Help me decide if a processor is worth the cost.

[chrissheerman]

I know this really boils down to what i'm willing to spend but ive been one this forum for a while cruising around trying to learn and find out what the industry is doing.
In the past year me and my father have acquired 47 acres I have a bandsaw mill already and thats working out great for building my own stuff. Now we are both heating our homes ( new homes to us im building mine this summer ) with firewood gonna guess we will be using about 10-12 cord a year. I know cutting firewood each year is hard on the body and I also woundn't mind making investments to make extra income during the year. I plan to cut wood from our land at least this year but after that I dont want to thin it out allot so I will have to buy logs. So what i'm trying to decide is if its worth the money to buy a brute force or built rite or block buster processor to do our wood and also sell some wood. We live in midwest section of new hampshire. Dont really know i'm going to the northeast logger expo this weekend in essex vt to check out these rigs but still cant decide if its worth investing 20-25k for a processor. Anyways I know all of you have tons of knowledge and just figured some of you could give me some ideas or advice.

I also have a 2007 john deere 110 setup with log grapple and fransguard v4000 winch and a nice new stihl 441cm saw.

Thanks for any info

[hedgerow]

I will looking forward to see which direction you will be going. I have the same issues. I burn 10 to 15 cords of firewood a year. I get my wood from a farm we are cleaning up. Most of what I save for firewood is hedge and locust. My labor force keeps getting smaller and I keep getting older. I looked around on the net for a used processor that would do bigger wood and wouldn't break the bank. Any thing  I found was 900 to 1000  miles away and was on no trailer or one that wouldn't make the trip. Good luck with your journey. You at least live in a area were more firewood equipment is available.

[Gearbox]

If you have the wood the numbers may work . If you have to pay for the wood {guess here $ 90 a cord ] and can do a cord in a hour . Then load and deliver at least another hour . You see where I am going Getting 200 a cord and making 55 dollars an hour  . Now buy fuel and fuel for the delivery . It can be done just laying out a few facts .

[lopet]

Doesn't make sense to me for 10-12 cord. You can make a profit when you don't have to buy the raw material, but you're saying you only wanna cut for one year.  Once you have to buy the logs the profit is gone at least in my area.   Good luck with your decision.

[North River Energy]

Cost is relative. :D  If you're at all handy with repair and fabrication of machinery, I'd peruse Craigslist for something good and used.  For instance, there's currently a nice 'Brute' (built in VT, predecessor to the Built-Rite/Timberwolf) available in your price range, either with or without a nice Prentice loader.
Would be very hard to justify a new machine unless I had assurance of a large quantity of wood for cheap for many years.
The processor is the easiest thing on which to fixate, but it's only one of many links in the production chain. Plan carefully.

[svart ole]

In Northern MN I have seen figures saying you can figure 0.5 to 1 cord of firewood a year per acre from a managed woodlot. That will be effected by how much additional harvesting you do for saw timber in a year. On the face of it if all the stars where in alignment the theory would be 47 acres MAY perpetually supply you with your firewood needs. How much you can market long term and still produce you own firewood is a whole other question.

As others have said if you have to buy wood and have it trucked in and process it on your site or move your operation to the woods miles away adds to your overhead costs. Running a processor to block up and split wood with is just one cog in the wheel. You have to move the wood to and feed the processor and take the finished product away from it all while maintaining a targeted level of production.  If all you want to do is cut wood for your own needs how far you go with processing technology is going to be driven by your physical ability and or how much money you have to spend. Doing it as a way to make money takes more hours and dollars out of pocket every day you operate so you have to produce product. In the end it all needs to pencil out or you have to think of it as the cost of a physical fitness program.

[Gearbox]

That is why we are in such good shape and broke .

[DeerMeadowFarm]

Dont really know i'm going to the northeast logger expo this weekend in essex vt to check out these rigs but still cant decide if its worth investing 20-25k for a processor.

For me, if I was thinking of buying a large piece of equipment, new or used but especially new, going to a show like this where you can see and try them out for yourself is a no-brainer. I bought my winch at the show 2 years ago. With all the brands together in one place, you can really compare the differences and benefits easier than anyway else.

My BIL and I want to buy a band mill. We were able to try out all the brands at the show last year, we just weren't ready to pull the trigger. This year, we will be looking at them again and hopefully decide what we want.

You probably wouldn't buy a pick-up without shopping around and wanting to try them out....

Just my $.02

[chrissheerman]

If you have the wood the numbers may work . If you have to pay for the wood {guess here $ 90 a cord ] and can do a cord in a hour . Then load and deliver at least another hour . You see where I am going Getting 200 a cord and making 55 dollars an hour  . Now buy fuel and fuel for the delivery . It can be done just laying out a few facts .

Yeah gear box your numbers are a hair lower than the ones ive been running but its good to hear that my numbers seem to be close to reality. Thanks

[chrissheerman]

Dont really know i'm going to the northeast logger expo this weekend in essex vt to check out these rigs but still cant decide if its worth investing 20-25k for a processor.

For me, if I was thinking of buying a large piece of equipment, new or used but especially new, going to a show like this where you can see and try them out for yourself is a no-brainer. I bought my winch at the show 2 years ago. With all the brands together in one place, you can really compare the differences and benefits easier than anyway else.

My BIL and I want to buy a band mill. We were able to try out all the brands at the show last year, we just weren't ready to pull the trigger. This year, we will be looking at them again and hopefully decide what we want.

You probably wouldn't buy a pick-up without shopping around and wanting to try them out....

Just my $.02

Yes you are totally correct going to the show in essex vt is great for see all the different designs in person. What ive been doing is finding brands then doing forum and you tube research to try and spot functions I like on one model compared to another.

[chrissheerman]

Cost is relative. :D  If you're at all handy with repair and fabrication of machinery, I'd peruse Craigslist for something good and used.  For instance, there's currently a nice 'Brute' (built in VT, predecessor to the Built-Rite/Timberwolf) available in your price range, either with or without a nice Prentice loader.
Would be very hard to justify a new machine unless I had assurance of a large quantity of wood for cheap for many years.
The processor is the easiest thing on which to fixate, but it's only one of many links in the production chain. Plan carefully.

Well I built my first car instead of buying one from the ages of 13 to 16. (1960 land rover) Ive also done plenty of work on machines and autos. The other perk is i'm a machinist so I can pretty much make any part I could need which is what ive been doing with my bandsaw mill which is a 1990 mighty mite works good but its such a old design I end up making new parts instead of ordering them. I get what your saying but my list of projects is so long right now i get frustrated fixing the machine thats saposed to save money and time as much as I run it. lol

[glassman_48]

Chrissheerman,
In northern lower Michigan where I live, we have agencies that help low income people out with their heating bills. Years ago when I got my first processor, I would get several orders a week for firewood through those agencies, usually 2 pulp cords per order.  Another option that is worth considering is mobile firewood processing.  The guys around here get 4 to 500 dollars to go to someones home and cut up 10 pulp cords if the customer has a machine to load the log deck.  If you have to take your own machine to load the deck and another helper, you charge more accordingly.  Many times the firewood comes out cheaper than they can purchase it from a firewood guy that has to deliver it.  Then there are firewood bundles, we have many families that let their son/daughter help bundle wood through the winter and spring, then sell to service stations or campgrounds.  The young people learn a lot of responsibility, they will often go and try to sell their bundles to the gas stations or campgrounds, then make sure they have enough dry wood on hand and have to keep up with the demand. 

[GRANITEstateMP]

Chrisssheerman,  I've got a little processor which I bought used and bought right.  As others have said you really need to figure out your cost(s) first.  I pay anywhere from $90-$150 a cord now (over the last year).  Generally I'm about $130, for "processor" type wood.  I was selling that wood green last year between $215-$235 a cord, all deliveries were within 25 minutes.  My machine in 3pt hitch mounted so it's no monster, that being said, in ideal wood we've done cords right about 1/2 hour a piece (22in long sticks).  I've also had plenty of cords that took 1 1/2 hours too.  As North River Energy said, the processor is just one piece.  You need something to load the brow, a truck & trailer or dump to deliver, support equipment, saws, help...  The profit margin isn't huge to begin with and when you buy something big new it's real tough.  That being said I love having my little processor, heck, it might even pay itself (and me) back this year, maybe...

[North River Energy]

Consider that if you found an older machine from reputable builder, most of the shiny has long worn off, and any breakage or weak design points have either been addressed, or are readily apparent.

Processors aren't all that complicated, but they take plenty of abuse.

From log to split, you're essentially operating a 'wooden hammer' factory.

Given a similar background in repair/build, I'd rather be producing than wrenching.
On the other hand, lack of overhead is golden.

[OH logger]

time, money, knowledge, ambition, ingenuity, raw material source, customer base, etc., etc are the only things that can hold you back  ;D. all jokes aside I sell wood and its not great money but it is some money. sources for NICE pole size logs and customers for the end product are prolly more important than the processor. maybe hire a mobile wood processor for a spell and test the waters on the cheap side

[chrissheerman]

Thanks everyone for the advice and info.
All the input is great help.
8)

[Gearbox]

Chris you could build one like Ted and I did . The B T 6870 didn't cost all that much to build and the video shows it works quite well . Find a old trailer buy a few hundred dollars worth of iron and a beam .Do like I did and just start welding .

[svart ole]

Chris,

Here is the link to what Gearbox is talking about. Not a lot of money in it and takes the hard work out of it. It will give you some ideas if you look at the photos and videos. There is a lot to be said for using a lower level of technology. KISS

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,89972.0.html

[lopet]

Nothing wrong with what you guys did and hats off to you.  But to me it's like asking for trouble if you have mortgage and truck payments and maybe a wife and kids and spend every night or weekend  in the garage or shop. Maybe that's just me.
And btw I am a strong believer in the KISS technology.