PTO driven 3-point circular saw attachment.

[mcmxi]

I watch a YouTube channel from NZ featuring lots of old tractors that get recovered and functionally restored. On this week's video, an 80-year old Allis-Chalmers is saved and a Mad Max type belt driven saw is installed. I really like the idea of such an attachment for processing smaller sticks (< 6" diam.) into firewood without having to be bent over all day running a chainsaw.

I haven't done much in the way of research, but here is one that looks to be very useful. Does anyone have such an implement? If so, which model and what are your thoughts about it?

https://forddistributing.com/balfor-shark-700-c.html

 

[GreensvilleJay]

A farmer friend has one, old though, $50 at an auction, runs off an Allis-Chalmers B. Can make a mountain of kindling/firewood in a day. Think it's a 36 or 38" sawblade ?
No way I'd pay $3200, even in Canucks, though

 

[TheOldHokie]

I watch a YouTube channel from NZ featuring lots of old tractors that get recovered and functionally restored. On this week's video, an 80-year old Allis-Chalmers is saved and a Mad Max type belt driven saw is installed. I really like the idea of such an attachment for processing smaller sticks (< 6" diam.) into firewood without having to be bent over all day running a chainsaw.

I haven't done much in the way of research, but here is one that looks to be very useful. Does anyone have such an implement? If so, which model and what are your thoughts about it?

https://forddistributing.com/balfor-shark-700-c.html

Those old cordwood saws are pretty easy to find. A good one with decent blade, belt pulley, and belt might command a whopping $200. Make sure your insurance covers accidental amputation.

Dan

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

post WWII every farm in our area was getting tractors and buzz saws were one of the first non crop implements people would make / trade for / or buy. Very common around here and can still find them rusting away in the bush lines.

We live in a forested area and used the saws not only for putting up the 10 cords needed to heat the house but also to cut wood to leave next to the rail tracks as part of our payment to the municipality for school taxes / property taxes / farm taxes.

Municipality needed wood to heat the school houses, hospital, etc.... so was a great tool to pay off debts. Railways would pick up the wood to heat the rail stations, etc....

 

[mcmxi]

Those old cordwood saws are pretty easy to find. A good one with decent blade, belt pulley, and belt might command a whopping $200. Make sure your insurance covers accidental amputation.

Dan

Yeah, seriously! There are many ways to get killed or maimed around a tractor and the various implements that we use with them. That said, the modern circular saw versions appear to have more safety features to prevent limbs from flying off, and are driven off the PTO via a gear box rather than a belt which I'd much prefer.

 

[mcmxi]

Here you go! Here's a cheaper version, but the Balfor Shark looks to have a lot more safety features.

Vermont Woodsman Buzz Saw

Woodsman model 250 3-point hitch Buzz Saw Specifications and Price

www.newhavenpower.com

From their website ...

"The sight of these Buzz Saws brings back a lot of Memories from many Childhoods
Of Course the older Buzz Saws ran off a long flat belt and most had no shields, so they
were even more dangerous than the modern Buzz Saw versions."

 

[mcfarmall]

Here's my solution. Anything 4" diameter or less goes to the burn pile. Amputation averted!

 

[GrizBota]

post WWII every farm in our area was getting tractors and buzz saws were one of the first non crop implements people would make / trade for / or buy. Very common around here and can still find them rusting away in the bush lines.

We live in a forested area and used the saws not only for putting up the 10 cords needed to heat the house but also to cut wood to leave next to the rail tracks as part of our payment to the municipality for school taxes / property taxes / farm taxes.

Municipality needed wood to heat the school houses, hospital, etc.... so was a great tool to pay off debts. Railways would pick up the wood to heat the rail stations, etc....

Interesting tidbit about paying property tax with firewood. I presume this was pre WWII?

The last time I read about a public entity accepting something other than money was a late 1800s requirement that able bodied male landowners had to work one day a year on the roadcrew as part of their property tax payment. Seems like it was in the south?

Given that barter is hard to double and triple tax, I doubt will see tax collection entities being a fan of it this century.

 

[skeets]

4 inch, thats stove wood! I knew guys when I was younger that left tree tops if it wasnt 10 inches or better it got left. I went behind them and would load my truck up with stuff I never had to split for the most part. Now 2 inch down I never took, but if I had a chunker they would have gone too

 

[mcmxi]

4 inch, thats stove wood! I knew guys when I was younger that left tree tops if it wasnt 10 inches or better it got left. I went behind them and would load my truck up with stuff I never had to split for the most part. Now 2 inch down I never took, but if I had a chunker they would have gone too

Absolutely! That's good wood for my stove if nothing else.

 

[jyoutz]

I watch a YouTube channel from NZ featuring lots of old tractors that get recovered and functionally restored. On this week's video, an 80-year old Allis-Chalmers is saved and a Mad Max type belt driven saw is installed. I really like the idea of such an attachment for processing smaller sticks (< 6" diam.) into firewood without having to be bent over all day running a chainsaw.

I haven't done much in the way of research, but here is one that looks to be very useful. Does anyone have such an implement? If so, which model and what are your thoughts about it?

https://forddistributing.com/balfor-shark-700-c.html

If you are using this for firewood, remember that circular saws and sappy logs need frequent filing and cleaning. That’s why the old sawmills with circular saws had full time saw filers.

 

[rc51stierhoff]

I watch a YouTube channel from NZ featuring lots of old tractors that get recovered and functionally restored. On this week's video, an 80-year old Allis-Chalmers is saved and a Mad Max type belt driven saw is installed. I really like the idea of such an attachment for processing smaller sticks (< 6" diam.) into firewood without having to be bent over all day running a chainsaw.

I haven't done much in the way of research, but here is one that looks to be very useful. Does anyone have such an implement? If so, which model and what are your thoughts about it?

https://forddistributing.com/balfor-shark-700-c.html

[/QUOTE

I watch a YouTube channel from NZ featuring lots of old tractors that get recovered and functionally restored. On this week's video, an 80-year old Allis-Chalmers is saved and a Mad Max type belt driven saw is installed. I really like the idea of such an attachment for processing smaller sticks (< 6" diam.) into firewood without having to be bent over all day running a chainsaw.

I haven't done much in the way of research, but here is one that looks to be very useful. Does anyone have such an implement? If so, which model and what are your thoughts about it?

https://forddistributing.com/balfor-shark-700-c.html

Good day. Having used one previously, this is just my opinion based on what works for me. If wanting for a novelty or historic purpose, I get it. If using to process firewood, there are much better options. Let’s assume not concerned with safety…Unless you have help, there is a limit to what an individual can lift up onto the bed…so already the log has most likely been cut down, or you need a way to lift a large log and index it to be really efficient…extra hands would help. If only doing small stuff, a decent chop (mitre) saw and stack of cheap blades from harbor freight. A Cordless saw is even more portable. Anyway the buzz saws are impressive but to make them process a lot need extra help to handle the stock IMO. And if cutting smaller stuff there are better options such as throw away mitre saw blades.

Assuming already have a chainsaw…if don’t want the mess in your shop with a chop saw, then A cutting rack…you can cut so much more so much quicker with a rack. (I am biased towards one of them and you can build to scale). I load this sucker up with smaller logs and then cut to the pre measured slots. Takes longer to pick up the pieces then to make the cuts and the cuts are made at a safe working height and not bending over while cutting.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I personally like the hydraulic powered chain saw on wood processors better than a circular saw.

Look at this version!

 

[mcmxi]

I've seen those stands before and know someone that made one. One of the advantages of the buzz saw system (supposedly) is that it's a lot faster than a chain saw in terms of how quickly it gets through the wood.

 

[Chanceywd]

I have an old belt driven one. I removed the belt drive and using a gear box I made it PTO. Like Oldhokie says you can pick them up pretty cheap. I might have paid $150- 200 when I bought it maybe 6 years ago. I use it every year with my 8N to cut up some of the limbs after chain saw work is done to finish my fire wood. I didn't use it this year as I was lucky with a mild winter and did my fire wood in feb as I was scheduled to have a knuckle replaced in my rt index ( chainsaw throttle finger) in march. It is doing better so I should be up to the whole job next year, maybe cut some of those tops up this summer.
I grew up with seeing my grand father run one from a belt on his JD. he amazed me as he was in his 60's and could drag a tree up by the house and then put the tractor in position in one try to run off the side pulley. He would just put a crow bar in the ground on either side to keep the belt from running off.
I like my old buzz saw!

Bill

 

[mcmxi]

I personally like the hydraulic powered chain saw on wood processors better than a circular saw.

Look at this version!

Yep! That Samurai is a nice unit but probably hard to find in the US. I hadn't realized that Balfor is Italian made ... and for that YouTuber .... it's Balfor not Balfour. By the way, it's a circular saw that's doing the cutting right? I don't think it's a chain saw on the Samurai model.

 

[Chanceywd]

I've seen those stands before and know someone that made one. One of the advantages of the buzz saw system (supposedly) is that it's a lot faster than a chain saw in terms of how quickly it gets through the wood.

I find the fact I can stand up to do it easier on the back. I made a spring loaded guide for my 16" cut off and drilled a hole in the table at 16" for trimming a slightly long piece to length.

 

[hedgerow]

I have had a buzz saw or cordwood saw around the farm in one shape or form for forty years. Started with a staked down one ran with a flat belt and a G JD tractor. Had one on the front of a A JD tractor and several three point ones with shafts and gear boxes. The current two I have there own engines on them one is a trailer model with a two cylinder Wisconsin and the other is on the end of a splitter and is hyd lift and ran with a 13 HP Honda engine. I saw up a lot of hedge { Osage Orange} wood with them.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Yep! That Samurai is a nice unit but probably hard to find in the US. I hadn't realized that Balfor is Italian made ... and for that YouTuber .... it's Balfor not Balfour. By the way, it's a circular saw that's doing the cutting right? I don't think it's a chain saw on the Samurai model.

Yes on that unit there is a circular saw blade, there are others that use a chainsaw blade, I'll have to look and see if I can find one.

Contact this place as they look like a US distributor.

VC044SAMURAI700C - Eastern Farm Machinery

 

[Chanceywd]

I have had a buzz saw or cordwood saw around the farm in one shape or form for forty years. Started with a staked down one ran with a flat belt and a G JD tractor. Had one on the front of a A JD tractor and several three point ones with shafts and gear boxes. The current two I have there own engines on them one is a trailer model with a two cylinder Wisconsin and the other is on the end of a splitter and is hyd lift and ran with a 13 HP Honda engine. I saw up a lot of hedge { Osage Orange} wood with them.

That style you mention must be what my grandfather had. I remember it being separate from the tractor.
Is there a name for the brand that you used?
The one I bought was dearborn style, 3pt mounted and I probably could have kept it belt driven but this was prior to my kubota and I didn't want to have to take the belt drive off and on the pto thus making it shaft drive.

Bill