Woodcracker - Worth an investment?

[Arran Woodfuels]

We have a number of larger trunks that are too big to go through the firewood processor (Hakki Pilke X47), and therefor are looking for ways to split the trunks down into smaller diameters.

 

Does anyone have experience with working with Woodcrakers on 3m length softwood timber?

 

I notice there is a range of AUER ones available, are they any good?

 

[Buzz]

Stevie has those ones we have the Jenz ones.

 

A very very good piece of kit, there is a technique to it that involves having the lengths as short as possible and start cracking at one end.

 

On 3m softwood you'll fly through it.

 

Make sure you get it fitted on a rotator as we have our on an excavator fixed to a quick hitch and it's a royal pain in the arse.

 

I have used the biggest Jenz ones on 5' thick 10' long sections of fresh wet poplar and was impressed. A worthy investment for breaking down oversize for chipping or firewood.

 

PM Stevie - Shreks Wee Brother as he has the ones from Alec Price.

 

I'll go dig out some pics for you. Alternativley if it's for one specific job you could hire us in or get a price off Stevie to jump on a ferry

[Chris Sheppard]

Looks a well made piece of kit - I'm surprised they aren't more popular yet, especially as the nasty rough stuff that used to get forgotten about is now having to get used as firewood now. Do they need much more pressure than if you were just using a normal grab for loading or is it all to do with leverage?

[Buzz]

Pressure is the same as on a standard gran or digger bucket. The just have a hoofing great big ram. They operate slower than you think as well.

 

http://www.jenz.de/product-guide.pl?lang=de&product=Woodcracker

[Buzz]

Oh it's worth pointing out if you are using it with a forestry tractor you just have quick fit fittings on the grab and pick up the cracker with your timber grab thus giving you the rotating facility.

[Arran Woodfuels]

pick up the cracker with your timber grab

 

What a good idea, never thought of that. I just considered bolting the cracker to the rotator, then using it as a grab too (to feed the processor).

 

I know "Shreks Sibling" has one and he has already kindly offered to show me it working.

 

See a small one in action here:

 

http://www.champfleurieestate.co.uk/acatalog/champfleurie.wmv

Edited January 14, 2009 by Arran Woodfuels

[Buzz]

You could do that and indeed i feed the chipper with ours on sometimes. It is far better to see it as a seperate operation thought. Specially when you get a really knarly but stuck on the cracker.

[Stephen Blair]

We have a number of larger trunks that are too big to go through the firewood processor (Hakki Pilke X47), and therefor are looking for ways to split the trunks down into smaller diameters.

 

Does anyone have experience with working with Woodcrakers on 3m length softwood timber?

 

I notice there is a range of AUER ones available, are they any good?

 

 

howdy mate, i spent the day down at pats in maybole messing about with different sizes of wood.

if you imagine a piece of wood quartered, then that is as much as is worth splitting to go thru processor, any more and it takes ages trying to pick up pieces to split.

Even on big trunks trying to get pieces smaller than 10-12 inches is a bit of a nightmare. you end up needing someone standing bits up for you and its too dodgy with grab swinging about. I have seen the idea with the bar on the cracker to pick up with grab, but i dont think it will work that great as you need to wrestle and the piece to break rather than just squeeze.

i am getting a bracket made up just now so it is a single pin to remove like the grab and rotator and i have snap on couplings.

I am also going to make up a hich the same as 8 tonners and jcb.

i dont think it is cost effective for someone to hire the tractor operator and cracker. but i am going to hire out just the cracker on a weekly affordable rate. it is so well built there isnt much chance of it getting wrecked. mine has the extra bars on it so it is impossible to get chunks stuck.

but hopefully we can meet up next week for a play and a chat. cheers stevie.

Edited January 14, 2009 by Stephen Blair

[Arran Woodfuels]

a weekly affordable rate

 

That's the kind of language I like....

 

We will be over to see you on Sat 24th, I'll phone before then to make arrangements.

 

Angus

[Buzz]

That is what I would do Angus. Stock pile the oversize and hire it off Stevie