At what point is a bundle wrapper worth the expense?

[woodrat]

The firewood business that I bought last fall came with about 2000 bundles/year worth of bundled wood customers, the local campground and the local store. I'm working on my first order for the campground, which I had to go buy dry firewood in order to fill right now. And then, split down that dry firewood into better sizes. 

I'm sure glad I didn't sell off my "little" splitter when I got the Eastonmade... lol... I thought about it, too... 

Now I've got that one set up in the barn for resplitting.

Anyway, I'm just making 8x12x16 bundles with a wooden jig and 6" wide cling wrap, but have already started looking at videos of various bundle wrapping machines, because that part is kind of a pain, and I'm only a couple hundred bundles worth into the project... 

Any input on the cost/benefit curve on this?

Thanks!

[Corley5]

We make a few thousand annually with a basic electric powered Twister. Wouldn't want to make them with anything less.

[stavebuyer]

I had a manual twister. Good production for low entry cost. I never tried the bags but could see where they might have some advantage containing the mess.

[Old Greenhorn]

Might wanna get @bargemonkey to weigh in here. I saw a Hud-son bundler behind his shop and I know he regularly made bundles to keep his store stocked, but I'm not sure if he used that bundler or not. He may have been bagging.

[jimbarry]

Recycle/reuse a 5 gallon plastic pail and get some net bags.

20230328 Kindling day - YouTube

[BargeMonkey]

 I sold my bundler to a guy I supply logs to under the agreement he will sell me wrapped bundles wholesale if I wanted them. I prefer the bags, more cost but I'm selling a 1cu ft bag for 6.99+ with no middle man. I can get an idiot to fill a bag. 

My cousin had a lucrative contract supplying wrapped wood to Eastern Long Island by the tractor trailer load. They got sloppy with the wrapper, cheapest methican they could find to wrap wood. Bundles fell apart, piece came out in the store, broke the woman's foot / toes. Something to keep in mind. 

[OH logger]

I bought a used electric twister for $450 and LOVE it after making them exactly like you are for 5-7 years. We worked our way up to selling 1500 ish bundles a year now. I did just recently put a bigger pulley on the motor though. My 14 year old son and I can do 2 bundles a minute pretty easily. Would hate to go back to the old way with 6" shrink wrap

[Gearbox]

Wolf Ridge just came out with a bagger with a table . 3 different size bag can available

[woodrat]

The bags seem expensive and slower, from what I've seen. For now, I'm trying to keep the product as close to the same as what the other guy was already selling them. 

I can see how the bags might be nice for a visible retail environment, but both my customers go and fetch the wood from their storage bins for their customers who want it. 

Was looking at the Amish made manual wrapper... 

[barbender]

 If you're doing 2000 bundles a year, I'd spend the money and get an electric (or gas) powered one.