gdh
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Everything posted by gdh
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Thanks be good to see a video, there's a button on the joystick to reverse the ram at any point. For some reason most people don't use it who I've seen cut but I like to do just what you said and only push the logs half way each time so the next one doesn't flip on short logs. -
For netted logs I can see yours is perfect. Can you bag off the end like the kindla? We uses to have the kindla a long time ago which is the same principle. The ram on ours is 25tons, it usually splits with 15 then slows down and gives it all the force if it starts to struggle. We're farming as well and do chip and billets so the machine runs most days in the winter but not all day. Realistic production on 9inch is 5cube an hour but that goes up as high as 15 on perfect 18inch. I uploaded to YouTube and pasted the link here. I can't remember now if this site automatically embeds the video or not.
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If it's for forestry you don't need to pay tax (but do need to register) or get an mot. If it's mostly for transport and not heavy work I would get a quad. Something like a yamaha 450/550 will be fast, pull half a ton on the road and have on demand 4wd. Quads will also go places a tractor won't and can be, just about, lifted out if you get caught on something. Roll cages are great for safety but will probably get in the way under trees. Rough costs are 7k +vat for a 550 and obviously less for less power or second hand. A few hundred quid a year on servicing and I would think 20litres of petrol would last you a day of reasonable use. Tyres every couple of years. There's pretty much everything machine for quads now with trailers, cranes, winches toppers etc also they're great fun.
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It's to cut 9inch because it only goes down to 10, it does help on bendy bits to. We use the conveyor all the time to minimise levelling by hand. It will do 3 boxes or 2 end to end. With a decent frame I would think you could do a block of 6 bags nicely from one spot.
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Just had a look and although it's a lot bigger inside the opening at narrowest is only 20inch. 560 chainsaw for scale
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It does lower nearly every time because there's enough space for the bits to fall away. It only won't lower if the pushing log starts to split before the current one has fully cleared - usually because of a knot or something. As I say it's rarely an issue. I'm doubting myself now but I think the height ram only pushes up with a spring constantly pulling it back down. Please pass on our best wishes to Liz when you get a chance, glad to hear she's recovering well.
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The clamp that holds the log in place also measures it so the wedge will centre on the log. Occasionally the logs too big to split 6 ways then you can use the manual buttons to lower it so you can just redo the top two pieces. Only issue is the wedge can't always go down because of the wood under it but that's the same with manual of course. You can push a small bit through, lift it to clear it or it pulls itself down after a few cuts anyway.
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For us definitely, that splitta is a brilliant set up by the way. It's just with a traditional processor it's one job and the tajfun will take 4-(just under)19inch wood and split to up to 20inch lengths including knotty hardwood. Ours has done at least 5000cube in the 2 and a half years we've had it so if you divide it back it's good value and with the height adjustment (which you can also do manually on the joystick there's a lot less resplitting which cuts down on time. It will depend how much you process of course but the best thing is to have a go of one, either at the apf or if you're down this way.
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I would agree that delivery is where you can loose money very easily which is why we try and do big loads and just tip it out but when you go further it still wipes out any profit. I've got a list on my computer of costs per 1.8cube (our smallest load) like that and it's surprising how many hidden costs there are; Hardwood £62 Labour including stacking etc £11 Processor £5 Loaders Box rotator Transport from timber stacks Sheds (at some point they need rebuilding) Chains 50p Tractor for processor £2 Bars 20p Insurance Diesel £1 Storage boxes Advertising /website Pickup Trailer Repairs (the biggest variable and easy to loose a few thousand) Servicing machines And interest on a few massive loans... I'm not going to do all my figures but it gives you an example and I probably missed a few without looking at my list.
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I buy them online from Northern arb supplies, there's a bit of initial stretch but other than that I get on well with them and it's only £11 to fit a 24inch bar. I stick to the oregon powermatch bars that come with the machine. I tried a sugihara bar once because the one on my saw has done well but the rail bent (not sure if it hit something) and it was rubbish after a few days which I didn't want to risk happening again at their price. The 600 has been in development for years but they said they didn't want to release it until they solve all issues with the splitter not making tidy enough logs from what I understand. I would love a go but in reality the bigger you go the more you struggle with small stuff. Also it was weighing over 3 tons and my little tractor goes through enough. ?
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No problem, we just had to reweld one side of the splitter (only £20) after 2500tons but it's still razor sharp so no complaints there. We've got the electric extractor which works well, couldn't have the hydraulic unfortunately because our tractor can only just run the processor as it is. We've never got round to fitting the screener, partly because it's tight in our shed (you can remove sections of belt to shorten it by the way) but mostly because I like to leave a bit of kindling in and we don't get too much anyway because we chip the smaller diameter timber.
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We just have the 6 and 12, the 6 does the vast majority of the work with a bit of resplittiting and I use the 12 when we get a pile of big stuff. I expect you've seen the 16 but it's just a few more fins round the outside so only really necessary on the maximum size. At first we were worried about splitting hardwood with it but the 12 way splits knotty oak no problem so either size is fine. If I cut more softwood I would probably get the 16 way but hardwood tends to be smaller one one end or covered in lumps anyway.
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I suppose it depends how much big stuff you cut and if you're replacing anyway if it's worth getting the 480. Kilworth are the only UK dealer but they're good to deal with. The standard bar and chain are fine -although I've switched to rotatech chainsbecause they're half the price- average 30 cube to a sharpen and 400+ to a bar. We use a tajfun deck. I expect any deck would run but wouldn't be sure. You'll probably have to extend the legs because it's quite high. I haven't measured it but I'll try and remember. It's a lot more open than the 400. I've never bent those metal flaps for one thing.
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We'll see what's out there at the apf but 90% sure we'll go with the 480+ again. The auto height adjustment on the plus is a big cost but one of those things we wouldn't want to loose now. 12 ways make nice logs on big stuff but I rarely use it unless I grade first because the ring part makes too much kindling on sub 14inch. I chainsaw and drop the odd oversized bit in the chamber but nearly everything goes through our big splitter for billets.
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Thanks, I'll take a look, even if it is a bit out of our price range. I'd heard about the pellet ones but never looked into them as we make our own chip and the pellet price is so volatile. I guess the reason they aren't made is the storage space required for chip.
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Has anyone seen a woodchip boiler on the market yet that can be used as an oven? I'm thinking the equivalent of an oil fired rayburn that will do hot water and cook. I know you can get one for logs but that will be less efficient and I don't think there's an auto feed one for when you're out.
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I used abbey garden sales but they took ages to deliver so wouldn't recommend them based on that order. They do have the parts diagrams for every saw though if you want to look up bolt sizes etc.
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I think leegray is right about bedding, a lot of farmers will really struggle this year so I can see them trying out sawdust if it works for their system.
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It can work well with livestock, even with quite dense cover. Unfortunately the Welsh, and presumably UK, government have made it a condition of all our planting schemes to keep animals out. I remember when we used to graze woodland there were flowers everywhere but it's mostly brambles now...
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We supply billets for biomass boilers so it's different for us but I would probably rather put chunky billets through the processor than split rings multiple times. I doubt there's any real difference in time, just nice to take advantage of the processor conveyor and maybe less lifting?
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Do you mean off the same tractor? I think the only way to do that would be to run the splitter through the log deck lift pipes. I tend to wait until we get a stack of 20tons or so of oversize before splitting and put it through the big splitter for billets as a separate job. The 35x tractor probably would run the 8ton but that's only used for making stakes and I think the cost of converting to pto (it's only hydraulic couplings and the 35 hasn't got working ones) would cancel any gains.
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Ah I hadn't considered the friction as a major factor, I've been tempted to run our 8 ton stake splitter through the valtra which is 180 lpm and see how it goes. I think pto is the way to go through, we've got a 40ton ryetec which goes 8 ways for oversize wood and that will easily run on a small tractor, I know ryetec like to use their vintage tractors for demos. They usually have one at the royal Welsh show next week but I'm not sure about this year.
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Ryetec are probably worth a call as they'll build to spec. If they're huge rings it might be faster with more power and a 4+ way splitter but that's a trade off with pure speed of course. It would be interesting to know how much oil flow you could put through a small splitter without causing damage.
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560 has done well for us, revs up fast so great for snedding to. Edit: I'm only just outside Llandovery if you want to test one. Got to keep anyone who works for Pontrilas happy so we get more tidy wood.
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The woodland mills is galvanised and available on a trailer, they also do a cover for the saw head for just over £100 although I would personally get a cover for the whole thing. Random point - for some reason there's no vat on their mills.
