Pellet Making?

[blades]

That's it in a nut shell.
I have been digging in this for awhile, trying to figure a way to make use of a rather generous quantity of processing waste. It isn't getting any cheaper on the dumpster costs. I like the bricks best, stumbling block is getting raw material down to the 6mm particle size. Hammer and roller mills are pricey not to mention the rather large amount of hp needed to run them. Not really looking for a high production just for myself ( i can be a rather cheap xyz at times). Missed a chipper with a blowin engine about a month ago. starting with chipper output then into something akin to grist mill for additional reduction. Block dies are easy to make and a minor addaptation of a hydro splitter completes the party. Note straight saw dust is too dense on it own for the compression cycle, but chips from a chain saw are just about right and could have saw dust mixed in, the ratio would take some playing around. still would have to add heat for selfbinding unless a binding agent is added.

 

[redprospector]

really the best source of heat is the old woodburner, the consumer magazine here in N,Z backs this up and you dont have to worry about power outages. electric or gas and I can cook on mine in the warm. And it heats 3 times, once cutting and splitting. two stacking and the final time burning. stacked wood is money in the bank and it keeps and is easy to get at any time ,not like a manufactured fuel like pellets

I don't think anyone is argueing that firewood isn't a good source of heat, I'm trying to figure out what to do with the material I'm accumulating. There is enough thinning going on here that the market is flooded with firewood, which drives the prices down and there are a lot of us that have wood left over after the season. People with pellet stoves were having a hard time finding a consistant supply, so there you have it. There is a need to be filled.

Andy

 

[KiwiBro]

there are a lot of us that have wood left over after the season

Do you have a consortium of like-minded investors right there, to help fund decent, good volume gear? Or are they all standing around looking at each other saying "you do it", "no, you do it", etc?:tongue2:

 

[blades]

Personally i have never cared for a venture capitol arrangement, too many chiefs with hands out and no blisters.

 

[KiwiBro]

Personally i have never cared for a venture capitol arrangement, too many chiefs with hands out and no blisters.

To a certain extent, I agree. However, if the investors are like minded, it's possible and some might say worthwhile. Having everyone starting on the same page, singing from the same song sheet, pulling in the same direction (or silent and agreeing to said direction) may make the legal work easier to get set-up and the benefits of scale possible without too many dramas. It's not just financially sound sometimes. People in the same industry with the same issues and drivers may actually have skills or contacts that compliment a pellet making/marketing operation. Skills, contacts, in addition to $, that a single investor may not have and may not afford to obtain.

I'm not saying it's always a good thing, and can personally attest to it being a bad thing when the governance isn't up to scratch, but common ground and the synergies that come from working with like minded people isn't something to be dismissed lightly.

 

[redprospector]

Do you have a consortium of like-minded investors right there, to help fund decent, good volume gear? Or are they all standing around looking at each other saying "you do it", "no, you do it", etc?:tongue2:

Half of them are looking at each other saying "you do it", while the other half are saying "you're out of your mind, that'll never work".
Years ago when I bought my first chipper, no one else had one. Several said I'd be broke in 6 months. 3 years later there was an old beat up chipper of some sort setting in every other driveway.
When I bought a firewood processor, they said "well, that's stupid, my crew can make more firewood in a day than that thing can in a week". Now, 4 years later I can think of 6 of those nay sayers that own a firewood processor.
I guess I'm kind of like the barometer of ideas around here. I think they're saying "Let him try it out, if it works we can always get in on it. If it doesn't we can laugh and say I told you so".

Andy

 

[KiwiBro]

Half of them are looking at each other saying "you do it", while the other half are saying "you're out of your mind, that'll never work".

:hmm3grin2orange:

The world needs early adopters, as much as it needs sheeple. Here's hoping it works out for you and by the time the sheeple realise it's got legs, you have been able to corner your local market and they realise it's better to supply you than try to compete and go through that investing/learning curve you have already conquered.

 

[redprospector]

:hmm3grin2orange:

The world needs early adopters, as much as it needs sheeple. Here's hoping it works out for you and by the time the sheeple realise it's got legs, you have been able to corner your local market and they realise it's better to supply you than try to compete and go through that investing/learning curve you have already conquered.

Thanks,
That's what I'm hoping for this time around. If it works out, I'll give them a place to go with some of their materials. I don't know though, the folks around here like to watch you make a pie, but their not happy with the piece of pie you offer them, they want the whole thing. :msp_rolleyes:
I sub-contracted to a guy about 3 years ago...He still owes me for some ground.
I hired a friend to sub to me last year. We're no longer friends, and he said some pretty derrogitory things about me. Although I contracted him at almost twice what he bid his last job for, he found out that I was keeping 15% (for covering him on my insurance, and dealing with the land owner, and the state) of what I was getting for his work. He's now working on a job that is paying 1/2 of what I was paying him. But he's happy.

Andy

 

[pdqdl]

... he found out that I was keeping 15% (for covering him on my insurance, and dealing with the land owner, and the state) of what I was getting for his work....

Andy

Been there, done that, although I generally pay subs 75% of gross.

I TELL subs how much I am marking them up, and I suggest that they get their own insurance, etc. They invariably shut up and never bring it up again. So far, nobody has ever gotten mad at me, either (at least that I know about).

 

[redprospector]

Been there, done that, although I generally pay subs 75% of gross.

I TELL subs how much I am marking them up, and I suggest that they get their own insurance, etc. They invariably shut up and never bring it up again. So far, nobody has ever gotten mad at me, either (at least that I know about).

Haha. Yeah, I was up front with him. Told him before he started what I was keeping. I think he just needed something to cry about.
I've pretty much sworn off of partners, and sub contracting. If I can't do it myself....well.....it probably didn't need doin' no how.

Andy