cheap fire wood set up?

[Martin Jenkins]

Very true, i try to log everything on site now, it means you only move it once. Go for a pto vertical type, they are by far the eaiest to operate and they're not that deer, mine was £1500 and easily paid for itself in about 4 months.

 

That would be lovely for me - but as it is only my own place for which I'm logging, I couldn't justify that to my wife - she'd rather have a new cooker... I will keep my eyes open for local farm auctions though with log splitters. What is the cheapest I'm likely to be able to get one for?

 

I had only just come to that same conclusion though, even for myself; what I was doing was petrol chainsaw cutting to fit linkbox on old tractor, taking back to garage area, leaving until I had time, then cross cutting using an electric chainsaw. I can rarely get the tractor close enough to the fallen trees though - the place is very hilly and quite boggy in places.

 

I just this weekend cleared nearly all of the four foot timber lying in my yard, which had a tarp over the top of it, and the stuff in the middle had gone a bit mouldy at its ends.

 

I've now made a four foot wide by four foot high by eight foot long pile of logs, with pallets underneath, sheep netting on the sides, and a plastic rain cover; there are basically three stacks of logs in there, one at the back, then one in the middle and one at the front; hopefully the middle stack won't go mouldy.

[renewablejohn]

While your at the farm auctions old IBC's that leak which nobody else wants make ideal log boxes especially if in the metal pallet frames. just cut the top off with a jigsaw and drill some holes in the bottom

[_tc]

While your at the farm auctions old IBC's that leak which nobody else wants make ideal log boxes especially if in the metal pallet frames. just cut the top off with a jigsaw and drill some holes in the bottom

 

Whats an IBC? Im off to a farm auction on saturday so best get the lingo sorted first. oh ahh!!

[Peter]

Its a big plastic box in a cage on a pallet, used to transport liquids.

[Tom D]

Martin, my dad imports farm machinery and it just so happens that one of the companies he buys from has bought another company that makes splitters. there are pto ones and an 8 ton electric which look good on paper. It all depends on how fast the down / up stroke is, I'll be finding out soon as i am thinking of getting one to hire out to all those customers who opt to keep the timber. I'll keep you posted as i'll be able to get a good price.

 

Its worth noting that appart from the logs that i sold last year i also burned a lot at home, before installing the rayburn and stove we were spending about £1200 a year on LPG, now thats about £200 so the splitter is'nt that dear even for home use.

[_tc]

Its a big plastic box in a cage on a pallet, used to transport liquids.

 

Oh yeah i think i know what you mean. thanks.

Ed.

[muldonach]

... I will keep my eyes open for local farm auctions though with log splitters. What is the cheapest I'm likely to be able to get one for?

 

 

I've only seen a couple at auction and they made 2-300 both iin good condition and a good size. There is a guy on e-bay flogging them at that price.

 

If you have the kit and know how or know someone who does, it is not difficult to get a used ram and spool valve and make one up - probably the cheapest way.

 

as`others have said although a little daunting in price they do pay for themselves relatively quickly

 

Cheers

mac

[stoxs]

I have built my own splitter, i used a piece of RSJ about 6inchs deep then fabricated a runner that slid on one side of RSJ with a flat push plate on that. Took and old Axe head and welded to a flat plate and bolted it to the rsj. join the flat plate to a 1inch diamater ram then a spool block and away you go.

 

Another handy thing we found was you could pinch log size cord in the splitter and cut them up with a chainsaw always held tight.

[Dean Lofthouse]

Another handy thing we found was you could pinch log size cord in the splitter and cut them up with a chainsaw always held tight.

 

Good tip mate, never thought of that one

[stoxs]

Good tip mate, never thought of that one

 

 

It is surprising what you can hold tight! 6 inch rounds no problem with our one .

 

if you try below 3 inch logs you don`t need the saw just shear them off!!

 

they do fly a bit so be warned