Bundling Logging Residues with a Modified John Deere B-380 Slash Bundler

A basic problem with processing biomass in the woods is that the machinery must be matched to the final product. If a logging business owner invests in a machine to produce a specific type of biomass product for a limited market, the opportunity for that logging business owner to diversify products to take advantage of market opportunities may also be limited. When woody biomass material is densified into a composite log, the material preserves some of its physical characteristics while controlling transportation costs. Although different types of bundlers and balers are being investigated in the southern states, the John Deere Slash Bundler is one of the few that is commercially available. Studies performed on this machine in 2003 and 2008 resulted in production and cost data for a variety of sites and applications. This project furthers that research by mounting the bundler onto a motorized trailer rather than a forwarder. Because southern logging operations often pile logging residues at the deck, the bundler does not need to be self-propelled for typical logging contractors in the region. This paper describes the equipment modifications and discusses the advantages of this new equipment type.