Firewood Bundle Machine

If you do some gardening, you often end up with lots of branches.

The purpose of this "machine" is to press them into firewood bundles.

You will be amazed at the weight of the bundles... so many branches in such a small bundle!

You can then use the bundles to light wood fires in the winter... just like in the old days!

And if you want to control your fire automatically, check out my wood stove regulator project: https://www.instructables.com/Wood-Stove-Regulator/

What you need:

1. 12 square wooden posts, 68 x 68 mm, 180 cm long (or equivalent)
2. wood glue
3. long stainless steel screws (about 10 cm)
4. two iron chains, 1.5 m long

Cut 8 posts to 145 cm and keep the 35 cm offcuts.

Assemble everything as shown in the plan. Keep two 180 cm posts for the base.

Attach a chain between the 1st and 2nd posts, and another between the 3rd and 4th posts.

Fix each chain on one side (the same side for every post) with some hooks, and wrap it once or twice around the post... or the chain will come off when you press the branches.

It works in a similar way to the old machine you can see in the drawing.

1. Fill the bundle machine with all kinds of branches. You can fill it to the top if they are only small branches that compress well. Put in fewer if the branches are bigger.
2. Pass the chains under the branches.

Slide two iron bars through the chain loops, on top of the branches.

Turn them several times, until you cannot press any further. (After one turn, you have to slide the iron bars out and turn again from the other side.)

Lock the iron bars against the lower board or one of the posts.

Make sure they are properly secured, because they could come loose and hurt you.

Tie the bundles with strong rope.

Make 4 ties: one on the far left, one on the far right, and two between the 2nd and 3rd posts.

I recommend learning how to tie self-locking "Tarbuck" knots.

Then cut with a chainsaw on the left and right sides, and also between the 2nd and 3rd posts.

You have your first firewood bundles!

Pick them up... you will be amazed at the weight!!

So many branches in such a small bundle.

I also built another tool to cut 1-meter logs in two...

A handy companion to the bundle machine.