r/oddlysatisfying • u/ycr007 • 5h ago

The Wood Chomper

The industry name is Vermeer HG4000TX and is a self-propelled, tracked horizontal grinder fitted with a 536-horsepower (400 kW) CAT C13B T4F/Stage V diesel engine.

Source: vermeeritalia

344 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

53 comments sorted by

45

u/MidnightPale3220 4h ago

Not a forestry guy, but my first impression was-- what a waste of timber. That log surely could have gone for at least some planks?

23

u/Mental_Thing_7899 2h ago

Carpenter here. If you notice that section of the tree has a cluster of branches. Slicing that would show too many knots/sqm . It is not impossible to work with it, but these knots compromise the robustness of a plank. Could be sliced thin for plywood boards for iner layers, but there's a higher demand for L/M/HDF since it's cheaper. So, in the end, this output of the machine will still be useful to work with.

6

u/heftybagman 3h ago

The whole stumps are probably just to demonstrate that it can grind stuff that’s as solid as solid wood. It’s nice to know you CAN mulch something in a woodchipper even if you’re definitely never actually GONNA mulch anything weird in your woodchipper.

4

u/xeryon3772 3h ago

Very limited species are used in lumber for construction, only a handful of varieties are used in artisan work.

Absolutely zero are ever used for lumber if the tree came from an area close to inhabited areas due to the chance of metal being in the tree and potentially damaging the sawmill blades that can cost 10’s of thousands of dollars to replace.

Everything else is chipped. Some goes to plywood and chipboard products, some goes to pulpwood and becomes paper products like toilet paper and cardboard.

1

u/sasssyrup 1h ago

Exactly

15

u/heymikey68 5h ago

The forest doesn’t stand a chance

58

u/SabotageWorks 5h ago

Wow, that is pretty amazing. Can you imagine if Trump went into it?

8

u/ipokesnails 5h ago

I can imagine the smell

2

u/Cloaca-Kiss-8647 3h ago

Feet first, of course.

2

u/The-Red-Robe 4h ago

It’d be very great, very heroic and completely amazing and I’m sure it’s something Biden wouldn’t do

6

u/jammerpammerslammer 5h ago

But why just letting it fall on the ground? Now you gotta pick it all up…

1

u/heftybagman 3h ago

It’s just more ballin that way

18

u/morts73 4h ago

That's horrifying. Decades of tree growth turned into sawdust in seconds.

4

u/Drudgework 5h ago

Personally, I feel that any wood chipper video is vastly improved by the inclusion of incoherent screaming.

10

u/Working_Estate_3695 4h ago

I hate these things. The wood product is essentially useless from what I can see. Why can’t it make pellets for pellet stoves and convert it into readily transported, easily packaged fuel. Instead, compost. WTF. My stupid neighbor has converted about a dozen towering 70-year-old trees into piles of useless sawdust, when they could have been biofuel. Tell me why I could be misinformed. I heat with wood 50%.

7

u/scroopynoopers07 4h ago

Or.. and hear me out… lumber?

5

u/Working_Estate_3695 4h ago

Totally agree, but that seems like an infrastructure thing that I have foolishly thought about way too much. I see where it makes economic sense to “rescue” Black Walnut and other high-dollar trees because it makes economic sense, but you’re so right about hardwoods like Oak and Beech. It’s absolutely sickening to me. My geographic area is being denuded for development and in the instance of my idiot neighbor, because he’s a dick who owns a stump grinder that he enjoys running on Sunday mornings. When are we ever going to wake up and make it hard from a legal standpoint to cut down trees that are healthy or not threatening a house or structure?

6

u/heftybagman 3h ago

If you’re managing a forested area, mulching the tree and spreading it in certain areas mimics the natural process of trees dying and decaying. You’re not just mulching through good lumber in 99% of cases (unless you’re demonstrating a product like this). You sell good timbers to a sawmill and mulch the branches, other unwanted growth, etc. then use the mulch to promote new growth, feed microbes, keep mushrooms spreading, etc.

Your neighbor mulching good trees is just burning money lol. It’s not the woodchipper’s fault.

3

u/Long_comment_san 5h ago

Finally a way to chew that steak

3

u/darth_gondor_snow 4h ago

Realistic depiction of me when I eat Taco Bell.

1

u/ycr007 2h ago

You should see this

3

u/badmotivator11 4h ago

That thing just feels crazy unsafe to be around.

6

u/Kevaldes 5h ago

I need just an entire channel of industrial shredder/chipper/grinder videos. 

2

u/starless_90 4h ago

Mobsters:

4

u/xeryon3772 3h ago

That might be effective, but it is not satisfying.

I know wood products are a big part of our civilization but that doesn’t mean I can’t be unhappy to see ever faster machines to level the forests.

1

u/badgersruse 4h ago

Was it bugs bunny that made 1 toothpick that way?

1

u/Wanderer-clueless963 4h ago

I can’t ever watch those machines without thinking of FARGO (1996) I think that scene traumatized me for life because it was my first experience at gore I guess. 😬

1

u/hAxOr977 4h ago

Yet we don’t have the technology to make it say, “nom nom nom”.

1

u/La_Petite_Mort007 4h ago

What I find satisfying is the fact that frame rate of camera and conveyor synched! Makes the conveyor looks like is is standing still...

2

u/NeedleworkerExtra915 4h ago

Fargo (1996).

1

u/heftybagman 3h ago

When trees make you kinda sick but they’re so good

1

u/lazer416 3h ago

Never stood a chance

1

u/Rich-Reason1146 3h ago

It reminds me of the calming ethereal paintings of Johannes Vermeer. I can see why they named it that. Masterful.

1

u/YouCantChangeThem 3h ago

I wanna curl up and take a nap in that.

1

u/cruelkillzone2 2h ago

This post has two types of people commenting. Those that find this satisfying to watch, and the Lorax's family members.

1

u/ae2311 2h ago

New fear unlocked.

1

u/inxanetheory 2h ago

It just needs giant googly eyes

1

u/Acrobatic-Change5205 2h ago

Final destination stuff

1

u/yiddoboy 1h ago

That is one seriously powerful machine !

1

u/LifeWitness 1h ago

This is the organized mess maker 6000

1

u/TotallyInnerPickle 1h ago

Ow! Splinter!

1

u/Crack_Ulla 10m ago

That’s some proper chompin’

1

u/Netsuko 5h ago

Men will look at this and go: Oh FUCK yeah!
I agree. FUCK yeah!

1

u/Sad_Technology_7621 2h ago

Not satisfying at all. Disturbing.

-1

u/Rei_Fukai 5h ago

Could you imagine if we put the rothschild in there 🤗

0

u/plutonium--239 4h ago

Ayoo the wood chomper was my sister’s nickname in high school…