Huskee 35 ton failure

[JRM]

I have changed over four of the Huskee splitters that the feet broke off to push threw wedge type. I have just always used the Northern equipment part number 3061 wedge. Its twelve inch's high. Probably been ten years ago I did the first one. Just did one last winter.

Do the rounds ever get stuck on the wedge if they don't split? Just retract the ram and put a shorty log in between to finish pushing it thru?

 

[Syflan]

We use it primarily in the vertical position but have wondered on those occasions when working horizontal how much additional force may be exerted on the foot. No bending or deflection that I can detect by eyeballing it.

How have you used yours most, Horizontal or Vertical?

Vertical or horizontal is only going to change the stress by a couple of hundred pounds.

 

[rancher2]

Do the rounds ever get stuck on the wedge if they don't split? Just retract the ram and put a shorty log in between to finish pushing it thru?

My home built splitter is a push threw the wedge also and once in a while you will get one stuck. I normally just hit it with a block of wood or push a shorty piece behind it and push it threw. I my self wouldn't have a none push threw splitter. I had a home built one that was that way and sold it years ago. We are normally splitting on to a conveyor into a trailer.

 

[lone wolf]

Is yours bent at all?

Depending on how you use it you may consider doing some preemptive gussetting. Even some heavy angle or channel on the back end. Probably have to tie it into the main beam to get a good weld.
If you use it vertically that may not be an option.

You bust that splitting a big knot?

 

[JRM]

You bust that splitting a big knot?

No, but it was a large piece. The foot has been bent for some time now.
To be fair, I've probably exceeded this rigs intended use for some time now.
I know a guy that owns a tree service buisiness and get all the wood from him I can handle. The only negative, it's usually the big stuff that he dont want. So 90%+ of what I split is big, and it's all hard wood.

Typical loads I pick up from him

 

[lone wolf]

No, but it was a large piece. The foot has been bent for some time now.
To be fair, I've probably exceeded this rigs intended use for some time now.
I know a guy that owns a tree service buisiness and get all the wood from him I can handle. The only negative, it's usually the big stuff that he dont want. So 90%+ of what I split is big, and it's all hard wood.

Typical loads I pick up from him

View attachment 1046778
View attachment 1046779

I broke the 4 way on my Skid steer splitter attachment with a big knotted Oak log.

 

[JRM]

My home built splitter is a push threw the wedge also and once in a while you will get one stuck. I normally just hit it with a block of wood or push a shorty piece behind it and push it threw. I my self wouldn't have a none push threw splitter. I had a home built one that was that way and sold it years ago. We are normally splitting on to a conveyor into a trailer.

So your wedge is 12" tall. Could you estimate how big a round it consistently splits in one shot?

Sorry for the questions, I'm really thinking of going this route. I've never run a push thru style.

 

[JRM]

I broke the 4 way on my Skid steer splitter attachment with a big knotted Oak log.

Skid steer, that's the way to go. I can't tell you how many times I've thought about selling my tractor and buying one. My last kid is graduating this year, my help will be gone soon!

 

[lone wolf]

Skid steer, that's the way to go. I can't tell you how many times I've thought about selling my tractor and buying one. My last kid is graduating this year, my help will be gone soon!

You selling wood or just for your heat?

 

[JRM]

Nah, just heat. BUT if I ever made an investment like that I could make a killing on campfire wood. My property almost butts up to Pymatuning State Park. I think there are 8 campgrounds within a 20 mile radius of me. One big one is just down the road.
Plus I get a lot of use out of my tractor. A skid steer sure wouldn't sit for long.

 

[lone wolf]

Nah, just heat. BUT if I ever made an investment like that I could make a killing on campfire wood. My property almost butts up to Pymatuning State Park. I think there are 8 campgrounds within a 20 mile radius of me. One big one is just down the road.
Plus I get a lot of use out of my tractor. A skid steer sure wouldn't sit for long.

They are big money.

 

[JRM]

They are big money.

Shoot I would never buy new or even close to new. I understand the old iron. My only real requirement would be to have the 3rd function.

 

[cantoo]

That wedge is 24" tall. Keep in mind that I usually only split ash with it. When I split maple I'm careful to split with the natural cracks and take edges off the crotch pieces. I have enough stuff to fix without purposely making more. This is my 36" stroke splitter. The wedge is around 24" above the wings. I drop the wings to 2 way split nasty stuff.

 

[cantoo]

Sorry the Speeco wedge is 15" tall not 24". I rough cut the foot off with a torch and then added to the beam so I still had the split length I wanted. I added more table rails after these pictures so that big splits would sit there so I could put them back for resplit. Couple pictures as I did it. Those soft maple rounds in the above pic were 26 to 42" diameter. I loaded them with my tractor loader. They were so heavy that I actually split the oil tank where the axle mounts to it.

 

[JRM]

Excellent, thank you for the ideas. This is the route I'm going to go.

 

[JRM]

Splitter is back in action. I've split at least 5 cords with it and so far I like it. A few pics.

I cut the rest of the foot off and plated the end of the beam with 1/2" plate.




For the wedge I had a large chunk of scrap from years ago. Finally found a use for it. I took it into work to whittle it down on the band saw. Had to get a little creative and make a jig to clamp in the vise to get the correct angle.










More to come....will add more pictures later.

 

[JD Guy]

Nice work!

 

[JRM]

 

[rancher2]

Looks good. One suggestion I would have is you might want to box that channel in or a split piece of wood might catch it and bend the channel around.

 

[sundance]

Looks good. One suggestion I would have is you might want to box that channel in or a split piece of wood might catch it and bend the channel around.

Would also support both sides of the wedge.