Buyer's Guide: Top 7 best firewood production and handling solutions in 2021

BIOEQUIPMENT

HALVERSON FIREWOOD PROCESSOR

THE Halverson firewood processor is a unique processor that can be mounted on skid-steers, excavators, wheel loaders and tractors with front-end loaders. The Halverson processors have been manufactured in the USA for a number of years and many hundreds supplied, well liked and highly praised by major firewood producers. A significant factor in the Halverson’s success is the high integral safety of a firewood processor that is operated from a machine cab with no manual intervention by the operator.

The Halverson can process up to 16-inch-diameter round wood and can process at speeds similar to an industrial firewood processor. Two models of Halverson processor are available: the model 140B is a heavy-duty firewood processor capable of processing 6 cubic metres per hour. The model 120 is designed as a medium-duty version with a slightly lower specification and lighter weight, with a processing capacity of up to 4 cubic metres per hour.

The Halverson has distinct operational advantages over its competitors:

• No manual handling.
• Self-loading and unloading.
• No discharge conveyor, can load directly into trucks or stillages.
• No log decks required, therefore compact working area.
• Low power consumption; low running costs.
• Continuous high-output performance – no operator fatigue.

Control of the Halverson processor is from the machine cab with either a joystick control or a button control system that provides 5-way movement. The operator can select 2-, 4- or 6-way splitters and these are changed in minutes. The height of the splitter can be adjusted from the machine cab, ensuring perfect logs every time. The log length can be set by a simple sliding lock system.

The rugged and heavy-duty design and construction of the Halverson processor, with simple and logical control and easy maintenance, really makes firewood production a pleasure and highly productive.

For more information, please contact Bioequipment on 01685 810 148 or email info@bioequipmentltd.co.uk.

FUELWOOD

FUELWOOD offers the most comprehensive range of firewood processors available in the UK. With circular saw and chainsaw models available in 10-, 12-, 14-, 16- and 18-inch-diameter capacities; splitting forces from 5.6 to 20 tonnes; conventional firewood processors; solutions for the popular European ‘billeting’ system; stand-alone saws; and stand-alone log splitters, Fuelwood can offer you a solution to your firewood production requirements.

Fuelwood is the only UK manufacturer of firewood processors and kindling machines. Its range of own-brand machinery, made at its factory in Warwickshire, includes the fully automatic WoodCutta, the semi-automatic Transaw 350 XLS, Splitta 400 and the Kindlets.

READ MORE: Buyer's Guide: 750+ kg chippers

Fuelwood has been the sole importer for Japa and its range of firewood processors since the 1990s. Japa offers a range of machines up to 14-inch capacity, which is hard to rival. The Japa 700 circular saw, and Japa 305 and 365 chainsaw models, process up to 10-, 12- and 14-inch diameter-timber respectively, and also include two towable models within the Japa range, offering a great solution for processing at multiple sites. All models are incredibly quick and very cost-effective ways of producing firewood from smaller-sized raw material.

For larger-diameter timber, Fuelwood is now the UK dealer for the Uniforest range of processors. This incredibly well engineered machinery offers two models, with either TCT circular saw or chainsaw cutting with 16- and 17-inch capacity respectively. Both models come with a huge 20-tonne splitting force, through 2-, 4-, 6-, 8- and 12-way splitting knives. The range of timber decks, dust extractors and sawdust-collection cyclones complete this range to offer a fantastic solution at very affordable prices.

Fuelwood also offers the AMR brand of saws and log splitters for either smaller-scale firewood producers or large-scale producers adopting the increasingly popular European ‘billet’ system, where the logs are cut to 1-metre length, split into the right section size and then left to season naturally. The benefits of this over conventional firewood processors are: drying time of the wood is naturally much quicker once it has been split as the surface area increases massively; and, once dry, the logs are then cut at the point of sale or burning, thus also offering the flexibility of being able to cut to the required length. For people requiring multiple log lengths, this means stock levels can be managed far more efficiently.

Whatever your firewood processing requirements are, call Fuelwood on 01926 484673 to discuss the perfect solution or visit www.fuelwood.co.uk.

A AND C LOGS

A and C Logs is small family-run business based in Bath. It was started by Frank Shellard who literally began splitting firewood with an axe and delivering it in the early seventies to neighbours and friends using a wheelbarrow.

Firewood was cheap to buy then due to Dutch elm disease, and landowners were only too pleased to have the trees cut down and removed. How things have changed. He now regularly pays £75 per tonne for delivered cord wood.

A & C Logs is now run by Frank, his daughter Sarah and son-in-law Mark.

Frank was literally born into a family of woodworkers. His late grandfather was a forester on the local Longleat Estate and his father a carpenter and joiner.

Things have progressed, and the company now uses a Hakki Pilke 43 Pro log processor, and the firewood is kiln-dried in two Log Pro kilns, both of which are log-based boilers.

READ MORE: Buyer's Guide: Timber trailers and cranes

A and C logs now supplies an array of customers: local domestic, restaurants, public houses and even a few quirky ones who live in bowtop wagons and canal boats.

The majority of the kiln-dried firewood is sold as 8–9” logs by the cubic metre. One cubic metre delivered locally being £135, kindling and firelighters are also supplied.

People often ask how A and C Logs sees the future of the firewood industry and what is its next investment. With new rules coming into force from the Government, kiln-dried firewood is definitely the way forward; and for the next 10 years or so the firewood trade will be very buoyant.

For more information, please contact Frank Shellard on 07493 108 365 or visit www.aandclogs.co.uk.

MARSHALL AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING

NEW for the 2021 season is the Binderberger SPX firewood machine. The SPX uses a horizontal two-stage X-shaped knife to split rings up to 80 cm in diameter into 3- to 10-cm billets and from 20 to 50 cm in length.

A swivelling cable winch and tongs are used to safely and effortlessly load rings onto the in-feed conveyor. It can be supplied static or on a new 80 km/h tandem chassis for fast towing without the need for a tractor. Choice of PTO, electric or Hatz diesel powered, and a low energy consumption (32A with electric drive) make this a useful machine for dealing with tree surgery waste or cord.

Marshall’s has designed and developed the Dalen 2054 into a self-propelled version, powered by a 2-cylinder Hatz diesel engine, with a redesigned chassis to mount the engine and pumps to the firewood machine and skids to aid in moving the unit around. At 2.1 m by 2 m, Marshall’s has made a very fast, compact and durable self-propelled firewood factory. Consuming only 8 to 10 litres of fuel for a standard 8-hour day, the fuel saving and non-devaluation of a tractor clocking up hours soon pays for the conversion.

Having now sold four units, Marshall’s feels that this solution will grow in popularity, certainly amongst tree surgeons or professionals who don’t have a tractor or have a smaller yard space.

For more information, please contact 01892 770788, email sales@marshalllogging.co.uk or visit www.marshalllogging.co.uk.

JAS P WILSON

POSCH

JAS P Wilson Forest Machines is well-known for the supply of quality new and used firewood machinery and equipment, having supplied and supported these products for decades. Jas P Wilson’s is the sole supplier of the renowned Posch range, manufactured in Austria.

The Posch range has been very popular with a wide range of professional firewood producers, and with recent innovations in the range, their popularity has gone from strength to strength. One such machine, which has become very popular since it was released at the APF 2018, is the Posch S-415 Multi.

This machine has been a game-changer for many time-served firewood producers. It offers a superb balance of build quality, value for money, speed and output quality. It’s a 41 cm cut tungsten-tipped circular-saw machine, but where it really differs from other popular models is in the splitting knife system.

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The machine has Posch’s Mutli-Knife system, allowing one blade to offer multiple splitting options, without the need to swap the knives over. One large multi-knife can be hydraulically repositioned to offer a different split, something many long-time producers are now looking for in order to streamline their process and handle an ever-increasing mix of timber types and sizes. With this system, operators can quality process mixed loads. This creates less demand for pre-sorting of timber lengths and also creates opportunities in the sourcing process to accept a wider mix of timber and non-uniform loads, which can increase margins.

For large producers, the balance between the S-375 and S-415 Multi has been perfect. Some have chosen to run both machines in tandem. One such owner is Andrew Corner of Corners Warmers.

Andrew recently made the decision to buy an S-415 Multi. He is, however, already very familiar with Posch kit as the team run a Posch S-375 Turbo. This new unit is in addition to that machine, to increase their output and keep up with the demand for their quality firewood.

Andrew said: “It’s been a busy season for our team, flat-out at times, and this added processing capacity will really help us keep up with demand and build up stock. This new unit will work beside the S-375 and deal with the bigger stuff.”

If you are looking for new or used professional firewood machinery, please call Jas P Wilson on 01556 612233 or email info@jaspwilson.co.uk to discuss its range of machines and services. See the range at www.jaspwilson.co.uk.

KILN SERVICES

KILN Services has been designing and manufacturing timber-drying kilns from its base in Essex for over 45 years. The company provides drying and heat-treatment kilns for all sectors of the industry, including softwood and hardwood sawmills, pallet manufacturing, fencepost producers, biomass fuel producers, modified timber, and research facilities in universities and training colleges.

In recent years, the market for kilns to dry biomass fuel has increased considerably. This has been driven by consumer awareness of product moisture and government initiatives to improve air quality, such as the Woodsure Ready to Burn accreditation scheme.

Kiln Services’ latest range of log-drying kilns are designed to provide a fast and efficient solution to your drying requirements and include many special features, for example, a high air velocity of 3 metres per second through the log stack. This powerful air flow reverses every two hours to provide fast drying times and a uniform moisture through the batch. A new range of biomass hot air blowers can now be connected to our kilns via a 300-mm duct. These provide for a lower capital cost: as there are no accumulators, pumps, valves or pipework compared to a water-based system, the kiln itself is also a lower price. The first two-module kiln installed with a 130 kW unit removed 3,836 litres of water from 36 m³ of logs in just over four days; that’s almost 1 tonne or cubic metre of water per day. Around 2 tonnes of fuelwood was used over the cycle.

For larger kilns, two or more biomass units can be connected. The modular design allows for additional modules to be added as log demand increases. This is done by removing the door set, adding further modules to double or treble kiln capacity, then reinstalling the doors onto the extended kiln. Additional modules are then connected to the original.

Kilns can be provided in sizes starting from 16 m³, up to 200 m³ per batch, in various module sizes to suit your existing crate size. Kiln Services also provides a range of hook bin kilns for companies wishing to dry logs and woodchip in the same facility. It is also introducing a new 150 m³ kiln with built-in drying floor for those companies using bucket loaders to load and unload. The drying efficiency of the process is optimised by the accurate control of the relative humidity and temperature. Unlike single-air-pass systems where low-temperature, low-humidity air is vented continuously, the air is only vented from the kiln when it has achieved the set humidity and temperature.

In recent months, Kiln Services has replaced several single-air-pass systems, mainly designed around shipping containers, and installed kilns, keeping the same boilers and Renewable Heat Incentive benefit.

Typically, a 10-metre, four-module 72 m³ kiln replacing a 12-metre-long container increases log drying by 300 per cent while only increasing fuel consumption by 50 per cent, transforming the company’s productivity.

For more information, please contact 01621 785 935 or visit www.kilnservices.co.uk.

M. LARGE TREE SERVICES

BILKE S3 FIREWOOD GUILLOTINE

WORKING with the Bilke S3 firewood processor is both easy and safe. Thanks to an automatic feed system, you do not need to support the stem while feeding it. Easily movable conveyors, a wide output conveyor and redesigned blade ensure comfortable use.

Thanks to the length-adjustment system, the desired log length can be varied to suit your need. The splitter can chop logs to lengths of 23–55 cm.

The processor has a spiral blade cutter that splits the wood efficiently, producing an even cut. Thanks to the blade design, the power requirement for splitting and cutting is low.

Several thin stems and slabs can be placed on the conveyor simultaneously. Chopping several logs at the same time improves productivity.

The processor is supplied with a wide output conveyor that ensures that chopped wood is removed from the machine without jamming. Thanks to the wide conveyor, there is no risk of jamming even at high power.

The output and feeding conveyors move easily on a pulley winch. Preparing the processor for use or transport is quick and easy.

The processor is powered by a tractor or electric motor. Using an electric motor allows you to select the power to suit your need. Running the machine on tractor power take-off/PTO uses less fuel and produces less noise.

For more information, please contact (0)28 9034 2838, email sales@mlarge.com or visit www.mlarge.com.

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