Making Wood Shavings

(I'm assuming this is for your own use)

I'd think a nice big fly wheel with a series of blades attached in the same configuration as a plane blade attached to a plane.

A simpler but less rugged idea would be push rod on the flywheel attached to a plane so it just shoots back and forth. (Plenty of weight added to keep the plane down, whith guides etc to stop it flapping about and decapitating anyone!)

The BIG problem is making anything like this SAFE!

Anything you build should be run by hand first and then powered up slowly...I'd but in a torque limiter of some sort, even if it's only a bit of rubber hase as a coupling, and a big cut out switch, guards etc.

Terms & conditions apply ..every man is his own safety officer blah blah etc.

Ooooh yes...and I'd go electric motor rather than diesel...easier to control?

Have (safe ) fun

Del

(PS can we ask why you want the shavings ...? Maybe a HUGE hamster?)

Hi

Yes it is for personal use.Thank you very much for your idees.One of my friend have about 150 horses on stable and it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep the stables hygienicly clean. Might there be something else that I might use instead of shavings.

TKS

Miller

Straw? Hay?

hi bob here have the same problem my self with a high demand for quality wood shavings and no supply. i am in the middle of making a machine that produces them at a rate of 3-4 ton per hour thats the simple bit but the need to be dry down to 15% moisture content and at the min the lowest i can get them at the minute is 42%. i know i can buy factory made dryers but the arnt cost effective for this small out put any ideas

Hi G here from Sunny South Africa

Yep shavings are hard to come by here every timber yard around already has a daily collection organised for the shaving also very difficult to come by.

Got any peanut farmers / processing plants around your area?

arrange delivery or collection of the discarded peanut shells.

excellent bedding materail, usually non allergenic, and make up is hugely acceptable they break up underfoot of the horses and are slightly fiberous resulting in a "soft standing for the horses and also are very absorbant so all in all a great alternative to using shavings.

Got any great quantities of river sand also a great alternative can be washed and re-used. by removing just the wet clumps. can be rewashed and kept relativley hygenic.

hope it helps

I know in my area Peanut hulls are a viable sorce for that sort of thing. They give them away by the truck load.

Del starts to salivate over the image of a Huge Hamster.

Contact Norris Brown (941) 351-3613. He has more shavings than he knows what to do with and more creative ideas than any person I've ever met. He runs or did run a wood molding shop and had to pay to have clean shavings hauled away. Good Luck.

A Google search on "wood shaving mills" came up with several hits. Could be some infor there.

Check your nieghborhood for Millwork shops or cabinet makers. You sweep, you keep

Don't they have Tree-trimming services in your area? They come through my property every year or two to keep the trees away from the power lines. They grind up all the trimmings - I've heard that they will gladly dump truckloads of the grindings for free...

As somebody else pointed out, safety is a MAJOR concern with such machines!

Why not just buy a planing machine and plane the wood to nothing.

Another point, be careful with your wood selection, some woods are poisonous when cut and dust is made....I believe Yew is one of them, but there are others.....be careful!! A breathing mask is essential and I am not to sure whether any animals would be affected or not by the end product!!

I believe Yew is one of them,

Ah that would account for me being dead !

Actually Yew berries taste quite nice but are V small.. its the pip that is poisonous ! The leaves are too...probably the bark...afterall just steer clear of the whole tree.

Please.. the usual health and safety stuff applies..just 'cos I'm daft enough to taste a single Yew berry...please don't take this as an invitation to make jam out of them... Leave 'em for the birdies...mmmm tasty birdies.

Del

I thought the problem was what to do with the shavings after you've created them. At least that's my son's problem who cuts down mostly healthy trees for a living. People seem to have too much time on their hands these days, constantly worrying about their or their neighbour's trees. Perhaps I'm being obstruse, but are we talking shavings or chippings here? I'm sure it makes a difference for some uses.

Have you considered a brush chipper. They producer a coarser product than shavings but are readily available in varying sizes. There are even ones available that can be driven from the PTO of a tractor. You can use your diesel engine in place of a tractor PTO.

Another consideration might be something along the line a large lathe similar to the ones they use to produce veneer. They can be adjusted to produce paper thin sheets of wood.