Circular saw benches

[JPCh12]

I'm thinking of buying a pto driven logging bench for domestic use. The two models available here in the UK are Japa 100 and Hakki Pilke Eagle. Both very similar, 700mm (=28in) blade with cone splitter. Very similar price both going for around £1200-1300 including tax.

I'd appreciate any feedback on build quality, etc. as there doesn't seem to be much to choose between them at present - any satisfied or disgruntled users out there? Any advice or suggestions for alternative machines in the UK would also be welcome. Ideally I'd like a saw bench and a splitter - I'm processing tree surgery waste. I reckon on getting the best time (and back!) saving from investing first in a saw bench both of which will split wood up to about 8 to 10in diameter.

One dealer told me a customer had done 300 tons of firewood in a year using an eagle before trading it in for a firewood processor !!

The eagle can be seen at http://www.largetreeservices.co.uk/hakki_eagle.htm

The japa can be seen at http://www.fuelwood.co.uk/japa100.html

John in sunny Sussex, UK.

 

[kellog]

JPCH12,

I'm not familiar with this type of equipment however in Europe Dolmar makes some nice looking cordwood saws and maybe something similar to what you want. They do make great chainsaws.

There is a picture of a Dolmar cordwood saw in the following thread post 48.

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=45233&page=4&highlight=cord+wood+saws

 

[blis]

both of those machines are finnish and well-known brands in scandinavia... i have no doubt they will do fine...

 

[Husky137]

Watch out for the sneaky Finns!:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[JPCh12]

Kellog,
Thanks for the pointer to the cordsaw thread which I have just finished reading. It's helped me to clarify what wood I'd want to process through a cordsaw or saw bench.

The thicker logs, say 6 inch diameter upwards are heavy enough to stay put when being chainsawed into lengths. I tend to stack 'em up on a pallet, sometimes with a retaining strap to hold the bundle together and slice off lengths as required by chainsaw.

Problem is with the thinner, say 3 or 4 inch stuff which risks flying up when the chainsaw bites. If its straight lengths its not too bad as a strap will keep the bundle pretty tight whilst being sawn. With slightly bent stuff you can't get a tight stack and that's when the stack collapses and produces loose wood as the first "slice" comes off.

So I'm thinking that the "problem" wood is really the 3 to 5 inch diameter stuff and that led me to look at electric chop saws, eg. http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?id=42602&ts=02218# which has 355mm blade = about 14 inches, with 2000W motor.

Allowing 4 inch lost in the centre for mounting that still leaves a cutting depth of about 5 inches so this type of saw ought to handle cutting 4 inch logs up no problem - and at about one sixth the cost of a pto powered cordsaw.

Does anyone use this type of chop saw for cutting up small diameter firewood? I guess it's built for slicing up 4x2's = cross section of 8 sq inches, equivalent cross section for a round log is 3.19 inch diameter. So a 5 inch log has cross section of 19.63 sq inches, near enough 6 times as much work to do as 4x2. Guess I've nearly answered my own question there - you might expect to burn the saw out pretty quick sawing up, say, 5" logs.

Still - is anyone using a chop saw for cutting up the smaller, 3 or 4" diameter stuff?
Cheers, John,, JPCh12

 

[JPCh12]

Oops, spotted the mistake in my maths.

5 inch log: cross section is 19.6 sq inches, is about 2.5 times the cross section of a 2x4 (8 sq inches). So maybe the increased work would be well within the design limits of the saw.

 

[blis]

I wouldnt bother with that kind of chopsaw, most likely you will just get frustrated really quickly and dump the thing...

Over here we use quillotine type processors for that sized wood and its probaply fastest machine for under 9" wood...

 

[kellog]

JPCh12,

I use a chop/miter saw for small stuff 2-4 inches in dia. The cordwood saw is used on 5" to 12" dia stuff and the Stihl for the big stuff. Works for me.

 

[Drago 100]

Hello everyone, as we are talking to circulate for firewood, I put some pictures of mine: