I’m curious why people use conveyors, specifically If you have a skid steer or tractor to load the wood? I assume you’re stacking the wood to dry before selling. Are you stacking off of the conveyor pile and using the pile as a holding period until it gets stacked? I know some people use them to load trucks/trailers. Just want to better understand the ROI.
Why Do You Use A Conveyor?
- Thread starter Pungo
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Jhenderson
Addicted to ArboristSite
You can pile wood higher, in a smaller footprint, without interruption of splitting using a conveyor.
If splitting green for immediate delivery, you can split and conveyor right into the truck
panolo
Seldom right...Always opinionated!
Split green straight into a trailer. Saves the arms and back because you don't throw splits. Allows you stack super high if your space is short.
Jakers
Owner - Arbor Jake's Tree Service, LLC
I don't have a conveyor but could certainly use one.
Most people that sell firewood, or just plain burn a lot themselves, don't bother stacking it neatly to dry. I've piled my wood for going on 20 years now and it dries just fine for my use. Honestly the wettest wood is the outside of the pile where rain and snow can get on it. The stuff in the inside is bone dry and tests at about 12% moisture (freshly split) on a meter. That is seasoned for one year in a pile of about 10-15 cords in only afternoon sun.
Most people that sell firewood, or just plain burn a lot themselves, don't bother stacking it neatly to dry. I've piled my wood for going on 20 years now and it dries just fine for my use. Honestly the wettest wood is the outside of the pile where rain and snow can get on it. The stuff in the inside is bone dry and tests at about 12% moisture (freshly split) on a meter. That is seasoned for one year in a pile of about 10-15 cords in only afternoon sun.
If this is true sir I feel stupid for always stacking my wood. I was thinking of how to make a home made conveyer but I haven’t put much thought in it yet. I got side tracked doing splitter upgrades.
I season for one year, and quickly found piling doesn't work for me. I get moldy, wet wood if left for a short time. Really moldy, ugly,
wet wood after a year. If scooped up with a rock bucket or such, then dirt still gets mixed in too as soon as you dump it. If you have a preexisting concrete slab that might work better. To pour a slab large enough for say fifty cords to sell would be cost prohibitive. A ten foot high pile is about 20' diameter, and eight to nine cord. An alternative is a tumbler, to separate the dirt from the wood, and those are quite expensive as well.
I built (100) 1/3 cord racks, and later (40) 3/4 cord racks.
Pulling firewood from a ten foot high pile is a pretty much picking each piece off the ground.
Then I built a bin out of scaffolding which helped immensely. But proved a bit dangerous when it becomes cave like, and then drops, shooting out the front, at pocket height. A hook-a-roon helped. All in all a lot of work.
Then the racks started deteriorating with age.
Enter the PackFix, pallets, and graveled lot.
The full drum rotates from under the conveyor to the lifting tripod to be wrapped in netting. The netting wraps the bottom 2' of the drum. As the drum is slip formed upward, the wand with netting circles the drum, and it spiral wraps the wood.
No more stacking...except the wood shed for ourselves. (atv and trailer)
Jhenderson
Addicted to ArboristSite
Building a conveyor isn’t as easy or cheap as it appears.
Would love to have a conveyor and a dump truck.
ChoppyChoppy
Tree Freak
Here the top dries out, middle stays wet and bottom turns into mushrooms and rot.
If it was under a roof, then I'm sure it'd dry much better. Even better if it had vents at the bottom. Like if piled on a few culverts that perforated.
Simlar to how potato houses are setup. (They blow temp controlled air though)
panolo
Seldom right...Always opinionated!
Mine is an old corn cob conveyor we converted. Have it running with an electric motor and a v belt. There are a ton of those hanging around old farms that are just sitting in the weeds. Can't remember if mine cost $50 or $100.
I think there are all kinds of wood you can dry in a pile well. Key is to have it open and the wind and sun to get to it. I wouldn't worry about maple, box elder, ash, birch for sure. I think oak is going to take longer.
I think there are all kinds of wood you can dry in a pile well. Key is to have it open and the wind and sun to get to it. I wouldn't worry about maple, box elder, ash, birch for sure. I think oak is going to take longer.
I have a old gravel belt conveyor and have it setting at the end of the splitter to load right into trailers and we then stack it in the trailers to get a full load. I wouldn't be with out my conveyor saves the back and shoulders.
mijdirtyjeep
ArboristSite Operative
We would pile the wood off the Processor with a conveyor to be stacked at a later time ( high school helpers on the weekends). One fall we never got a couple 25' piles stacked. It was May when we finally got to the center of them and there was still ice in the center at the bottom. These piles were on concrete in the wide open and if you didn't get them stacked, you would have black mold and frogs living in the centers it was so wet.
nathan4104
ArboristSite Operative
I posted this over in your other thread but I’ll add it here too.....
We use the conveyor off the processor, it’s 16’ and will pile about 3 cords under it before moving.
Loading the dump trailer or a truck is easier with the conveyor. (I sell it loose, 180cu/ft of 16” to a cord, 160 for 12-14”, 200 for 18+)
I seldom cut it into a heap to sit, mostly cut to order and the customer can worry about seasoning it. Some expect dry wood but I can’t keep a stock of 14-16-18-20” wood here cause it seems everyone wants something different.
We had a hay chain in a V trough type conveyor for a while and it worked, but not as good as the rubber belted version we have now.
I also find the heap of wood does not dry in the middle/bottom. I have white Birch and dead Jackpine/spruce.
We use the conveyor off the processor, it’s 16’ and will pile about 3 cords under it before moving.
Loading the dump trailer or a truck is easier with the conveyor. (I sell it loose, 180cu/ft of 16” to a cord, 160 for 12-14”, 200 for 18+)
I seldom cut it into a heap to sit, mostly cut to order and the customer can worry about seasoning it. Some expect dry wood but I can’t keep a stock of 14-16-18-20” wood here cause it seems everyone wants something different.
We had a hay chain in a V trough type conveyor for a while and it worked, but not as good as the rubber belted version we have now.
I also find the heap of wood does not dry in the middle/bottom. I have white Birch and dead Jackpine/spruce.
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Exactly like here in NE Georgia.
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I have 5 or 6 conveyors. I will never be without a spare or two. I split mainly ash. I have a Wallenstein processor cutting 16" long splits that has a mounted 12' conveyor on it. I usually dump from it onto a 35' grain conveyor to make the stacks high. and so that I don't have to move the processor due to wood piling up. This wood gets sold and can be anywhere from a couple months old to a year or so. We sell by the trailer load in the Fall. These splits fall onto the same area for a couple of years so usually has a layer of bark to keep mud off it. After a couple of years any dirty splits get cleaned up and burnt in my OWB I start then another pile on new grass. My location is mostly gravel on a hill no trees and with lots of wind so no mold issue.
I also have a 36" splitter with a 4 way wedge on it that dumps onto the 35' conveyor. This is for my own OWB wood that is 32" long. It is the only wood that I stack and the only reason I do that is for ease of storage and movement with my tractor. If you sell wood once you go conveyor you will never go back. Even if you stack it afterwards the advantage of being able to keep splitting a huge pile is worth it to me.
I also have a 36" splitter with a 4 way wedge on it that dumps onto the 35' conveyor. This is for my own OWB wood that is 32" long. It is the only wood that I stack and the only reason I do that is for ease of storage and movement with my tractor. If you sell wood once you go conveyor you will never go back. Even if you stack it afterwards the advantage of being able to keep splitting a huge pile is worth it to me.
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I posted this elsewhere here but some guys might have missed it. We hand load onto a conveyor into the truck or trailers so that we can make sure no dirty, rotted or messy splits get sold. We can burn anything in the OWB. Night time awhile ago loading with the little Black Creek conveyor.
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Jakers
Owner - Arbor Jake's Tree Service, LLC
It's different for everyone. Certain species of my wood does grow some mushrooms at some point over the year but it's always dry when the burning season hits. Most of the wood I cut and split was green when cut but sits in log form for a year or so before it's processed
When ordering 20 cord loads of 8' or actually 100" logs, I plan on one load to sit over the winter so as spring unfolds, I have logs to process. When Michigan road frost laws take effect load limits back things up. One year I missed out processing in April and most of May. The rub is, after sitting through the winter, the bark comes off in huge chunks. Makes great clean firewood. It does not season in log form, but it begins to, releasing the bark. Without the bark the processed wood seasons much faster. Processing in one spot, means constant clean up, so I park the atv trailer within tossing distance of the splitter, which fills up daily in the spring. Splits up the conveyor, bark in the trailer, junk wood in the rowpacks (folding pallet size crates) to be bundled later. We are burning last years junk wood now.
Conveyors: Types and use.
Seven basic types for firewood. New; Used; Converted use; Chain; Belted; Mechanical drive; hydraulic drive. Pretty much fits every budget as well.
I have a 2008 (I think) 28' Built-Rite hydraulic top drum drive, belted conveyor, originally with a two position hand crank elevating jack.
It's a good conveyor for the most part with some irksome nuances. Honda GX 160 purrs all day at half throttle. Hydraulic drive gives forward and reverse, and stall protection if the pile tops out and belt paddles catch on splits. That's an important feature of hydraulic drive. Top drum drive pulls the belt uphill, vs bottom drum drive pulling the lower portion of the belt to pull the top portion. Maybe that's mutt.
Irksome nuances. The elevation pivot point is a tube in tube hinge to which the axle frame structure is attached, making a triangle of the conveyor, wheel carriage, and, the third leg being the hand crank jack. There are no zerk fitting, grease fittings, on the tube. This seized, the weak point being the jack, which failed. The hinge is not serviceable. The components are all welded. And the fact that most likely this equipment will be used outdoors and subject to years of weather, a few zerks is not unreasonable. Built-Rite replied that it's never been a problem that they have heard of. I was able to break the hinge free, add zerks, replace the hand crank with a cylinder from Built-Rite and valve from Surplus Center. Extremely handy to change elevations hydraulically. When I move the conveyor with the quad, it needs to be completely raised, which pivots the axle forward, reducing the tongue weight as much as possible.
Another mild irk relating to serviceability. The lower rollers, or idler wheels for the lower portion of the belt, are three rollers mounted on a rod. The rollers do not have bearings, and are captured in place on the rod by welded in place washers. One, this causes a lot of needless noise, squeals, and such. Second, and much more aggravating, it's a non serviceable wear part. I replaced three of the rods/rollers this year, and should have done all of them, but I bucked on cost, hoping to find a better alternative replacement with bearings.
I replaced the hydraulic pump this year, as the shaft seal began weeping, making a mess over time. It wasn't a breakdown situation. Built-Rite sent the hydraulic motor. They then sent the pump and a return shipping label for the motor all very prompt, no issues, good service. The pump they use now is different from original, aluminum body, requiring new hoses and fittings to accommodate.
I did replace the hydraulic motor and drum shaft several years ago after tipping the unit over backwards, landing hard on the top drive drum. The drum shaft bent ever so slightly wobbling the hydraulic motor which lead to the hydraulic motor shaft sheering. A combination of operator error and what I consider poor design. I had tipped the conveyor before, maybe three feet, landing gently on the wood pile. This time I had moved the conveyor, and sent a small pile of splits up the conveyor. Not being hitched to anything, and not continuing to split onto the belt, the conveyor tipped. Luckily without any injury to me, the dog, or anyone else. Another expensive lesson learned.
Belted conveyor, which is the only experience I've had. It's great, with one exception noted in a second. The lower drum area needs to be kept clear of debris and wood chips. If they get between the belt and drum they tend to stay trapped there going round and round the drum and sends belt tracking off to one side. I use a SuperSplit so belt tracking is very visible and quickly remedied. Simply reverse belt, which carries the debris up the lower belt, stop the belt and remove the splitter trash. Tracking resumes without adjustment. "Reverse belt direction" Not all conveyors have reverse. The exception is SNOW! The drum packs it to ice which bonds to the drum, and is all but impossible to remove completely due to welded mess guards. It takes all but laying in the snow with some type of flat ended stick to crap the drum, rotate, scape, rotate scrap, just to have it do it thirty minutes later. After the first hour or so, not so much, but initial start up is frustrating. Again, attention to serviceability in the build would be nice. I've yet to modify these guards with hinges and latches as I do not use it in the snow much. I have, but in switching to pallets and bundling, pallets don't work well in snow either.
Hope this gives someone looking at conveyors, new or used, some points to focus on.
Hand crank jack removed, conveyor supported by forklift. Days of penetrating oil and it finally broke loose.
Added grease zerks.
Broken hand crank mounted on lower position. These mounts needed changing to accommodate hydraulic cylinder Built-Rite sent me, I had thought ordering it from them it would just bolt up.
For mounting purposes I went with this block valve(?). It came in dedicated function sections and components to gang it together.
Center holes wear and wheels wobble, no longer running flat. I think there are seven of these.
Seven basic types for firewood. New; Used; Converted use; Chain; Belted; Mechanical drive; hydraulic drive. Pretty much fits every budget as well.
I have a 2008 (I think) 28' Built-Rite hydraulic top drum drive, belted conveyor, originally with a two position hand crank elevating jack.
It's a good conveyor for the most part with some irksome nuances. Honda GX 160 purrs all day at half throttle. Hydraulic drive gives forward and reverse, and stall protection if the pile tops out and belt paddles catch on splits. That's an important feature of hydraulic drive. Top drum drive pulls the belt uphill, vs bottom drum drive pulling the lower portion of the belt to pull the top portion. Maybe that's mutt.
Irksome nuances. The elevation pivot point is a tube in tube hinge to which the axle frame structure is attached, making a triangle of the conveyor, wheel carriage, and, the third leg being the hand crank jack. There are no zerk fitting, grease fittings, on the tube. This seized, the weak point being the jack, which failed. The hinge is not serviceable. The components are all welded. And the fact that most likely this equipment will be used outdoors and subject to years of weather, a few zerks is not unreasonable. Built-Rite replied that it's never been a problem that they have heard of. I was able to break the hinge free, add zerks, replace the hand crank with a cylinder from Built-Rite and valve from Surplus Center. Extremely handy to change elevations hydraulically. When I move the conveyor with the quad, it needs to be completely raised, which pivots the axle forward, reducing the tongue weight as much as possible.
Another mild irk relating to serviceability. The lower rollers, or idler wheels for the lower portion of the belt, are three rollers mounted on a rod. The rollers do not have bearings, and are captured in place on the rod by welded in place washers. One, this causes a lot of needless noise, squeals, and such. Second, and much more aggravating, it's a non serviceable wear part. I replaced three of the rods/rollers this year, and should have done all of them, but I bucked on cost, hoping to find a better alternative replacement with bearings.
I replaced the hydraulic pump this year, as the shaft seal began weeping, making a mess over time. It wasn't a breakdown situation. Built-Rite sent the hydraulic motor. They then sent the pump and a return shipping label for the motor all very prompt, no issues, good service. The pump they use now is different from original, aluminum body, requiring new hoses and fittings to accommodate.
I did replace the hydraulic motor and drum shaft several years ago after tipping the unit over backwards, landing hard on the top drive drum. The drum shaft bent ever so slightly wobbling the hydraulic motor which lead to the hydraulic motor shaft sheering. A combination of operator error and what I consider poor design. I had tipped the conveyor before, maybe three feet, landing gently on the wood pile. This time I had moved the conveyor, and sent a small pile of splits up the conveyor. Not being hitched to anything, and not continuing to split onto the belt, the conveyor tipped. Luckily without any injury to me, the dog, or anyone else. Another expensive lesson learned.
Belted conveyor, which is the only experience I've had. It's great, with one exception noted in a second. The lower drum area needs to be kept clear of debris and wood chips. If they get between the belt and drum they tend to stay trapped there going round and round the drum and sends belt tracking off to one side. I use a SuperSplit so belt tracking is very visible and quickly remedied. Simply reverse belt, which carries the debris up the lower belt, stop the belt and remove the splitter trash. Tracking resumes without adjustment. "Reverse belt direction" Not all conveyors have reverse. The exception is SNOW! The drum packs it to ice which bonds to the drum, and is all but impossible to remove completely due to welded mess guards. It takes all but laying in the snow with some type of flat ended stick to crap the drum, rotate, scape, rotate scrap, just to have it do it thirty minutes later. After the first hour or so, not so much, but initial start up is frustrating. Again, attention to serviceability in the build would be nice. I've yet to modify these guards with hinges and latches as I do not use it in the snow much. I have, but in switching to pallets and bundling, pallets don't work well in snow either.
Hope this gives someone looking at conveyors, new or used, some points to focus on.
Hand crank jack removed, conveyor supported by forklift. Days of penetrating oil and it finally broke loose.
Added grease zerks.Broken hand crank mounted on lower position. These mounts needed changing to accommodate hydraulic cylinder Built-Rite sent me, I had thought ordering it from them it would just bolt up.For mounting purposes I went with this block valve(?). It came in dedicated function sections and components to gang it together.Center holes wear and wheels wobble, no longer running flat. I think there are seven of these.
