Splitter idea...

[bigblue12v]

Hey guys, I've got two splitters which I want to mate together. First is a homemade one 5.5" bore 2.5" rod big nasty machine huge wedge and a log lift crane. Real crappy hydraulic system, small lines, no detent valve, no filter, reservoir too small, 11 GPM 2 stage pump (slow) etc. I made a 4 way adjustable wedge that works great. Second splitter is one I built 4" bore 1.5" rod twice as fast as the other one. Detent valve, big lines, it's powered by my mower which is a Jacobsen commercial mower Kubota diesel turning 13 GPM single stage pump. I wanna mate the two splitters together lengthwise in line, then move the axle and tongue to appropriate positions. Then plumb them both to run off the same hydraulics, as auxillary off the mower until later when they may get a dedicated engine and pump even bigger. This will speed up the big cylinder and streamline the whole operation. Add trays down the sides of both so whatever needs resplit after it goes through big one can get hit with faster cylinder, and only running one engine the whole time. Currently I use big splitter to break stuff down then stack big pieces on trailer (portable work table) then switch out splitters and knock them down to size with the other one. This method works pretty good but I'm never satisfied.

I've never seen this exact setup before, I'd like opinions on it. Here are the two units and placed approximately how I'd want them setup except connected and straight in line. Thoughts?!!

 

[TonyK]

Why not put wheels on the other and then plumb in some long lines with connectors? That way you could use a single power unit and keep some flexibility to the units.

 

[bigblue12v]

These only get used on my property I don't transport them anywhere. If they were attached together I think it would help my efficiency out a lot. As it is I use the black one I made on a lot of stuff and only use big one on big rounds but then I'm handling the wood again to stack it on trailer to resplit with other one. The big one has potential to get used more for medium stuff that a single wack with the 4 way is all needed but between it being slow and not having a detent valve it's a tedious task and the damn thing gets fluid hot and pukes sometimes. I'll be getting a detent valve for it sometime hopefully soon and that will help. The pusher on it needs a big push plate and slider on a track that will help a lot too. The black one on the mower is attached to the mower. I still use it to mow my yard has a 72" hydraulic drive deck. I'd like to leave the deck on all the time and just pull up to splitter and hook up quick connects to splitter instead of changing attachments out.

 

[bigblue12v]

Even halfway considering turning it into a Wallenstein type processor starting to like the look of them. But keep the crane on it and ability to handle big rounds. I had been thinking I'd make a bucking trailer to roll logs off my truck onto and buck them where rounds would drop onto a sloped surface with a ledge to catch them, park splitter next to it and grab off trailer and put on splitter. However sometimes I get too busy cutting and hauling logs in and don't keep up with splitting so they end up on the ground. Don't have a loader or anything to pick them back up with and set on log trailer. I figure a processor can handle up to 20" or so diameter, anything bigger I can buck on the ground and use crane to lift rounds with, bypassing the log loading chute. I still like the idea of having second splitter attached to handle resplits!

 

[whitepine2]

There ya go that's what I was gonna suggest. You might think about a hydraulic powered saw as well I made a complete processor saw,splitter 6" and a smaller splitter 3" to re split larger chunks from the
bigger 6 way wedge this was when I was selling wood but for my own use don't need the smaller chunks.
it will depend on your usage how big or small they need be

 

[bigblue12v]

You have any pictures of that?! I've been researching processors a good bit, the hydraulic saw gets expensive and tricky. Hard to justify when I have several saws here already.

 

[whitepine2]

Some Pic's

 

[bigblue12v]

White pine, very neat machine!!!! I'd love to see some video footage of it working and how you use the dual splitters! Also how do you feed the logs? I don't see anything to mechanize that?

 

[whitepine2]

No vid of this splitter yet. You can see the second splitter in rear kinda need two to operate. What is not shown is a deck that bolts to side and is loaded with tractor and forks,holds about a cord.Logs are roiled
with a peavy onto table the A frame slides back and log is captured with hydraulic piston as seen in
pic. and is indexed to whatever length is wanted and held in place as it is sawed,round then drops down
to plunger and into the 6 way wedge,it can do up to 30" stuff good. I made this about 15 years ago and
it could do with some updates but at 73 don't thing that will happen good enough for me as is. Just
hope this will give you some ideas of what to make,I would make it as strong as possible wood is tuff
on equipment when used over time. It would seem you have a good start,good power,piston etc.
Hope this helps Whitepine2

 

[bigblue12v]

Cool, I'm thinking I like your design a lot, coupled with the loading style winch and ramp of a Wallenstein type, using one of my gas saws for now on a pivot. Should work pretty good. I've got a lead on an older tandem axle trailer for almost free, would probably make a real good base for the build. Or fix it up and use as a hauler and instead use my 12' tandem axle for the splitter processor as it's probably a better size not so huge. Only dealing with one log at a time I don't need a monster trailer for it.

 

[whitepine2]

Cool, I'm thinking I like your design a lot, coupled with the loading style winch and ramp of a Wallenstein type, using one of my gas saws for now on a pivot. Should work pretty good. I've got a lead on an older tandem axle trailer for almost free, would probably make a real good base for the build. Or fix it up and use as a hauler and instead use my 12' tandem axle for the splitter processor as it's probably a better size not so huge. Only dealing with one log at a time I don't need a monster trailer for it.

This is a smaller splitter that I made,I used the hydraulic to power a winch,this allows me to cast and load
single rounds and I use it to lift my table with several rounds works real well. I cannot stress enough to
over build this I beam is 5/8" thick and with a single wedge I still pushed it over with an 1 1/4" thick piece
in back like butter. It seems like there is no splitter that will do it all but with some thinking one can come close.

 

[bigblue12v]

Looks like a rugged machine! Where you finding hydraulic winches at that are affordable? I need a couple...
Yes I've broken and bent a few things here and there on splitters lol

 

[whitepine2]

Make my own,two rounds for sides,heavy walled pipe for drum,two tombstone's for sides,machine center
for shaft of motor with key-way and machine one of the tombstone sides to accept motor and bolt same on
into center drum shaft,bearing on outer side and bolt together on frame to hold together and mount on boom. Then plumb to valve easy to make might as well make 2 or 3 as 1

 

[bigblue12v]

I never thought of making one, that's pretty clever! I figured a gearbox would be needed to get the torque and speed right. How do you address that? What are you using for motors? I am assuming they were salvaged from something?
And what are you calling a tombstone?! I'd really appreciate some close up pictures of your homemade hydraulic winches.

 

[whitepine2]

Yes I grab all I can I would need to look what size,but there is a lot of power in them I bent my mast
with this one double walled pipe pulling a log onto trailer. I made the mast so as to be moved with quick
disconnects and it slips into a larger pipe so whole unit can go to another piece of equipment if needed.
No gear box needed just direct drive plenty of power with two stage pump just goes kinda fast I use
the valve in a power beyond from main splitting valve 16 GPM pump am thinking of 22 or 28 GPM
pump just gathering larger motor and pump as am running 8 HP now,just thinking about it.

 

[bigblue12v]

I'm thinking wheel motors from a zero turn mower might be OK? They're high torque and not overly fast. Mower deck on my mower is hydraulic drive the motor on it would be way way too fast for a winch unless it was going through a gearbox.

I'd really like to go all out and build a hydraulic saw and everything for my processor. If I could get another mower I would even donate my commercial Jacobsen mower, the possibilities are quite endless everything on it is hydraulic. 21.5hp 40 lb/ft Kubota. Steering cylinder, deck lift cylinder, hydraulic deck motor (hi torque and rpm) which is ran off 13gpm single stage PTO pump, which might be good for saw, use deck lift cylinder and steering cylinders for clamp and saw up down. Add a 28 GPM 2 stage for splitter cylinders, auto cycle valve on the main 5.5" cylinder with power beyond going to adjustable wedge or something. Could even use the hydrostatic transaxle to drive log feed probably. The Kubota runs forever on a couple gallons of diesel. Since it's liquid cooled it's got a large engine driven fan for the radiator and a hydraulic oil cooler. I'd have an orbital valve leftover I don't know what I'd use it for but I could easily sell it to help fund the project. Seriously think I'm onto something here..... I gave $160 for this mower lol. No joke!

 

[whitepine2]

You did well I've got one of them as well paid $100 but has a 4 cylinder continual gas engine and a broken axle LOL bought it for the governor. You might be onto something lot of good parts there. My big splitter has a 80 HP Isuzu turbo from an old pup pickup truck. If you are like me I keep on thinking of ways to
do things and one can usually come up with something that will work and if not change it so it dozes. The
deck motor might run the saw as it need's to be high speed something to think about.

 

[bigblue12v]

Nice, all I know on the deck motor is it has a v belt pulley that drives the deck belt and it packs enough punch to turn 3 25" thick blades for 72" cut and barely bogs the Kubota even in thick tall grass. And I know from 15 years experience with commercial mowers those blades are turning around 13,000 feet per second blade tip speed so if anyone can do the math to figure out the rpm, we'll know! But I can tell you that hydraulic motor is putting out about as much torque as a 20hp gas engine. If that thing can't run a saw then I'll just be an idiot cuz I don't see how it couldn't! On a 13 GPM single stage pump it almost doesn't seem to make sense since I've seen guys using 30 GPM pumps just for the saw before. I know hydraulic motors are pretty specific and must be very well matched with the pump for prime results from what I'm told anyway. Maybe Jacobsen did a lot more homework and r&d than the average processor builder?

 

[whitepine2]

It would be interesting to know the RPM of the motor and the power it would be.It would be easy to make
a mount for it and get a sprocket that will drive the chain,faster the better but still need power to drive it would seem that motor would do the job. I dont know how big of stuff you are cutting but I think for average size up to 20" would be fine.I have not seen a splitter or processor that will cover any and all wood
that is why I have three and still come up with problems however when this arrives I just junk the piece it
just aint worth it. One thing to remember when cutting you go as fast or slow cause you are controlling the
feed rate smaller stuff zip right through bigger go slower so things don't need to perfect. Well hope this has got you to thinking,you have a good start with parts,when I built mine it cost $800 friends and family help
with stuff. I would make it as strong as possible wood is tuff stuff build slow and strong.

 

[bigblue12v]

One tech guy I talked to at Jacobsen was very helpful and knowledgeable maybe I can talk to him and see if he can find specs on that motor. Yea I'm thinking to just start from scratch and keep my big splitter much like it is, works great for busting down oversized rounds. Just need to figure out how big of a cylinder for a 6 way. And fast cycle time. Trying to find one with a big rod is tricky they always sell them about half the diameter of the cylinder. Not big enough for fast return.