Firewood Processors
The automatic choice
With the ever increasing price of oil heating fuel, it seems that more and more people are installing woodburning stoves. The demand for firewood seems to be on an upward spiral, which has no end in sight. In keeping with this, the machinery to produce firewood has progressed over the years, increased and easier production being the way to go. Fortunately most of the machines currently available in the UK have proven themselves as good products with good service backup. The main systems for processing are either sawing or chomping the wood. Saws used are circular, chainsaws or bandsaws. These ensure clean square ends to the cuts, but the saws are susceptible to dirt.

The processors which chomp the firewood using a rotary knife tend to work faster with fewer problems caused by dirt, yet if the wood is too dry it can tend to shatter much of the wood. Thus, each machine type has its positive and negative attributes. Most of the processors available are made in Europe, and it will therefore be interesting to see whether those made in North America become available in the future. Hakki Pilke and Bilke firewood processors are distributed in the United Kingdom and Ireland by M Large tree services Ltd.

The ranges are quite comprehensive, starting with the Eagle saw bench, which can saw 10” logs, which can be then split on the splitting cone. This particular basic, low cost model has been very popular on farms. The OH60, which utilises a circular saw blade, can cut logs up to
25cm diameter, and produces logs to a maximum length of 55cm. It is available with either a standard or tungsten tipped saw blade. The Hawk firewood processor is a compact hydraulically driven chainsaw processor with hydraulic discharge conveyor and hydraulic splitting. As it is of such a compact size it can easily be towed by a car.

It is available as a PTO, electric or engine-driven processor. The 1X37 has a 2.2m hydraulic
drive infeed conveyor with reverse. The exit conveyor is easily adjusted with a self-locking winch. It has a maximum of 370mm diameter log handling, and can cut the wood into lengths from 200 to 600mm. Customers can specify a variety of options, such as hydraulically adjusted splitting blades, hydraulic log lift, hydraulic log feeder rack and easy-to-use joystick controls. The 2X is very similar to the 1X37, but has a smaller log capacity and has twin 5.5-tonne splitters, giving very fast production for smaller diameter logs. Going up market we have the 2X32 Greenspeed which has a twin splitter and is capable of sawing wood up to 32cm in diameter. This model has hydraulic controls as standard, 3-speed splitting and a hydraulic conveyor slewing from side to side thus enabling the even filling of trailers, or bags.
The 1X42 Greenspeed is similar in its main design to the 2X32, except that it can saw with its chainsaw wood up to 42cm diameter, and has 13-tonne splitting force in its single splitter.
The BigX47 is the largest in the range of processors. It has an 18” crosscutting chainsaw, with a choice of 4, 6, 8 and 12 segment splitting wedges.

The splitter has a two speed 20-tonne splitting force. Due to its larger capabilities, its basic
construction has been increased in size and strength to cope with the greater forces. Different from all the above Hakki Pilke models is the Bilke 2 firewood processor which has a rotary cutting and splitting knife which will take roundwood up to 22.5cm in diameter, and which is most effective on green timber. The blade design and length control system mean that firewood is split with efficiency into log lengths up to 55cm. The output conveyor has been made wide, minimizing any risk of blockages. M Large 02890 342838

Jas P Wilson is the distributor of the Austrian made Posch range of firewood processors. The range encompasses a wide variety of processors, from those used by homeowners, to large, high production industrial machines, with all their ancillary log decks and conveyors. The Posch 280 is popular in the UK. It has a circular saw crosscut, capable of an 11” cut, power infeed and an outfeed conveyor. The 10.5-tonne splitting ram allows the splitting of larger diameter rings. The automatic two-speed splitting system increases pressure when required. The Posch 3000 has a slightly stronger splitting force of 12 tonnes, and overall is set up for increased mechanisation. It is operated via joystick controls, and can be married to hydraulically driven longitudinal and cross log conveyors. The 3100 is the next in the range with a circular saw cutting up to 13½” and a 12-tonne splitting force. Many of these machines are working in the UK, mostly with their associated log feeding decks. With such a setup the operator rarely needs to touch the wood. Going up in size is the K4000, crosscutting up to 18”. With a 22-tonne splitter, up to 15 pieces can be produced from one split. With its associated ancillary equipment, it can handle bent wood.

Posch have also recently introduced a new, three-point linkage firewood processor, the AutoCut 700 Compact. Its fully automatic saw cuts in a 2.5-second cycle. The wood can
be up to 120cm long and up to 22cm thick. The wood is placed into the feeding trough, from which point the automatic timber advance moves the wood to the 70cm diameter Widia saw blade that cuts the wood to the desired length – anything from 20 to 52cm. The billets are fed from the machine by the new, wider (35cm) conveyor belt, the inclination of which can be hydraulically adjusted. Jas P Wilson 01556 612233

Marshall Agricultural Engineering is the sole importer for Binderberger. This Austrian company supply an extensive range of firewood processing equipment. firewood processor crowns the
range with its microprocessor controlled system which transports the log into the machine, measures, cuts and splits the wood, taking all the tiring repetitive work away from the operator, allowing him to concentrate on keeping the log deck loaded and centring up the
splitter knife as the wood tapers. These machines are PTO-driven, or self-powered with a Hatz Silent Pack engine, and are truly easy to use. Complementing the Binderberger range, Marshalls also sell the Dalen firewood processor. This Norwegian machine comes in two main models with a couple of control or power options. The model range starts with the 2052 which cuts up to 16” diameter and is manually operated with a lever that controls cutting and splitting. It has an infeed conveyor and elevator which pivots 20 degrees either way to increase loading flexibility. It is also available with hydraulic controls similar to the 2054.

The 2054 has a 17” capacity and all functions are hydraulically controlled allowing the operator to have a simple single-handed control system with a good clear view of the cutting and splitting process. Both machines have a 2-speed splitting ram, which allows the operator to select nearly twice the power if he comes to a really knotty piece of wood. The 2054 comes with a 4-way splitting knife as standard, but 6, 8 and 10 knife blades are available.
The minimum horsepower needed is 50, and the maximum PTO speed is 400rpm, so your tractor is not flat out, saving you fuel while remaining more gentle on the ears. A modular log deck system is available to accommodate logs from 1 to 5 metres long, and this can be connected in series with the feeding conveyor on the processor and operated with the same lever. Power options are PTO or electric.

Also available from Dalen is a sawdust extractor fan which can be electrically or hydraulically driven. This has proven successful and has been retro-fitted to several different makes of processor. Marshall Engineering 01892 770788

Palax machines have been available through Caledonian forestry services for quite some time. They are made in Finland, and Palax has an active improvement programme. Features which are common to all Palax machines include self-cleaning conveyors, precise length adjustment
and swingable discharge conveyors which can speed up the bagging of firewood noticeably. They have six basic models to choose from, starting with the Combi M 11. This model is efficient at cutting and splitting logs up to 25cm, and can even cut bunches of stems at
the same time utilising a tungstentipped circular saw blade. The KS35 and KS35S use a 15”
chainsaw to crosscut. The maximum diameter they can cut is 35cm, producing logs from 25 to 60cm long. To ease its operation the chainsaw and the infeed conveyor are controlled
completely hydraulically using a joystick. The height position of the splitting wedge is also controlled hydraulically. The speed of the splitting ram is determined by the automatic high speed valve which is supplied as a standard feature.

The 70 and 70S firewood processors are equipped with tungsten tipped circular steel blades, capable of handling logs up to 25cm in diameter. Although both models have similar features in their basic frame construction, the 70S model is for continuous firewood production.
The Palax Power 100S is the largest machine in the range, capable of processing larger trees. Its tungsten- tipped cross-cutting blade is capable of cutting logs up to 40cm in diameter, with a splitter force of either 10 or 16 tonnes. This model has been designed with long service intervals in mind. There are a host of extras available, from various splitting blade patterns to hydraulic oil coolers and heaters.

Palax offers a complete range of ancillary equipment from log decks, to cleaners and bagging systems. Caledonian 01738 663798

Perry Plant Hire acts as agent for the BGU range of firewood processors. BGU make a large range of firewood and forestry associated machinery in Germany. Their firewood machinery
covers the whole range, from simple domestic machines to large industrial firewood processors. The SSA and KSA ranges offer a crosscutting ability up to 12” and a splitting
power up to 12 tonnes. The processors can be powered either by PTO or electric motor, or even both. Due to their design, the PTO doesn’t need to be operated at full revs. All machines have a high wear painted finish, with powered discharge conveyors as needed.

The HM185 is a firewood processor that utilises a rotary blade which cuts to length and splits at the same time. It can handle logs up to 185mm diameter and is a very fast operating machine. It is ideal for smaller branches. Perry Plant Hire 01363 866174

Fuelwood have made a number of developments to meet the needs of the expanding firewood production market. The Transaw 350 was launched in 2007 and sales since have been
extremely good, including exports to Canada. Designed with knowledge of the UK market, and with short and twisted timber in mind, it is fitted with a circular saw with a 35cm crosscutting capacity. The machine can be either PTO or electric driven. All functions are operated
via a user-friendly single lever. Once cut the sawn ring is moved via a tilt and pushing action to the splitting chamber, minimising the possibility of the sawn ring falling sideways. The multi splitting knife can be raised and lowered hydraulically for 2/4/6/8/way splitting.

The outfeed conveyor has hydraulic lift and slewing features and all conveyors are foldable.
Fuelwood’s other kindling and firewood machines include the Woodcutta, Kindla, Kindlet, and
Splitta. The Woodcutta is an automatic machine with 14” capacity for the accurate crosscutting of rings and continuous feed. The Kindla converts 10” diameter timber into even sized kindling. The Kindlet efficiently converts waste and offcuts into kindling wood. The
Splitta has the capacity to produce kindling from timber up to 14” in diameter.

A full range of Japa firewood processing machinery is also available including the Japa 300, a compact self-powered firewood machine available in either a yard or road towable versions. The Japa 100 is ideal for the landowner or farmer for quick and safe firewood cutting. The Japa 700 takes timber up to 10” diameter. The splitter blades are easily adjustable via a foot pedal. This machine requires a minimum of 20hp from the tractor PTO. No hydraulics are required.

The Japa 320 has a hydraulic infeed conveyor, a hydraulic powered chainsaw, and can crosscut up to 12½” diameter. The dual splitting chamber design allows sawing at the same speed as splitting, which greatly increases production speed. The new Japa 370 is the latest in the chainsaw cutting range with a capacity of 14½” diameter.
Fuelwood 01926 484673