Ideal first firewood setup.

[difflock]

That does sound like a sensible system.

[Woodworks]

I wouldn't bother with a petrol splitter as they are not quick enough. I have a Hakki Pilliki 1x37 processor that does up to 14" and the I have a hydraulic splitter that runs of the tractor hydraulics. I have the splitter free standing but piped into the tractor and the processor on the rear links. They will run together without having to take either off. After many years I have found this is the best way do me to run. I do about 200-300 tonne per year.

 

 

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Nice idea. Not thought of that one

[Hodge]

That does sound like a sensible system.

 

Thanks, its taken a lot of trial and error to get there. A petrol splitter is ok but once you have used a decent hydraulic splitter powered by a tractor you will see the difference, the petrol will have a cycle time of maybe 17 seconds where the tractor splitter is nearer 10 I would guess.

 

 

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[AHPP]

Mixed sizes will slow down a processor so sort it (I'm assuming you have a crane, grab, loader of some kind).

 

Consistent stuff of the correct size onto a rack/table to feed a processor. Run the sorting and processor yourself so kit is looked after and used safely.

 

Smaller stuff onto a rack/table to feed a sawbench. Run yourself for aforementioned reasons. Sawbench produces rounds. Get a couple of donks to do those with axes (one loader, one axeman, several blocks with tyres - swap roles every 15 minutes to keep them fresh and competitive). They only need steel toecaps and minimal training. Get a friend to do a mock shift with you to establish projected donk productivity (PDP - well known TLA at the likes of the LSE) then set a piece rate. Only have them at it for short periods (couple of hours). If they get tired and slow down, they'll make less money and you'll make less finished product.

 

Big wood, save it up and hire bigger kit every so often.

 

 

Clever money goes on conveyors, elevators, etc I think.

[Johny Walker]

i have a wp30,pto/petrol engine ,best of both worlds imo, can cut,bag & stck ,did £1200 woth of logs on less than 2,gallons of petrol,

[Woodworks]

Thanks Johny

 

I have only just started looking seriously at the Farmi again. Went to the APF and they had a nightmare with it in a demo so have not looked since. But just had read back through old posts about the Farmi and it looks like there are quite a few happy owners out there. Is it lightly built? Just looking at the comparative weight of it to other similar machines and it is a good 100kg lighter. Just wonder if it is under built or just a neat simple design.

[Johny Walker]

Thanks Johny

 

I have only just started looking seriously at the Farmi again. Went to the APF and they had a nightmare with it in a demo so have not looked since. But just had read back through old posts about the Farmi and it looks like there are quite a few happy owners out there. Is it lightly built? Just looking at the comparative weight of it to other similar machines and it is a good 100kg lighter. Just wonder if it is under built or just a neat simple design.

 

its very basic design,but no more flimly than my mates palax,& lot easyer to ajust the chain than a palax, & you can ajust the work hight on ,& makes a cracking stan alone splitter,it will take a 18" ring in the splitting chamber, are you going to be using it your self or have staff using it ???.

[Woodworks]

Probably just me but brother showing interest in this venture.

[Graham w]

just finished building this prototype. running off a jcb it takes two folks to use, one working the digger(revs and hydraulics) and another loading.

 

it weighs one and a half tons and pushes three rounds through at a time up to 24inch in diameter. it needed lots of adjustments to stop jamming and now its working.

 

produced 40m3 in a morning without any problems and a cube in 3-4mins

 

build cost was under £200 +time.

 

it wont split a knotted 24inch round but will eat 14inch no matter how ugly.

 

 

 

 

starting to build a monster with a 250hp cummins and 85-100 tons of splitting force, to take six or seven 30inch rounds at once. already sourced the engine, rams, pump, hydraulic saw, spool bank, steel beams, cutting edge,oil cooler and elevator for under a grand. cannot wait to see the tonnage processed in a day.

 

get a lad to build one for pennies. 10k will get you an awesome machine

[Woodworks]

So if I get a Farmi 30 or 36 to process the smaller stuff what sort of splitter would be most effective to brake down the bigger stuff so it can go through the processor?

 

I was sold on the Thor magik 13 but wondering if this is going to struggle at times. Here good thing about the Posch hydro 20 and then there are the Balfors from Riko. I like the way you can stabilise the log with the Thor but don't know how you do do this with the other two.