PTO driven log splitter

[TNhobbyfarmer]

Why don't you ask the seller to demonstrate the splitter in action?

The seller told me he has never used it and doesn't have a tractor to use for a demonstration. Apparently he got it for a good price at a auction and just bought it for resale, consequently the low price. I usually see these for sale in the $500-800 range.

I know this purchase could be a crap shoot. I figure that if the hoses look reasonable, the worst case scenario would be a cylinder rebuild or maybe a new cylinder. If it doesn't sell soon, I may go take a look and make a decision.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Too bad you don't have some pictures. Guys here would tell you a lot, whether you wanted to hear it or not. You would get good and confused, if nothing else.

 

[Jstpssng]

I had a lightweight unit which my father had made years ago, that I ran off my backhoe pto pump. It worked great when hooked up to my 8N, but not very well behind the Kubota. I don't remember exactly why but it had something to do with the difference in governors, and possibly because I don't tend to run the RPM's very high.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Does the exhaust go to the back? We once bought a tractor and had the dealer put the rear exhaust on. So, it wouldn't get ripped off on trees, but man, what a treat, working with the 3ph with the engine running! My eyes are watering just thinking about it.

You mean you didn't figure out that a cheapo piece of flex pipe shoved over the tail pipe and turned side way takes care of the problem???

SR

 

[Industrial Toys]

I mean, I never had to split wood back there. And using that would not have been practical to do for short duration. We did use to get a kick out of pulling back the throttle when someone was back there hooking up a chain or such.

 

[Hiptfarms]

I run a 3ph wood splitter on my tractor (M6800) that is powered off the rear remotes. It is actually faster than the small engine driven splitters I have used. I love mine. The young guy who helps me during the summers said he sure wished his dad would get one like mine instead of the B&S driven one they have. Mine is much faster than his.

I've owned mine for around 10 years and I dont miss having to futz around with a carburetor. Bonus is not having every Tom, dick, and harry in the neighborhood trying to borrow it because they don't have the setup to run it.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Even if people could use my hydraulic implements. I don't share needles or mix oil! Sorry!

 

[Hiptfarms]

Good practice. Plus I hate needles!

 

[TNhobbyfarmer]

Too bad you don't have some pictures. Guys here would tell you a lot, whether you wanted to hear it or not. You would get good and confused, if nothing else.

Just a clarification first of all. I don't know why I've been calling the splitter PTO driven. It's driven by the tractor hydraulics through read remotes. Brain fart I guess.

If you want to see a picture of it, go to the Nashville CL and search log splitter. I'm not great at linking so I'll just defer to you on that.

 

[John_Mc]

I'm guessing that this is the one you are talking about:

3pt HD Log Plitter - $250 (Nashville)

Hard to get an idea of the cylinder size on that. Just remember that it will have about 2/3 the splitting force of a splitter with its own engine and a similar diameter cylinder (assuming your tractor hydraulics are around 2100 PSI, and a typical splitter is closer to 3000 PSI). Cycle time will almost certainly be slower: A small splitter typically uses an 11 GPM pump. Compact tractor hydraulic flow at the rear remotes is typically less than that (though there may be exceptions if you have a bigger compact tractor). Remember also that your tractor's hydraulic flow rate is likely rated with the engine running at PTO speed - so you are going to have to crank things up to get the rated flow rate. The pump on that self-powered splitter is likely 2-stage, so it only gets that 11 GPM when not under load. It may have a similar (or even lower) flow rate than your tractor when it kicks into low gear under load.

You could address the speed issue by adding a PTO pump and hydraulic tank, but if you have to buy those, you've probably spent as much as you would have spent on a better splitter. (A new PTO pump is probably in the $500 range.) Most PTO pumps I've seen have the same output pressure as a typical tractor, so unless you find something special, it won't address the power issue (which may be a good thing: can that old cylinder and the hoses handle more pressure?)

Having said all that: I started out with a 16 ton splitter (RamSplitter electric - the piggest one that would run off a normal 120 VAC outlet), Not a lot of power, but it handled most of what I needed and it had a decent cycle time. Using the proper techniques I got through a fair amount of tougher stuff. The really gnarly stuff that it couldn't handle I just used for bonfire wood. I've since sold that splitter for a larger gas-powered one, but the guy I sold it to is quite happy with it. You don't really need a 37 ton rated behemoth for typical home firewood use.