My little Splitter..

[stonykill]

I have to admit I like the lift as well, it works about the way I figured it would. I used a 3x16 cyl I had around here so I didn't have to buy another one and it really it is to long and to big. It will be fine for now I may look to get a 2x14 or something like that. I didn't quite get the geometry like I should've and it hits a bar on the top if it is lifted almost straight up. My son got a little wild and over did it the other night and I had to do a little surgery to correct it but that's ok for 9 he is good help otherwise... I have been thinking about a 4 way wedge but really it isn't all that bad with the table on front to re-split when necessary. Guess after about 30 yrs of not having a splitter I am just glad to have my own and don't know anybetter...

I don't have a 4 way either. Just always thought of adding one. The table does make a big difference. I need to build a new table for my splitter, had to remove what was left of the old one. I've thought of a log lifter. I'm only 40 but my back is 60 some days. Maybe someday.

 

[Hedge]

046
great looking splitter, nice job!!

looks you've got all your bases covered. what's the diameter of ram that big ole pump is driving? what kind of cycle times?

Thanks. It is a 5x24 ram for the split and a 3x16 on the lift.. As far as cycle times I really haven't got a chance to tell yet for sure but I am guessing 10-15 seconds. I want to check the motor rpm's and the pressure both seem a little low but that big cyl will take longer than a 4x24 would and maybe I am just over shooting it's ability. I can tell ya that the splitter will keep my son and I hopping loading it and splitting and loading..

Was just thinking come spring it needs a coat of paint. Any ideas for color combinations??? Got Deere equipment around here but Hmmm.. a green and yellow splitter .. I'm thinking black and white might be a better deal....

 

[Hedge]

iCreek
Hedge- Get some 'in action' photos and post them when you get to using it.

Well here ya go...

My 9yr old son helping me split...
<a href="http://s167.photobucket.com/albums/u133/Cooldeere/?action=view&current=BryceSplitter-5.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u133/Cooldeere/BryceSplitter-5.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Nasty piece of Red Elm
<a href="http://s167.photobucket.com/albums/u133/Cooldeere/?action=view&current=BryceSplitter-6.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u133/Cooldeere/BryceSplitter-6.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s167.photobucket.com/albums/u133/Cooldeere/?action=view&current=BryceSplitter-7.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u133/Cooldeere/BryceSplitter-7.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s167.photobucket.com/albums/u133/Cooldeere/?action=view&current=BryceSplitter-8.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u133/Cooldeere/BryceSplitter-8.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Little pile of wood we worked up in about 45 minutes. Dang that Gnuse scoop is handy for this stuff..
<a href="http://s167.photobucket.com/albums/u133/Cooldeere/?action=view&current=BryceSplitter-11.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u133/Cooldeere/BryceSplitter-11.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

The length worked out about exactly like I had hoped it would. Nice to not have to unhook the splitter to split and load..
<a href="http://s167.photobucket.com/albums/u133/Cooldeere/?action=view&current=BryceSplitter-10.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u133/Cooldeere/BryceSplitter-10.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

[splittah]

Nice job on the splitter. It has to be a great feeling to finish something like that and watch it run! Kudos to you.

Looks alot like mine except my wife being the sweetheart she is bought me mine for christmas this year. :hmm3grin2orange:

I do not have the welding abilities and a lack of parts without spending $$$ Although I do admit you could build one for cheaper, you still must have the welder and abilities to peoperly cut the parts to size. I am set up for woodworking here, not metal working sorry to say.

 

[Hedge]

splittah
Nice job on the splitter. It has to be a great feeling to finish something like that and watch it run! Kudos to you.

Looks alot like mine except my wife being the sweetheart she is bought me mine for christmas this year.

I do not have the welding abilities and a lack of parts without spending $$$ Although I do admit you could build one for cheaper, you still must have the welder and abilities to peoperly cut the parts to size. I am set up for woodworking here, not metal working sorry to say.

Thanks. Although I don't have it all "tuned up" yet it was a fun challenge to build it but as far as dollars spent well... I can buy "a" splitter for less but to get a splitter set up the way this one is in say a Timberwolf it would've cost WAY more than I have in this one. The real deal is I have been working on a remodeling project of the house and it was a great stress relief to work on something besides that stupid house... Home improvement is great but cutting wood is a hundred times more fun. :rockn:

 

[woodrat51]

-- Great job! Pix brought back memories of my boys working with me years ago. It's great to see kids with a desire to work alongside a parent these days. Like TREECO said, welding something with a recognizable pattern on your push plate is a good idea-- I put 5 1/2" thick "rings" cut from 1" pipe on my TW3HD Timberwolf-- the pieces of wood look like they were attacked by an octopus!
--Best wishes-Woodrat

 

[splittah]

Thanks. Although I don't have it all "tuned up" yet it was a fun challenge to build it but as far as dollars spent well... I can buy "a" splitter for less but to get a splitter set up the way this one is in say a Timberwolf it would've cost WAY more than I have in this one. The real deal is I have been working on a remodeling project of the house and it was a great stress relief to work on something besides that stupid house... Home improvement is great but cutting wood is a hundred times more fun. :rockn:

That is a fact,the timberwolf, while being a nice piece of machinery can hydraulicly drain your wallet eh? I know what you are saying about the home improvements.. I cannot wait to go out cutting again, although it was just last weekend I was cutting.. the next 2 weekends I am redoing our walk in closet.

Must get it done so I can go have some more fun.

I get the feeling the bathroom is next..

 

[mga]

weld some wings on the end of the wedge to assist in splitting the wood.

however, since the wood will be opening sooner with the wings you might have to reposition your bar trays in front.

that log lift is a nice added feature. i could use one myself. some of those logs get heavy when you're lifting them alone.

nice job!!!!!

 

[cmetalbend]

nice job

I like the way You implemented the bars as a tray, as far as the nubbins, the simplest way is to use the arc welder and add several big beads in the shape you prefer. There is an inherent danger of not having them. Mostly when splitting un square cut peices. I also the the reverse mounted bucket. Did you retrofit that or build it from scratch?

 

[abohac]

Looks great. The 28 GPM going to really get that cylinder going. Just out of curiosity, why did you put the wedge at the hitch end? Don't you now have to unhook to load while you split, or don't you do that (I pull my loader right up to the tray and just push the wood into the bucket)? Looks like a great machine. If you don't mind me asking, what do you have in materials?

 

[Hedge]

Thanks gang..

woodrat51 Wrote:

-- Great job! Pix brought back memories of my boys working with me years ago. It's great to see kids with a desire to work alongside a parent these days.

Well... I need all the help I can get and teaching the kids stuff is an added bonus. It drives me crazy to hear someone say "Dang kids are getting old enough to help and they just won't help." All I can think is well DUH!! did you teach them to work when they were little or just sit in front of the TV and eat chip's????


cmetalbend Wrote:

I also the the reverse mounted bucket. Did you retrofit that or build it from scratch?

That is a Gnuse Mfg bucket made by Gnuse Mfg in Arlington Ne. That scoop is 3 pt mounted and has a dump cylinder under the middle. It is a wood hauling fool. We have had it around for ever (I'm guessing 30 yrs) and it has hauled dirt,wood, cow poop and god knows what else. They make like 3 sizes 90 inch, 108 inch and 144inch wide. Money very well spent...

 

[Hedge]

abohac wrote:

Looks great. The 28 GPM going to really get that cylinder going. Just out of curiosity, why did you put the wedge at the hitch end? Don't you now have to unhook to load while you split, or don't you do that (I pull my loader right up to the tray and just push the wood into the bucket)? Looks like a great machine. If you don't mind me asking, what do you have in materials?

I made it long enough that I don't have to unhook just drop the tailgate and split away. I can't really tell you what is in it for sure because I had some of the materials on hand and picked them up here and there. I have a habbit of collecting stuff for future projects... I would guess just under 2,500.00.. More than I had wanted to spend on a splitter but I can't really complain about the cost as it is built the way I wanted a splitter to be.....

 

[Hedge]

A project just doesn't seem done until it finds paint so I got out the paint bomb and gave the ole's splitter a fresh coat...

 

[046]

a TW6 is pushing $10K...

basic difference I can see is lack of hydraulic controlled adjustable 6 way splitter. TW5/TW6 comes with a log stop opposite to lift.

heck of a nice job putting this machine together for $2k!!!!

abohac wrote:


I made it long enough that I don't have to unhook just drop the tailgate and split away. I can't really tell you what is in it for sure because I had some of the materials on hand and picked them up here and there. I have a habbit of collecting stuff for future projects... I would guess just under 2,000.00.. More than I had wanted to spend on a splitter but I can't really complain about the cost as it is built the way I wanted a splitter to be.....

 

[Zodiac45]

Well done Hedge,

Your splitter is well thought out and looks the bomb painted! At first the log lift looked a little superfluous too me but after you posted the pix showing a stack of logs on it, I get it The one suggestion I would make is too weld a couple of small "wings" an inch back from leading edge of the wedge. These help open stubborn pieces and you don't need as much push cycle.

 

[Hedge]

046 Wrote:

heck of a nice job putting this machine together for $2k!!!!

Thanks I did sit down and try to really figure out what I did spend and as best I can figure out 2,500.00 is really a much more real figure when it is all done. I want to put some tail lights on it and should likely put a set of safety chains on it to really finish it off right..

Zodiac45 Wrote:

Well done Hedge,

Your splitter is well thought out and looks the bomb painted!At first the log lift looked a little superfluous too me but after you posted the pix showing a stack of logs on it, I get it The one suggestion I would make is too weld a couple of small "wings" an inch back from leading edge of the wedge. These help open stubborn pieces and you don't need as much push cycle.

Thanks.. The lift is really for two things first and foremost the big Ole' heavy chunks that ya can't lift,but it also works for those one split pieces that won't fit the stove but aren't really that big. As far as the wings I have thought about those as well but like a lot of things I think I will put a few more hours on it before I decide on them for sure. I had thought about a removable 4 way and so I don't want to not mess that idea up with a set of wings that aren't welded on right. I also should add few "bumps" on the push block but there again I want to use it a little more to see how for sure I should arrange them. The size of the block seems to do a good job of keeping the wood moving and not jumping out.. I'm thinking a couple smaller ones toward the top might be just enough to keep the wood in place and yet not grab so hard that they put a bind on things. I sure do appreciate the darn thing it saves me hours of time splitting...

 

[mga]

nice finished product, Hedge. you did a fine job on it.

i engraved some serial numbers under mine in an incospicuous place.....just in case. i do that with most of my home made stuff.

i have a cousin who had a nice home made trailer stolen. he saw the thing two years later, called the cops and could not prove to their satisfaction it was his trailer. the guy said he built it himself.

 

[DanMan1]

I give you you VERY great credit. Not only what you created, but for sharing with everyone.

Hats off to you.

 

[Zodiac45]

046 Wrote:


Thanks I did sit down and try to really figure out what I did spend and as best I can figure out 2,500.00 is really a much more real figure when it is all done. I want to put some tail lights on it and should likely put a set of safety chains on it to really finish it off right..

Zodiac45 Wrote:


Thanks.. The lift is really for two things first and foremost the big Ole' heavy chunks that ya can't lift,but it also works for those one split pieces that won't fit the stove but aren't really that big. As far as the wings I have thought about those as well but like a lot of things I think I will put a few more hours on it before I decide on them for sure. I had thought about a removable 4 way and so I don't want to not mess that idea up with a set of wings that aren't welded on right. I also should add few "bumps" on the push block but there again I want to use it a little more to see how for sure I should arrange them. The size of the block seems to do a good job of keeping the wood moving and not jumping out.. I'm thinking a couple smaller ones toward the top might be just enough to keep the wood in place and yet not grab so hard that they put a bind on things. I sure do appreciate the darn thing it saves me hours of time splitting...

Yep that's the best way too go. Run it and see what ya need. Mine has just two small half circles on the push face. They work good cause you can catch the corner of a crooked piece or not so flat end inside the circle and they stay put. Also brands the ends with the half moon

 

[Oneday]

Hedge

That's one smart splitter you build. Very nice indeed well done.

Oneday