Any chomper owners, users here? Can you advise the pros and cons please?

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KiwiBro

KiwiBro

Mill 'em, nails be damned.
Joined
Jan 28, 2009
Messages
7,887
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19,423
Location
Aotearoa
Hi everyone,

The shear blade idea and lack of need for additional machinery and labour to feed the processor seem appealing.

Unfortunately, the folks at Raineir Hydraulics haven't returned my initial contact wherein I had a bunch of questions for them. So it's not a good start, but if the processor is considered the cats meow by people who use it and a worthwhile investment, then I'll persevere with enquiries.

Thanks.
 
firewood processor

KiwiBro said:
Hi everyone,

The shear blade idea and lack of need for additional machinery and labour to feed the processor seem appealing.

Unfortunately, the folks at Raineir Hydraulics haven't returned my initial contact wherein I had a bunch of questions for them. So it's not a good start, but if the processor is considered the cats meow by people who use it and a worthwhile investment, then I'll persevere with enquiries.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

I have provided for you an owners reference
list and additional material.

I would send them a facsimile transmission
and follow this up with a phone call on a
land line to their office.


The Beauty of the chomper is its basic simplicity
and the simple use of physics in its operation.

There are used chompers that come up for sale
on occasion as many owners upgrade to larger
"Chompers".

I would recommend to you that you contact
"red prospector" on the board here with a PM
as he owns a Chomper and uses it at high altitude.

The hydraulic winch and wire rope cable eliminates
the need for many pieces of machinery and only
the operator is needed to process firewood.

Please be sure to watch the video of how well the
chomper works on the company weeb site
Firewood Processors Chomper Rainier

They have been building thses machines for 30 plus years
do they have been doing something right.

Do not pay any attention to the people complaining about
how the logs are dragged through the dirt either as the
same thing occurs when they drag logs to the landing so
thats no issue.

People are buying firewood for one reason and that is
to make heat for thier homes.


You just have to decide on which model you want as the simplex 14 that is tractor powered will be the least costly to purchase and maintain. It can be ordered with manual operation or fully automatic depending on your needs and wants.


The hydraulics on the Chomper are "non metric" S.A.E., open center type and simple to repair and maintain.

The hydraulic parts are easily obtainable through a large hydraulic repair shop that rebuilds hydraulic pumps and cylinders.

leon:msp_smile::msp_thumbup::bowdown:
 
leon said:
I have provided for you an owners reference
list and additional material.
Click to expand...
Thank you Leon.
Having searched the forum recently I noted and downloaded this info' from previous posts of yours. I wasn't, and to be honest still aren't, comfortable with contacting owners directly without some assurance they have expressly consented to the publishing of their details with the expressed intent of acting as referrers should they be contacted by prospects.


leon said:
The hydraulic winch and wire rope cable eliminates
the need for many pieces of machinery and only
the operator is needed to process firewood...Do not pay any attention to the people complaining about
how the logs are dragged through the dirt either as the
same thing occurs when they drag logs to the landing so
thats no issue.
Click to expand...
Yes, no log tables, no machinery nor operator to load logs onto feed tables. I discounted the dirt issue raised in the past for the same reason. The feed stock we have here for such a processor is always harvested by skidding/winching of the logs to a staging area anyway, so generally always contain some dirt. To my mind, in such potentially dirty wood the shear blade seems a better option than saw chain.

If you don't mind me asking, could you please disclose the nature of your association with and/or advocacy of, Rainier Hydraulics' Chomper product?

About a week ago, I asked a bunch of questions via their website contact form, but have yet to receive a reply. Early days I suppose.

I had hoped to find an owner who might be able to shed some light on a few of those questions, on a public forum such as this one. That tends to lead to a level of scrutiny and challenging of ideas that brings a far more rounded perspective to an issue, and in my experience, often throws up issues I would not have considered.

Thanks again for your reply. On the face of it, these look like great machines. I hope I can confirm that and learn more of their limitations and strengths.
 
fire wood processors

KiwiBro said:
Thank you Leon.
Having searched the forum recently I noted and downloaded this info' from previous posts of yours. I wasn't, and to be honest still aren't, comfortable with contacting owners directly without some assurance they have expressly consented to the publishing of their details with the expressed intent of acting as referrers should they be contacted by prospects.



Yes, no log tables, no machinery nor operator to load logs onto feed tables. I discounted the dirt issue raised in the past for the same reason. The feed stock we have here for such a processor is always harvested by skidding/winching of the logs to a staging area anyway, so generally always contain some dirt. To my mind, in such potentially dirty wood the shear blade seems a better option than saw chain.

If you don't mind me asking, could you please disclose the nature of your association with and/or advocacy of, Rainier Hydraulics' Chomper product?

About a week ago, I asked a bunch of questions via their website contact form, but have yet to receive a reply. Early days I suppose.

I had hoped to find an owner who might be able to shed some light on a few of those questions, on a public forum such as this one. That tends to lead to a level of scrutiny and challenging of ideas that brings a far more rounded perspective to an issue, and in my experience, often throws up issues I would not have considered.

Thanks again for your reply. On the face of it, these look like great machines. I hope I can confirm that and learn more of their limitations and strengths.
Click to expand...








Send redprospector a PM and your questions and he will help you with no hesitation.

Dont hesistate to call chomper directly if you like as well as they are very friendly folks and they will help you.

The folks that own the chompers dont mind people asking questions about them and thats why they agreed to be on the contact list.





I think they are 9 hours ahead of you so you may want to lay in a supply of Fosters to count the time down HAHAHA.

Send them a fax and they wil respond quickly and of they dont I can call them for you if you like, no problem.

fax 011-503-556-0552

When ever I call England they are 5 hours ahead of me so I have to call before 7 am EST to get the home office before 2 GMT tea time.


About me:

I was mechanic involved in repairing and rebuilding diesel mining machinery with a lot of hydraulics and the fact that the hydraulics are easy to repair and simple to maintain in any of Chomper units is what has sold me on them. Simple is better and less machinery is better in any case when dealing with a low value product like cordwood with an uncertain market.


The key is the shorter the cord wood length the shorter the cycle time to shear and split the rounds and the less time it takes to dry the firewood beacause it is short in length. I nevr cut any wood longer than 12 inches when I have firewood logs given to me for the same reasons.



I was in the process of starting a firewood business when the supply of logs dried up in my area when was going to buy a "Chomper" 30 years ago but the issue of buying logs became a huge wall.

They have used Vickers hydraulics for years with the pilot operated hydraulics systems in the fully automated chompers and the Vickers hydraulics are top of the line.


The shearing cylinder/blade does most of the work reducing the work load of the splitting cylinder as the lignin is damaged and crushed on the one end and essentially creating a looser round as the shear has broken half the round before it meets the splitting head.

The top half of the round is essentially loose wood waiting for the splitting head and the lower half of the round enters the splitting head the same time the shear is finished reducing the strain on the splitting head which is why it so easy to change the splits.


The key is the efficient use of hydraulic pressure to do the work and the shearing blade as it reduces time, labor, and operating cost for the end user.
 
leon said:
fire wood processors










Send redprospector a PM and your questions and he will help you with no hesitation.

Dont hesistate to call chomper directly if you like as well as they are very friendly folks and they will help you.

The folks that own the chompers dont mind people asking questions about them and thats why they agreed to be on the contact list.





I think they are 9 hours ahead of you so you may want to lay in a supply of Fosters to count the time down HAHAHA.

Send them a fax and they wil respond quickly and of they dont I can call them for you if you like, no problem.

fax 011-503-556-0552

When ever I call England they are 5 hours ahead of me so I have to call before 7 am EST to get the home office before 2 GMT tea time.


About me:

I was mechanic involved in repairing and rebuilding diesel mining machinery with a lot of hydraulics and the fact that the hydraulics are easy to repair and simple to maintain in any of Chomper units is what has sold me on them. Simple is better and less machinery is better in any case when dealing with a low value product like cordwood with an uncertain market.


The key is the shorter the cord wood length the shorter the cycle time to shear and split the rounds and the less time it takes to dry the firewood beacause it is short in length. I nevr cut any wood longer than 12 inches when I have firewood logs given to me for the same reasons.



I was in the process of starting a firewood business when the supply of logs dried up in my area when was going to buy a "Chomper" 30 years ago but the issue of buying logs became a huge wall.

They have used Vickers hydraulics for years with the pilot operated hydraulics systems in the fully automated chompers and the Vickers hydraulics are top of the line.


The shearing cylinder/blade does most of the work reducing the work load of the splitting cylinder as the lignin is damaged and crushed on the one end and essentially creating a looser round as the shear has broken half the round before it meets the splitting head.

The top half of the round is essentially loose wood waiting for the splitting head and the lower half of the round enters the splitting head the same time the shear is finished reducing the strain on the splitting head which is why it so easy to change the splits.


The key is the efficient use of hydraulic pressure to do the work and the shearing blade as it reduces time, labor, and operating cost for the end user.
Click to expand...
Bumping.

After a few years of inattention, I thought I'd take a gander at where the Chomper processor was at nowadays to see if they improved anything or had new models. It appears Rainier Hydraulics is out of business. Did anyone take over or is that the end of the line for Chomper processors?

Looks like September 2014 was the last time their website was captured:

https://web.archive.org/web/20141002145451/http://chomper.net/page2.html
 
That's too bad. Solid machine and they turned a log deck into firewood very fast. I'll have to call my buddy when I get a chance and see if he's still running his. Been about two years since I talked to him last but he swore by that machine.
 
Hddnis said:
That's too bad. Solid machine and they turned a log deck into firewood very fast. I'll have to call my buddy when I get a chance and see if he's still running his. Been about two years since I talked to him last but he swore by that machine.
Click to expand...
This is a long shot but I'm looking for wiring info on a Chomper. Does your buddy still have his?
 

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