Product Profiles

Wood-Mizer Names Laskowski Chief Operating Officer
Wood-Mizer Products has promoted Daniel Laskowski to chief operating officer. He previously managed the company’s sales and manufacturing facility in Kolo, Poland.

While in Poland Dan oversaw the implementation of advanced computerized systems involving both manufacturing and order entry. He managed a team of engineers that designed and introduced a variety of product innovations during his tenure, and some of them were adopted at Wood-Mizer’s U.S. manufacturing plant.

Dan has been an owner and member of the board of directors since the company’s inception in 1979. He consulted for the company on various manufacturing and systems projects and joined Wood-Mizer as an employee in 1990.

New MS 309 from Stihl Is Mid-Size Chain Saw
Stihl has introduced the MS 390 chain saw, a mid-sized chain saw that offers a combination of performance-proven features for fast cutting jobs. Like the Stihl 039, the MS 390 is designed for cutting pulpwood and firewood.

Stihl has incorporated several important features in the MS 390, including the oil-saving Ematic™ system, Master Control Lever™, and the IntelliCarb™ compensating carburetor for increased ease of operation for any user.

Standard equipment on the new Stihl MS 390 includes anti-vibration systems, tool-less fuel and oil caps, easy access air filter, the Stihl Quickstop® inertia chain brake, Master Control Lever, a side access chain tensioner, and a built-in winter carburetor air heating feature.

Stihl also offers its exclusive EasyStart® system with ElastoStart™ shock-absorbing handle as an option.

For more information, contact a Stihl retailer or call (800) 467-8445 or see the Web site at www.stihlusa.com.

Fecon Bull Hog Shredder Easily Paired to Carriers
The Fecon Bull Hog is a tough, versatile, practical wood shredder. Mechanical mounts now are available to match the Bull Hog to both rubber-tired and tracked carriers from 55 to 350 hp, including excavators and tractors. Fecon’s engineers consult with customers to ensure proper mechanical or hydraulic mating and power transmission.

The Fecon Bull Hog can be powered hydraulically or used in tandem with a tractor PTO. It is safe, durable, and versatile, and it shreds wood aggressively.

The Fecon Bull Hog can shred dense brush and undergrowth, standing or fallen trees, stumps and root balls, brush and yard waste piles, logging scrap and slash piles. It can convert theses materials to any texture, from coarse to fine.

The patented rotor design — belt-driven from both ends on most models — provides efficient cutting and is durable. The innovative fixed hammer design provides 300-hour tool life, incorporating combs to hold material for the hammers to cut through and double carbide cutting tips; hammers are mounted individually and can be replaced quickly and easily by loosening nuts and bolts.

Other standard features include steel push bar to direct material flow, heavy-duty wear resistant skid shoes with adjustable working heights, a hydraulically operated trap door for finer shredding, and a hydraulic top link on PTO models. Options include steel drag teeth to assist in brush work.

For more information, contact Fecon at (800) 528-3113, fax (513) 956-5701, e-mail fecon@fuse.net, or Web site at www.fecon.com.

Stihl Improves the Super Farm Boss, Now Called the MS 290
Stihl Inc. has introduced a new and improved version of the Super Farm Boss chain saw, which it has renamed the MS 290. It is one of the first chain saws which Stihl has introduced under its new model classification system, MS.

The Stihl MS 290 is designed for farm and ranch use and applications that require a rugged, high-power chain saw. It weighs 13.2 pounds, without bar and chain, and has a 3.47 cubic inch (57 cc), 3.75 bhp engine.

The Stihl MS 290 chain saws comes standard with electronic ignition, adjustable oil pump, Quickstop® chain brake, Stihl’s multi-point anti-vibration system, exclusive Ematic™ bar system, tool-less fuel and oil caps, and built-in summer-to-winter carburetor air heating feature.

For more information or the name of the closest Stihl retailer, call (800) 467-8445 or visit the Web site at www.stihlusa.com.

LA-CO Lifter Wipes Clean When Soap Water Are Not Available
The new and improved LA-CO Industries Lifter® Wipe pre-moistened hand cleaning towel is for job sites where soap and water are not readily available. Its ‘Grime-Busting Fibers’ help dig out dug-in dirt, and the wipes have a new lemon-lime scent.

The two-side polymeric non-woven towel features a soft side for general cleaning and a gritty ‘grime-busting’ side for tough cleaning. Lifter Wipes absorb and trap dirt directly into the towel like a sponge so it cannot be re-transferred back to the skin.

One Lifter Wipe removes the most stubborn materials, including heavy grease, oil, tar, wax adhesives, dirt, soil, and irritating chemicals from the skin without a trace of residue.

LA-CO Lifter Wipes are available in 20 and 70 count containers. For a limited time, as a special introductory offer, the 20 wipe container will include five extra wipes.

For more information or a free sample, contact LA-CO Industries at (847) 956-3867, fax (847) 956-9885, e-mail customer_service@laco.com, or Web site at www.laco.com.

Hydraulic Tractor-Mounted Skidder New from Norwood
Norwood Industries has developed a hydraulic log skidding winch that can be mounted on a tractor, the Norwood SkidMaster. It generates up to 15,000 pounds of pulling power.

The rugged steel frame attaches to a tractor’s three-point hitch and rear hydraulic outputs. Safe, simple and reliable, the Norwood SkidMaster’s hydraulic design does not require chain drives, clutches and sprockets associated with PTO-type skidders.

Prices start at $2,695. For more information, contact Norwood Industries at (800) 661-7746, ext. 379-P1, or see the Web site at www.norwoodindustries.com.

Morbark Model 1000 Tub Grinder Moves on Tracks
Morbark is now offering the Model 1000 Tub Grinder on tracks. The self-propelled mobility expands possible applications and reduces the need for support equipment; the Morbark Model 1000 Track Tub Grinder can move the material to be processed and grind it in the same location.

The Morbark Model 1000 Track Tub Grinder is designed for high production grinding of brush, pallets, demolition material, land-clearing debris, yard waste, and other wood waste. It is equipped with a heavy-duty hammermill with a 26-inch by 46-inch opening; it can accommodate both fixed and swing hammers, depending on the requirements.

The pressure-compensated hydraulic system reduces heat, extends hydraulic component life, and utilizes engine horsepower more efficiently. Two 12-inch diameter augers discharge into a 28-inch wide, 12-foot long belt conveyor. The machine includes a tub cover for containing debris, an electronic RPM sensor for tub drive, a safety shut-down system, and a full hydraulic tilt tub.

Options include a magnetized end pulley with collecting slide tray for removing ferrous metal and an auxiliary air compressor.

For more information, contact Morbark at (800) 233-6065, e-mail inquire@morbark.com, or Web site at www.morbark.com.

Bandit 'Beast' Recycler Now Available on Tracks
Bandit Industries Inc. is now making its Model 3680 Beast Recycler™ horizontal grinder available on tracks for mobility. The self-propelled Beast Recycler is designed for off-highway and off-landing use.

The Bandit self-propelled Beast Recycler can be used for land-clearing and logging operations to dispose of unwanted slash and cull material. Another application is processing cull trees in orchards. The Bandit self-propelled Beast Recycler also may be used to service mulch and composting operations.

The Bandit self-propelled Beast Recycler features a CAT Model 325 undercarriage with a variable speed hydraulic drive. It has sufficient hydraulic power to traverse fairly rough terrain and is powered by either a Cummins 475 hp diesel engine or a Caterpillar or John Deere 500 hp diesel engine. The grinder has an 11-foot track infeed conveyor and a 12-foot discharge conveyor.

A unique radio remote allows functions to be controlled from a different piece of equipment, such as an excavator or forwarder.

For more information, contact Bandit Industries at (800) 952-0178, fax (517) 561-2273, e-mail brushbandit@eclipsetel.com, or Web site at www.banditchippers.com.

Peterson to Compete in Mill Contest at Northeast Expo
New Zealand-based Peterson Portable Sawing Systems made changes to its portable circular sawmill, adapting it for the U.S. market in 1998. The company offers a range of models to suit hobbyists, contractors, and lumber yards.

Peterson portable sawmills offer thin-kerf circular technology. The mills may be operated quickly and productively and can saw large-diameter and long-length logs.

Peterson portable sawmills are powered by a gasoline motor with a blade that can be adjusted with the flip of handle to swing 90 degrees, allowing the operator to saw different sides of the log without turning the log. Motor and saw are mounted on a frame that travels on rails. The operator pushes the mill forward or backward to make a cut. Logs are milled on the ground, eliminating the need for tractors or other equipment to move logs.

A Peterson sawmill recently won a ‘first for production’ in a portable sawmill competition on the West Coast with a score of 1,402 board feet per hour of dimensional lumber. The company also will compete in another competition at the Northeastern Forest Products Equipment Exposition May 4-5 in Bangor, Maine.

For more information, contact Peterson Portable Sawmill Systems by calling toll-free (877) 327-1471 or see the Web site at www.petersonsawmills.com.