Method of manufacturing densified firelog from unwanted and diseased wood, and method of doing business regarding same

Abstract

A method of manufacturing firelogs from unwanted or diseased forest wood is disclosed. The method includes the steps of gathering such unwanted wood products from a forest and on-site grinding and drying those wood products into ground material prior to extruding same into a firelog. The sale of the firelog can then be used to pay for further gathering of the unwanted wood. Moreover, the machines used to grind and dry the material can be powered by burning the unwanted firewood as well.

1 . A method of manufacturing packaged wood fuel products, comprising: 
 gathering secondary forest products;    grinding the secondary forest products into coarse ground material;    grinding the coarse ground material into finely ground material;    drying the finely ground material;    extruding the finely ground material into a firelog; and    packaging the firelog.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further including the step of air drying the coarse ground material prior to grinding the coarse ground material into finely ground material.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , further including the step of adding a binder to the finely ground material prior to extruding the firelog.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the coarse ground material is less than one inch in diameter.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the coarse ground material is air dried to a moisture content of approximately fifteen percent.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the finely ground material is less than approximately ⅜ inch in diameter.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the finely ground material is dried to a moisture content of between five and fifteen percent.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least two steps from a group of steps comprising the coarse grinding, fine grinding, drying, extruding and packaging steps are performed in immediate proximity to a location at which the secondary forest products are gathered.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein electrical power is provided to machinery and equipment by an electrical generating facility that uses at least one material selected from a group of materials comprising the secondary forest products, coarse ground material, and finely ground material as a fuel source.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the drying is performed using a dryer fueled by at least one material selected from a group of materials comprising the secondary forest products, coarse ground material, and finely ground material.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the drying and extruding steps are performed at a temperature and pressure sufficient to disinfect diseased wood materials.  
   
   
       12 . A method of doing business, comprising: 
 mechanically thinning a wooded area, the mechanical thinning gathering secondary forest products;    grinding the secondary forest products into a coarse ground material;    grinding the coarse ground material into finely ground material,    drying the finely ground material;    extruding the finely ground material into a firelog;    selling the firelog; and    using a portion of the proceeds from selling the firelog to offset the costs of the thinning step.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein at least two steps from a group of steps comprising the coarse grinding, fine grinding, drying, extruding and packaging steps are performed in immediate proximity to a location at which the secondary forest products are gathered.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12 , further including air drying the coarse ground material before grinding the coarse ground material into finely ground material.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein at least two steps from a group of steps comprising the coarse grinding, air drying, fine grinding, drying, extruding and packaging steps are performed in immediate proximity to a location at which the secondary forest products are gathered.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 12 , further including adding a binder to the finely ground material prior to extruding the firelog.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein at least two steps from a group of steps comprising the coarse grinding, fine grinding, drying, adding, extruding and packaging steps are performed in immediate proximity to a location at which the secondary forest products are gathered.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the extruding step is performed at a temperature and pressure sufficient to disinfect diseased wood materials.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 12 , where electrical power is provided to machinery and equipment by an electrical generating facility that uses at least one material from a group of materials comprising the secondary forest products, coarse ground material, and finely ground material as its fuel source.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 12 , where the dryer is fueled by burning at least one material selected from a group of materials comprising the secondary forest products, coarse ground material, and finely ground material.