Interesting Splitter design - Moving Beam and Wedge

[Jakers]

Just cruising the local craigslist ads and came across this (picture below). in all reality it's exactly what I've been looking for but I'm a little over-spent at the moment. Any way, on closer inspection I realized the cylinder was mounted backwards from most and that the whole beam and wedge moved while the cylinder and push plate stayed put. I know it seems like a complicated way to make a moving wedge splitter but this fixes one of the biggest problems I've always seen with the moving wedge design. The wedge can be as thin as a standard fixed wedge for cutting through the crotches and stringy stuff or designed however the user desires. I think having an adjustable 4 way on this design would be difficult but for a tall, single split in this configuration it is perfect. I've been considering building a skidsteer splitter for some time now but the biggest reasons I haven't are the wedge designs that are common are either too wide for big nasty tree service wood or push the wood away requiring so much extra moving around and tearing up the ground. I have always known i wanted a horizontal splitter as this one is designed, the long ones seem like they would be extremely twitchy and hard to feather softly to be efficient. I don't believe this idea is will replace the standard designs for production splitters but none the less, useful in the right situation. At any rate, I just thought I'd throw this out there for others to view and place in the old knowledge bank of ideas.

 

[Jakers]

just in case anyone is interested heres the whole ad

Skid steer wood/log splitter attachment - $1250 (Little Falls, MN)

Skid loader bobcat hydraulic log splitter 24 inch stroke works great quick attach and Pioneer quick couplers can easily be changed to flat face nice heavy duty wood splitter
Please call 320 232-5265

 

[dave_dj1]

Looks like it could work. I guess I would have to have a lot of huge rounds for it to be worthwhile though. I can't imagine trying to grab a half or a 1/4 of a log.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

If it was near here, I'd buy it. Would be handy for breaking up big SOBs. Right now we dig out the SLOW splitter (like 12 second cycle slow!) And manhandle the blocks into it.

At least with that I can sit in the skid steer and not kill my back.. and split while warm and listen to the radio even.

Or better yet, who's got $140k to lend me for the big Multitek that has a 70" blade?!

 

[sb47]

I think it's intended for busting big rounds but not finished wood production.

 

[Jakers]

I think it's intended for busting big rounds but not finished wood production.

Exactly, that is what I have been thinking I would use one for as well. the thing of it is, this one is a push through design but the wood doesn't move. Less re-positioning of the skid steer and less tearing up the ground. It's just an idea that I hadn't ever thought of and I figured maybe there was more like me out there that would like to see it

 

[Iaff113]

Just saw one the other day. And was wondering how they would work.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[muddstopper]

Just cruising the local craigslist ads and came across this (picture below). in all reality it's exactly what I've been looking for but I'm a little over-spent at the moment. Any way, on closer inspection I realized the cylinder was mounted backwards from most and that the whole beam and wedge moved while the cylinder and push plate stayed put. I know it seems like a complicated way to make a moving wedge splitter but this fixes one of the biggest problems I've always seen with the moving wedge design. The wedge can be as thin as a standard fixed wedge for cutting through the crotches and stringy stuff or designed however the user desires. I think having an adjustable 4 way on this design would be difficult but for a tall, single split in this configuration it is perfect. I've been considering building a skidsteer splitter for some time now but the biggest reasons I haven't are the wedge designs that are common are either too wide for big nasty tree service wood or push the wood away requiring so much extra moving around and tearing up the ground. I have always known i wanted a horizontal splitter as this one is designed, the long ones seem like they would be extremely twitchy and hard to feather softly to be efficient. I don't believe this idea is will replace the standard designs for production splitters but none the less, useful in the right situation. At any rate, I just thought I'd throw this out there for others to view and place in the old knowledge bank of ideas.

I think its a pretty good ideal for a skidsteer. You pick up and split a big round and then just lower the splitter and pickup each half for resplitting. No having to keep wiggleing around as you pick up the pieces. Throw a 4way on it and set up a supersplit next to it and you can make a lot of little sticks out of big ones without breaking your back.

 

[turnkey4099]

I can see the reason for it - compact when retracted but there is one whale of a lot of friction invovled moving that beam. I wonder how long it would be before there was enough wear to require repair or replacement.

 

[Jakers]

I can see the reason for it - compact when retracted but there is one whale of a lot of friction invovled moving that beam. I wonder how long it would be before there was enough wear to require repair or replacement.

Should last a long time as the friction would be spread out. This is the same concept as @Kevin in Ohio did with his using square tube.

 

[Jakers]

Just saw one the other day. And was wondering how they would work.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

These are all over the place around here. The biggest downfall to this design is how hard they are to finesse into the perfect place to grab the wood. One little twitch moves a long way out that far. Another few problems are visibility and just the pure weight once you grab a big round to move it. I guess I always liked the idea of having the splitter closer to the machine so I could see what I was doing. The long ones do work well for splitting over a pile but I need smaller splits than is feasible with a skid steer mounted splitter. Lots of guys use them for just splitting OWB wood so bigger splits is acceptable.

 

[cantoo]

I bought one last summer at a sale for around $500. Took it out of the crate to take pictures to sell it but never even listed it yet. This is a light weight one but would be good for owb users. I don't get much big stuff so don't really have a use for it, just bought it because it was cheap. My Brother in law wants me to build a quick attach plate to mount on his mini ex and use skid steer attachments like this on it. It's sitting upside down on the trailer picture.

 

[kevin j]

Jakers, can’t build one for that. You know it will make you money !

The moving wedge for a skidsteer is a neat idea, vison, resplits, long tube for stability and minimal stresses, well thought out.

 

[Jakers]

Jakers, can’t build one for that. You know it will make you money !

The moving wedge for a skidsteer is a neat idea, vison, resplits, long tube for stability and minimal stresses, well thought out.

it really wouldn't make me any money, I only split for myself and I burn about 12-15 cord a year in two wood stoves. I'll build one when the time comes, too broke right now after buying a second stump grinder, second skid steer, and a john deere gator. At least that stuff will make me money. I agree, well thought out design

 

[turnkey4099]

Should last a long time as the friction would be spread out. This is the same concept as @Kevin in Ohio did with his using square tube.

My old homebuilt was built that way back in '85. 4" square tubing with the slide a piece of slip tube. Sold that to a nephew and last I heard it was still running.

For anyone thinking about doing it, you ask for "slip tubing"