Need some help with old hay elevator converting for wood.

[kingOFgEEEks]

1 - make sure the elevator chain is tight enough - too much slack, and it will bind on the underside, and break the chain
2 - you can't load it too heavily. We have a similar elevator on the farm, with a 1/2 or 1 HP electric motor (I can't remember). At most, we can put 3 hay bales on it. Hay probably slides with less friction than firewood, so I'm thinking you don't want more than about 100 pounds of wood on the elevator at a time.
3 - electric motors are definitely more suited to this application. Not that it can't be done with a gas motor, but as stated above, you have more protection in case of a jam, and also, the torque curve is the same at startup as it is at operating speed, unlike the gas engine.

I'm sure I am just scratching the surface, but hopefully this helps.

 

[Marco]

You really want a single chain elevator with sloped sides like what is used for silage and such, narrow enough so it don't jam crosswise.

 

[cantoo]

Marco, those are getting hard to find around here. I bought an extra grain elevator this summer just in case I wreck my good one.

 

[93green12v]

Hey guys been along time since I’ve been on but I’d figure I would add to this thread I started instead of making a new one.

 

[93green12v]

So I finally have a lot of time on my hands recently so I dragged my elevator out of the weeds to get it going again.

Put the old electric motor on it came with, welded new paddles in and have had it run for two hours straight without snapping the chain.
Top one was the last straw last night and pulled the plug on everything.

So I’m having chain failure constantly. Links keep snapping so before I go and spend a ton of money on chain to find out something else is wrong or the fact these aren’t made for wood period.

 

[olyman]

So I finally have a lot of time on my hands recently so I dragged my elevator out of the weeds to get it going again.

Put the old electric motor on it came with, welded new paddles in and have had it run for two hours straight without snapping the chain.View attachment 816783View attachment 816784
Top one was the last straw last night and pulled the plug on everything.

So I’m having chain failure constantly. Links keep snapping so before I go and spend a ton of money on chain to find out something else is wrong or the fact these aren’t made for wood period.

OR,, your link may be so wore,,that it will take very little force to break them....

 

[Woodchuck71]

Any close-up pictures of the broken links?
They wear on the bottom fast.
If your chain is too loose,you can have the chain ride up on the small side of the split.
Gear oil on the slides where the chain rides.
A continuous smooth motion usually never breaks the chain,it's almost always a hard jerk.
Good luck
PS.
MAKE SURE THE CHAIN IS RUNNING TRUE,DOESNT TAKE A LOT TO GET IT IF KILTER AND IN A BIND

 

[93green12v]

The bottom of the chain is flat from wear.
I broke a link the other day just using a come along to join the chain.
Here is an example broke the barrel right off but they typically break on the long skinny sides.

If I could get a 10 sec video to post of it running I would.

 

[Woodchuck71]

Flat spots need to be replaced.
That being said,it'll do the job ,but keep several links on hand.
Sometimes at farm sales you can get a whole pile of chain and links for next to nothing.
Most have been stripped and are being used as feed bunks for cattle.
Count links on each side of chain between flights,if not the same they'll break every time.
You should have a jack screw to adjust chain tension?

 

[93green12v]

Enough tension to keep the bottom from dragging. I have the flights measured out to be even and square with each other. I’ve welded all of my paddles on which has caused issues but so far no broken links or welds. All the paddles are the same width.

Once I get a chance to get to it, I’ll take some pictures give folks a better idea of the junk I got.

 

[Woodchuck71]

Not sure what brand you have,but look on the bottom side at the seams,on top the links go with the seams on the bottom against it.
Wonder if you have something bend?

 

[nathan4104]

i had an elevator that used hay chain, in a V trough. it jammed and just didn't pull the wood up nicely, the splitter was basically pushing it on and every now and then it'd jump the chain off.
I've seen some guys make one with 2 chains running with paddles between and a good flat base so wood can't get jammed underneath, but there are always hose pesky slivers that jam and twist and go in directions you could never think they would.
I got a belt conveyor now and have had no real issues.
where there's a will, there's a way to make it work though, keep at it and i'm sure you'll get it!

 

[rancher2]

I would look it over real close and make sure something is not bent. I ran one for years with a gas engine threw a jack shaft and ran the chain nice and slow and had the belt on the engine very loose so when it did jamb it didn't break the chain. About ten years ago I bought a old gravel hyd driven belt conveyor best thing I ever did.

 

[farmer steve]

after you fix the chain try running your pulley belt a little looser. that way when/if it jams the belt will slip and you won't break the chain. you may have to play around with the belt tension to get it just right.

 

[Ted Jenkins]

I would not claim to know most things about setting up an elevator for wood since I am some what new. I have worked with others using their set up and have learned first hand some things that work and some do not. There are two issues to contend with drag and load. Along with that is the motor and its ratio with drag and load. If the ratio the motor is pulling the wood up is too fast it will over whelm the motor causing it to stall. For almost all applications a 3 1/2 HP motor is more that adequate. As some AS have mentioned they are running three or four splitters using one conveyor which is not exactly what I am comparing. What I am suggesting is using one twelve to fifteen foot elevator with one splitter producing about six to twelve pieces of wood a minute as maximum should be more than adequate with a 3 1/2 HP motor. It seems likely that two chains running parallel would produce less drag and bind less than many single chain set ups. I have seen a single HP electric motor run a twin chain elevator with out a hitch for hours. Bear in mind that a 1 HP electric motor is compared to a 1 1/2 HP gas motor. Running old chains will break often when the pins get worn because they can bind more when they get sloppy. Right now I am experimenting with a piece of PVC under each cross member as a wear point, but is too early to dicuss as a success or failure. A centrifugal clutch can certainly work, but I like the simplicity of a belt that is either sprung with a light spring or gravity as its way to engage belt. It is easy to use a lever or other device to lift motor slightly to disengage belt for starting. If the motor continues to stall it is possible the gearing needs to be increased to allow the motor to turn more RPMs with the chain moving slower. Thanks

 

[93green12v]

after you fix the chain try running your pulley belt a little looser. that way when/if it jams the belt will slip and you won't break the chain. you may have to play around with the belt tension to get it just right.

Typically it pops the breaker on the generator but I’ll loosen the belt more. I take it on and off by hand.

 

[93green12v]

I would look it over real close and make sure something is not bent. I ran one for years with a gas engine threw a jack shaft and ran the chain nice and slow and had the belt on the engine very loose so when it did jamb it didn't break the chain. About ten years ago I bought a old gravel hyd driven belt conveyor best thing I ever did.

The whole elevator is bent it flopped over once I’m guessing from the shape of it.

 

[93green12v]

Some pictures of my elevator chain

 

[93green12v]

I would not claim to know most things about setting up an elevator for wood since I am some what new. I have worked with others using their set up and have learned first hand some things that work and some do not. There are two issues to contend with drag and load. Along with that is the motor and its ratio with drag and load. If the ratio the motor is pulling the wood up is too fast it will over whelm the motor causing it to stall. For almost all applications a 3 1/2 HP motor is more that adequate. As some AS have mentioned they are running three or four splitters using one conveyor which is not exactly what I am comparing. What I am suggesting is using one twelve to fifteen foot elevator with one splitter producing about six to twelve pieces of wood a minute as maximum should be more than adequate with a 3 1/2 HP motor. It seems likely that two chains running parallel would produce less drag and bind less than many single chain set ups. I have seen a single HP electric motor run a twin chain elevator with out a hitch for hours. Bear in mind that a 1 HP electric motor is compared to a 1 1/2 HP gas motor. Running old chains will break often when the pins get worn because they can bind more when they get sloppy. Right now I am experimenting with a piece of PVC under each cross member as a wear point, but is too early to dicuss as a success or failure. A centrifugal clutch can certainly work, but I like the simplicity of a belt that is either sprung with a light spring or gravity as its way to engage belt. It is easy to use a lever or other device to lift motor slightly to disengage belt for starting. If the motor continues to stall it is possible the gearing needs to be increased to allow the motor to turn more RPMs with the chain moving slower. Thanks

I have an electric motor now did away with the gas job.

 

[93green12v]