Best Processor Under $20,000

[Chris(Glen)]

I have been looking around at a few different brands and just wondering peoples opinions. I have looked into Blockbuster, Built-Rite, Multitek. Don't know if I am missing any. I am looking for something to process 200 cord a year maybe more later on. I have another thread about my business idea and such. I know I will need a machine to load the machine. Just looking for opinions on the possible processors under 20k.

 

[leon]

firewood processor

The Rainer Hydraulics Company has three models of the
Chomper Firewood Processor that are under $20,000 U.S.D.,
per the 2008 price sheet

The models are:

Simplex 14PTO/farm tractor powered and mounted to the 3 point implement hitch.
The Simplex 14PTO Model requires a tractor with a minimum of
45 horse power at the power take off.

The Simplex 14 which has an 18 horse power Honda engine.

The Simplex 14S which has an 24 horsepower Honda engine.


The Chomper Firewood Processor does not require a machine to load it
as it has small hydraulic winch that pulls the log length firewood logs into
the shearing chamber.

 

[dancan]

I looked around a while ago and there are a few out there .
Here's a 9000 $$ unit that looks like it would do the job but I think it would benefit from a conveyor .


[video=youtube;UjP3nrktIK4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjP3nrktIK4&feature=player_detailpage[/video]


I think Hudson's had a decent looking unit as well .
A few units have been popping up on Kijiji in your price range .


Disclaimer , I have not seen or used any of the above mentioned machines or affiliation with any company .

 

[wdchuck]

Too bad you are so far away. Theres a multitek 2040 that I've run and gets used regularly that might fit your budget. It has a factory conveyor too.

 

[KiwiBro]

What sort of logs/wood are you likely to be splitting? E.g. diameter, delivered to you in a yard in log form, tree service offcuts of varying diameters, are you processing on various landings or staying put at a yard, etc, etc.

Do you NEED the loader/skid steer for anything else or mainly to support the processor? Could your business be better off in the long run spending some of the money on advertising and on your or a rep's time getting your business known to your market?

How likely is it that you'll be doing less than 200 cord p.a. and also how likely is it you'll be doing much, much more than that, over, say, the next 3-5 years? E.g. how variable and flexible in the production requirements do you need to be and could you be better off achieving that flexibility by hiring/firing labour?


It strikes me the best processing businesses have a system (or options thereof to keep it flexible if need be, and that's not always needed) that best suits their inputs and market expectations, so it's best to figure out those things and buy the processor as part of the most favourable system rather than a be all and end all machinery acquisition, if you get my drift.

 

[jcl]

I have a block buster 14-18 i cut 70 cords a year. ive had it for 5 years no problems when i was looking block buster was the strongest easiest to operate I agree with KiwiBro you also have to think about how your want to load a processor. And a some lower costing processors have limits on how large in dia you can cut. like mine only 18"

 

[Chris(Glen)]

What sort of logs/wood are you likely to be splitting? E.g. diameter, delivered to you in a yard in log form, tree service offcuts of varying diameters, are you processing on various landings or staying put at a yard, etc, etc.

Do you NEED the loader/skid steer for anything else or mainly to support the processor? Could your business be better off in the long run spending some of the money on advertising and on your or a rep's time getting your business known to your market?

How likely is it that you'll be doing less than 200 cord p.a. and also how likely is it you'll be doing much, much more than that, over, say, the next 3-5 years? E.g. how variable and flexible in the production requirements do you need to be and could you be better off achieving that flexibility by hiring/firing labour?


It strikes me the best processing businesses have a system (or options thereof to keep it flexible if need be, and that's not always needed) that best suits their inputs and market expectations, so it's best to figure out those things and buy the processor as part of the most favourable system rather than a be all and end all machinery acquisition, if you get my drift.

All good questions. I am going to be getting the logs delivered from my girlfriends father who does 8' lengths. I do not need a skid steer for anything else right at this current time, but I am in the process of buying a 100 acres of land which will have a very long driveway so it will also be a plow, or I can borrow one from my work.

Wood around this area goes like hot cakes. I have talked to a few people who are turning people down who don't want to sell green wood, and even saw an add for green wood selling at 225 a cord, dumped in your driveway plus a small delivery fee.

I want a processor for the fact I can do it myself if need be as a side gig or the help of a buddy or two on the weekends to make some extra cash in the long run. Yes the processor is a large up front cost but it should pay for itself in the first year due to my cost of wood being next to nothing for 200 cords.

 

[KiwiBro]

All good questions. I am going to be getting the logs delivered from my girlfriends father who does 8' lengths. I do not need a skid steer for anything else right at this current time, but I am in the process of buying a 100 acres of land which will have a very long driveway so it will also be a plow, or I can borrow one from my work.

Wood around this area goes like hot cakes. I have talked to a few people who are turning people down who don't want to sell green wood, and even saw an add for green wood selling at 225 a cord, dumped in your driveway plus a small delivery fee.

I want a processor for the fact I can do it myself if need be as a side gig or the help of a buddy or two on the weekends to make some extra cash in the long run. Yes the processor is a large up front cost but it should pay for itself in the first year due to my cost of wood being next to nothing for 200 cords.

Oh for a perpetual supply of next to no cost wood cut to 8' lengths, delivered. You lucky sod. What diameters? Do you have 'lecky power (single or 3-phase?) at the processing site?

So, 200 cord p.a. from the weekend crusades of yourself and a buddy sounds like a plan. Will you have plenty of good-access area to let it season (assuming you are getting those logs green - don't tell us you are getting them seasoned) or do you plan on selling the wood green like you mentioned others do? What's the weather like - can you split year round or over how many weekends? Similarly, what's the log supply like - year round or over a condensed period (which is fine if you've got the room to store it and chip away at the log piles).

 

[Chris(Glen)]

Oh for a perpetual supply of next to no cost wood cut to 8' lengths, delivered. You lucky sod. What diameters? Do you have 'lecky power (single or 3-phase?) at the processing site?

So, 200 cord p.a. from the weekend crusades of yourself and a buddy sounds like a plan. Will you have plenty of good-access area to let it season (assuming you are getting those logs green - don't tell us you are getting them seasoned) or do you plan on selling the wood green like you mentioned others do? What's the weather like - can you split year round or over how many weekends? Similarly, what's the log supply like - year round or over a condensed period (which is fine if you've got the room to store it and chip away at the log piles).

I have yet to see a log over 20inches in diameters being delivered by him. I likely would just have single phase power (going to build a house).
My origional plan was to buy a gooseneck and a pallet jack or bag handler of some sort and do 1/3 or 1/4 crd bags. But to start off I may just do dump loads (lower start up costs). The wood is going to be sold seasoned. I can get all the wood at once or whenever I need it (oops loads went missing), I am looking at buying a big tarp building (100'x20') their around 10k to put the processor and all processed wood in to keep it all dry and so I can do it all winter long. I work road construction so the winters are slow and this will be my main time to process the wood.

After man long conversations with the gf's father (which annoys her, takes away from her time lol) he said the best way to get doing this is buy the gear and save my back. He will get me going and said only sell seasoned wood, make a name for yourself and once you get enough going you can grow and buy from other suppliers.

 

[dancan]

Make sure zoning is not an issue , hate to see plans fall apart because of sh_ty neighbors .
Yes , most of our wood is 20" and down but keep in mind that the bigger processor the bigger the $$ . A chainsaw and a splitter for for the bigger stuff is cheaper .

What part of the province are you in ?

 

[Chris(Glen)]

Make sure zoning is not an issue , hate to see plans fall apart because of sh_ty neighbors .
Yes , most of our wood is 20" and down but keep in mind that the bigger processor the bigger the $$ . A chainsaw and a splitter for for the bigger stuff is cheaper .

What part of the province are you in ?

I live in Kentville, Nova Scotia. The land I am about to purchase is listed as forestry and I am going to meet with the local development office before I purchase on a few items including zoning for a firewood business. What I have read so far says its a go.

 

[dancan]

I have friends in Berwick .
Make sure you do all your homework and don't turn into a slave to the payments on the gear .
I was talking to a fellow I know who has a Hakki Pilke and has been satisfied after he re-engineered the lighter duty parts that broke .
You'll get less waste on 16' if it is available .
Does your FIL want to sell wood in Halifax ?

 

[Chris(Glen)]

So got a price from a place on a Built-Rite 18SCP $27,000 and $30,000 with no extra options. Anyone tell me if this is high or normal. I almost fell off my chair when I heard that for a price. I had heard the 24SCP was down around 24k. Maybe I need to go to another dealer?

 

[leon]

firewood

So got a price from a place on a Built-Rite 18SCP $27,000 and $30,000 with no extra options. Anyone tell me if this is high or normal. I almost fell off my chair when I heard that for a price. I had heard the 24SCP was down around 24k. Maybe I need to go to another dealer?

Hello Chris,


I think you will have to deal with a high price
for any large processor.

For that kind of money you could buy a Chomper
and a Wood Mizer Band Mill and a used farm tractor
with a loader to handle the slabs as they come off
the Wood Mizer.

Later on you could load the chomper with the tractor by
sliding the slabs on a roller table to feed the Chomper.



How far are you from Pugwash?


Edit:


The thing is the wood mizer will give you the option
to make band saw milled lumber quickly to help you
make more money by selling clean sawn hardwood and
softwood lumber as well, simply because the firewood
business is cyclical and warm winters help no one except
the insects.

 

[Chris(Glen)]

Hello Chris,


I think you will have to deal with a high price
for any large processor.

For that kind of money you could buy a Chomper
and a Wood Mizer Band Mill and a used farm tractor
with a loader to handle the slabs as they come off
the Wood Mizer.

Later on you could load the chomper with the tractor by
sliding the slabs on a roller table to feed the Chomper.



How far are you from Pugwash?


Edit:


The thing is the wood mizer will give you the option
to make band saw milled lumber quickly to help you
make more money by selling clean sawn hardwood and
softwood lumber as well, simply because the firewood
business is cyclical and warm winters help no one except
the insects.

I am about 4 hours from pugwash.

Why would I buy a mill when I don't have a use for one? This is going to be a side business where I cut in the winter and sell in the summer for basically something to keep me sane well we don't work in the summer. I am looking into a processor so I can do it myself with minimal work and labour at my own pace.

 

[sbhooper]

Chris,
What is the reason for the extreme wood prices there? Everything is forested. Is it hard to find a place where you can cut the wood?

 

[Chris(Glen)]

Chris,
What is the reason for the extreme wood prices there? Everything is forested. Is it hard to find a place where you can cut the wood?

To be brutally honest I am not sure. I know a lot of people will buy 8' logs delivered for $120 a cord. I was talking to a supplier an hour away and they have a waiting list with their price being $285 a cord split and delivered.

 

[SPOOGE67]

Chomper for sale

:msp_rolleyes:
I currently own both a chomper and a rapido loco(just got it two weeks ago) and loved the chomper. In the offseason I would take two employees with me to our wood lot and fell skid process and truck 7 cords of hardwood firewood in 5 hours from standing to processed in truck with cat 508 grapple and chomper. They are great for long lengths but not great for residential trees(12' minus).The chomper is listed for $21000.00 w 942 hrs. runs good just time for new style.
The new one has a 50 inch circular blade and does 2.75-3.25 cords per hour(nice wood products at end).
my first post hope it was helpful
thanks

 

[genesis5521]

I have been looking around at a few different brands and just wondering peoples opinions. I have looked into Blockbuster, Built-Rite, Multitek. Don't know if I am missing any. I am looking for something to process 200 cord a year maybe more later on. I have another thread about my business idea and such. I know I will need a machine to load the machine. Just looking for opinions on the possible processors under 20k.

Hi Chris:

There are a lot of firewood processors under 20K. Just go to youtube and do a search on "firewood processors". The one from Black Creek mentioned above is a good one. Hud-Son makes a bunch of them for under 15K. Do the youtube search, and you'll be amazed at what you will find for under 20K.

Don <><

 

[mesupra]

How about a couple Chainsaws ($1500), a SuperSpliter ($2500), conveyor (5,000), used skid-steer/tractor (10,000), total investment of ($19,000) not including a delivery truck. I think the overall maintenance, cost of operation and return on investment would have you buying a top of the line processor in a matter of 3 years. If it doesn't work out sell the individual pieces of equipment and move on. No offense but I think the KISS theory (keep it simple stupid) should be applied to all business models.