Wood Hogger Makes Big Chunk Firewood WOODLOT EQUIPMENT Wood Splitters 6-1-34 "It makes an easy-to-use fuel from waste wood," says Mauno Silpala, importer from Finland of the new "Wood Hogger", a unique tractor-mounted wood chipper that makes "super chips" 2 to 3 in. long and 1 to 1 1/2 in. thick that dry better and are reportedly easier to use in standard wood burners than regular wood chips. "Small chips pack down and only the surface of a chip stockpile gets dry, so they spoil quickly. Because they pack so tightly, they don't burn well on standard grates, either. The larger particle size of our chips allows air to circulate deeper into the pile, thus minimizing spoilage," explains Silpala. The "Wood Hogger" handles logs up to a maximum of 6 in. in dia. For demonstration purposes, Silpala often feeds 4 by 4's or fenceposts into the machine to demonstrate its capabilities. It'll chop up a log 8 ft. long and 6 in. in dia. in about 3 seconds. The machine has a large conical screw with a hard-surfaced blade that can't work loose and needs no adjustment, says Silpala. The blade must be sharpened regularly but is designed to be sharpened with a hand-held grinder without having to remove it from the machine. The pto drive has a slip clutch to prevent damage to the tractor, Silpala notes. The Wood Hogger, which has been on the market in Finland for 2 1/2 years, has been introduced in North America as part of a complete wood fuel system, or it can be purchased separately. A down-draft boiler and an automatic stoker make up the rest of the system. The Wood Hogger itself sells for $4,395. For more information, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Mauno Silpala, Kopo Inc., 2000 Rhode Island Avenue North, Minneapolis, Minn. 55427 (ph 612 546-2590).

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