Logs or billets?

[Cosmiccrofter]

The only benefit of billets that I can see is that the billets are easier to stack and store. Otherwise there is too much double handling for me.

 

Block, split into crate, stack crate with tractor/loader. Job done.

[nepia]

Some of us don't have crates, tractors etc! The double/triple etc handling happens when we chop 'em small in the first instance. For me minimum handling comes from stacking as large lumps as I can, then cutting to order at delivery time.

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

then cutting to order at delivery time.

 

Bang on. Used to ring and split and store. Come the end of winter my back was in tatters with all the loading by hand.

 

For my health as well as production it was time to season in the stack and get a processor. Done.

[Woodworks]

Some of us don't have crates, tractors etc! The double/triple etc handling happens when we chop 'em small in the first instance. For me minimum handling comes from stacking as large lumps as I can, then cutting to order at delivery time.

 

Fair point only how do you power your billet splitter?

 

I am going to do some billets. I sell various lengths so if we sell out of one length dried billets can be used to make any shortfalls.

[nepia]

Fair point only how do you power your billet splitter?

 

 

Tea, cooked breakfast, more tea, biccies...

[gensetsteve]

Tea, cooked breakfast, more tea, biccies...

 

Same here but with cooked breakfast I am not emmission compliant.

[nepia]

Same here but with cooked breakfast I am not emmission compliant.

 

 

Lol. The turbo boost helps though.

[Woodworks]

Having had the opportunity to do both logs and billets this summer I thought I would give my ten pence worth.

 

If speed is of the essence get a processor. Working on my own or with a little help can happily do 2m3 an hour taking the wood as it comes. With two of us working quite hard could only do about the same in billets per hour. That's cutting to length and stacking on a pallet and this still needs cutting to length when the orders come in.

 

The upside to billets is it gives flexibility for log length at the end of the season. Could probably do more than 2m3 per hour with more pairs of hand as a lot of the time is cutting to length and stacking after splitting.

[difflock]

Due to a bad case of lazitisanddrinkingGuinessandeatingHagendazallsummer

I have not made much progress with the billet bundles.

However my 0.5m3 bundles at 1.0m long stack well and will be easier to secure covers over, I actually sold 2 today, and was surprised how dry the lower ones were, despite being uncovered during our very wet weather recently.

The 0.5m3 bundle is also man-handlable, especially with a second person.

It is so much easier to get the strapping tight enough round the 0.5m3 bundle, to keep them in shape (compared to my first attempt at 1.0m3 bundles)

And quite practical to roll/manhandle onto and off pallet toes into the back of a Transit Van, even on ones own.

On the other hand I can quickly fill a trailer with "cut to length" logs to suit individual customer preferences, in multiples of 0.5m3

I am thinking of mounting my forklift on a one tonne hi tip dumper chassis, then being able to move the outdoor seasoned bundles under cover in the shed for the winter, and simply cut to length as required.

cheers

marcus

[Woodworks]

Due to a bad case of lazitisanddrinkingGuinessandeatingHagendazallsummer

 

Sounds like a good summer