New automatic log splitter....go and have a cup of coffee.....

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pretty cool, the only 2 problems i see with it are..... #1 cost...thats gotta cost a few bucks$$$ .....#2 it takes all the fun out of heating with wood. I'm sure I speak for a majority of the members here. we enjoy splitting and cutting wood.

Just my .02
Jeff
 
I just have to say it....that thing looks like a huge gas grill.:msp_biggrin:


Thanks for sharing!:cheers:
 
Looks like it takes pretty small logs though

By U.S. but not European standards.

They tend towards much more intensive, shorter life management practices.

The two schemes, from what I've read, that are most prevalent are either clear cuts every 30 years to maximize fiber production for paper and firewood, or very regular thinning cuts from 30 to 60+ where all the poor trees are thinned out while still pole log sized like those in the video and the mature trees are what we'd consider high grade saw logs.
 
Call me when they come up with an automatic stacker. Love splitting/ hate stacking.

I have got one of those...They are a little difficult to train but when they get going they work great. Mine is 5 years old. He can't stack the big stuff yet but he trys. lol
 
I really like this thing. The website shows a circular saw option, not sure if it would be better, but it's good they offer it. Too bad the website is in finnish or whatever. I'd like to know some specifics, like the max diameter it will take, and the max length of the splitter...
Maybe they can build a super-sized American market version...for the 12"-20" stuff we normally have at our disposal.
 
By U.S. but not European standards.

They tend towards much more intensive, shorter life management practices.

The two schemes, from what I've read, that are most prevalent are either clear cuts every 30 years to maximize fiber production for paper and firewood, or very regular thinning cuts from 30 to 60+ where all the poor trees are thinned out while still pole log sized like those in the video and the mature trees are what we'd consider high grade saw logs.

Since I have a 25 years of experience from Scandinavian (Swedish) logging industry, I want to explain a little why Scandinavian dimensions on logs are way smaller than here...
The most important reason is the northern latitude (+60 same as Alaska), that do not allow the annual growth to make trees very thick or tall. For that reason the sawmill industry is dimension to handle up to 12" diameter logs (at the top end of log). Veneer industry take whatever larger logs.
Now when milling industry have that 12" limit, the government forest care regulations stipulates a replanting, spacing and thinning program, that produces a maximum of MERCHANTABLE WOOD, over the lifetime of the farmed tree stand. Life time differs between 65-120 years depending on predicted annual growth of that certain tree stand.

Since most forest land is pretty flat, and trees are not thicker than 24-30" at the stump cut, 99.5% of logging is by harvesters and forwarders. Which means logs are cut to length by the harvester, and carried out to log roads by the forwarder.

The pulp and paper industry, also works a little different in Scandinavia than in North America. Industry get both wood chips from saw mills, but majority of fiber comes from pulp logs with bark on. Industry can handle diameters as small as 2"!!

So now we have the back ground to the smaller dimension in the Scandinavian "firewood industry".

Here are a few Youtube's showing

Harvester 700000$
<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/2u-gVeZSc1g" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Forwarder 400000$
<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="510" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/KKn8g8_tGP0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

60 metric ton log truck 400000$
<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="510" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/aWo-LYRjaog" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

What pays for all this you might ask!!??
EFFICIENT INDUSTRY and PASSIONATE CONTRACTORS......

Per A
Swedish Forest Engineer
 
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Very Impressive!

I like it. "The user only has to make sure that there are logs on the table for the machine to work with". Of course, huge logs will not work either, and there is no guarantee that the split logs that it produces are going to be the same size.

The "unjamming" mechanisms seem to work well, and the output conveyor looks very good.

Regardless of the input constraints, this seems to be a very good machine. Terrific post!
 
its cool the thing folds up for transport,but i haven't seen any electric in the woods yet..
 
,but i haven't seen any electric in the woods yet..

I reckon if you have the equipment to handle logs that size, it's far more efficient to haul them out to your facility to split.

As we've had some members here do various demonstrations, logs take up less volume then split wood. Might get some arguments when you're dealing with bent tops, but if you have uniform logs like that truck 'em out whole.

I wonder what the price of electricity:gasoline or diesel is in Europe...I don't have the figures for this type of work.

At Connecticut's electric rates, it's cheaper for consumers to heat with oil until it hits $5.50/gallon.

I'm kind of wondering if the situation may be reversed and it might be significantly cheaper to use electricity if your fuels cost $8+/gallon already...
 
I wonder what the price of electricity:gasoline or diesel is in Europe...I don't have the figures for this type of work.

Gas and Diesel was about 8.30$/gallon last week in Sweden...
Electricity is about 20-25 cents per kWh in variable cost, add to that the fixed cost for the fuse etc...

But there are also a marginal cost if you use more than contracted...can be up to 1$ or more per kWh...

I'm kind of wondering if the situation may be reversed and it might be significantly cheaper to use electricity if your fuels cost $8+/gallon already...
You hit the nail on the head....
 
I agree on that one....That Finnish processor must be way more $$$'s the the Bobcat attachment...
I guess it also gets down to cost and purpose. The Bobcat also costs a bunch to obtain all by itself, but it can do much more than split wood.

Ingersoll Rand knew what they were doing when they invented the Bobcat. Note how quickly Caterpillar followed in their footsteps. :msp_glare:
 
the bobcat attachment is cool but haven't been able to get a price on one..
my friend was interested in it but decided to buy a tw-5 with all bells and whistles. he claims the shacking and extra weight would wear out his skidsteer faster so he wouldn't be saving anything long term.
i think its the coolest thing since sliced bread.
the way i see it a guy could store logs to season a couple years and then process straight into a truck for delivery.--- saving big $$$$'s on re handling and stacking.
he is paying three guys to process his firewood. 1 on skid steer --- bucking logs to length --- 1 running splitter which conveys into trailer..
i showed him the video and explained he would recoup his costs in wages by using the skidsteer processor it eliminates all but one guy.
i also explained if he would get two units he could double his production using both his skidsteers at same time. (he still went old school)
 
Thanks for the insight Akkaman.

Residential rates in my state are 15 cents/kWh...I believe the regular commercial rate is around 20 cents, but then there's all sorts of different pricing plans depending how much you use when.

Ingersoll Rand knew what they were doing when they invented the Bobcat.

They knew what they were buying.

The Keller Loader had two drive wheels and a rear caster wheel, and the brothers built half a dozen more in the first year. In September 1958, they were hired by the Melroe brothers at Melroe Manufacturing Company in Gwinner, North Dakota, which was later to become Bobcat Company. Using the brothers’ design, Melroe introduced the M60 Self-Propelled Loader and, in 1960, Louis added a rear drive axle, resulting in the M400 model, the world’s first true skid-steer loader.

Bobcat Mourns Passing of Skid-Steer Inventor
 
The website has a circular saw option, and I am willing to bet it will be offered in a 3 point hitch version like most other scandinavian processors.
As well, I will bet they offer Diesel powered stationary versions.

Personally, I think this thing would be about ideal for me. I can feed it perfect spec wood...

Need to find out the price US.
 
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