and then split it. I have called several places but they make stock machines my logs are up to 61 inchs is the biggest one but therein in the 3 ft range most of the time. If any body knows where to go look let me know later and this

This isnt the machine for you then.  It likes long sticks, the longer the better. If you are only cutting an inch off some pieces you would need one of the bigger ones with the live feed. $20k seems like a lot of money to spend to cut an inch off a piece of wood.  I think you'd spend more time loading the machine than just cutting them with your chainsaw.
I like Lucas Mills and big wood.  www.logboy.com

logboy

I just finished up around 8 cord with the processor. I'm a lot faster at it than when I started.  The biggest improvement I made was doing away with the factory choker chain and using custom spring loaded tongs that I made.  Now instead of wrapping a chain around each log twice I just slip the tongs over the top and walk away.  No lifting, no rolling, no fuss.  Waaay faster, especially for my one-armed self.



They claim the machine will do a cord an hour.  Depending on the circumstances I could see it happening.  I spent half my time throwing split wood on the trailer.  If I could just keep processing and the wood was not too small I could easily do a cord an hour without a lot of effort.  It all depends on how small you split your wood too. I've heard guys claim they can do 10 cord a day by themselves.  Then you find out they're cutting 24" long wood and splitting it into 9" thick chunks.  Its all perspective I guess.  Someday I'll build a 100" log splitter and brag on here how I can do 20 cord a day with a 2 hour lunch break and a mild hangover.

The manual that comes with it is lacking.

http://www.hud-son.com/Thebadgermanual.htm

It tells you the basics of how to run it but that's it.  No maintenance info whatsoever.  How often do I grease the bearings? How do I change the chain? How do I tension the chain?  Where do i get a new hydraulic filter (Northern hydraulics)?  I finally figured the chain part out after an extra trip to my house for an allan wrench to remove the end pillow block. I got everything apart and was putting the extra chain on that they gave me when I noticed it was a bit short. 15 drivers short to be exact. I said screw it and put the dull chain back on until I could get a new one made (today) so I can sharpen and swap. Its not a fast process to change it, at least for my one-handed self.  While finishing up tonight I noticed the cutoff bar started spraying bar oil, like a mist every time it turned on. It burned through a gallon in 1/2 cord.   I called the factory despite it being almost 5 their time. I was told to use the shutoff valve to regulate the flow. It has been wide open the whole time.  Why it suddenly started using so much is beyond me. Again, nothing in the manual.  I could sit down and write a maintenance manual in 15 minutes. I'm not sure why they do not have one.



All in all I like the machine. There are some minor things I dont like, but it is saving my arm and my back from further abuse.  I bet  if I can get my elevator running to haul the wood away and use my bobcat to keep a supply of logs lined up ready to winch into the machine I could easily do over a cord an hour cutting 16" wood.  I did 8 trailer loads, 1 per day working max 3 hours per. Some of that time was learning curve, some was chainsaw time cutting the big 24" stuff that wouldnt fit through the processor. Figure half the time was throwing wood, the other half was actually cutting and splitting with the machine.

Not bad for a guy with one arm.



I like Lucas Mills and big wood.  www.logboy.com

clww

That's great work, especially for one arm! 8)
Many Stihl Saws-16"-60"
"Go Ask The Other Master Chief"
18-Wheeler Driver

GF

Definitly looks like it gets the job done. I like the idea of the spring on the tongs also.  Thanks for sharing the pics.

GF

T Welsh

logboy, your on your way through the learning process! it takes seat time to get a good feel for what the machine likes and doesnt like. I can see a conveyor in your future. only if you take it to the next level would you need one,like selling as a income. we bought one and let me tell you,its a wonderful thing. Tim


John Mc

I saw a picture on here somewhere where someone had taken an old plastic culvert and split it lengthwise. He used the wood coming out of the splitter to push split wood up the culvert and into his truck.

John Mc
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

logboy

I made a small chute with a plastic bottom, but it doesnt work that great.  I actually have a large elevator someone left on my property from farming.  It can run off a PTO or belt drive (the pulleys are there).  I think it will work I just need to find a motor big enough to run it.  Its a bit too big for where I want to use it though.  I'd like something a hair smaller.

Is that a blockbuster Tim?
I like Lucas Mills and big wood.  www.logboy.com

woodmills1

thats way fatter than my multitek 1610
James Mills,Lovely wife,collect old tools,vacuuming fool,36 bdft/hr,oak paper cutter,ebonic yooper rapper nauga seller, Blue Ox? its not fast, 2 cat family, LT70,edger, 375 bd ft/hr, we like Bob,free heat,no oil 12 years,big splitter, baked stuffed lobster, still cuttin the logs dere IAM

zopi

Logboy...look that elevator over closely...they can usually be shortened without too much trouble...looking for one of those myself...
Got Wood?
LT-15G GO chassis added.
WM sharpener and setter
And lots of junk.

WH_Conley

Those elevators are usually in sections and don't take much of a motor to run them. The belts act like a transmission.
Bill

logboy

I'll look and post a photo when I get back.  I'm in Ohio for the SM shootout till the end of the week.
I like Lucas Mills and big wood.  www.logboy.com

T Welsh

logboy, its a Builtright, with a Zimmerman conveyor. The conveyors are the ticket to any processor you can not move wood with out them. firewood is all about the least amount of times you handle the wood. I love the processor, now I need to get a lounge chair set up with a beverage holder and do some serious work  8). Tim

logboy

 I'm already having "professional" firewood guys around town tell me "you'll never justify the cost of that, you'll have to split 1,000 cord a year!"

Really? Cutting and splitting firewood is more than the cost of a chainsaw and wood splitter. How much are your medical bills?  Yes, those are part of the cost too.  How much is surgery to fuse a vertebrae?  A weekly visit to the chiropractor?  A slipped disk? Pain medication for arthritis from 30 years of running a chainsaw?  An ER visit?  I bought my processor because I have one arm and keep fighting wear and tear on my arm from my prosthetic. After a month of fighting an infection in my arm I came to my senses.  If it wears on my body this much in my 30s, what is it going to feel like in my 50s?  I figure a processor is a lot cheaper than a new body.  A new prosthetic alone is 10k (covered by the VA).  My old man is ready to retire.  He has two worn out rotator cuffs that need surgery.  Been doing firewood by hand his whole life.  No thanks.
I like Lucas Mills and big wood.  www.logboy.com

T Welsh

logboy, very good point, some things are not about being cost effective. they are being kind to your body.when I was younger the nurses told me I will pay for all my injury,s later when I get old. well, they where right.I still have to find a good chair to sit in while throwing levers on the builtrite. I have a great respect for all my equipment ( I remember the days when I did it all by hand) Tim

thecfarm

If I had the money I would have one too. I'm always looking for the easy way to do a job. That's the lazy part of me.  ;D
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

logboy

I split 6 cord with a maul every year until I left for college.  Then the old man bought a wood splitter and a riding lawn mower.
I like Lucas Mills and big wood.  www.logboy.com

T Welsh

Quote from: thecfarm on October 07, 2011, 06:41:45 AM
If I had the money I would have one too. I'm always looking for the easy way to do a job. That's the lazy part of me.  ;D
We found this one this year locally and gave 25k for the processor and the conveyor. we figure it will pay for itself in about 3 years. we mainly purchased it to process our small wood. we sell a lot of 16' log length truck loads.we didnt want to pay for man power to split firewood,so that was the reason behind the purchase. thats the lazy part in me! Tim

Thank You Sponsors!