Sawdust Collection

I have a PTO mounted firewood processor( Hakki Pilke 1x37 Easy Firewood Processor)and the sawdust chute guides the sawdust to the ground between the tractor and the processor. Last year I just shoveled it out of there into large garbage bags and then tossed them in the truck for delivery. This season I would like to ad a way to direct the sawdust into a trailer that can be left in place until it is full and then I can cover it with a tarp and deliver it. Some ideas that have been floated around so far are to;

1. Guide the sawdust from the chute to either a snowblower or a chipper shredder that will blow it into the trailer.

2. Have a small conveyor that can transport the sawdust from the chute into the trailer.

The sawdust comes off the 16" bar/chain and comes out of the original chute with a slight amount of force, it lands on the ground up to 3-4 feet from the chute and fills the area between the tractor and processor after about one cord. Having it go mechanically to the trailer would save alot of work and work interuption. I figure the trailer should hold 6-7 cords worth of kerf sawdust.

I have a friend that has the same processor and he plans to use an AC current sawdust blower, but I've yet to see it.

Streamlining the operation has been a fun challange and I look forward to your input folks.

I can add a photo tomorrow, it's a little dark out there as I type.

Sounds pretty cool. We want pics!

If it has access to hydro you could direct the chute into a 6" pvc pipe with a Y adapter (Sewer cleanout) and have a squirrel cage or some other similar fan blowing the sawdust down the pipe into the wagon. Or you could find a used grain auger made for a gravity wagon, dust goes into auger and auger it to wagon. These augers run off hydraulics. Here is a pic of a stand alone unit.http://www.tractorhouse.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=5639935 . They can be found at farm sales for a good price.

I'd like to see some pics of the processor. How do you like it?

i would run the belt

To move the dust that is heavy and wet like dust off a processor is you would probably need a pretty good size collector. As a woodworker I would guess something like this would work for you with some adaption:



http://www.amazon.com/708626CK-DC-1...ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1264950444&sr=8-1

You would only need the motor and impeller an so you would replace the Y inlet with a hose connected to your output from the processor. Then the hose coming out the top should be replaced with metal or PVC pipe and directed to your trailer. You would not need the bags at all, so that part is not needed.

I would guess you need a 1.5 Hp or maybe even 2 Hp model. I have seen similar systems at "real" sawmills and those often have to pump the dust hundreds of feet so the motors on them are in the 20+Hp range.

My brother wants me to help him figure out a system for his Timberwolf because right now he shovels his dust from his output and into a barn right next to his processor. He sells his sawdust and so he has to keep it dry and so when he built his barn to house his processor, he built a room next door to it to hold the sawdust. In his case he wants to go from the output up to the ceiling (~12') and then dump out in the center of the dust collection room.

These dust collectors for woodworkers are very common and they run on 110V and 220V. I would recommend getting a big of one as possible and don't be afraid of 220V, it is easy to hook up.

Ductape said:

I'd like to see some pics of the processor. How do you like it?

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In the second photo you can see the sawdust chip chute, it has black and yellow stripes on top of it.

Moss Man said:

In the second photo you can see the sawdust chip chute, it has black and yellow stripes on top of it.

Click to expand...

Nice setup!

I would be a cheepi and see if I could fit a wheelbarrow or something similar underneth it and just empty it when its full.

7

Moss,

The processor I"ve run has a discharge chute and it all piles up, and before the freeze temps start, we just move it all with the skidloader bucket, 30 cord worth of sawdust buckets out pretty quick.


Curly already brought up the idea of a dust collector, and I'd like to expand on that with the power of a cyclonic system or possibly a similar setup that is used on lawn tractor mower decks, lawn/leaf blower/vac systems.

DR makes one, and so do a bunch of other outfits. Since it has its own motor, blower setup, and is designed to accept material under force and project it further into a holding area, it might be an option for you to consider.


Myself, I just use the loader bucket on the tractor, and put it all on a pile...not too different than moving snow.
When I find myself up your way, the first round is on me.

Looks like you have land and machinery, can you elevate the processing area and have the dust just fall into a trailer?

Could you just find a small squirrel cage blower and tie it into some ducting. Then put a y in and pipe it to the trailer.

Blower first then small length of pipe, then y or tie in pipe, then pipe to the trailer. The blower that I have to move air around the shop would put out more than enough to push the dust through the pipe. If you use a dust collector with the impeller, I am not sure that the wet sawdust would stick to the impeller or housing. If I am cutting any pressure treated on the table saw, I have to clean out the dust collector after.

If you have a electrical power source for ac you could look into flex auger. Its mainly used in livestock buildings from the bulk feed bin outside and then pulls feed into the building but has alot of uses for transfering material. Its very directional and you could auger the saw dust to about any location.

http://www.brockgrain.com/products.php?product_id=204

svon89 said:

Could you just find a small squirrel cage blower and tie it into some ducting. Then put a y in and pipe it to the trailer.

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A small squirrel cage blower is not going to move much. In order to keep any kind of wood dust moving a long a pipe. Typically several hundred feet per minute of air flow are needed to keep things moving or even to get them going in the first place. For wood dust and chips, careful testing shows airspeed of between 3700 to 3800 FPM is needed to pull in the chips and heavier sawdust from machines. About 2500 FPM to keep our horizontal ducting runs clear and about 3700 FPM to keep our vertical ducting runs from plugging.

Here is a good site that explains the basics of dust/chips movement through pipes. Anyone thinking of piping dust should review this site and others like it.

http://www.oneida-air.com/shop_plan_design/ductwork_tutorial01.php

Here is another good site that explains what is needed to keep the dust moving.
http://www.billpentz.com/woodworking/cyclone/DCBasics.cfm

How about an off the shelf hand held leaf blower/shredder. Mine has a metal impeller for handling debris and is supposed to blow 235 mph. That's probably with the restricter though. Blowing through a wide open pipe would probably slow it down.

Another thing to remember is that it's easier to blow air down a pipe than it is to suck it down a pipe. Put the blower at the tractor instead of at the trailer.

Here's a 1hp harbor freight dust collector that might do the job. Rig a big catch funnel of sorts to the blower and run the pipe to the trailer. They also have a 2hp version with 1 catch bag and a 3hp version with 2 catch bags. --Ian

I have use one just like haywire shows from HF. I have a 20' piece of 4" flex pipe that I put on the processor, and it would suck the wet chips and blow them in a pile away from it. Worked good but I didn't have 110v so I was useing a generator, and that got old fast.

Another thing I forgot to mention is that I would also like to be able to chip up the debris from under and around the log deck, there are small limbs from time to time and alot of bark. A little 5hp chipper shredder has been on my mind and would solve the problem of damp chips clogging it as it should be able to handle it.

Turkeyslayer said:

If it has access to hydro you could direct the chute into a 6" pvc pipe with a Y adapter (Sewer cleanout) and have a squirrel cage or some other similar fan blowing the sawdust down the pipe into the wagon. Or you could find a used grain auger made for a gravity wagon, dust goes into auger and auger it to wagon. These augers run off hydraulics. Here is a pic of a stand alone unit.http://www.tractorhouse.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=5639935 . They can be found at farm sales for a good price.

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Looks perfect, but I wonder how much it is? I am a low budget tinkerer and had hoped to get a chipper shredder in good shape that needs engine work for maybe a hundred clams or so!

Walt41 said:

Looks like you have land and machinery, can you elevate the processing area and have the dust just fall into a trailer?

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The only problem is that they area where the chute exits the tractor is so darned tight and the chute is only about 2 feet off the ground. I do believe the chips are going to need some help to get them over and into the 5'x8' trailer I have in mind to hold the chips.

All great ideas here folks, thanx!

Around here they come up at farm sales for as little as a couple hundred bucks depending on the style and condition.

Moss Man said:

The only problem is that they area where the chute exits the tractor is so darned tight and the chute is only about 2 feet off the ground. I do believe the chips are going to need some help to get them over and into the 5'x8' trailer I have in mind to hold the chips.

All great ideas here folks, thanx!

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How about a leaf vacuum, you could build one or use a old leaf blower. I have a giant vac that can be a vacuum with a different front attachment. It would work good and you could get one chap mine was $150 in great working condition.

Even a electric one might work