Firewood processor build thread

[445A]

Join the club - but you're a bit too late to be president

Yeah that position is already being filled by an idiot!:laughing: (Just couldn't help it)
My digital read out for my milling machine, was purchased new. I could hardly read the numbers. My wife was in the shop while I was milling something, and again complaining about the visibility. She walked over, raised her hand to the DRO, and promptly ripped off the protective brown cellophane that protected it from scratches. Man are those green numbers bright now!:thumbsup: Just finished reading this entire build, what a cool project! Your attention to detail and forethought is second to none. Thanks for sharing. I'm looking forward to the video of it in operation. (HINT, HINT):dance1: 445A

 

[Rustyiron]

Wow, am I an idiot... I took a little break from welding and looked down at my welding helmet after I took it off. On the inside lens you could see the protective film that they put on it to keep it from scratching before you buy it was starting to peel in one corner. All this time I've been struggling to see, I compulsively clean the outside lens but never noticed I forgot to remove the packing film from the inside! I took it off and it was like the lights were turned on for the first time. My welds improved drastically after that.

Not a word of this RT and Jon, if you come over to check it out this weekend, no laughing at me!

I love it when I occasionally find out that I'm not alone in the "sometimes and idiot" department!
Enjoying your build!:thumbsup:

 

[kiotiken]

445A, RustyIron, Thanks, nice to hear.

OK, I've had no time this weekend so far but will get some done tonight. I did duck out of work early on Friday and picked up the paint. It's going to be a dark blue, don't ask why, I didn't know what other colour to paint it. It's a DTM (direct to metal) paint that apparently the local construction companies throw on their equipment. I wanted something better than Tremclad but quick and easy. Hopefully this stuff fits the bill. I would have liked to start painting tomorrow night, but looks like it might be Monday night.

 

[markbuilt]

Have enjoyed your building of your machine, I'm building one as well , I'm using 3 ganged John Deere pumps off some donor 1010 loaders , My Dad told me build it for all the scrape wood that won't make it into a sellable log . Like the wind blown stuff and the hollow heartless stuff . All the best to you , I'm looking for a hydraulic motor to run the saw . I have the typical 36 inch 404 harvester bar and a lumber mate 52 inch that was used in a mill to square up the ends of tie timbers

 

[kiotiken]

Have enjoyed your building of your machine, I'm building one as well , I'm using 3 ganged John Deere pumps off some donor 1010 loaders , My Dad told me build it for all the scrape wood that won't make it into a sellable log . Like the wind blown stuff and the hollow heartless stuff . All the best to you , I'm looking for a hydraulic motor to run the saw . I have the typical 36 inch 404 harvester bar and a lumber mate 52 inch that was used in a mill to square up the ends of tie timbers

Wow, that'll be a beast. Start a thread when you do start your build.

 

[kiotiken]

OK, for all you who couldn't sleep over the anticipation of seeing a gleaming beautifully painted firewood processor this morning, sorry, blame CDN Farm Boy:laughing: He stopped by on Saturday night to check it out and made a few suggestions. He pointed out that the weakest part was the frame from where all my bracing ended and where the ram connected. If something other than the wood is going to give, it could be that area. Sooooooo..., being completely out steel, not to mention the apatite for spending more money on my insanity, I remembered the old dump cart conversion I started years ago, never finished and leaned up against the back of my shed. I started it right before I bought my first tractor and, well, lost all motivation to finish it after that.

Looking a little rough.


Butchered the cart, cut it to length and cleaned it up. Lots of bracing now.


My next post may be cursing CDN Farm Boy for making me add more barcing since the engine now has to be installed from under the processor before the ram is installed. The engine is 18" tall and I now have 19" of clearance. That might not seem like very much when I'm trying to lift the 100# engine at arms length under the processor! I think he should do it since it was his idea :laughing:

So, the entire machine is now fully welded, including the new bracing. Tonight I need to add a rack for the battery, cap two steel tubes that will drink in water and are welded closed at the bottom and then continue cleaning it up. Hopefully paint starts on Tuesday night but probably Wednesday.

I know somebody's going to mention it, so yes, I'm considering throwing the wheels from the cart under one end of the machine. I may see what that looks like but I don't want this thing to start looking like it was built from whatever was lying around, even though that's partly true now.

The carts "bed" will be butchered to make a wood chute as well. I need the wood to be pushed up about 3' so it falls into my firewood bags.

 

[murphy1244]

I think you created a Monster need to call it splittenstein.

 

[markbuilt]

I saw that too , the bracing for the splitter cylinder . I did the same thing tried to split a oak block standing up to test and broke the welds on my cross piece which was a doubled truck frame , now it has gusset at the pin end to the side frame will see if I twist the whole frame

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

:cough: Sorry about that...cough. ;-) Let me know when you want to install it and I'll come give you a hand.

Seriously though, it looks much better with the extra bracing and even though you had to (eek) use used steel, I'm sure you will be happier in the long run

 

[kiotiken]

:cough: Sorry about that...cough. ;-) Let me know when you want to install it and I'll come give you a hand.

Seriously though, it looks much better with the extra bracing and even though you had to (eek) use used steel, I'm sure you will be happier in the long run

LOL, thanks. I don't care about the used metal, I'll be happier in the long run if the machine doesn't fold itself in half, my design doesn't lead itself well to curves! I was surprised how well that used metal cleaned up though. The pictures don't show it well, but it's darn nearly new after a few passes of a flap disk.