tree cycle followup

[Jim H.]

How are you guys able to tell what batch you are using? I checked the bag this morning, I didn't see any code in the corners other than the UPC code.

Check the top corner where it is sealed. That is the only numbers I found. There were different numbers from the old batch that I got originally and the new one.

 

[ADVA]

There is a tree cycle plant in jersey i believe....? This one we have been talking about is specifically in Nazareth pa. Jus making sure we are talking about the same plant here. I to am sorry to hear about the situation....I am waiting on an email from Mike to hear 1st hand though.

I believe the plant in NJ is the Wood Chipper. Then they cart it to PA to make the Pellets.

BTW-The 50-50 mix:

Good & Bad news...

THE GOOD:
It works in that the light ash from the Curran's is keeping the treecycle ash from being one congealed clump at the end of my burn pot that wont budge.

Now-It is a bunch of tiny clumps cause the lighter ash is keeping it from fusing together.

The most it extends off the edge of burn pot is 3/8"! Thats great.

Now I can turn the feed down to 4 1/4. Before I had to have it at 4 3/4 to even run.

The Flame is intense!

THE BAD:
I used to run the Curran's at 3 1/4. So I may be losing efficiency having the flame that intense.

I have to purchase 70+ bags & take the time to mix them at the exact ratio of 50-50 & mix them evenly.

I have spent about 15hours messing around with my pellets/stove & I need to go work & make money!
I specifically bought a HARMAN cause they burn just about anything....Except Dirt!
Did not want to be getting this involved with the dynamics of pellets.

I hope Mike & his investors make a go of it. If they can get the batches more dirt free on a consistant basis they should do fine.
It is a great business line to be "recycling garbage/landfill wood materials" into pellets.
It truly is a "green product".

 

[glockshooter]

How are you guys able to tell what batch you are using? I checked the bag this morning, I didn't see any code in the corners other than the UPC code.

Check the top corner where it is sealed. That is the only numbers I found. There were different numbers from the old batch that I got originally and the new one.

Thank you!! Just found it, im burning 09-09. Still pretty happy with them, Id buy them again if the price is right.

 

[Jim H.]

Great news! I heard back from mike.....here is my email (at bottom then his replies)

"We should have more pellets by next week. The weather and breakdown of our grinder put us behind. There are many plants closed due the Economy but we feel we will survive. We have a great product and improving the quality every batch we make.
Thanks
Mike

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Mike Zanette
Sent: Sunday, February 28, 2010 9:02 AM
To: James Horrocks
Subject: RE: Did you get my review?


We are still alive! It is a real challenge to get any business off the ground today. I think we are going to make it.
Mike

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: James Horrocks [[email protected]]
Sent: Friday, February 26, 2010 11:34 AM
To: Mike Zanette
Subject: Did you get my review?


Hope all is ok! Someone posted that your backers might be pulling out? Tell them to read the thread I started to see a following!"


Jim and Belinda Horrocks

www.linkedin.com/in/jimhorrocks

 

[slvrblkk]

Great news! I heard back from mike.....here is my email (at bottom then his replies)

"We should have more pellets by next week. The weather and breakdown of our grinder put us behind. There are many plants closed due the Economy but we feel we will survive. We have a great product and improving the quality every batch we make.
Thanks
Mike

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Mike Zanette
Sent: Sunday, February 28, 2010 9:02 AM
To: James Horrocks
Subject: RE: Did you get my review?


We are still alive! It is a real challenge to get any business off the ground today. I think we are going to make it.
Mike

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: James Horrocks [[email protected]]
Sent: Friday, February 26, 2010 11:34 AM
To: Mike Zanette
Subject: Did you get my review?


Hope all is ok! Someone posted that your backers might be pulling out? Tell them to read the thread I started to see a following!"


Jim and Belinda Horrocks

www.linkedin.com/in/jimhorrocks

Ahh...you beat me to it Mike actually called me this morning to give me the same info you posted. He is a great guy to talk to. He said I should call middle of next week and that they should have more pellets made by then. I can then swap my pellets out for the new batch. He certainly sounded like things should work out, which was great to hear.

 

[ADVA]

Great news! I heard back from mike.....here is my email (at bottom then his replies)

"We should have more pellets by next week. The weather and breakdown of our grinder put us behind. There are many plants closed due the Economy but we feel we will survive. We have a great product and improving the quality every batch we make.
Thanks
Mike

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Mike Zanette
Sent: Sunday, February 28, 2010 9:02 AM
To: James Horrocks
Subject: RE: Did you get my review?


We are still alive! It is a real challenge to get any business off the ground today. I think we are going to make it.
Mike

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: James Horrocks [[email protected]]
Sent: Friday, February 26, 2010 11:34 AM
To: Mike Zanette
Subject: Did you get my review?


Hope all is ok! Someone posted that your backers might be pulling out? Tell them to read the thread I started to see a following!"


Jim and Belinda Horrocks

www.linkedin.com/in/jimhorrocks

Ahh...you beat me to it Mike actually called me this morning to give me the same info you posted. He is a great guy to talk to. He said I should call middle of next week and that they should have more pellets made by then. I can then swap my pellets out for the new batch. He certainly sounded like things should work out, which was great to hear.

Does that count for me too???
I left a message & got no reply.
I have 70 bags of pellets I cant burn easily & THEY STINK like rotting landscaping debree.
They are stinking up my whole shop & office so bad I had to stretch wrap them.

I hope I get some customer service...

Sincerely,

 

[slvrblkk]

Did you try sending an email through the website?

 

[fidiro]

This was quoted by H ADVANCE ON PREVIOUS PAGE

"Hello,

Just picked up 70 bags of treecycle dated 09-09.
They are horrible.
They burn a weird orange with a tint of green color.
If you ask me they were throwing landscape cleanup debrees or dirty stumps in there.

The ash or "glass" if you like...It looks like ash but is fused together & I can pick up the whole clump in one piece.

My HARMAN Advance which is an excellent stove is even having problems pushing/breaking the "wall of solidifiied ash" off the burn pot.

Not too happy to see they may go under.
I presume there may have been other issues than just financing based upon these pellets I have.

Sincerely,

"


My question to H ADVANCE is "Where did you go to purchase the 70 bags of the older batch?" Just curious to know who else carries treecycle that still have the old batch laying around.

Guy out of Dover nj area.

I am mixing this batch 50-50 with a few bags of Curran I picked up a Lowes.
Will let you know how the ash clump does.
I think it may work.
However now I have to go buy 70 bags I do not need just to burn the treecycles 09-09's.
Which means I will have a 50-50 mix of 70bags I do not have the room to store till next season!

This is where good customer service comes in...I hope.
Hey, Things happen & it looks like they corrected the issues.

I like the treecycle idea/business plan.
Thats why I bought them.



I do appreciate that the problem with this batch could have been an Employee machine operator that yes'd his Boss but was incompetent.

However[/quote]

Just wanted to know if there was someone closer to me that also carried treecycle but Dover is about the same distance as Nazareth.

 

[ADVA]

Did you try sending an email through the website?

Thanks,

Just did now.
We will see what happens...

Copy Below:

Hello,
I left a phone message few days ago.
It seems I purchased 70 bags dated 09-09 that were by far not a good batch.
Been posting & reading alot on the Hearth Blog & others about how your company is making it right for all us whom cant burn these pellets.
I get a sick colored orange flame with a green tint unless I max the feeder out & I keep it normally 1/2-3/5ths.

Frankly they smell horrible like rotting landscape debree. One bag I took a wiff & it startled me & had to exhale. I had to wrap them in stretch wrap since they smelled my whole place up. I have spent at least 15 hours of my time already messing around with these pellets & dont have the time & resources any more.

I am looking at just over 100 miles round trip at 8MPG with my super duty to NJ location.
Looking at 134 Miles round trip to your PA location.

I do not mind exchanging them but please at least pay my gas or give me a refund or something fair. Just the loading/unloading/loading/unloading time alone is hours let alone the hours of driving.
Your help & professionalism in this matter would be most appreciated.
Sincerely,
LEN

 

[fidiro]

Did you try sending an email through the website?

Thanks,

Just did now.
We will see what happens...

Copy Below:

Hello,
I left a phone message few days ago.
It seems I purchased 70 bags dated 09-09 that were by far not a good batch.
Been posting & reading alot on the Hearth Blog & others about how your company is making it right for all us whom cant burn these pellets.
I get a sick colored orange flame with a green tint unless I max the feeder out & I keep it normally 1/2-3/5ths.

Frankly they smell horrible like rotting landscape debree. One bag I took a wiff & it startled me & had to exhale. I had to wrap them in stretch wrap since they smelled my whole place up. I have spent at least 15 hours of my time already messing around with these pellets & dont have the time & resources any more.

I am looking at just over 100 miles round trip at 8MPG with my super duty to NJ location.
Looking at 134 Miles round trip to you PA location.

I do not mind exchanging them but please at least pay my gas or give me a refund or something fair. Just the loading/unloading/loading/unloading time alone is hours let alone the hours of driving.
Your help & professionalism in this matter would be most appreciated.
Sincerely,
LEN

This is off topic but I'm curious on how your super duty is getting that horrible 8mpg? I get about 17-18 if I keep the speed between 70-75 and I can get it a bit better at about 65-70.

Anyway hope you get to at least exchange the bags or at least return them to where you purchase them and try just a couple bags of the new stuff first. I know that it's not right to have to mix 50/50, I would not be happy either, but if it's working for you do you think it's still worth taking that long of a trip? But, if it is so horrible I would try to at least return them if the exchange does not work. Good luck and let us know what happens.

 

[ADVA]

[/quote]This is off topic but I'm curious on how your super duty is getting that horrible 8mpg? I get about 17-18 if I keep the speed between 70-75 and I can get it a bit better at about 65-70.

Anyway hope you get to at least exchange the bags or at least return them to where you purchase them and try just a couple bags of the new stuff first. I know that it's not right to have to mix 50/50, I would not be happy either, but if it's working for you do you think it's still worth taking that long of a trip? But, if it is so horrible I would try to at least return them if the exchange does not work. Good luck and let us know what happens.[/quote]



It is a dual wheel with a steel plumbers type reading walk in box on it with the tool boxes loaded with heavy eq. & tools.
Forgot about the time to move the equipment out of the rear main walk in box.
Though it will lighten it up just about the same weight I will be adding in it for the pellets. About 2,700lbs.

 

[ADVA]

This was quoted by H ADVANCE ON PREVIOUS PAGE

"Hello,

Just picked up 70 bags of treecycle dated 09-09.
They are horrible.
They burn a weird orange with a tint of green color.
If you ask me they were throwing landscape cleanup debrees or dirty stumps in there.

The ash or "glass" if you like...It looks like ash but is fused together & I can pick up the whole clump in one piece.

My HARMAN Advance which is an excellent stove is even having problems pushing/breaking the "wall of solidifiied ash" off the burn pot.

Not too happy to see they may go under.
I presume there may have been other issues than just financing based upon these pellets I have.

Sincerely,

"


My question to H ADVANCE is "Where did you go to purchase the 70 bags of the older batch?" Just curious to know who else carries treecycle that still have the old batch laying around.

Guy out of Dover nj area.

I am mixing this batch 50-50 with a few bags of Curran I picked up a Lowes.
Will let you know how the ash clump does.
I think it may work.
However now I have to go buy 70 bags I do not need just to burn the treecycles 09-09's.
Which means I will have a 50-50 mix of 70bags I do not have the room to store till next season!

This is where good customer service comes in...I hope.
Hey, Things happen & it looks like they corrected the issues.

I like the treecycle idea/business plan.
Thats why I bought them.



I do appreciate that the problem with this batch could have been an Employee machine operator that yes'd his Boss but was incompetent.

However.

"


Lowes is all out of the Curran's & The other "STARLITE" horrible pellet they were carrying.
The STARLITE Pellets ash would just roll over the end of the burn pot sometimes 3" curling down before it would snap lose.

I picked up some PENNINGTON "natures Heat" pellets.
I can live with them for the mean time.
Not great heat. Feed up to 4 1/2.

Mixed them 50-50 with the TREECYCLE Pellets.
Though the burnt ash mixes well & I dont have one big congealed clump across my burn pot that wont budge.
Some of the lighter PENNINGTON ash blows away & the Heavy Glass Rock hard little pieces from the TREECYCLE Pellets just stay there & build up. Probably lodging themselves in the air holes in my burn pot. Creating too much drag.

The PENNINGTON Pellets just burn too quick & have to turn my feed up to 5 1/2 to get the "heavy ash" ash to dump off the pot killing my efficiency & the flame is so huge that the stove has been cycling alot.

The CURRAN's could have made a good mix 50-50 with the TREECYCLE Pellets.
The 50-50 mix burnt at 4 1/4 feed up from the 3 to 3 1/4 feed setting I burnt the CURRAN Pellets at.
BTW-Burnt the STARLITE Pellets at 3 1/2.

So I am not able to even mix & Burn these right now.
Need a really dense pellet to mix the TREECYCLE Pellets with.

I tried...

 

[Meneillys]

This is off topic but I'm curious on how your super duty is getting that horrible 8mpg? I get about 17-18 if I keep the speed between 70-75 and I can get it a bit better at about 65-70.[/quote]

My guess the 8mpg super duty is one of the nice new clean diesels. Don't understand it fully, less green house gasses but uses more fuel?

 

[fidiro]

My guess the 8mpg super duty is one of the nice new clean diesels. Don't understand it fully, less green house gasses but uses more fuel?[/quote]Amazing how that extra fuel becomes less polution, I also don't get how a filter takes care of the extra gasses. What will become of the filter when it clogs. I have an 06 without all the new emissions and it gets better mpg's.

My 1993 12 liter inline 6 gets about 7-8 miles to the gallon empty and it weighs 26,000 lbs empty. It gets about 4-6mpg's loaded to 70k.

Hope you get to at least try a few bags of the new stuff. I'm still waiting to get some time to get over there and try them for myself. It would be nice to meet halfway with a few bags to save on travel time. Good Luck

 

[ADVA]

My guess the 8mpg super duty is one of the nice new clean diesels. Don't understand it fully, less green house gasses but uses more fuel?

Amazing how that extra fuel becomes less polution, I also don't get how a filter takes care of the extra gasses. What will become of the filter when it clogs. I have an 06 without all the new emissions and it gets better mpg's.

My 1993 12 liter inline 6 gets about 7-8 miles to the gallon empty and it weighs 26,000 lbs empty. It gets about 4-6mpg's loaded to 70k.

Hope you get to at least try a few bags of the new stuff. I'm still waiting to get some time to get over there and try them for myself. It would be nice to meet halfway with a few bags to save on travel time. Good Luck[/quote]

It's a Ford. What can I tell you!
2000 Super Duty w-160,000 miles. It has the 5.4L Titan gas motor.
Empty with the heavy box it gets 12mpg.

Mike from TREECYCLE Called.
Conversation went well.
I will post an update.

 

[ADVA]

I just put the latest batch that Mike from TreeCycle sent me in the stove.

I will post my results here.(Please remember your mileage may very! I almost don't want to do these tests anymore do to all the bickering in the other forum threads, But I promised Jim H and Mike I would.)

Temp average 243F (pretty impressive!)

Ash volume Just under the 12 ounce mark on jar.

Ash weight 8.28 ounces

Ash Percentage 0.646%

Fines were very low at 1/8 of a cup both bags(very very good seeing these were UPS shipped to my door step)

Notes: Very good heat! Very much improved on the ash amount. They are within the premium grade standards for pellets. Very much improved.

jay

Jay & All,

***********************************************************
***********************************************************
***********************************************************

Mike called first thing this morning.
He said he will make it right.

I will be driving probably to the PA location mid week to pick up 100 bags of the NEW TREECYCLE Pellets.

As a business man myself...I have to say He is doing a great job in handling my personal situation & the... norms..."I am learning" in getting a new plant producing a quality Pellet. We spoke at length & He seems like He has got a handle on the situation & is implementing new proceedures/etc. as they present themselves.

I let him know I would evaluate the NEW TREECYCLE Pellets & post the results here.

Mike mentioned they are the best yet & burning hot with less ash.
Can't wait to get my hands on them!

Sincerely,
LEN

 

[slvrblkk]

I just put the latest batch that Mike from TreeCycle sent me in the stove.

I will post my results here.(Please remember your mileage may very! I almost don't want to do these tests anymore do to all the bickering in the other forum threads, But I promised Jim H and Mike I would.)

Temp average 243F (pretty impressive!)

Ash volume Just under the 12 ounce mark on jar.

Ash weight 8.28 ounces

Ash Percentage 0.646%

Fines were very low at 1/8 of a cup both bags(very very good seeing these were UPS shipped to my door step)

Notes: Very good heat! Very much improved on the ash amount. They are within the premium grade standards for pellets. Very much improved.

jay

Jay & All,

***********************************************************
***********************************************************
***********************************************************

Mike called first thing this morning.
He said he will make it right.

I will be driving probably to the PA location mid week to pick up 100 bags of the NEW TREECYCLE Pellets.

As a business man myself...I have to say He is doing a great job in handling my personal situation & the... norms..."I am learning" in getting a new plant producing a quality Pellet. We spoke at length & He seems like He has got a handle on the situation & is implementing new proceedures/etc. as they present themselves.

I let him know I would evaluate the NEW TREECYCLE Pellets & post the results here.

Mike mentioned they are the best yet & burning hot with less ash.
Can't wait to get my hands on them!

Sincerely,
LEN

Len...glad to hear...he seems like a great guy trying to do the right thing....

Steve

 

[ADVA]

Yep,

Will let you know what transpires & how they are a burnin.
I hope the investors see the asset in having a person like Mike at the healm.

 

[fidiro]

Glad to hear he's taking care of you and others in the same situation. Hope the new stuff works out and please do give us your input on how your stove handles the new product.

 

[Jim H.]

Glad it worked out for you! Mike is a pretty decent guy. Take care.

 

[ADVA]

I agree.

Hope I have enough time to take a quick tour of the plant that He offered.
Will let you know how they burn.

I am looking to pick up few bags of other quality pellets to compare the treecycles to.

Heading out tommorrow afternoon.

Okanagan’s/Turman’s/Barefoots/Green Team/Somerset/Dragon Mtn./Spruce Pts./Pure Fire:

Looking for suppliers on my way out to Nazareth PA. From North New Jersey.
Will be traveling 80W thru NJ & on 611/512/191 thru Bangor on into Nazareth PA.

These are hard to get in NJ.
Hoping someone could point me in the right direction

Much Thanks!

 

[slvrblkk]

I agree.

Hope I have enough time to take a quick tour of the plant that He offered.
Will let you know how they burn.

I am looking to pick up few bags of other quality pellets to compare the treecycles to.

Heading out tommorrow afternoon.

Okanagan’s/Turman’s/Barefoots/Green Team/Somerset/Dragon Mtn./Spruce Pts./Pure Fire:

Looking for suppliers on my way out to Nazareth PA. From North New Jersey.
Will be traveling 80W thru NJ & on 611/512/191 thru Bangor on into Nazareth PA.

These are hard to get in NJ.
Hoping someone could point me in the right direction

Much Thanks!

Are you picking pellets up tomorrow at the plant? Mike told me to call on Wednesday to see where they were at with production.

 

[ADVA]

I agree.

Hope I have enough time to take a quick tour of the plant that He offered.
Will let you know how they burn.

I am looking to pick up few bags of other quality pellets to compare the treecycles to.

Heading out tommorrow afternoon.

Okanagan’s/Turman’s/Barefoots/Green Team/Somerset/Dragon Mtn./Spruce Pts./Pure Fire:

Looking for suppliers on my way out to Nazareth PA. From North New Jersey.
Will be traveling 80W thru NJ & on 611/512/191 thru Bangor on into Nazareth PA.

These are hard to get in NJ.
Hoping someone could point me in the right direction

Much Thanks!

Are you picking pellets up tomorrow at the plant? Mike told me to call on Wednesday to see where they were at with production.

I hope to.
I have plans to call Mike at Noon to ask Him the same Question...

 

[slvrblkk]

Any update on the pellets?????????? Hopefully they have some.

 

[ADVA]

Any update on the pellets?????????? Hopefully they have some.

I spoke with Mike early afternoon.
They had a snag on finding a replacement conveyor belt that was an issue.
Which is OK for me since I would rather my pellets be made from "wood"!

My schedule does not line up till the weekend or early next week.

I am busy with work so will not call till Thursday at 5:00.
Right now we are not the only ones trying to get them.
They have trailer orders they are behind on.

I spoke to a supplier today about the Treecycles.
He said their recent pellet is superior to those prior.
Also let me know that Mike is doing a good job of getting the quality together.
He said that when the Hamer's came out it took them over 1 1/2 years to get their pellets right.
By this & from what I have read on this thread. Treecycle is doing well for 7-8 months.

I will ask Mike to "put them aside" for me if possible.

If anyone wants to try a few bags. I could pick them up & meet You on my way back to North Jersey.
I am heading 80W to 287N to the Pompton Lakes area.

The anticipation is killing me!