Branch logger on brash

[david lawrence]

I’ve put whole willow thru mine

and there was too much small stuff that didn’t really get cut up well and formed a loose tangly birds nest

if there is two of you on the machine perhaps you could divert the small stuff as it starts to come thru into a waste pile/ sack??

[Welsh cleaning services]

You can physically hold back the spindlier bushy ends and discard to save getting too much small stuff in the finished product

[spandit]

On 08/10/2024 at 21:27, Welsh cleaning services said:

You can physically hold back the spindlier bushy ends and discard to save getting too much small stuff in the finished product

 

I want to get rid of the bushy stuff, though. Think I'll have to do batches

[spandit]

OK, it arrived and here's a very brief review:

TL:DR - I like it

 

It arrived on a pallet, wrapped in black plastic. After taking the plastic off, it was apparent the machine was in component parts but everything well strapped down onto a small pallet. There were no instructions at all and the user manual doesn't contain assembly information but it's reasonably simple to put together.

 

Essentially, there is the main cutter unit, with a PTO shaft one side (and the gears) and another shaft the other side, for a flywheel.

 

All the metal is a heavy gauge and it seems well made. I'm not overly keen on the lack of spring washers or Nylocs on many of the fasteners, but we'll see how it fairs.

 

The flywheel was a bastard to fit. Fortunately, I have a tractor with a loader and winch hoist so I could lift the cutter unit up and also turn the machine onto its side to install the flywheel. Took me a couple of attempts to get it in place but I'm a little concerned that there is no central fixing bolt. It's on tight, though, and contained in a metal box. I'm sure if it works free, the noise will be horrendous.

 

Anyway. Got it assembled and attached to the tractor. PTO shaft was too long, which was a nuisance, but after a few minutes with the angle grinder, I got it all on. One complaint I'd seen in a YouTube video was that it is supposed to be greased every time you use it but that meant taking a whole panel off. They've now installed a grease nipple. I applied a liberal coating to the gears before fitting the panel, though.

 

Tried it first with some fairly thick (80mm+) branches, of birch, willow, oak and pine. It chomped through the lot with frightening efficiency. The logs are about the size of a drinks can. That was cut directly into a builder's bag.

 

Next, I put through some thinner, but dry willow. Again, no problem, and I now have a good supply of BBQ fuel.

 

I then fitted the bag holder and attached a net bag. Put some pallet bits through - didn't bother it, although they got a bit snagged on the bag. The unit sits fairly low to the ground so the bags can't fill very well but if I mush them up around the spout it might be better. The dry willow filled the bags with little issue.

 

I've noticed that once the outlet chute is blocked, the arisings just drop out of the bottom.

 

Next I tried it on a pile of pretty damp willow brash that's been lying in a pile for weeks. This blocked the chute quite a lot and I just let it all fall to the ground - should rot down fairly quickly. If I'd used a builder's bag, it would make for a very neat job. I'd imagine that bagged up and left to dry, it would make reasonable kindling.

 

I'll post pictures tomorrow when I have more time. Planning on putting some fresh cut willow through it tomorrow and maybe some tile battens that are full of nails

 

All in all, it's processed a load of smallish wood far quicker than I could with a chainsaw and has the convenience of going straight into a bag if required.

Edited October 18 by spandit
Added info

[monkeybusiness]

41 minutes ago, spandit said:

OK, it arrived and here's a very brief review:

TL:DR - I like it

 

It arrived on a pallet, wrapped in black plastic. After taking the plastic off, it was apparent the machine was in component parts but everything well strapped down onto a small pallet. There were no instructions at all and the user manual doesn't contain assembly information but it's reasonably simple to put together.

 

Essentially, there is the main cutter unit, with a PTO shaft one side (and the gears) and another shaft the other side, for a flywheel.

 

All the metal is a heavy gauge and it seems well made. I'm not overly keen on the lack of spring washers or Nylocs on many of the fasteners, but we'll see how it fairs.

 

The flywheel was a bastard to fit. Fortunately, I have a tractor with a loader and winch hoist so I could lift the cutter unit up and also turn the machine onto its side to install the flywheel. Took me a couple of attempts to get it in place but I'm a little concerned that there is no central fixing bolt. It's on tight, though, and contained in a metal box. I'm sure if it works free, the noise will be horrendous.

 

Anyway. Got it assembled and attached to the tractor. PTO shaft was too long, which was a nuisance, but after a few minutes with the angle grinder, I got it all on. One complaint I'd seen in a YouTube video was that it is supposed to be greased every time you use it but that meant taking a whole panel off. They've now installed a grease nipple. I applied a liberal coating to the gears before fitting the panel, though.

 

Tried it first with some fairly thick (80mm+) branches, of birch, willow, oak and pine. It chomped through the lot with frightening efficiency. The logs are about the size of a drinks can. That was cut directly into a builder's bag.

 

Next, I put through some thinner, but dry willow. Again, no problem, and I now have a good supply of BBQ fuel.

 

I then fitted the bag holder and attached a net bag. Put some pallet bits through - didn't bother it, although they got a bit snagged on the bag. The unit sits fairly low to the ground so the bags can't fill very well but if I mush them up around the spout it might be better. The dry willow filled the bags with little issue.

 

I've noticed that once the outlet chute is blocked, the arisings just drop out of the bottom.

 

Next I tried it on a pile of pretty damp willow brash that's been lying in a pile for weeks. This blocked the chute quite a lot and I just let it all fall to the ground - should rot down fairly quickly. If I'd used a builder's bag, it would make for a very neat job. I'd imagine that bagged up and left to dry, it would make reasonable kindling.

 

I'll post pictures tomorrow when I have more time. Planning on putting some fresh cut willow through it tomorrow and maybe some tile battens that are full of nails

 

All in all, it's processed a load of smallish wood far quicker than I could with a chainsaw and has the convenience of going straight into a bag if required.

Why would you put anything with nails through it, surely you’ll just damage the blades?

[spandit]

On 18/10/2024 at 18:56, monkeybusiness said:

Why would you put anything with nails through it, surely you’ll just damage the blades?

Yeah, fair point. I shall refrain from doing that and use the chop saw

[PeteB]

On 18/10/2024 at 18:14, spandit said:

OK, it arrived and here's a very brief review:

TL:DR - I like it

 

It arrived on a pallet, wrapped in black plastic. After taking the plastic off, it was apparent the machine was in component parts but everything well strapped down onto a small pallet. There were no instructions at all and the user manual doesn't contain assembly information but it's reasonably simple to put together.

 

Essentially, there is the main cutter unit, with a PTO shaft one side (and the gears) and another shaft the other side, for a flywheel.

 

All the metal is a heavy gauge and it seems well made. I'm not overly keen on the lack of spring washers or Nylocs on many of the fasteners, but we'll see how it fairs.

 

The flywheel was a bastard to fit. Fortunately, I have a tractor with a loader and winch hoist so I could lift the cutter unit up and also turn the machine onto its side to install the flywheel. Took me a couple of attempts to get it in place but I'm a little concerned that there is no central fixing bolt. It's on tight, though, and contained in a metal box. I'm sure if it works free, the noise will be horrendous.

 

Anyway. Got it assembled and attached to the tractor. PTO shaft was too long, which was a nuisance, but after a few minutes with the angle grinder, I got it all on. One complaint I'd seen in a YouTube video was that it is supposed to be greased every time you use it but that meant taking a whole panel off. They've now installed a grease nipple. I applied a liberal coating to the gears before fitting the panel, though.

 

Tried it first with some fairly thick (80mm+) branches, of birch, willow, oak and pine. It chomped through the lot with frightening efficiency. The logs are about the size of a drinks can. That was cut directly into a builder's bag.

 

Next, I put through some thinner, but dry willow. Again, no problem, and I now have a good supply of BBQ fuel.

 

I then fitted the bag holder and attached a net bag. Put some pallet bits through - didn't bother it, although they got a bit snagged on the bag. The unit sits fairly low to the ground so the bags can't fill very well but if I mush them up around the spout it might be better. The dry willow filled the bags with little issue.

 

I've noticed that once the outlet chute is blocked, the arisings just drop out of the bottom.

 

Next I tried it on a pile of pretty damp willow brash that's been lying in a pile for weeks. This blocked the chute quite a lot and I just let it all fall to the ground - should rot down fairly quickly. If I'd used a builder's bag, it would make for a very neat job. I'd imagine that bagged up and left to dry, it would make reasonable kindling.

 

I'll post pictures tomorrow when I have more time. Planning on putting some fresh cut willow through it tomorrow and maybe some tile battens that are full of nails

 

All in all, it's processed a load of smallish wood far quicker than I could with a chainsaw and has the convenience of going straight into a bag if required.

Gotta say this doesn't sound like a  branch logger but some sort of chipper if it has a flywheel? Im not sure about the self assembly bit either? If it fails  how much warranty have you got? How would you return it? With no instructions,  how do you know if it is right?

[spandit]

2 hours ago, PeteB said:

Gotta say this doesn't sound like a  branch logger but some sort of chipper if it has a flywheel? Im not sure about the self assembly bit either? If it fails  how much warranty have you got? How would you return it? With no instructions,  how do you know if it is right?

 

It's a branch logger with a flywheel. A branch logger is the same as a chipper anyway, just produces larger chips.

 

I take your point about warranty etc. - I bought it on a credit card so have some comeback and the business is UK based, although the owner is probably Polish.

[PeteB]

7 hours ago, spandit said:

 

It's a branch logger with a flywheel. A branch logger is the same as a chipper anyway, just produces larger chips.

 

I take your point about warranty etc. - I bought it on a credit card so have some comeback and the business is UK based, although the owner is probably Polish.

I'm intrigued, have you a link? I like the idea of the branch logger as a way of potentially using the waste as a fuel. If you say, a bale burner boiler and the space to store the produce as it drys, just open the door and shovel the load in! But the units I have seen do not have a rotor at all.

 

I get what you say about credit card refund. I did it with a used car which had faults, I did loose money but I got the purchase price back and the satisfaction faction was immense!

[Stere]

I think theese are the 3 main brands plus the chinese ones

 

 

I guess he has a polish Remet?