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Open for opinions (saw dust)

Started by Mt406, February 04, 2014, 11:20:58 AM

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Mt406

I am thinking of using a big yard vac  to pick up saw dust and bagging it.
I rent a small space for my wood lot and mill.
No complains as of yet but when the wind blows its every were.
I am looking at the Agri-Fab with chipper 34 cf hopper.
I can line the hopper with a grain super sack now its bagged.
There is a market here from horse bedding thay are paying 6-7 $ for a 3 cf bag. (planer shavings)

I am open for input Pro or Con

Thanks Scott

beenthere

Sounds like an interesting idea.
What mill do you have?

Where are you located?

What model is the Agri-fab with chipper? (or can you give a link? )

note: Put some info in your profile and it will help with answers or comments on your questions..  ;)
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

drobertson

I am thinking the main difference from what we see on a shelf for animal bedding and what comes from our mills is the moisture content.  It seems that if the product is not used before mold forms a health issue could arise.  david
only have a few chain saws I'm not suppose to use, but will at times, one dog Dolly, pretty good dog, just not sure what for yet,  working on getting the gardening back in order, and kinda thinking on maybe a small bbq bizz,  thinking about it,

Mt406

I Live south west Montana high desert 8- 10 inch rain a year we are really dry so mold I don't think would be a problem But its a good point.
I run a swing blade big chips and curls
the wood I am cutting is 14-20 moisture

reride82

MT406,

I'm guessing you're cutting dead lodgepole that has lost it's needles already, correct? Are you looking at using a grain vac? How do they handle chunks of bark or larger pieces? The one I used 10-15 years ago was prone to plugging with heavy chaff in grain, is why I ask. Otherwise it seems like a good venture. To help with the moisture, Id say leave the bag open but under shed, but I don't see it being an issue with the dead lodgepole. Most of these guys don't understand just how dry it gets after standing dead a few years in this high desert climate. I'm just north of you in Butte, MT.

Levi
'Do it once, do it right'

'First we shape our buildings, then our buildings shape us'
Living life on the Continental Divide in Montana

Mt406

The vac I am looking at is Agri-Fab Mod # 55249
I am cutting mostly DF now and some LP.
If your in the Elk Park area the bugs have  been devastated there.
I am not computer savey so I don't know how to post a link.

reride82

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Agri-Fab-Chip-N-Vac-55249/202638967

Is this the one?

Elk Park is bad, as well as that whole corridor up to Basin, MT. But I do most of my cutting in Blacktail Canyon southeast of Butte just south of Homestake Pass. There is mixed survival up there. Most of  the smaller trees died out and a couple of the giant Lodgepole. The biggest dead one I've cut was 30" DBH, but there are is a grove of Lodgepole that are 18" to 40" that seem to all survived this beetle attack. But I do a fair amount of firewood and cut everything from 4" to 18" for firewood. Just keeping my trails clear keeps me in at least 10 cord of firewood every year. These forests will be impassable in the next 10 years the way these trees are tipping over...  ::)
'Do it once, do it right'

'First we shape our buildings, then our buildings shape us'
Living life on the Continental Divide in Montana

drobertson

Knowing your saw now makes perfect sense, those mills make perfect bedding!  and the chips do dry out much quicker than the band mills.  I use a chain saw to rip out curls,(worms) whatever they are called for our chickens, and they dry out pretty quick too.  Sounds like you have a great plan,   david
only have a few chain saws I'm not suppose to use, but will at times, one dog Dolly, pretty good dog, just not sure what for yet,  working on getting the gardening back in order, and kinda thinking on maybe a small bbq bizz,  thinking about it,

Mt406

Yes that is the right vac, and thanks for the help.

beenthere

That is a pretty fair price to try to recover selling chips and saw dust, or do you have other uses for the Vac?

Or just the convenience of removing the saw dust and chipping the slabs will justify that expense, if you will.

Hope you can put up some pics of your operation. Sounds pretty slick.

And thanks for the location etc. Makes the whole thing fit together much better. ;)
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

justallan1

I'm starting to have the same idea with the yard vac. Any sawdust from my mill I just scatter or throw in my corals, but with the planer the place is a disaster. I was thinking of mounting my shop vac on top of the big round dumpster that I already use, just to save the shoveling time. My only problem with that is space for it in the winter.
The local 4-H is only about 2 miles down the road, so I'm just donating the shavings for bedding. Although I don't get fancy with doing taxes I'm pretty sure it's a tax right-off. Just a thought.

Allan

Mt406

Its is pricey to start.  Trying to weigh it all out.

Cost of vac,+ Hrs of life of unit,+ Fuel and oil, repair + Labor = (?)      Add back any saw shaving  sold.

Or push in a pile and every so often have a truck come in and haul off.  Labor+ Truck = (?)

My plan was to blow into bulk bags I found them online for 6.50 to 10 $. then there at least contained.

reride82

Quote from: Mt406 on February 04, 2014, 03:22:46 PM
Its is pricey to start.  Trying to weigh it all out.

Cost of vac,+ Hrs of life of unit,+ Fuel and oil, repair + Labor = (?)      Add back any saw shaving  sold.

Or push in a pile and every so often have a truck come in and haul off.  Labor+ Truck = (?)

My plan was to blow into bulk bags I found them online for 6.50 to 10 $. then there at least contained.

I think it'd work. Just do your cleanup of the dust at break time, or at the end of the day. And give them a $5 discount if they bring their bags back. Those grain bags are pretty stout if they are the ones I'm thinking of. Is there a dust chute on that mill? If so, is there any chance of hooking a smaller electric dust collector up to the saw and have it pull the dust directly off the mill and blow it directly into the bag. It'll save you time, energy, and possibly money. I picked up a 1 hp(I believe) portable dust collector that would require less maintenance, and if you could figure it out, less work at the end of the day. Just thinking out loud.
'Do it once, do it right'

'First we shape our buildings, then our buildings shape us'
Living life on the Continental Divide in Montana

Ocklawahaboy

I'm waiting on my neighbors to start complaining about the dust.  I mill in my neighborhood of half acre lots.  Just my own logs there so it's a hobby and I don't get in trouble with zoning.   I use a leaf blower to spread the dust on my lawn but when the wind blows toward the neighbors, their cars get dusted.  I like the vac and collector ideas. 

Billbob

There is a big market for sawdust and shavings in the horse world.  Personally I prefer sawdust.  It is more absorbent and it goes further than shavings.  It also decomposes better in the manure pile.  Farms with several or more horses usually buy their bedding in bulk.  Those with 3 or less usually buy bedding in bags.  The price can be a killer.  I have never seen sawdust being sold in bags only shavings.  At least around here.

I do have a suggestion though.  Montana is huge horse country.  Every horse barn has dozens of used grain bags kicking around.  Why not seek out the smaller horse farms and find out if they buy in bulk or in bags.  If they buy in bags work out a deal that the owner supplies you with the bags and you'll supply them with the sawdust.  Several things will be accomplished.  Sawdust getting removed and used, grain bags getting recycled, happy sawyer, happy horse owner, happy horses!
Woodland Hm126 sawmill, LS 72hp tractor with FEL, homemade log winch, 8ft pulp trailer, Husqvarna 50, Husqvarna 353, homemade wood splitter, 12ft dump trailer, Polaris Sportsman 500 with ATV dump trailer

21incher

Just be careful if there is any walnut sawdust mixed in. I have heard walnut dust or chips are bad for horses.
Hudson HFE-21 on a custom trailer, Deere 4100, Kubota BX 2360, Echo CS590 & CS310, home built wood splitter, home built log arch, a logrite cant hook and a bread machine. And a Kubota Sidekick with a Defective Subaru motor.

Billbob

21incher is correct.  Black walnut, butternut and cedar will cause laminitis in horses.  Spruce, pine and tamarack (larch) sawdust is ok.
Woodland Hm126 sawmill, LS 72hp tractor with FEL, homemade log winch, 8ft pulp trailer, Husqvarna 50, Husqvarna 353, homemade wood splitter, 12ft dump trailer, Polaris Sportsman 500 with ATV dump trailer

red oaks lumber

 we supply several large horse operations with shavings and they all agree that b. walnut cannot be used, all other species native to our area are ok to use.
the experts think i do things wrong
over 18 million b.f. processed and 7341 happy customers i disagree

Cedarman

Billbob, it must be western red cedar that causes problems as we sell huge amounts of eastern red cedar sawdust to horse people and they keep coming back for more.
I am in the pink when sawing cedar.

Too Big To Fail

Like RR82 said, couldn't you pick up a shop-type dust collector and hang your sack in place of the lower bag?  I picked up my grizzly for $150.  Seems like it would work great, unless it filled up too fast to be practical.

Ron Wenrich

Being its a small amount of sawing, it might be cheaper to wash the neighbors cars than to buy the vac system.  We always gave away our sawdust that built up in the mill.  We allowed someone to come in and clean up when we weren't sawing, and gave them the dust.  Putting a lot of time into handling waste really puts a crimp on the profit factor. 
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

Mt406

I am renting my lot now and have no power there.
Would sell vac down the road some day when I have my own place.
I guy I am renting from dosent want other people on the place even though I have insurance.
When I move out I will have to clean up as much saw dust as possible.
Its kinda a catch 22, clean up now maybe recoup some investment, or later and pay to hall off.

Thanks for all the input.  specially on what trees not to use for bedding, no hard woods here except in town.

Scott

Billbob

Cedarman - Not sure which species of cedar it may be but I stay away from cedar sawdust all together where it can be a skin irritant for some horses.  Other folks may not experience any problem at all.  But cedar sure makes the barn smell nice!

Bill
Woodland Hm126 sawmill, LS 72hp tractor with FEL, homemade log winch, 8ft pulp trailer, Husqvarna 50, Husqvarna 353, homemade wood splitter, 12ft dump trailer, Polaris Sportsman 500 with ATV dump trailer

tbish

What about make a standing bin out of plywood or something of that nature with a chute at the bottom with sliding door blow the dust in or a drag chain which ever u have simply put the bag under pull the slide fill the bag tie it and sell it its odd I had this very same idea 3days ago that's what I came up with

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