Firewood processor build thread

[kiotiken]

Another batch of steel was delivered yesterday. This should be everything I need for the cutter head and trough. Another $660 bringing the total to just under $2000. I made a tiny bit of process last night in the very short time I had. Most of the time was spent figurin'...

 

[dbaer78]

What do you think your log diameter limit will be? I know the Farmi processors that use the same design don't handle very big stuff...I wanna say 12-14" max.

 

[kiotiken]

What do you think your log diameter limit will be? I know the Farmi processors that use the same design don't handle very big stuff...I wanna say 12-14" max.

Its being designed with a 22" max splitting diameter but I'm not sure I'll try putting many logs that size through it.

 

[dbaer78]

Its being designed with a 22" max splitting diameter but I'm not sure I'll try putting many logs that size through it.

Yeah 22" is a pretty good sized log. It'll be nice to have the option though. I sell a lot of wood and many of the logs are cull logs (I'm a logger by trade) and a lot if them are 16"+. Most of the processors that can handle that size are pretty high dollar.

 

[Scooby074]

Looks good so far.

THe sliding advancement method is used on the smaller Pilkemaster Evo's etc is good for smaller wood, fast and cheap. But it maxes out at about 36cms (14") for capacity give or take.

If youre dealing with larger wood, 14"+ like it sounds like you want, I would quickly pass on the sliding idea and go with a chain or belt conveyor. No way you will be able to overcome the friction of a 14"+ log holding it by hand as the ram retracts. Just my opinion after trying to manually slide large logs on my processor. Too much friction. ANd this ignores all the ugly wood with limbs and other crap wanting to catch on the retract. In the videos they always seem to show nice smooth birch.. wonder why lol.

I went with a cable winch design for mine as you can see in my link below. I like the winch to pull logs to the processor, but the feeding part can be a bit frustrating. I wish I had went with a conventional conveyor and will likely adapt mine to a conveyor infeed at some time> A conveyor is just more flexable dealing with the randomness of the crappy logs these days.

Before you get too far into your build, strongly consider going with a conveyor over the sliding arrangement.

22" is a LOT of wood for a processor. I ran a 22" piece through mine this year and while it handled it, it wasnt happy!. After that one large piece of 8' oak (wet) I cut the subsequent smaller ones in half to lessen the load. Anything 20" and above got cut on the pile the old way and loaded into the splitter using my log lift. What Im saying is that it was a waste of energy and materials (imho) designing my processor for a 22" log. I had to make the too infeed large as well as the outfeed. I think that 16-18" would be the maximum Id build for, that way the infeed and outfeed could be tighter which would allow for better flow. Typical wood in these parts of late is 3-10", way down from what it used to be.

No I dont have giant hands... this was typical of what small stuff was delivered to me this year. Lots of twists too. Far too much of it in the pile as well! But what can you do. I waited over a month for this stuff.

 

[muddstopper]

I guess I am the opposite of Scooby, I get the knarly junk that is cut off with the loggers buck saw. 20"plus is the norm. Usually the end pieces that have all the knots and forks. Its cheap wood, most of the time I can get it for the hual bill. I got lucky and found 2 conveyors from a old saw mill. Gave $100 each and got several rolls of belting to go with it. One is 14t the other 18ft. The shorter one will be for the logs, the longer one to carry off the splits. Before finding the conveyors, I was considering the sprockets and chains, as well letting the splitter cylinder advance the log. Watching lots of videos, both methods worked well, as long as the wood was straigth and smooth. Throw a knot or crook in the mix and all bets where off. Using a roller clamp setup with additional rollers on the log bed, seems to be about the best setup, but I have never seen one in person. Videos can deceive, but watching the roller setups, I think one might run into a high maintenance situation. For all around performance, I think the belted conveyor is about middle ground and is what I have decided to go with.

 

[kiotiken]

Looks good so far.

THe sliding advancement method is used on the smaller Pilkemaster Evo's etc is good for smaller wood, fast and cheap. But it maxes out at about 36cms (14") for capacity give or take.

Nice little machine, but I'm glad I didn't get the headache trying to design it! I like how fast the splitter and the saw are with the tractors PTO pump. I considered a PTO pump, but they're expensive and I didn't want to tie my tractor up, I need it for loading logs and removing the bags of firewood.

If youre dealing with larger wood, 14"+ like it sounds like you want, I would quickly pass on the sliding idea and go with a chain or belt conveyor. No way you will be able to overcome the friction of a 14"+ log holding it by hand as the ram retracts.

I know my system will move the log no matter how big it is, but I am concerned about holding it when the slide retracts. I'm going to try a handle, like the one in the video you posted but much more aggressive and much stronger. If that isn't enough to hold larger logs, I will add a hydraulic scissor clamp at the end of the top trough.

I went with a cable winch design for mine as you can see in my link below. I like the winch to pull logs to the processor, but the feeding part can be a bit frustrating. I wish I had went with a conventional conveyor and will likely adapt mine to a conveyor infeed at some time> A conveyor is just more flexable dealing with the randomness of the crappy logs these days.

Before you get too far into your build, strongly consider going with a conveyor over the sliding arrangement.

If my design doesn't perform the way I hope it will, I will simply remove the slide from the carriage in the top trough. It will be very easy to add chain driven rollers if need be, but I'm fairly confident this will work.

The link with your processor didn't come through. I'd love to see it so post it if you can.

 

[kiotiken]

I didn't get any time this weekend, it was just one of those crazy busy weekends with the kids. I stayed up a few hours on Sunday night (not considered the weekend in my books!) and did a little and found a few hours after work today.

Building the splitter trough


Splitter trough with legs, bracing and splitting head guide.


Bracing for the splitter ram. More bracing will be added.


Splitter head slide. Large angle will be added to the back to re-enforce.

 

[kiotiken]

A little more progress last night. Got the end of the ram mostly figured out. Welded to the back side of the plate will be a 12" piece of rectangular tube that will be attached to the end of the ram. The ram will push the tube, and the sled holding the log at the bottom of the upper trough will be attached to it so the whole thing should move ahead... in theory anyway. I think I got it all level and true, my biggest concern with the design is the whole thing binding up.

 

[Scooby074]

Clamps are have been done for feeding. Its a pretty interesting idea that a few manufacturers are using. Makes for sure feeding. A little different than what you are proposing however.

Glad you thought of ways to convert it when designing. Its not the smaller straight stuff that you will have issues with its the heavy twisty stuff that will get to you. Alot depends on what your local wood supply looks like.

Here's the link to my processor build http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...ing-woodsplitter-into-firewood-processor.html I have a couple videos made that I might post. The videos didnt come out all that well so I didnt bother to post them.