Firewood Conveyor Motor

[Ted Jenkins]

Very useful and interesting information. At the moment it is not possible to just walk around to measure. As we have had 10 to 25 degree days with a 5 '' storm moving through ever three or four days for the last few months. Maybe this is why people are paying up to a $1000 a cord for dry wood. You would think that the end of the world just happened. Californians are the worst prepared people on earth. As far as gearing was planning on two pairs of sprockets using something like #520 chain. At the motor use a three step pulley for speed adjustment. For wings was thinking about wood since that I have. My target was for a 14'. Why would I want a 40' unit. You maybe do not understand this is California where every thing is measured by the square foot. The rent or ownership of a 50' by 50' property would make most of your mortgage payments. Thanks

 

[moonboy]

Very useful and interesting information. At the moment it is not possible to just walk around to measure. As we have had 10 to 25 degree days with a 5 '' storm moving through ever three or four days for the last few months. Maybe this is why people are paying up to a $1000 a cord for dry wood. You would think that the end of the world just happened. Californians are the worst prepared people on earth. As far as gearing was planning on two pairs of sprockets using something like #520 chain. At the motor use a three step pulley for speed adjustment. For wings was thinking about wood since that I have. My target was for a 14'. Why would I want a 40' unit. You maybe do not understand this is California where every thing is measured by the square foot. The rent or ownership of a 50' by 50' property would make most of your mortgage payments. Thanks

Dry wood here is only 40$ in michigan

 

[muddstopper]

Another thing about a 40ft conveyor, it will take 80ft of chain to make one loop, plus dia of sprockets. The chain attachment can be bought to fit most any size chain. Or at least I have found them for every size chain I have considered using. Ebay is a good place to look for the attachment links, usually find bulk packaging at the fraction of the cost of ordering from a major supplier. I dont need a 40ft conveyor for my use, but I do see the advantage of having a small conveyor to carry spits away from the splitting area.

 

[moonboy]

Another thing about a 40ft conveyor, it will take 80ft of chain to make one loop, plus dia of sprockets. The chain attachment can be bought to fit most any size chain. Or at least I have found them for every size chain I have considered using. Ebay is a good place to look for the attachment links, usually find bulk packaging at the fraction of the cost of ordering from a major supplier. I dont need a 40ft conveyor for my use, but I do see the advantage of having a small conveyor to carry spits away from the splitting area.

Ya 8 chain that a lot of chain

 

[Sandhill Crane]

The thing about hydraulic is the variable speed; reverse; jambs don't brake things; power can be applied from a variable of places; and height control. Pretty simply system with three valves, small tank, a hydraulic motor and pump, and a GX160 size engine.

 

[muddstopper]

The thing about hydraulic is the variable speed; reverse; jambs don't brake things; power can be applied from a variable of places; and height control. Pretty simply system with three valves, small tank, a hydraulic motor and pump, and a GX160 size engine.

The thing about hyd on a conveyor is you dont need a big pump so the pump can be pulled with a smallish engine. The same engine can be used without hyd but you have to do the proper gearing. Conveyor speed can be controlled by engine speed. Hyd you can reverse, chain or belt drive you would need a reverseable gear box. Belts can slip incase of a jamb, hyd can bypass thru the relief, but gear reduction with a chaindrive, when it binds it kills the engine or breaks something. A good case can be made for using either method for makeing a conveyor work. Mine will probably be hyd driven, but will have its own engine and pump. Build a tank axle like a lot of wood splitter use and mount the conveyor on the tank like a splitter beam. Using a drag chain, you can mount the hyd motor on the bottom or top and not worry about slipping, and the control valve where its easy to reach.

 

[Sandhill Crane]

and height control.

I added a valve and cylinder. It really needs a way to pin it in position for safety. I noticed the other day mine has bled down since early January. It would also be better to pin it when transporting, if its towed on road.

 

[moonboy]

Very useful and interesting information. At the moment it is not possible to just walk around to measure. As we have had 10 to 25 degree days with a 5 '' storm moving through ever three or four days for the last few months. Maybe this is why people are paying up to a $1000 a cord for dry wood. You would think that the end of the world just happened. Californians are the worst prepared people on earth. As far as gearing was planning on two pairs of sprockets using something like #520 chain. At the motor use a three step pulley for speed adjustment. For wings was thinking about wood since that I have. My target was for a 14'. Why would I want a 40' unit. You maybe do not understand this is California where every thing is measured by the square foot. The rent or ownership of a 50' by 50' property would make most of your mortgage payments. Thanks

Jest got my motor today. I'll post what I'am building.

 

[moonboy]

Very useful and interesting information. At the moment it is not possible to just walk around to measure. As we have had 10 to 25 degree days with a 5 '' storm moving through ever three or four days for the last few months. Maybe this is why people are paying up to a $1000 a cord for dry wood. You would think that the end of the world just happened. Californians are the worst prepared people on earth. As far as gearing was planning on two pairs of sprockets using something like #520 chain. At the motor use a three step pulley for speed adjustment. For wings was thinking about wood since that I have. My target was for a 14'. Why would I want a 40' unit. You maybe do not understand this is California where every thing is measured by the square foot. The rent or ownership of a 50' by 50' property would make most of your mortgage payments. Thanks

This parts for conveyor

 

[moonboy]

I added a valve and cylinder. It really needs a way to pin it in position for safety. I noticed the other day mine has bled down since early January. It would also be better to pin it when transporting, if its towed on road.

 

[Sandhill Crane]

All in all, this has been a great conveyor.
But not completely without issue, and those I believe have been due to poor initial design.
I tipped it over backwards once, and it came down hard bending the top drum shaft. I ran it several hours afterwards before I noticed the hydraulic motor was wobbling slightly. I replaced the drum shaft. A year later the hydraulic motor shaft sheared (fatigued) at the straight coupling. I think the two are related. (I also replaced the straight coupling with a double chain coupler when I replaced the hydraulic motor.) That the machine can tip over like a teater-totter if not hitched to something is not so good.
There was a hand crank manual jack to raise and lower. There are two mounts that can be used for tow mode and another mount on the upper cross brace for additional height.
Replacing the manual jack with the cylinder limits the maximum height. I got the cylinder from Built-Rite to insure the proper cylinder. The frame mounts still had to be changed to accommodate the cylinder, something I had hoped to avoid by sourcing from them directly.
I had wanted to do the cylinder for some time but the expense did not seem justified. Then the manual jack broke. The main swing arm seized up after being exposed to the elements for almost ten years. It is a tube-in-a-tube hinge with out zerks, and no way to disassemble without a torch or cutting wheel. The photo of me standing on the axle is with the conveyor supported by the fork lift, and the manual jack removed. I covered the rubber belt and sprayed penetrating oil in both exposed ends for several days before it began to move even the slightest. I added several zerks, which had they been there from the get-go, could have prevented seizing in the first place. But hey, you deal with problems when they come up, and it has taught me to look at things more closely as I do maintenance.
I replaced the existing valve with a stacked valve to simplify the plumbing. Hope the photos help.
Edit: Wow, that was 12/30/'16. My beard has grown a bit since then.

 

[kevin j]

I see OR ports, ORFS and JIC fittings.
instead of NPT.
Hallelujah !

it looks like the original jack was installed with the inner tube facing up so the water would run right down the joint inside

 

[Sandhill Crane]

 

[Sandhill Crane]

 

[Ted Jenkins]

D

Did they say how many cuin size the motor is. Surplus center has a big selection of stator rotor and geromotors for less than $200.

I am not wanting to start work on my conveyor system until the snow melts off a bit. I am open to a full hydraulic set up so the drive could be on top of the chain drive system. The driven motor does not look too complicated. What about the pump. Getting one that mounts easy and direct. A two stage pump looks totally wrong. Who has a good recommendation for that direction. Thanks

 

[moonboy]

The rpm and torque are the big thing 200 rpm and over 100 torque. Have to have a good pump for some.

 

[moonboy]

This half of what I have to split

All most done

What size chain are you using. I am thinking about going with a2050 chains, https://www.walmart.com/ip/A2050-Co...819840184?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0 and using this type of attachment links,https://www.rollerchain4less.com/C2...MI5oe-1NrG4AIVCV8NCh23HAciEAQYAiABEgI5K_D_BwE every 2ft to mount my drag bars too.

All most done

 

[moonboy]

Ya 8 chain that a lot of chain

All most done

 

[moonboy]

The thing about hydraulic is the variable speed; reverse; jambs don't brake things; power can be applied from a variable of places; and height control. Pretty simply system with three valves, small tank, a hydraulic motor and pump, and a GX160 size engine.

All most done

 

[moonboy]

The only reason I can think of to go with hyd is if you can connect it to the current hyd system of the splitter. Electric isnt a option for me and I would guess the same for many people. Haveing a conveyor with a seperate gas engine would have certain advantages. On advantage is you can take the conveyor without being connected to a splitter and throw wood out of a pile to load a truck or trailer. Or if you need a conveyor somewhere else, then you dont have to drag your splitter with it.

Buying versus building I think depends on if you have to buy all new parts and steel or if you have a few things laying around you can use. It also depends on you or your bestest buddies fabrication skills. If you have to hire out the the welding and fabrication, I would almost bet you can buy cheaper than build. I have two conveyors I bought to adapt to my wood splitter, both electric, I have a new predator engine not being used, and I am still thinking about starting from scratch. But I am a glutten for punishment. If I do start from scratch, you can be sure I will rob parts off the conveyors I already own. I want to widen them and convert from belt to chain.

I got the conveyor done