Bale Elevator "Firewood Conveyor"

Bale Elevator "Firewood Conveyor" WOODLOT EQUIPMENT Miscellaneous 26-6-27 Old chain-and-paddle-type bale elevators can be converted into cheap firewood conveyors, says Elmer M. Pinkerton, Elmwood, Neb., who recently sent FARM SHOW photos of an elevator he converted. He uses the elevator to load firewood into big stacks in an open-sided shed. "A new firewood handler like this would sell for about $7,000 but you can pick up these old bale elevators for next to nothing at farm sales," says Pinkerton. He mounted a 5 hp gas engine on one side of the elevator that belt-drives a pulley which in turn chain-drives the elevator. He modified the elevator's original chain tightener so that it can be shifted from one side of the elevator to the other in order to tighten the chain in either direction. The chain tightener is held in place by a coil spring. "If I were to do it again, I'd mount the motor underneath the elevator so that it wouldn't have to be re-leveled when raising and lowering the elevator," says Pinkerton, noting that his machine can be raised to a maximum height of about 12 ft. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Elmer M. Pinkerton, 305 West D Street, Elmwood, Neb. 68349 (ph 402 994-5885).

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