Next project - conveyor!?

[unclemoustache]

So now I'm thinking about a firewood conveyor. I've seen the chain type and the belt type.




Unless I can find a cheap feed conveyor to convert, I might resort to DIY.

If I do that, I was thinking about something very light that I wouldn't need to haul around on wheels. I only want enough height to get it into my dump truck from the splitter, which would be a rise of about 4 feet. I would think a 12' long conveyor would be right.

What about using a ladder? Put a couple rollers at each end, and some brackets to simply set one end on the truck, and the other end on a sawhorse. No need for built in supports. Maybe some heavy gauge flashing along the rungs so the belt will slide better, and a small electric motor. I might need to add something to the sides to keep the splits from falling out, but I would think this could work. But I haven't seen anyone else do such a thing. Thoughts?

 

[sean donato]

Think that could work of done up right. Biggest issue with a ladder is giving a smooth base for the belt or chain to ride over. Could use a layer of wood over the rungs too I suppose. Keep to see how you make out with it.

 

[nathan4104]

I think you’re onto something with the ladder frame. Like Sean says though, you may be better off with a more rigid base for the belt than flashing. Not sure how easy it is to find a supplier for the belting, but I’ve loved my rubber belt conveyor over the previous chain.
on the previous chain conveyor, motor was At the bottom and ‘pushed’ the chain. The belt conveyor has the motor up on the high end and ‘pulls’ it.

 

[sean donato]

I think you’re onto something with the ladder frame. Like Sean says though, you may be better off with a more rigid base for the belt than flashing. Not sure how easy it is to find a supplier for the belting, but I’ve loved my rubber belt conveyor over the previous chain.
on the previous chain conveyor, motor was At the bottom and ‘pushed’ the chain. The belt conveyor has the motor up on the high end and ‘pulls’ it.

If you ever look at a well built belt or chain conveyor it will always pull the belt/chain, this eliminated the slop bunching up on your load surface and stays to the underside of the belt/chain.

 

[Wood shed]

I use an old bale/grain elevator that I found in good shape. It is 30' long and works great for filling my wood shed. Find one that has been stored inside if you want one that will work.

 

[Sandhill Crane]

Belt conveyors ride on strips of the UHM?? stuff.
And typically are top drum drive hydraulic.
Mine has idler wheels on rods underneath and one rod with wheels in-between the belts pushing down on the lower section to create tension I guess. There are adjustments on each drum for tension/alignment.

 

[Sandhill Crane]

The last photo is the pump, not the drive motor.
The drive motor in the photos has a broken shaft, and there for not centered. I must have stressed it or cracked it when it tipped over endwise, hitting the ground with the top drum. It bent the drum shaft. A year later the motor shaft sheered, as shown.
Along with a valve for forward and reverse, there is a flow control valve to very speed of belt.

 

[sean donato]

The last photo is the pump, not the drive motor.
The drive motor in the photos has a broken shaft, and there for not centered. I must have stressed it or cracked it when it tipped over endwise, hitting the ground with the top drum. It bent the drum shaft. A year later the motor shaft sheered, as shown.

UHMW Ultra high molecular weight polyethylene. Although HMW would work just as well and cost about half the money.

 

[Sandhill Crane]

What you are seeing in that photo under the top section of belt is the UHMW humped up from mid day sun. It is fastened every other cross member and bows up in-between, raising the belt in a hump as well. Seems it could be fastened on one end, and rest between tabs on the other cross members to allow for temperature changes. I really don't know what the material is. I assumed it was UHMW.
There are five or six, I think six sets of idler wheels. I replaced three at what I thought was a lot of money for what they are. They are not serviceable. Would love to find a replacement with ball bearings or needle bearings. The factory ones squeal.

 

[cantoo]

Uncle, you are getting old. Scroll down past your comment to his processor build and the lengthened treadmill. https://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/anyone-use-a-treadmill.289480/

 

[unclemoustache]

Now that's not bad! No need for the treadmill control part - just hook the motor up to a switch. Hmmm.

 

[rarefish383]

Josh, at UPS we had portable conveyors, electric, that I always thought would be perfect for loading my dump trailer. I'll see if I can find one, wish I knew the name of the unit or the manufacturer. See what I can do?

 

[rarefish383]

Try Gilmore Kramer, they had a bunch, one for $2700 that went 7'. They weren't the ones we had, ours looked like extra long treadmills, plenty wide and long.

They had another one 16' long and 10" wide for $2500.

 

[rarefish383]

Look under "portable warehouse conveyors", they even have them on Amazon.

 

[dave_dj1]

Get some Trex decking for the belt to ride on, that stuff is slippery!

 

[unclemoustache]

Well, I picked up a cheap treadmill yesterday. Cannibalized it for the rollers and motor. Not sure if that motor will work for me - it's DC, and I don't know if I can wire it up to work off of AC without all of the controls. Might be easier to just get an AC motor.

Need belt material and something to put between the belt and the ladder. I think I have just the thing - a piece of steel roofing. Got some nice leftover from a project. But maybe that hdpe would be better. $60 a sheet at Menards. Wouldn't need a whole sheet.

What material is good for a belt? Any suggestions?

 

[sean donato]

Well, I picked up a cheap treadmill yesterday. Cannibalized it for the rollers and motor. Not sure if that motor will work for me - it's DC, and I don't know if I can wire it up to work off of AC without all of the controls. Might be easier to just get an AC motor.

Need belt material and something to put between the belt and the ladder. I think I have just the thing - a piece of steel roofing. Got some nice leftover from a project. But maybe that hdpe would be better. $60 a sheet at Menards. Wouldn't need a whole sheet.

What material is good for a belt? Any suggestions?

Just get an ac to dc Inverter. I would say the metal with strips of hdpe along it. Cant help on belt material never knew there was anything other then std belting. Last time I had to mess with a big conveyer we just ordered width x length, specified thickness and we wanted one seam in it.

 

[Sandhill Crane]

Get some Trex decking for the belt to ride on, that stuff is slippery!

Rip it in strips... dave dj1 had a great idea.

 

[Yarz]

Not sure if that motor will work for me - it's DC, and I don't know if I can wire it up to work off of AC without all of the controls.

Are you trying to get rid of the controls because they're bulky/don't work?
If so, there's a way to do it cheap/simple if you are ok with an electronics project:

What material is good for a belt?

Is there a reason (other than length) that you don't want to use the treadmill belt? I have one sitting here if you'd be interested in splicing 2 together to get more length (and if it would be enough).

 

[unclemoustache]

Are you trying to get rid of the controls because they're bulky/don't work?
If so, there's a way to do it cheap/simple if you are ok with an electronics project:

Is there a reason (other than length) that you don't want to use the treadmill belt? I have one sitting here if you'd be interested in splicing 2 together to get more length (and if it would be enough).

Thanks for that video. That was great! Yes, I don't want all the bulky controls. Light and simple is what I'm after. So what size potentiometer would I need? My DC motor is 1.5 horse (I think). I'll try and remember to get the other specs on it. I can manage that level of electronics. In fact I bought a whole bunch of parts, tools, and books on electronics for I wanted to learn about how to make my own circuit boards. Never have gotten around to it yet.
Anyway I love that variable speed controller idea. No need to worry about getting the gearing just right in order to have the conveyor working at the proper speed. Just turn the knob. That all looks simple and cheap, and I think it would work.

Yes, treadmill belt is primarily about length. I'll need at least 25 feet.
I also want good grip so the firewood doesn't slide off. I suppose I could fasten (epoxy?) some ribs or something onto the belt to make it work better.