What do you use to break down larger logs for grinding?

[MattB]

I'm wondering what tools everyone is using to bust up their big logs for grinding? I've seen those cone splitters sized for large excavators. I've seen the over sized hydraulic ram splitters like from Multitech and Cord King. I've heard of using "stump shears" for breaking up logs too.

I have a small Westech Wood cracker l700 set up on a mini excavator to break up logs for my 15" chipper. Looking at a W1350 or a L1200 since I'm picking up a larger grinder and getting into larger wood.

We see plenty of 4' plus pine, oak, euc and fir out this way.

Any one love their set up? Hate it? Experiences appreciated.

Thanks,

Matt B in California

 

[Plebeian]

Seems a waste to be powderising good timber. The euc is likely to require special sawing and drying techniques if they are timber species.

Pine, oak and fir might be sawed with a small mill, shed to dry etc. wood-mizer

There were efficiency gains for a tree clearing operation I have seen; when they put a bar saw on their grapple. The 'excavator' was large enough (23-25 ton) to turn the log over to cross cut. The chainsaw guy falling the big trees was getting his saw stuck at times cross cutting his trees. The logs were being loaded for trucking to a centralised grinding yard, quicker than if only a chainsaw was used. Only branches etc left to mulch on the tree felling site. Neighbours only subjected to a short time of onsite- mulching/ grinding/ cleanup.

Komptech axtor older 6010

 

[Tones]

Here in Australia all wood is cut down to size, length and split. Grinders double their production over whole tree grinding. Hydraulic shears have become very common and highly productive or though older style shears with a stiff arm are still around.https://www.machines4u.com.au/brows...avator-Attachments-756/Excavator-Shears-4243/
Here is a quick selection. even some for your size machine.

 

[Hallback]

It depends how many logs a day you are having to split. If you are only doing four or five large logs a day then just take a chainsaw and rip them through on the end and use the excavator or heel rack on a shovel to split it. If you are doing truck loads of oversized stuff build a log splitter for your excavator.