Firewood processors come in all shapes and sizes. Which is the right one for you? Firewood processors can be used for both domestic and commercial operations depending on their size and power. They can quickly and efficiently create a large amount of firewood – far more rapidly than would be possible with manual systems. However, if you’ve been looking to see what’s available you will have discovered that there are many different variants on a theme, each producing different results, with differing levels of productivity, efficiency and cost. That’s why it’s so important to make sure you get the model that is right for your needs. BGU’s range of firewood processors has just been significantly strengthened with the launch of the KSA 450. Weighing 2 tonnes it has a 20” chainsaw harvester bar running .404 chain, giving it the capacity to process 18” diameter logs. It can get through 6 cubic metres per hour. The 450’s power requirement is 15kW, it has a two-speed splitting ram with a force of 24 tonnes and a 14-way splitting cross. As with all BGU processors maintenance requirements are low. Being 90% mechanical there’s little that could go wrong that couldn’t be fixed on site. The KSA 370 is BGU’s lighter weight chainsaw processor, weighing 860kg with the capacity to cut 15” logs on a 3/8 chain. With an 8 tonne splitting force, this model can process 4 cubic metres an hour and can be operated with a 4- or 6-way splitting cross. A 3500mm conveyor comes as standard but an extra long 4500mm option is also available. Because of the 370’s unrestricted infeed conveyor it’s also able to cut crooked timber. BGU’s range also features two circular saw firewood processors. The SSA 310 Evolution has a 750mm tungsten-tipped blade with the capacity to cut 12” diameter logs with a splitting force of 8 tonnes. There are two conveyor lengths available, 3800mm as standard or 4300mm. It also has manual or automatic log splitting with a 4- or 6-way splitting cross. The second circular saw processor – as featured in Forestry Journal’s May article about Maureen Tucker – is the most compact of the BGU range. The SSM 250 Z Compakt has a 700mm blade and 10” diameter capacity. Its 6 tonne splitting force means it is able to process 3 cubic metres per hour. It has a roller bearing feed table and is available with or without a conveyor. 01363 866174 www.perryplanthire.co.uk Marshall Agricultural Engineering distributes Binderberger and Dalen firewood processors. The Binderberger range consists of two models. The Profi 450 is an automatically controlled machine. It has a cutting capacity of 40cm diameter and will produce logs from 15 to 50cm in length. Power options include PTO electric or Hatz Silent Pack diesel engine, the processor comes with powered log deck, 4 metre discharge elevator and 2/4/6-way splitting knife. Other accessories are available including 2/4/8 and 12-way knives, singulating deck and 25 or 50 mph rated The SSA 310 Evolution circular saw firewood processor from Perry Plant Hire. towing carriages if increased mobility is required. The bigger Profi 520 is a new addition to the family. It has an increased capacity of 20” diameter with 20 tonnes of splitting power. Like its sibling it can be run in semiautomatic or fully automatic mode. It has a folding log deck, extendable drawbar and a 4.5 metre folding elevator. Both machines use harvester bar and chain technology. The other processors available from Marshalls are the Norwegian Dalen machines. There are two models in this range, the 2052 and 2054, with 40 and 44cm diameter cutting capacities respectively. These machines are renowned for cutting bent, awkward wood with ease at a good production rate. The 2054 uses harvester bar and chain and is fully hydraulically controlled. It will produce up to 40cm long logs with a single-handed control system which allows comfortable and smooth operation. The slightly smaller 2052 is more manually operated but still has many of the robust features of its bigger brother. These include wide infeed shelf, 8 tonne splitting power and elevators that swing 20º either way to allow easy loading of trailers, boxes or bags. 01892 770788 www.marshalllogging.co.uk Chippers International, the UK concessionaires for all Gandini products, offer the Forest Cut firewood processor. This is a heavy-duty machine weighing 1000kg; cutting via the chainsaw arm is up to 450mm with a 15 tonne splitting capacity of 2, 4 or 6 ways. There are a number of major features such as the ability to hydraulically raise and lower the splitter and, by pressing a single button, operate the splitting operation on its own. The Forest Cut is attached to the tractor’s 3-point linkage and is PTO driven. The machine has its own internal hydraulic system with castiron pulleys and hydraulic motors. Power requirement is 35hp. There is also the option of power being supplied by a 3-phase 11kW electric motor. Logs are carried to the cutting area by means of a heavy-duty rubber conveyor which has infeed and reverse mode. The discharge elevator is 4500mm long and can (Left) The Dalen 2054 from Marshalls will produce logs up to 40cm long with a single-handed control system. (Right) The Hakki Pilke Hawk road towable model from M Large. Forestry Journal 8/09 www.forestryjournal.co.uk 39 reach over high-sided trailers. It can be folded, allowing transport within the width of the tractor. All safety guards are fitted with long-life electro magnets for maximum reliability and easy access is available to all service points. The operator’s control panel is extremely robust with two main control levers working on a gate system. One lever operates the infeed table and loading platform, the other raises and lowers the saw arm and splitting mechanism. An emergency safety stop button stops operation of the saw and split device. There is an optional extra of a loading table which enables the operator to load large volumes of timber onto the table by means of a grab or pallet forks. Logs can then be rolled onto the infeed table one at a time by means of a hydraulically controlled cam arrangement. This greatly increases output, up to 5 tonnes an hour. 01789 414871 www.chippersinternational.co.uk Fuelwood (Warwick) and Japa have made a number of developments to meet the needs of the expanding firewood production markets. The Transaw 350 is fitted with a circular saw that has a cutting capacity of 35cm, and also has a 15-tonne semi-automatic splitting unit. A user-friendly single lever, with integral switches to activate the splitter, controls the various functions of the machine operation. Log length is set via a laser beam. Other features include an adjustable 2/4/6/8-way splitting knife, folding hydraulic 3-metre infeed conveyor, hydraulic lift and slew outfeed conveyor and ring ejection system. PTO driven, requiring 50hp, the machine uses the latest quiet hydraulic drive systems. A 3-phase electric version is also available. A full range of Japa firewood processing machinery is also available. The Japa 300 is a compact selfpowered firewood machine available in either yard or road towable versions. The Japa 700 firewood harvester takes timbers up to 10” diameter. A choice of 3.5 or 4.5m folding conveyors is available. The machine requires a minimum of 20hp from the tractor PTO. No hydraulics are required. The new Japa 325 processor has a hydraulic infeed conveyor, hydraulic powered chainsaw, and can cross-cut up to 12.5” in diameter. The dual splitting chamber design allows sawing at the same speed as the splitters, which greatly improves production speed. The Japa 375 is the latest in the chainsaw cutting range with a cutting capacity of 14½” diameter and an 8 tonne single splitting chamber. Both 325 and 375 models now have 4.1m folding outfeed conveyors and 30cm longer reversible infeed conveyors, with option of joystick controls, and Expert or Pro models. Being launched at Fuelwood’s Open Days on 22/23 August is the Japa 450. This suits both small and large timber up to 450mm/18” and features a 24 tonne splitting cylinder, an automatic speeding valve and a 4m outfeed conveyor. Six hydraulic levers control functions such as feeding, cutting, splitting, conveyor adjusting etc. Fuelwood have recently announced new and redesigned machines in the Fuelwood Factory and the Kindlet Pro. The Fuelwood Factory is a fully automatic sawing and splitting machine with unique control of the size of split logs, irrespective of timber diameter and is ideal for netting directly from the end of the machine. It now has a faster cutting harvester bar, central control station including timber feed from the deck, a chute that assists the move- ment of sawn rings into the Splitta, output conveyor for bulk loads or bagging system for direct netting. The machine also incorporates a waste conveyor to automatically take away sawdust and timber ends too small for splitting. Maximum cutting diameter is 35cm. Price is £39,995. The Kindlet Pro has a kindling capacity of 25cm with fast cycle time to achieve solid wood output of over 2 cubic metres per hour. It features adjustable stick lengths of 20, 25, and 29cm, inlet and outlet conveyors together with an infeed chute for rounds and an outlet chute for netting directly. 3-phase electric or tractor hydraulic drives are available. 01926 484673 www.fuelwood.co.uk The Hakki Pilke OH60 is PTO driven, cross-cutting by means of a 700mm diameter TCT blade, with automatic 2-speed hydraulic splitting through a 2-, 4- or 6-way blade and 3.2m folding discharge conveyor. An ideal processor for the first-time buyer, the OH60 is nevertheless a professional machine capable of producing large quantities of sawn firewood. Standard features on the Hakki Pilke 1X37 include a 2.2m hydraulically powered infeed belt, 16” crosscutting bar and chain, automatic 2-speed hydraulic splitting and a 4-metre folding discharge conveyor. Other options include 6- or 8-way blades, hydraulic joystick controls and 3-phase electrical power unit. According to M Large, this machine is bomb proof! Moving up the range, the Hakki Pilke 1X42 GreenSpeed has a heavyduty 2.5-metre powered infeed belt, 18” saw bar for cross-cutting and 13.2 tonnes hydraulic splitting force. The 1X42 comes with a 2 or 4 and the option of a 6- or 8-way splitting knife. The processed tim- ber exits the machine via a 4-metre outfeed conveyor with 2.1-metre power slew left to right. Hydraulic joystick controls are standard, and it is available with combi electric/ PTO drive. The Hakki Pilke BigX47 is a large diameter firewood processor with a 2.6-metre infeed conveyor, 22” sawbar and harvester type chain (hydraulically driven). It has multi speed splitting with 8, 16 or 24 tonne to select from and 2/4-, 6-, 8- and 12-way splitting blades. Hydraulic folding 4-metre outfeed conveyor with power slew. The BigX47 has hydraulic controls. The BigX47’s ability to produce firewood from bigger diameter timber has seen a marked increase in demand for it in the last 12 months. For those customers who require a mobile self-powered machine, Hakki Pilke supply the Hawk road towable machine. It is powered by a 13hp Honda engine, cross-cuts with a 13” hydraulic drive chainsaw, has 6 tonnes of splitting force and a 3.2-metre folding conveyor. M Large also offer Bilke guillotine firewood processors that cut and split automatically up to 220mm in diameter, with outputs of up to 20 cubic metres per hour. 02890 342838 www.mlarge.com Seram UK Ltd, based in mid-Glamorgan, are the sole UK agents for the Multitek range of firewood processors. There are seven models in the range. The Model 2040XP2 is claimed to be the number one selling industrial firewood machine in the world. It has a log capacity of 50.8cm diameter by 12.2 metres and can split log rounds into up to 16 pieces for the production of bundles, kindling, or cooking woods. The machine is available in .404” pitch, ¾” pitch, or 60 inch circular (Left) The Binderberger SSP 520 on display at Elmia. (Right) The new Japa 450 from Fuelwood suits both large and small timber. 40 www.forestryjournal.co.uk Forestry Journal 8/09 saw configuration. Available in diesel and electric configurations, the machine can be used in conjunction with various conveyor systems and debris cleaning options. The patented overhead shuttle grapple log feed system was designed by Multitek in the early 1980s. With its ability to grab and feed the log forwards and backwards, it can handle even crooked logs with ease. Another popular model is the 3040XP2. This unit is popular where oversize logs would otherwise go to waste. With a 72” circular saw cutting system it easily cuts logs up to 77cm in diameter. The Model 1610EZ and 2020 series of firewood processors have many of the industrial features of the 2040XP2 and 3040XP2, and are designed for the small and medium size firewood business. The 1610EZ is a single-operator machine that will cut and split logs up to 16” in diameter and 10’ long. It can be towed behind a pick-up truck and offers an integrated 13’ firewood elevator for quick set-up and mobility. 01656 657457 www.seramuk.com www.multitekinc.com The Palax range consists of six models, with each model having a variation to it – PTO, engine and 3-phase electric. The newest arrival to the range is the Power 90 which has a cutting diameter of 37cm and can be supplied with 8- or 16-tonnes splitting force; it features a tungsten-tipped hard metal blade. The smallest machine is the Palax 55 which is aimed at the domestic market or small producer. It can be powered by a mini tractor PTO, electrically or its own engine and will cut and split up to 20cm. The Combi range, first produced in 1990, has been the most popular. The Combi M II offers many features including automatic belt (Left) With a cutting diameter of 37cm the Palax Power90s is the latest offering from Caledonian Forestry Services. (Right) The SC700/12OR processor is the latest product in Riko’s line-up. adjustment, easily adjusted elevator height and side to side adjustment, tungsten-tipped blade cutting up to 25cm, and has only three grease nipples on the machine. The KS35 range cuts up to 35cm and can be operated from one control lever, with infeed conveyor. As with most models, it has a 4.3metre elevator. The Palax Power 100 is the largest machine in the range, with a cut of 40cm. Along with the optimising stroke splitting system this makes for a very fast machine ensuring it splits small diameter timber as quickly as the smaller machines. There are a number of log decks available to suit each machine. 01764 663798 www.caledonianforestryservices.co.uk Posch produces an extensive range of firewood processors ranging from the Spaltfix S 280, which has an 11” cut and 10-tonne splitting force, up to the K550 which will cut diameters of 22” and has a splitting force of 41 tonnes. An Austrian company who produce in the excess of 15,000 machines each year, Posch guar- antee that there will be a supply of spare parts for 20 years after a model has stopped being produced. Posch have designated the machines to show the maximum cut in millimetres: S-280, S-300, S-310, S-320, K-440, K-450, K-550. Various sizes of log decks are available. The 280, 300, 310 and 320 are all fitted with TCT saw blades and the 440, 450, and 550 are fitted with a harvester chainsaw with a self-tensioning hydraulic saw motor. All the ranges except the 280 use a hydraulic joystick control to operate the saw, infeed, splitter and splitting knife adjustment. New to the Posch range is the Auto Split which will produce kindling and net logs from wood up to 10” in diameter and 8” long. It has the option for loose bagging or packed nets. It is available as PTO or 400v or a combination of both. Prices start at £7,400 + VAT. 01556 612233 www.jaspwilson.co.uk Riko have several products in their range. The SSC700 Combi processor has a 700mm tungsten-tipped saw blade with 12” diameter cut. It is fitted with a hydraulic infeed and telescopic outfeed conveyor. Both fold up for easy transportation. With a 12 tonne splitting force and hydraulically adjustable 2/4/6-way knife and adjustable log length, this unit weighs from 1400Kg with fully contained hydraulic system and two hand controls for safe and easy use. PTO or electrically powered, prices start from £8,500 + VAT. On the SSD800 bandsaw processor the maximum diameter of cut is 500mm as is the maximum log length. An optional hydraulic telescopic outfeed conveyor that folds up for transport is also available. PTO or electrically powered, weighing from 1200kg, prices start at £7,300 + VAT. The latest product in Riko’s lineup is the SC700/12OR processor. This has a 12” capacity, tungstentipped saw blade with 12-tonne, 2/4-way splitter and optional 4-metre telescopic and adjustable conveyor for compact transport. PTO or hydraulically powered, prices start at £3,750 + VAT. 01420 487300 www.alpinetractors.com (Left) Fuelwood’s Transaw 350. (Centre) The Multitek 2040 from Seram UK boasts a log capacity of 50cm x 12.2m. (Right) New to the Posch range from Jas P Wilson is the AutoSplit, available with PTO or electric drive or a combination of the two. Forestry Journal 8/09 www.forestryjournal.co.uk 41