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firewood processor questions

Started by woodrat, July 07, 2017, 06:12:42 PM

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woodrat

I'm at the point on my own home parcel here in SW WA state where my alder thinning needs are surpassing my own personal firewood needs, but I would like to get a little more value out of those logs than just pulp.

I also just bought a 40 acre parcel with my brother in Okanogan County, WA, and it is in dire need of thinning and fire hazard reduction work, and most of what needs to come out of there is too small for commercial sawlogs, too, and a pulp load there ($25/ton delivered, over 80 miles away) will barely pay its own way out of the woods, as near as I can tell with some quick estimating.

Added to that, I'm getting to the age where my back gets sorer, faster than it used to, and stays sore for longer, too!  :-\

So I just recently started looking into splitters, and, of course, that led to looking at processors. I've seen a few that are designed to go on a skid steer loader in place of the bucket, and use the hydraulics of the skid steer to run. But I've never seen any of those units on the front of a compact utility tractor in place of a bucket.

I have a 32 hp Yanmar 4WD tractor and a Wallenstein winch that I use for getting firewood out, and I was wondering if any of those skid steer processors could be used on a tractor, or maybe adapted to one? Does anyone know? Especially for my Okanogan land that is a 10 hour drive away, it would be nice to have a firewood processor that could go on the same trailer load as the tractor.
1996 Woodmizer LT40HD
Yanmar 3220D and MF 253
Wallenstein FX 65 logging winch
Husky 61, 272XP, 372XP, 346XP, 353
Stihl 036, 046 with Lewis Winch
78 Chevy C30 dump truck, 80 Ford F350 4x4
35 ton firewood splitter
Eastonmade 22-28 splitter and conveyor
and ...lots of other junk...

Ivan49

You won't have enough hyd to run one with your tractor. I am guessing you tractor has an 8 to 10 GPM pump

woodrat

8.2 GPM is what my manual says. How much is needed?

Thanks!
Mark
1996 Woodmizer LT40HD
Yanmar 3220D and MF 253
Wallenstein FX 65 logging winch
Husky 61, 272XP, 372XP, 346XP, 353
Stihl 036, 046 with Lewis Winch
78 Chevy C30 dump truck, 80 Ford F350 4x4
35 ton firewood splitter
Eastonmade 22-28 splitter and conveyor
and ...lots of other junk...

Ivan49

You would have to check with the manf specs and another thing to consider is the weight. I almost bet it would max or almost max your loader out with just the wight of the machine alone. They work really well but the ones I have seen were on skidsteers and the machines usually have 15 to 20 GPM flow rates or more

Ivan49

 For what one of the Do a search for WoodBine processor for what they cost you would be better off with a wood processor that is self contained.  You can get one of these no frill for around 6000.00. The skid steer mounted that I saw were in the 20'000 plus range. That is is the one with a saw and splitter combined

Ivan49

CORRECTION firewood processor is Woodland Mills not woodbine

woodrat

I found the specs on the Halverson skid steer model, and it was a 22 gpm pump. Oh, well. It was a nice idea... lol.

thanks!

1996 Woodmizer LT40HD
Yanmar 3220D and MF 253
Wallenstein FX 65 logging winch
Husky 61, 272XP, 372XP, 346XP, 353
Stihl 036, 046 with Lewis Winch
78 Chevy C30 dump truck, 80 Ford F350 4x4
35 ton firewood splitter
Eastonmade 22-28 splitter and conveyor
and ...lots of other junk...

whitepine2

Quote from: woodrat on July 08, 2017, 01:21:38 AM
I found the specs on the Halverson skid steer model, and it was a 22 gpm pump. Oh, well. It was a nice idea... lol.

thanks!
         
    Well you could get a PTO pump that would give enough GPM that may work well for
you just my 2cents.

Ivan49

Quote from: whitepine2 on July 08, 2017, 08:24:47 PM
Quote from: woodrat on July 08, 2017, 01:21:38 AM
I found the specs on the Halverson skid steer model, and it was a 22 gpm pump. Oh, well. It was a nice idea... lol.

thanks!
         
    Well you could get a PTO pump that would give enough GPM that may work well for
you just my 2cents.
He would still need to check the weight on the unit as his loader may not pick it up and then it would not be any use to him

Ivan49

Wt is 1450 lbs I think that would almost max his loader out. Another thing is I have run into on skid steer attachments for mine is many require high flow hyds


DDW_OR

Quote from: woodrat on July 07, 2017, 06:12:42 PM
......I also just bought a 40 acre parcel with my brother in Okanogan County, WA, .............have a 32 hp Yanmar 4WD tractor and a Wallenstein winch .......Okanogan land that is a 10 hour drive away, it would be nice to have a firewood processor that could go on the same trailer load as the tractor.

I like the idea of a stand-a-lone firewood processor.
http://woodlandmills.ca/us/product/woodland-firewood-processor/
under $6,000

add a trailer hitch to your winch then hook the processor to the tractor and drive onto the trailer as one unit.

add pallet forks or grapple to tractor to handle the logs.
this setup will allow the tractor to be free to handle logs

on the Okanogan land are you going to be hauling firewood to customers, or have them come and get it?

another idea is to have an excavator with a processor head.
when log gets too small i would put it and others in a cradle and cut with the chain saw
Naarva      S23c  about $26,000   518 pounds    12 inch logs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cr_ha4JSCJg

"let the machines do the work"

John Mc

I've looked at the woodland mills processor (online - I've never seen one in person). It's a great price, but one thing I don't like about it is that it's not self loading. The Hud-son Wolverine model A loads itself by winching logs up a ramp and into the cutting area, but costs twice as much.

LogRite was selling the Firewoodinator at one point. It was based around a SuperSplit splitter. They stopped making it, but at one point it sounded as though they were considering firing it back up again.
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

DDW_OR

Quote from: John Mc on July 12, 2017, 09:32:30 PM
...... one thing I don't like about it is that it's not self loading......
.......LogRite was selling the Firewoodinator ..... based around a SuperSplit splitter.........
woodland  = not self loading = could be added later by you

Firewoodinator = i like the speed and the concept. thought about changing the hydraulic splitter on my Multitek the flywheel design.

"let the machines do the work"

John Mc

Quote from: DDW_OR on July 12, 2017, 10:39:21 PM
Woodland  Mills = not self loading = could be added later by you

Yeah, but I'd probably never get around to it. I haven't looked closely, but it looks as though it would involve adding a winch and an infeed ramp to their system, then possibly changing the angle of the cutting section to match up with the angle of the log coming off the infeed ramp. The winch would also let me pull logs off of a nearby pile as well as load into the processor. Is there an easier way?

I have a Forestry grapple for my tractor, so I could load it. However, if I were going to do that, I'd want some sort of deck for staging, so I wouldn.t have to stp and load each log individually.
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

Ivan49

I have not seen on up close but I would add a hyd motor and a conveyer chain with paddles then hook into the machine hyd system. I think I could do this in around 4 or 5 hours. This way you don't change anything on the machine. This machine is a very simple machine

North River Energy

QuoteI'm getting to the age where my back gets sorer, faster than it used to, and stays sore for longer, too!
That being the case, you probably don't want to buy a cheaper 'processor' that requires you to reach up and forward for every cut, or to manually push/pull the logs into the saw chamber.

Mechanical parts are cheap compared to worn out limbs and joints, so plan long and look for light-action joysticks and other ways to reduce repetitive physical labor.

Many bargains simply aren't.
Particularly in firewood production.

glassman_48

woodrat,
I am a sponsor in here, (northern michigan firewood products) I sell brute force firewood processors, our smallest model 14-24 now comes with a log deck as an option or you can just use the log lift, this machine is all self contained and joystick operated.  We introduced the machine last year, the frame is built out of the same heavy steel as our diesel machines, it is very well built. It has a 20 h.p. honda electric start engine.  That machine retails for $18,500 and will process 1 to 1.5 pulp cords per hour.  I can also get you in touch with financing companies.  Good luck in your search.

dave_dj1

Glassman, I just watched a vid of the 14-24 and I'm impressed. It seems like a good price point for a good machine.
thanks

Ivan49

Quote from: dave_dj1 on July 17, 2017, 04:06:05 AM
Glassman, I just watched a vid of the 14-24 and I'm impressed. It seems like a good price point for a good machine.
thanks
If you ever get a chance to look at one do so. There are built like a tank and I don't think you could go wrong for the money

glassman_48

davedj1,
We introduced that machine last year, the manufacturer sold a few until they could come up with a price, they settled at the $18,500, when you see the frame next to one of our diesel machines, it is literally the same basic frame.  The joystick operation is the key on that machine, you don't have a pull down arm that you have to pull down by hand each time.  I had one of those years ago, for a younger guy (I am 64 years old) its not that big of a deal, but for me the joystick is the way to go. 

woodrat

Thanks all, for the tips!

The Woodland Mills and Range Road ones, where you pull the handle to bring the bar down, are really the best looking options in my price range. I wish I could afford a $19k processor, but that's just too much of a financial stretch for me. I've been thinking about what part of the firewood process is hardest on my back, and I have to say, it's the bending over with the chainsaw part, actually. So even though the manual bar activation is extra work, at least I would get to stand up straight.

I like my Wallenstein winch, but the processors that they have that are only a little too expensive for me are ones that have you using your own chainsaw to make the cuts, and I think I like the hydraulic powered bar better. Quieter, anyway.

Yeah, on the Okanogan land, I would most likely need to deliver the firewood, because the road up to our land is steep and rough. So I would also be looking for a dump box trailer for that part.

I just got back from the Okanogan land yesterday, and had a chance to look at the forest closer. There is a LOT of firewood there! But it will take quite a bit of work to get it out, and it's mostly going to be pretty small diameter. The land is pretty steep in spots, and the previous skid trails were made by heavy tracked machines, straight up the steep slopes. Not going to work so well for my Yanmar CUT. lol.

My home parcel has a little larger stuff on it, mostly alder, and I can tap into the city market if I deliver, which lets me charge a lot more per cord than selling locally.

Now I need to get my papers in order and go talk to the credit union and see how much money I can have access to... ;-)

1996 Woodmizer LT40HD
Yanmar 3220D and MF 253
Wallenstein FX 65 logging winch
Husky 61, 272XP, 372XP, 346XP, 353
Stihl 036, 046 with Lewis Winch
78 Chevy C30 dump truck, 80 Ford F350 4x4
35 ton firewood splitter
Eastonmade 22-28 splitter and conveyor
and ...lots of other junk...

DDW_OR

Quote from: woodrat on July 27, 2017, 12:34:31 AM
........Now I need to get my papers in order and go talk to the credit union and see how much money I can have access to... ;-)

i used this for the loan for a mower head for the 331 excavator
https://www.agdirect.com/

stick to the Fixed Rate

$9,999 @ 6.15% for 3 years = monthly $305.58
$19,999 @ 4.15% for 3 years = monthly $592.73
"let the machines do the work"

DDW_OR

i like the concept of the pellet maker.
http://range-road.ca/products/pellet-makers/

take the saw dust from the mill and make pellets.

chainsaw chips may require a hammer mill, then the pellet mill.
"let the machines do the work"

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