Looking for some feedback, we are setting up again after losing nearly everything after the Helene Flooding. New 10” wide moulder running mixed hardwoods for architectural shop. New facility - gonna need to briquette, so anybody briquetting that can help us with volume calcs, estimates for volume
Would be most helpful.

Alan,

I have a briquetter to take care of my planer shavings. I have a Weima 820.

It produces an 80mm dia. briquette, and has a 2 cubic meter holding pen built into the unit. This unit keeps up with my moulder without a problem. My double surfacer throws off a lot more shavings than the moulder does, but because we run batches a couple of times a day through it, it keeps up with us.

I've been meaning to calculate how many pounds per hour it produces. Tomorrow I'll catch briquettes for 10 minutes and weigh them, multiply by 6 and let you know.

For me, it's been the best solution for dealing with planer shavings.

Let me know if I can answer any other questions for you.

Mark

Mark, what do you do with your briquettes?
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Alan,

My briquetter output is right around 280 lbs per hour. On this model it would be easy to add to the sides of the surge container so you could throw a lot more material at it.

Gary, in the wintertime, I heat my plant with them. In the warmer months, I dispose of them in a 30 yd dumpster. I discharge into a 1 1/2 cubic yard hopper, which when filled is the equivalent of approx. 15 cubic yards of shavings. For me, this is a more cost effective way of dealing with shavings than blowing into a trailer or a silo. I run a fair amount of walnut, so my shavings can't be sold for horse bedding.

Mark

Thanks for the input, really, been hard to get volume information. I am curious what your collector/ blower to the collection bin looks like , can you take a picture? I have been advised to hlow into a small silo w rotary airlock then screw auger to collection bin, with limit switches controlling on/off. This seemed overkill for a operation of our size.

Alan,

In my last post, I posted a link to my website. Click the link "Our Shop" and you'll see my briquiiter. I did add a vinyl curtain around bin to better keep the fine dust contained, but you'll get the idea.

Mark

It sounds like you guys have been through a lot of difficulties, it's really not easy to start again, good luck with everything!
I know a few simple points about particle briquetting, I hope that helps:
Amount of shavings: processing hardwoods with a four sided planer will produce about 150-300 kg of shavings per cubic meter. Compression ratio: generally 6:1 to 10:1. volume: 1 ton briquette about 1-1.5 cubic meters.