Making chip for woodchip boiler

[arbmark]

Wow, 20 acres of mixed mature woodland, would love to have that. As previously said getting rid of the smaller stuff for fuel and leaving the big hardwoods for timber (or just leaving them) would be a better idea. Maybe look at getting a few books on woodland management, or get someone to come and look/manage the estate. That way in the long run you will maximize what you do have. Best of luck.

 

totally disagree with that. i'd fell boring healthy mature trees and leave the ropey & biodiverse ones for habitat. Leave plenty of young growth to replace what you take.....that would be the long run.

woodland management is a terrible excuse to tell yourself you are doing good when all you want to do is go choppy and plunder....utter b+++++++.

 

still, the OP is going to have a massive effect on the woodland felling, chipping, extracting. It'll make a right mess.

[difflock]

"Benign Neglect" is the absolute best managment for nature.

i.e.

leave it the F*** alone.

Nature will then sort itself out, according to the site and climate/weather conditions prevailing.

[Woodworks]

I am not sure but I don't think 20 acres of woodland is enough to keep your boilers running in the long term. A quick google suggests 4 ton per acre per year but this is wet weight so probably nearer 2.5 ton when dry. So you would need nearer 30 acres for it to be sustainable.

 

I don't know your set up is but 250000 kWh per year to heat a home/homes seems a lot!

 

Here is different tack.

No idea what all the investment in boilers, plumbing, accumulator tanks and wood processing equipment going to cost but might well be getting up near 100k this could buy a heluva lot of insulation massively reducing your oil bill and add a couple of woodburners for using any fallen wood.

[old hand]

To go back to the origional question. The best time to fell your trees is in winter /early spring. Stack them to season naturally and for the quantity involved bring in a chipping contractor to produce the chips for your boiler.

[difflock]

Thanks, Woodworks,

that better expresses what I was getting at.

m

[gdh]

My opinion and accurate as far as I know.

Whatever you do, make sure that woodchip is dry. Fresh chip from hedges etc won't work (that's usually way over the 20-25% recommended range).

Soft wood will dry faster than hardwood.

Also most boilers have a maximum chip diameter like 50x50mm so you need to get the right sort of chipper. For example a heizohack that has a built in 'sieve' to stop the big chip going through or if you don't mind the work you can get an old grain grader or similar to sort it after.

For 80 tons a year it's probably best to hire someone in with a big chipper (although you should make sure that the timber is stacked ready for them so you get value for money).

I personally would sell the bigger timber and just put bent and small stuff through a chipper then buy in cheap softwood to make up the difference.

 

If you're looking at buying I think a 12 inch chipper will cost around £25,000 new depending on brand and need 100hp+ to power it. Unless you're chipping in small amounts I would also suggest a skidsteer/loader or a log trailer and crane for shifting timber to save your back on the big stuff.

 

Hope some of that is vaguely useful.

 

Edit: If you haven't already looked at RHI (renewable heat incentive), it might be a good way to earn some money back. Evoworld boilers might be worth a look to.

Edited November 5, 2013 by gdh

[Robert McTurk]

Hi newbie here (usual excuses apply)

 

I've 20 acres of wild overgrown woodland that has hasn't been touched for probably 50 years or longer.

 

I'm about to buy a couple of woodchip boilers (Austrian Eta 130kw and a 45kw) and will be needing 80tons/240 cu of chip per year.

 

I've no idea about any if the variety of trees that I have or even if it's hard or softwood but there are some big trees. Some will be 50ft height and 2ft across.

 

I'm looking for advice on the best time of year to fell, expected drying rates, (I'm looking for 30% moisture).

 

Then once felled, maybe an acre every other year which would be the best variety to replant purely focusing on yield returned suitable for woodchip boilers.

 

Any tips or info would be really appreciated. I've already learnt a huge amount from this great forum.

 

The easiest and cheapest would be to buy in windblown timber which might cost£30~£40 delivered then get a chipper in if you need 80ton then that should be about a days work for a decent sized chipper

[Pierre_robbo]

Thanks all, some very varied feedback.

 

i guess ultimately what is most important is controlling the quality of the woodchip and fuel security (i.e prices and delivery) are key for me. Wet chip and foreign objects are what i am looking to avoid to ensure my boiler lasts 30 years.

 

So having read your feedback i think

 

August - kill Trees in while stood up, Can anyone recommend a gylcophate/Round applicator gun that i can use to inject roundup into trees rather than drilling holes/

 

Feb - Fell trees and forward to an exposed area where wind and sun can dry the logs naturally over summer.

 

Oct - Chip 120t of material to make the 300cu per year that i need.

 

Other questions

- if i were just to thin out the smaller material for chip and sell the larger stuff. what lengths are the most common to sell? remember we are talking a real mix of hard and softwood.

 

comments/replys

Diff lock - where would you value a forwarder like the one behind your DB1390?

 

woodworks - Properties are fairly well insulated

Site 1/130kw - 7 houses

Call centre for 12 ppl

Small warehouse

 

Site 2 3 houses/village hall

 

all the work is aimed at getting the RHI

 

gdh - do you think that the process that i talk about above get the wood down to 25%? (being stored out in the sun from feb to oct?)

[difflock]

I paid £2000.00 10 to 15 year ago.

I then replaced the poxy wee basic axle set, with what you see.

Valve chest leaks, slewing mechanism a bit worn and imprecise, all very basic, lifts about a 1/2m3 (carefully measured and bundled) of softwood at full stretch.

Can drag heavier stuff closer and lift one end at a time though.

OK for my smaller conifers.

And much stronger than my back.

Quite nicely matched to the DB's capabilities, in the ground I am in= Peat Moss

[farmer rod]

Depending on where you are and the tree species, coppicing may provide a better and easier wood production cycle. Most native hardwood trees will coppice and the new growth is quicker to get away from deer and weeds.

 

Last winter we cut one coup of mostly ash, 5 days cutting and one and a half days to forward down to the yard. I estimate 40 tonnes. That makes delivered in chip look quite attractive, and you have the advantage of being able to take artics so your delivered in price is considerably better than mine.

 

Opinions vary on woodland management! I prefer to see land and woodland producing something useful and if that is coupled with environmental benefits then so much the better.

 

There is a Forestry grant available at the moment which will pay for someone to draw up a management plan for your woodlands, which will at least give you a second opinion on which way to go.