Firewood production and handling solutions buyer's guide: Kiln Services, Hakki Pilke, Home Forestry and Posh all feature

From splitting to processing to drying, we take a look at some of the products on the market.

KILN SERVICES 
LOG-DRYING KILNS

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 
BILKE S3 FIREWOOD GUILLOTINE AND HAKKI PILKE RANGE

THE Hakki Pilke 55 Pro, a semi-automatic powerhouse, combines innovation, usability and reliability in a single machine. 

With cutting-edge features like the new HakkiMultiBlade, users can split up to 24 pieces of firewood then easily change to eight pieces in only seconds, significantly reducing processing time. 

The built-in automatic hydraulic height-adjustment function of the splitting blade ensures consistent high-quality firewood, even when the diameter of the logs varies, without having to be manually set. 

Featuring an innovative sensor, the modern interface measures the diameter of each log and adjusts the splitting blade height accordingly to get optimal cutting results. 

The Hakki Pilke range also includes the likes of the 50 Pro, 38 Pro, and Raven 33.

Meanwhile, 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.

HOME FORESTRY
RABAUD XYLOG 420

THE Rabaud Xylog 420 firewood processor, which is produced in France and distributed in the UK through Home Forestry, has a cutting diameter of up to 420 mm. It has quick and easy adjustment of the cutting length from 150 mm up to 500 mm and is adaptable onto tractor three-point linkage or three-phased electric engine.

The splitting power of the Xylog 420 is automatically adjusted between 15-tonne on low speed and 9.5-tonne on fast speed, giving optimum performance. Two splitting wedges are available; either 0/2/4/6 or 0/2/4/8, with hydraulic height adjustment.

The discharge/unloading conveyor swivels on +/- 20°. The conveyor is hydraulically controlled for movement and to fold into the transport position. All controls are well laid out in front of the operator and the machine can be operated with one hand.

The conveyor belt is made up of metal bars and individual belts between the bars so that maintenance is easy and replacement of a short section of belt, if damaged, is cost effective. The Xylog 420 can be fitted with an automated wood scaling system called the Xylometer, allowing measuring the exact volume of produced wood.

Wood is cut with the .404 chain and 54 cm-harvester bar and the logs are side-shifted into the splitter with the V-shaped canal for a better wood alignment. Splitting of the logs can be changed from manual to automatic by a simple switch on the control panel.

The Rabaud Xylog 420 has safety sensors on all opening panels to stop all functions, with a reset button on the control panel. There is a range of log decks and wood-loading equipment available, from simple manual decks to 3.00 m or 5.00 m hydraulic log decks, all controlled through the operator panel.

For more information or to book a demonstration please contact Nathan Home at Home Forestry, Willowdene Farm, Chorley, Bridgnorth, Shropshire, WV166PP. Tel: 01746 718 456 or 07966 365 157.

www.homeforestry.co.uk.

JAS P WILSON 
S-375 TURBO 

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 sole supplier of the renowned Posch range, manufactured in Austria. Jas P Wilson’s sales and aftersales support network covers the UK and Ireland.

The Posch range has been very popular with a wide range of professional firewood producers, and with recent innovations in the range its popularity has gone from strength to strength. 

A core machine category within the range are the firewood processors. Within that a core model over the years has been the 300 series, from the popular S-350 and S-360 models to the latest S-375 Turbo. 

This model, like those before it, has continued to offer a well-rounded balance of speed, performance, efficiency, reliability and ergonomic design features to allow the operator to comfortably maximise their output over the working day.

The S-375 turbo has many of the popular features seen on previous models, including the tungsten-tipped 900 mm circular sawblade, user-friendly proportional joystick controls and 12T AutoSpeed Splitting chamber, with some new additions to maximise throughput.

These include a Turbo ‘half-stroke’ setting when cutting short logs (below 25 cm/10” in length), which allows the splitting ram to return after extending only half the length of the splitting chamber, which pushes the previous round through the knife – this cuts the cycle time, creating substantial output gains. 

READ MORE: Interforst 2022: First look at Posch's new firewood processing behemoth

This can be demonstrated by the team at Wilson’s, who are always happy to arrange a customer demonstration. Other features on this 37 cm cut firewood processor include the “Only-Cut” feature, which allows the splitting knife (available in options to split 2/4/6/8 way) to be removed to provide a way to quickly cut rings of timber. This is ideal for those who are looking to produce high volumes of uniform-length rounds, suitable for further processing through a kindling machine. 

These high-quality-Austrian-made processors have been paired with Jas P Wilson’s extensive aftersales support network, including a network of Jas P Wilson-employed regional service engineers in well-stocked vans, and a head office site with a substantial spare-parts stock holding controlled by Jas P Wilson’s in-house service department. This network is also in place for those who choose to buy a quality used machine from Jas P Wilson.

As established retailers of quality workshop-checked used machines, last year Jas P Wilson took the decision to add the “Jas P Wilson Protected” range of used firewood machines into the range, to offer greater peace of mind when buying used. 

Staff understand that buying used can often feel like a lottery when buying privately, and have set out a number of commitments and support packages to ensure a used machine from Wilson’s is risk-free. Some of these commitments include a lengthy six-month warranty period, the full support of the regional service team, and in-depth machinery inspections, service and repair.

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 the range of machines and services.

See the range at www.jaspwilson.co.uk