building a firewood processer

[ihuntbear]

need some info from you hydraulic experts.I'm building a firewood processer.It has three hydraulic motors to run the conveyers,one cylinder to clamp the log,one cylinder to lower the saw,and one motor to turn the saw.My delema is how do i plumb this thing? And what valves do I need ? I know how to plumb for the conveyers but I don't under stand how to get the saw motor turning then lower the saw.It is based off the DYNA wood processer that runs off a PTO pump.If you say call them,I already did and won't give any info Dyna Firewood Processor Video
I have a 21 gpm PTO pump,2 cylinders,one high speed saw motor running 3000 rpm 19 gpm , three low speed motors and a pressure relief valve.What else do i need ?A drawing would be nice

 

[ferguson123]

need some info from you hydraulic experts.I'm building a firewood processer.It has three hydraulic motors to run the conveyers,one cylinder to clamp the log,one cylinder to lower the saw,and one motor to turn the saw.My delema is how do i plumb this thing? And what valves do I need ? I know how to plumb for the conveyers but I don't under stand how to get the saw motor turning then lower the saw.It is based off the DYNA wood processer that runs off a PTO pump.If you say call them,I already did and won't give any info Dyna Firewood Processor Video
I have a 21 gpm PTO pump,2 cylinders,one high speed saw motor running 3000 rpm 19 gpm , three low speed motors and a pressure relief valve.What else do i need ?A drawing would be nice

Do you want it to be all automatic then? the conveyer manual maybe

 

[J_J]

If it is going to be an open center system, the all valves will be in series. The first valve upstream , will interrupt the flow, and may take all of the flow. Is there anything you want running all the time?

one spool to load log
one spool to put log in position for cutting
one motor spool for hyd motor for setting log
one motor spool for hyd saw
one spool to push hyd saw
one spool for the ram
one spool for wedge
one motor spool with detent for conveyer

one cyl to load log
one hyd motor to set log
one cyl to push chainsaw
one cyl for log splitter
one cyl for wedge
one hyd motor for conveyer

You could make some of the spools do double duty with a selector valve by throwing a switch. The hyd saw push cyl and the log position cyl can use the same spool with a selector valve.

How about a conveyer. It would run all the time. Everything else is sequenced.

Tell us the sequence of operation.

I saw where one guy raised a lever manually for the hyd chainsaw to cut. Saved one cyl.

You could use one spool per cyl, or use one spool and a selector valve for two cyl.

 

[nike]

Attach the motor for the chain to the chain bar fixed, then have the cylinder that lowers the bar attached to the motor bracket. Have this pivot. :thumbsup:\
Then you must figure out a way of oiling the chain...maybe a dead chainsaw's oiling system?

 

[ihuntbear]

here is the sequence.tractor loads logs onto the table,the motor is activated and moves a log into the trough.The another motor is activated and brings the log toward the saw to the length to cut then stops.then a cylinder is activated to clamp the log.this is where I have a problem is ,the saw motor starts and another cylinder is activated to bring the saw down.
The problem I have is if you watch the video you will notice the saw starts and cuts the log with one valve.Why can't I use two valves ,one to start the saw and the other to lower the saw with an adjustable line throttle valve to adjust the speed to lower the saw? Also do I use joysticks or a 6 bank of valves with one motor spool

 

[J_J]

You can start the saw and run the hyd saw with a solenoid valve, and use a spool valve to activate the cyl which will push the saw. The saw will run as long you hold the switch on.

https://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?item=9-5112-NC&catname=hydraulic

As far as a joystick verses separate handles, that would be how dextrous you are. It will probably be what you get use to.

 

[glastron23]

oh my god Ihuntbear ..... you are bringing up the night mare i had building mine.... YouTube - Home made wood processor the video was of the first piece of wood to go into it, i was trying to set the flow/pressure and trying to set the timing of some of the sequence valves. we only had a 15 hp engine on this , we now have 28 hp (fixed some problems we knew we had when we built it)
One question.. do you have any hydraulic experience ????
Next question.. do you have a REALLY GOOD hydraulic shop near by ???
Next question ... how much time do you have ??
Next question ... how much hair do you have left...LOL
To run this thing we installed a triple gear pump, 1 section at 10 gpm for the saw, 1 section at 10 gpm for the splitter and 1 section at 5 gpm for all the other cylinders and motor for the log advance.
We installed a sequence valve on the log clamp/saw unit, this is to make sure that the log is clamped down before the saw starts to drop to cut and that the saw is all the way retracted before the clamp is released to advance the log for the next cut.
if you are going to install a conveyor this motor can run on the hydraulics from the splitter, the oil is just dumped back to tank most of the time any way.
Hope this scares you enough to STOP NOW... DO NOT GO ANY FURTHER... BACK AWAY.. NO RUN... lol have fun with it... Jim

 

[ihuntbear]

can't stop now.To much money invested.I do have a really good hyd shop five miles away.they say the only problem they see is getting the saw and cyl to work.They suggest to use two spool valves for them.One for the saw motor and one for the cylinder with a with a flow throttle valve to slow it to the cyl speed i need.

 

[ihuntbear]

JJ what do you mean use a solnoid valve.Do I install before the bank of valves .JJ is it possible to draw a schematic for me.There is three hyd motors for conveyers ,one motor for the saw,one cylinder for lowering and raising the saw,one cylinder for the clamp to hold logs down .the log splitter can run off a seperate pump but would like to run off the same one as the processer does

 

[AKKAMAAN]

can't stop now.To much money invested.I do have a really good hyd shop five miles away.they say the only problem they see is getting the saw and cyl to work.They suggest to use two spool valves for them.One for the saw motor and one for the cylinder with a with a flow throttle valve to slow it to the cyl speed i need.

Jim, had a great preventive advice for you....

But since you are already heavily vested in the project, I'll add my two cents..

You can basically forget all simultaneous operation of the hydraulics with a one pump, open center system...The saw needs all power it can get while cutting....

You need to be at a minimum 2500psi pump pressure for the system, I would design for 3000psi...
Your saw motor speed needs to be calculated, not assumed, do not count on 3000rpm until you have support from calculations...how do you think you can get 3000 rpm from that 19 gpm motor with a 21 gp pump?? Your over all flow losses on that circuit will at least be 20-25%....that put you on less than 17 gpm turning the motor...

To make saw operate on one single valve function, Bar feed, saw turn, and bar lubrication, you need an advanced bar unit like this...see Danzco

or a used oned from a grapple saw, like this Hultdins...

The hydraulic circuit would then look like this...

A 2-position 4-way solenoid valve can be used...see this pdf

Sorry, ihuntbear, your questions show that you will struggle a lot with this project, it will be a lot of learning by doing, it will take "a year" to make it running descent, quite a few 1000$ 's, if not more.....Most of it into the saw unit....

I do not think anyone here will make a drawing that "stands in the wind", since you are already committed to the wrong hardware....

Go to Arboristsite and talk to more experienced Processor builders....here is a link to one of them...I sure love this project...

Youtube video from feb 2009
Youtube video from may 2010
And these guys are still working on it, tuning and improving...But it sure runs nicely....

Good Luck!

I am out!!