hydraulic conveyor

[Samcronkite]

I was wondering if anyone had converted / made a firewood conveyor that ran on hydraulics.

I have a TW6 and I am looking into a conveyor that would run off the splitter hydraulics. I really don't want to reinvent the wheel and was hoping someone had done something like this and could let me know what is needed and what works/doesn't work.

thanks for the info

 

[firebrick43]

My father and I converted an old 65' kewanee ear corn elevator from PTO drive to hydraulic to move hay into the loft. Two chain sprokets and hydrualic motor hung from some very heavy 4" angle iron. Worked well. Don't remember the displacement of the motor but it was about a 1/3 of the speed of the PTO which was just fine for us infact better.

 

[nathon918]

American cls makes a very nice hydraulic conveyor, http://www.americancls.com/Products/FirewoodConveyor.aspx, have a 30 footer at the end of the processor,
its simple enough to build your own, just a shaft at the top with sprockers for the chain and a hydraulic motor coupled to it with a 2 way detent spool.
i dont think you would be able to run it off of your splitter with out replumbing your entire system, and adding a double pump...
it would just be easier to get a little 5hp motor and a small pump to run the conveyor...

 

[Sandhill Crane]

I have a 28' Built-Rite belted, hydraulic, conveyor. 160 Honda top roll Love-Joy coupling and direct motor drive, 2 way spool, one way detent. There is also another valve, not sure of the proper name, 'flow control' maybe, to control speed belt speed. I keep mine slowed down to less than 20 - 25% of max. flow, so maybe your splitter would handle that easily without speed or power loss at the splitter. The Honda will run about all day on a tank of gas which is, guessing, 3/4 gallon. Expect piles 18" to 24" less than the max. height of conveyor.

 

[nathon918]

I have a 28' Built-Rite belted, hydraulic, conveyor. 160 Honda top roll Love-Joy coupling and direct motor drive, 2 way spool, one way detent. There is also another valve, not sure of the proper name, 'flow control' maybe, to control speed belt speed. I keep mine slowed down to less than 20 - 25% of max. flow, so maybe your splitter would handle that easily without speed or power loss at the splitter. The Honda will run about all day on a tank of gas which is, guessing, 3/4 gallon. Expect piles 18" to 24" less than the max. height of conveyor.

the problem with running it off of the same supply (single pump) is that the conveyor wont run while splitting, as the split valve will "block" all fluid from going down stream to the conveyor...
it could be done but i think it would be a pain to have to stop splitting to allow the conveyor to clear the splits...

 

[Sandhill Crane]

Can it be plumbed in before the splitter valve?

 

[ponyexpress976]

I would love to do the same thing with mine. Having it run after the splitting cycle completes doesn't seem like a bad idea. But then, I'm running this big machine by myself when it really requires up to 3 people to really max out it's potential. Now, if I could only find a used/beat up/repairable conveyor..............

 

[farmer steve]

www.mighty-ox.com

the problem with running it off of the same supply (single pump) is that the conveyor wont run while splitting, as the split valve will "block" all fluid from going down stream to the conveyor...
it could be done but i think it would be a pain to have to stop splitting to allow the conveyor to clear the splits...

Can it be plumbed in before the splitter valve?

these guys have a conveyor that rins off the splitter but i think they have 2 pumps. if the link works.

 

[nathon918]

Can it be plumbed in before the splitter valve?

then you would have to stop the conveyor everytime you want to split... thats why a double pump would be needed...

 

[flyboy553]

I bought a 35 footer at auction for 125 bucks. It is currently pto drive, but I don't have a tractor so I am going to convert it to a Predator gas engine and just use sprocket and chain to drive it. It is buried in a snow drift right now, but next spring this will be a quick project.
I think hydraulic drive while cool, wouldn't be all that great in winter here in MN.

Ted

 

[Mike Van]

I'm pretty sure you can do it with one pump [provided it's big enough] and a priority valve. The Surpluscenter has these valves, from 1.5 to 14 gpm for 110.00. The valve splits the flow and keeps it constant. My farm tractor has one on the power steering, so it always has enough flow/pressure to operate.

 

[Samcronkite]

Thanks so much for the advice and knowledge you all have. I was hesitant to do it and put the money into replumbing the splitter, and now I sure it will be a lot easier and cheaper to deal with a separate 5 hp for the conveyor.

 

[muddstopper]

With enought money, anything is possible. You can run a conveyor and splitter off of one pump and a priority valve would be the easiest way to acomplish this, but a couple of things to consider. First,whether you plumb the conveyor before or after the splitter valve will depend on if the current splitter valve is power beyond capable.(probably not if its a factory splitter) If not, the conveyor valve will have to be. The conveyor valve would be best plumbed ahead of the splitter valve where it robs just the fluid it needs and lets the excess go toward the splitter. If the splitter valve is plumbed first, fluid will be robbed from the conveyor as the splitter is cycled. Second, does the splitter have a 2 stage pump?. If yes, then you will find the conveyor irratic as the splitter shifts from low pressure/high flow to high pressure/low flow. A priority valve should keep the conveyor more or less at a constant speed, but how will the conveyor handle the pressure shifts.

 

[Samcronkite]

the splitter has an 18hp with (I believe) a 28gpm 2 stage pump.

It has a log lift and if I use it while the cylinder is cycling the cylinder will stop.

 

[ttyR2]

...or buy something like this: http://www.surpluscenter.com/Hydrau...BORG-WARNER-DOUBLE-PD3-2-HYD-PUMP-9-10048.axd

Pressure is a bit low, but you get the idea.

 

[Mike Van]

The pump in the link is not a 2 stage, you can split real easy straight wood with it, but probably stall your engine many times without a second stage.

 

[Joesell]

I bought a 35 footer at auction for 125 bucks. It is currently pto drive, but I don't have a tractor so I am going to convert it to a Predator gas engine and just use sprocket and chain to drive it. It is buried in a snow drift right now, but next spring this will be a quick project.
I think hydraulic drive while cool, wouldn't be all that great in winter here in MN.

Ted

This is exactly what I did. A $100 HF predator engine on an old 40' hay elevator. This thing runs for days on one tiny tank of gas. I can't even imagine why you want to go through the hassle or expense to make it hydraulic.

 

[Sandhill Crane]

There are two advantages to hydraulic over gear/belt drive. One is the stall factor. With hydraulic the belt carrying the wood will stall, not the engine. Second, is the ability to reverse the belt should you need to. Neither of these really amount to much in real world use. If buying new I would go hydraulic, if not, whatever works as long as the mechanics is protected from curious young kids. There is another variable, which is variable speed, or increased flow for heavier belt loads, again a minor factor that probably would never come into play in such a simple system, especially if used with a splitter and not a high out put processor.
There is something else about them. They are simply fun to use. It is a head trip really because most of us really don't need one without a processor. It just allows you to work differently. You still end up with a pile of wood.
If you have a TW-6 call Timberwolf and ask them about powering a conveyor from it. They have either done it before or not. I'm sure it is not a new question. Seems like on such a big beast it would be an option. It is on Built-Rite's big splitter. If Timberwolf can not help you, tell them you'll be calling Built-Rite next.

 

[flyboy553]

I will be using my conveyor for stacking my firewood. This way I can leave the splitter set in one spot and convey the pieces over to the stacking area. My splitter is a monster and I need a vehicle to move it. One less time to handle things.

I stack my firewood in rows 54 inches tall and 24 ft long, with a T post every 8 ft. off the ground on 2x4's. Now, come selling time, I have around 50 cords all stacked up side by side about 2 ft apart. When it is time to sell those middle rows it is a PITA to get to them as the 2x4's are froze down as are all them Tposts. So the conveyor will then be used to load firewood.

Ted

 

[Joesell]

There are two advantages to hydraulic over gear/belt drive. One is the stall factor. With hydraulic the belt carrying the wood will stall, not the engine. Second, is the ability to reverse the belt should you need to. Neither of these really amount to much in real world use. If buying new I would go hydraulic, if not, whatever works as long as the mechanics is protected from curious young kids. There is another variable, which is variable speed, or increased flow for heavier belt loads, again a minor factor that probably would never come into play in such a simple system, especially if used with a splitter and not a high out put processor.
There is something else about them. They are simply fun to use. It is a head trip really because most of us really don't need one without a processor. It just allows you to work differently. You still end up with a pile of wood.
If you have a TW-6 call Timberwolf and ask them about powering a conveyor from it. They have either done it before or not. I'm sure it is not a new question. Seems like on such a big beast it would be an option. It is on Built-Rite's big splitter. If Timberwolf can not help you, tell them you'll be calling Built-Rite next.

I leave a little slack in the belt in case of a jam. That way it doesn't load up the engine. I had a few jams at first, but now I have a better trough design which pretty much eliminated that problem.

The only time I can see the need for reverse is if there's jam at the top. In that case I just flipped the feed end up, which brought the top down and cleared the jam. That only happened once, and that was before the new trough.

I also only have $500 into the whole thing and it's a pretty solid 40' one. I've yet to see a hydraulic conveyor over 20' for less then $3500 used.