Wood processor recommendations, entry level

[gaspasser]

Hello. 52 acres of hardwoods (ash, beech, birch, maple)  in NH. Forester tells me low value stand for sawlogs. Need to clear/thin for stand improvement. So, thinking I'll sell firewood as a side gig for the 3 -5 years it will take to complete. Have 3 chainsaws, mini- ex, 30 ton Oregon splitter ( single wedge; 4 way not available on this model), dump truck, Kubota tractor 23 hp. I'm getting older and current equipment way too slow for the expected yield of firewood. Most logs under 16 inch dbh.  Looking for recommendations on entry level processors. I could upgrade tractor if greater PTO hp required. Would likely sell processor after project done. Also looking to acquire IBC cages for handling. I'd appreciate all thoughts and comments. Thanks...

[thecfarm]

How are you getting the tress out of the woods? Sounds you are using that 23hp tractor. That size takes time.
Many years ago, I was cutting wood on this land.
There was a pulp market then. I sold all my "firewood" as pulp.
I got $40 a cord when the trucking was done. This was when firewood was going for about $150 a cord. I sawed it all 8 foot and I was done with it.

[Satamax]

Well, don't know about what is available in the US

I have a Palax 100s which is quite nice. Sawblade instead of chainsaw. And can take 16 inches if straight. That's Finnish made. 

Or you could look at the French made Rabaud Xylog. But that's way overkill. 

A friend has one. And it even laser meters your logs. 

Japa seems to make nice products too. 

[newoodguy78]

I don't have firsthand experience to offer other than suggesting to look in the firewood and wood heating section. There's a few members that share alot of good info about smaller  processors. Members jimbarry and GRANITEstatemp come to mind first. 
Granite has a self contained pto unit to run his which I think is pretty slick. What part of NH are you in?

[Stephen1]

Welcome to the forum .
It helps us answer questions if you fill out your profile. 

[gaspasser]

Thank you all. To answer questions...Using tractor and mini-ex / dump truck to haul out. Located Enfield/Grantham area of NH. I will fill out profile and look into the suggested machines.  This forum always a wealth of knowledge. Thank you.

[Southside]

Dyna has a rental program that would let you try their machine for a week so you can get a feeling for how things go.  Myself I would look at one of the mounted units and see if that mini ex is able to handle one, then you can lift, process, and pile from the comfort of the cab.  I rent a Dyna each year, and it does a great job, but if I decide to buy one it will be one of the mounted types. 

[barbender]

Halverson is the name of the attachment style processor.

[Satamax]

For mini excavators, 

there is also the solution of cone splitter and grapple. 

RABAUD - Fendeuses à vis adaptables sur mini-pelle - YouTube

This second one, from Mary Agri is quite nice. 

UNIQUE ! Fendeuse à vis + Pinces de manutention + ROTATION !! - YouTube

Even better, but i'm getting out of the scope here. Log crane, and splitter on one of the stabilizers. At two minutes twenty.

Bregenzerwälder Forsttag 2019 - YouTube

[stavebuyer]

I'd recommend a commercial splitter. All the entry level processors are picky about feedstock. Cleaning up a woodland you will no doubt have many "less than veneer" specimens to process.

[woodman52]

I am in the process of a 6 acre TSI ,out of 60+, what I don't use myself I sell to a guy that has a firewood business; in log form. I suggest that before you invest in more equipment go to the middle of your woodlot--cut, top, skid one acre of trees that need to come down.  I think  you'll find that (unless you hire a crew) you will have time to work in the woods or start a firewood business, but not both. Selling enough firewood to consume the wood from a TSI that large will take a lot of effort unless you wholesale it. 
I am not saying don't do it. I am saying (unless you have a lot of capital) don't jump in until you know what you are getting into. 

[woodman52]

And I have a small processor,  wood splitter, 3 tractors, logging winch,etc. Just so you know where I coming from.  Of course I do live 40 miles from a large city and there is a lot of people doing firewood nearby. Your market maybe much better than mine. 

[chep]

Woodman52 for the win. 
Very well said. 

[chep]

@Bruno of NH

I think lives near you and has a firewood biz. Prob could share some good info

[Bruno of NH]

I build racks for my firewood operation 
IBC totes around me are to much money in my area
I also buy 1/3 , 1/2 and 1/4 cord bags
I charge for the bag and I no longer deliver. 
It's pick-up at the mill only
I make more money not delivering and selling in small quantities 
I don't have a processor yet but will at some point and a Easton made axis type splitter

[mudfarmer]

Not a lot of buzz on the forum about the halverson units, anyone have recent experience or first hand knowledge of them?

I don't like the control system for them from what I can see, looks like a pain (either zip tie a bunch of buttons to your machine's joysticks or buy a standalone joystick from them that's sort of like a plow controller if you don't have a 14pin harness on the machine already?)

[barbender]

I tried a Halverson at the local logging show. It works fine, but it wasn't the right fit for me. I do a lot of firewood bundles and you need to be able to be hands on with the wood. Visibility to the cutting and splitting area from a skid steer is poor. I think they would work way better on a mini-ex.

[Bruno of NH]

I have watched lots of u tube on them
They look slow to me and you have to jostle them around alot to get the log right.
A more traditional processor would be how I would go.

[mudfarmer]

Thanks, I don't have any money right now anyway :D Just always thinking about the next step. I would run it off the mini ex, like the idea of not having to maintain another power unit. Splitting right into my truck and not needing a conveyor sounds pretty sweet too! They do seem a little slow and that is a comment others have made. More to think about. How to handle resplits is my biggest question (I guess you just don't, until later?)

[barbender]

The only option for resplits for the Halverson is to do them afterwards🤷

[Southside]

Every machine has it's ideal operating parameters. On the Dyna that I rent some of the resplits are no big deal, but if it's a big chunk that you need to dig out and lift up to toss back into the chamber, well you may end up saying some mighty awful words about the engineer who designed the machine. 

Don't get me wrong, they make a great machine, but we are talking about finding value here from fiber that's from the junk end of the tree more often than not. No machine is perfect, my splitter is usually not far away from the processor for those special pieces. 

[mudfarmer]

Good call and totally agree, we have tools for that and they are stand alone splitters.

 I think it is awesome that @jimbarry moved from small processor back to stand alone splitter but he also posted a thread trying to solve the same problem as me which is to eliminate blocking by hand out of a log pile. The Halverson processor does that and with a built in splitter at an ok price while being able to be picked up by my excavator coupler. It just might not be fast (I am also not fast processing with chainsaw and splitter but want to save what's left of my back) Thanks all for the input.

[jimbarry]

I don't mind blocking by hand. Only do a cord day. Not setting any records here. I'd just be happy enough if the saws are not being contankerous and the humidity... enough with the humidity!   

[gaspasser]

Thanks all. What great responses and knowledge sharing. Great food for thought. A lot to digest so I'll get back on here after thorough review. Thanks again all and good evening!

Best...

[barbender]

Southside, the winch mount for the conveyor, and the guarding around the splitting box are two thing that make me wonder if the designers at Dyna actually ever run the machines in real world conditions. Like you said, they are good, solid machines. But there's a few things...if you look at the very similar Brute Force machines, they have neither of the issues I just mentioned. 

 I hate the saw mount. You have to remove the bar plate on mine to switch chains, because the oiler attaches to the plate. Then sometimes a bar nut gets dropped, in dawdust and dissappears🤬

 Where the log comes off the indeed into the sawbox, is lower than the feed chain. So your log is chronically tilted down into the sawbox which causes crooked cuts. It also causes the whole thing to fall into the splitter when on your last cut. Then you mash body parts on the poorly thought out guarding trying to muscle the big block of wood out of there🤬 Also, those crooked cuts like to ride up the wedge and get pushed in to that winch mount I was talking about🤬

 Also, it needs a hydraulic lift for the live deck. All that to say, I have some modifications in mind😁