Homemade Firewood Processor Deluxe

[TCS Design]

The update is now uploaded.
Thanks for the interest!

 

[Camper]

Looks like it doing as good as a store bought machine to me. Great job.

 

[rancher2]

TCS Design
More HP on that saw made a big difference. Keep up the good work.

 

[TCS Design]

I had some heavy testing on the processor this year. I ran a big load of mixed knotty maple though and found the rate of damage increased significantly. I posted this video that gives an idea of the crooked winding logs requiring constant winching- and if you wait till the end it shows the moment the lower wedge was sheared clean off.

I called it Homemade Wood Processor has a Bad Day



jmur1

 

[VirginiaIron]

Very nice. I like it. I thought I noticed one split floating back and forth on the lower left side before the screen text and about 3 or 4 cycles before the breakage.
Also I was wondering if the side play in the sled puts undue pressure on the wedge.
Would a cant hook help roll the log on to more of a friction footprint and reduce the need for a winch?

 

[TCS Design]

Very nice. I like it. I thought I noticed one split floating back and forth on the lower left side before the screen text and about 3 or 4 cycles before the breakage.
Also I was wondering if the side play in the sled puts undue pressure on the wedge.
Would a cant hook help roll the log on to more of a friction footprint and reduce the need for a winch?

Hi VirginiaIron: I think the floating piece in the bottom of the splitter might be the spring loaded hinged bed. The way this support was designed is with a spring loaded base so when the split section is forced down it has about 1" of travel before it starts to mangle the support tray. I designed the splitting wedges with downward reaction direction on the wedge and soon found the support tray would be bent relentlessly as it tried to support the log through the split. This spring action also seems to help the final resting position of the log as many times it will fall back into the tray good shape to split see attached.

I do have a cant hook on standby at all times.

The machine works great for relatively straight logs - there are three live rollers on it. When these darn bent logs come around is when the winch becomes necessary.

Thanks for the comments.

The log that broke the wing was where the large limb came off the main piece. I probably could have prevented the failure if I rotated the wood 90° up see attached circled:

I also have 2 slightly different wedges - the one that broke is the one shown here out of the machine.

 

[cantoo]

TCS, don't think you are the only one to break stuff. I broke my Wallenstein one in half too. It broke the main center piece on the cylinder push plate and I was also trying to split a piece that I knew better than to play with. I was trying to see if it would split it and was just a second too late on releasing the valve. Couple hours of cutting welding and drilling and it was back together but I keep a better look out on the rounds going in now. I'm near Lucknow so about 1 1/2 hrs from you. My processor came from an auction in Elmira a couple years ago.

 

[sb47]

I like it. It may look like it's a little on the slow side but it sure eliminates a lot of hands on handling with the conveyor and nice strait poles to work with.
Nice work.

 

[TCS Design]

I like it. It may look like it's a little on the slow side but it sure eliminates a lot of hands on handling with the conveyor and nice strait poles to work with.
Nice work.

Thanks, the speed in general is satisfactory. There are trade-offs for some of the design criteria I went with. It is 20hp and very efficient in general. The circular saw goes a long time (about a year) between sharpenings. There are some big benefits for a this non-production machine.

 

[TCS Design]

An interesting mod for my Firewood processor....

 

[rancher2]

Nice conversion to take care of your slab wood. I have been running a lot of smaller hedge threw my buzz saw this fall.

 

[TCS Design]

Hi rancher2: Thanks
I used to run the buzz saw - darn thing was terrifying! Kicking out wood, slamming your fingers, bending over next to a singing blade, not even mentioning the pinch points. I am glad I was able to retire mine! How is yours set up?
TCS

 

[rancher2]

I have had several buzz saw rigs over the years. Started out with one that we would stake down in the timber and run it with a flat belt and a G JD. I have two now one I built it is run by a 13 HP Harbor Freight engine and is three point mounted on the back of a wood splitter has a roller style cutting table and works well. The second one I just got this summer as a friend of a friend was cleaning out a building he had bought and there was a homemade buzz saw rig trailer style run by a Wisconsin two cylinder engine. I give him fifty bucks for it. Had to pull all the tin off the engine to clean all the mouse nest out. Couple new V belts, couple tires , filed the points, change oil, cleaned the carb and it's running good. It also has a roller style cutting table on it. Have cut a bunch of wood with it the last couple weeks that old Wisconsin really runs nice. I didn't need another saw but I didn't want to see it go to the iron man.