Tractors and wood! Show your pics

[Runner]

We've had the three pt. vs stand alone "discussion" before here. Each to his own. I have a 3 point splitter on my 2320 and it works well for me. It has a relatively small cylinder so it's not super powerful, but that makes it quicker and it's a two way splitter so no retract cycle. Wear on the tractor may concern some people but at my age and about 100 hours/year I expect the tractor to outlast me.

Kenny, sorry if this is the wrong thread to ask, but what brand of 3 point splitter do you have? I was looking at the Powerhorse unit from Northern Tool and all the videos I saw on that one the cycle time seemed very slow.

I also watched a video put out by Messick's saying that the reason they are slow is because of low hydro flow. I've never used one and don't know any of this first hand, so just going by research done so far.

I'm not particularly worried about hours on the tractor either because I don't have that much to split anyway.

 

[John_Mc]

Kenny, sorry if this is the wrong thread to ask, but what brand of 3 point splitter do you have? I was looking at the Powerhorse unit from Northern Tool and all the videos I saw on that one the cycle time seemed very slow.

I also watched a video put out by Messick's saying that the reason they are slow is because of low hydro flow. I've never used one and don't know any of this first hand, so just going by research done so far.

I'm not particularly worried about hours on the tractor either because I don't have that much to split anyway.

If you really want to speed up a 3 Pt hitch splitter, run it off a PTO hydraulic pump, rather than off of the tractor hydraulics. Most of those pumps put out FAR more flow than the tractor's rear remotes

 

[mike0000]

If you really want to speed up a 3 Pt hitch splitter, run it off a PTO hydraulic pump, rather than off of the tractor hydraulics. Most of those pumps put out FAR more flow than the tractor's rear remotes

This is how my 3pt hitch splitter is setup, PTO driven hyd. Pump, it works really well. I added two foldable “wings” and use the hydraulics to lift 3-4 rounds off the ground to a good working height, split them, then lower the splitter and add more rounds. Forks on the front end loader for moving my firewood totes helps with efficiency too.

 

[CalG]

This is how my 3pt hitch splitter is setup, PTO driven hyd. Pump, it works really well. I added two foldable “wings” and use the hydraulics to lift 3-4 rounds off the ground to a good working height, split them, then lower the splitter and add more rounds. Forks on the front end loader for moving my firewood totes helps with efficiency too.

There is a rule of thumb regarding pump capacity and tankage///??

I don't recall what it is at the moment.

gpm X 3??? Help me out with a pto pump.

 

[KennyG]

I use the tractor hydraulics. I do have the small (13 ton I think) PowerHorse, which I think is no longer available. Now they only have the 22 ton listed. I may have some of the numbers wrong, but I think mine as a 3 or 3-1/2 inch cylinder instead of the 4" or so cylinder on the larger units. Also, mine doesn't go vertical but it does have a double edge splitter, so it splits in both directions. It has about a 10 second stroke and no retract stroke, so it's plenty fast enough for me. It splits about anything I try but if I have a large tough round, I do the first split on the extend stroke because it has more power than the retract stroke.

I understand the concern some people have about not having the tractor/loader available, but I move all my rounds to my wood shed and split right in front of it.

 

[WinterDeere]

There is a rule of thumb regarding pump capacity and tankage///??

I don't recall what it is at the moment.

gpm X 3??? Help me out with a pto pump.

Yes, tank size requirement goes up with pump flow rate, but quoted gallons per gpm can vary with many factors. Most commercial splitters seem to be built around 1 gallon of tank per 1.5 gpm flow rate, but I've pushed as far as 1:2 gallons/gpm without any real penalty.

My current splitter is running almost 1:3, and it is admittedly running a bit hot for summer usage. It works, but I'd not recommend building around that number. Since I do all my splitting in cooler weather, or at least keep summer splitting sessions short, I get away with it, but I'm always watching my fluid temperature.

The goal is keeping your hydraulic fluid below a temperature that causes degradation, but also not burning your hands or hip on the cylinder can be a bonus. The upper limit on most ATF's is around 200F, and I've run some splitters as hot as that without penalty, but they're not the most comfortable things to work around.

If doing a new build today, I'd aim close to that 1 gallon tank per 1.5 gpm pump flow.

 

[mike0000]

There is a rule of thumb regarding pump capacity and tankage///??

I don't recall what it is at the moment.

gpm X 3??? Help me out with a pto pump.

Sorry CalG I can’t help you on that info. I’d guess my tank is 4-5gallons and off hand not sure what the pump gpm is.

 

[Runner]

The reason I was leaning toward a 3-point splitter (aside from the engine issue) is because I think I can store it in less space, i.e., use my loader to set it on pallet rack when not in use.

 

[CalG]

Several years back, I traded in my older Timber Wolf TW-1 that I had bought new, for the more modern TW-2.

I was looking for enhanced cycle time. (9 second)

I was not disappointed!
Plus, the entire unit was beefier, more robust, and just better built.

A great unit at the top of the "occasional user/ homeowner scale, but way down from the commercial / multi family "heating with wood" production tools.

I'll never need anything else.

eta
I do heat with wood exclusively, as I have for the past 30 years, and plan to do as long as I can carry a tote of fuel to the wood box.

 

[CalG]

Sorry CalG I can’t help you on that info. I’d guess my tank is 4-5gallons and off hand not sure what the pump gpm is.

No Problem!

My post was really just a reminder that there is more to a pto pump than just the pump. Tankage and heat need be considered.

 

[CalG]

Did your splitter come with the PTO pump, or did you add it? If you added it, where would one look for such a pump?
Taking, for example, the Powerhorse unit I mentioned (just looking at that because it's cheap) could you use a PTO pump to power that unit?

The reason I was leaning toward a 3-point splitter (aside from the engine issue) is because I think I can store it in less space, i.e., use my loader to set it on pallet rack when not in use.

Edit: Sorry for this idiotic question, obviously, you couldn't just add a PTO pump to a 3-point unit that was designed to user tractor hydraulics without adding a hydro tank for the splitter....

Google Search

Prince is the standard, but the chi-com has the price.

 

[Runner]

Google Search

Prince is the standard, but the chi-com has the price.

Thanks. After I wrote that I realized it was a dumb question, obviously the unit either has to have been made to use a PTO pump from the factory, or you would have to add a tank.

 

[Jstpssng]

There is a rule of thumb regarding pump capacity and tankage///??

I don't recall what it is at the moment.

gpm X 3??? Help me out with a pto pump.

If you go with a PTO pump, definitely get a 2 stage unit.

 

[CalG]

If you go with a PTO pump, definitely get a 2 stage unit.

I can't say that applies to the larger "Prince"units. If you have a lot of excess capacity at full pressure, a two speed pump is irrelevant.

 

[CalG]

Thanks. After I wrote that I realized it was a dumb question, obviously the unit either has to have been made to use a PTO pump from the factory, or you would have to add a tank.

There are no dumb questions.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

If you go with a PTO pump, definitely get a 2 stage unit.

The pto pump on my splitter isn't 2 stage and it works great for me.

BTW, no matter if I made money with my tractor or not, I'd still have the same tractor and FORSURE the same splitter!

SR

 

[goeduck]

If you really want to speed up a 3 Pt hitch splitter, run it off a PTO hydraulic pump, rather than off of the tractor hydraulics. Most of those pumps put out FAR more flow than the tractor's rear remotes

You need a tank, or I guess you could use your tractor's tank.

 

[goeduck]

Kenny, sorry if this is the wrong thread to ask, but what brand of 3 point splitter do you have? I was looking at the Powerhorse unit from Northern Tool and all the videos I saw on that one the cycle time seemed very slow.

I also watched a video put out by Messick's saying that the reason they are slow is because of low hydro flow. I've never used one and don't know any of this first hand, so just going by research done so far.

I'm not particularly worried about hours on the tractor either because I don't have that much to split anyway.

Mine has a 2-stage pump, faster until it loads up, then automatically slower as it powers through a tough split. Most new ones are this way. Another thing you want to do is flip your control arm after a split to stop the cylinder from retracting fully. Let it go just far enough to reload. Less waiting this way and cutting uniform lengths helps here so you know where to stop. Speed can be your enemy if you like your fingers, particularly after 8 hours or more when you can get rummy. So, there is a balance as I see it. Fast enough, but not too fast.

 

[CalG]

You need a tank, or I guess you could use your tractor's tank.

Tapping into a filtered supply and an unrestricted return is not trivial.

 

[CalG]

Mine has a 2-speed pump, faster until it loads up, then automatically slower as it powers through a tough split. Most new ones are this way. Another thing you want to do is flip your control arm after a split to stop the cylinder from retracting fully. Let it go just far enough to reload. Less waiting this way and cutting uniform lengths helps here so you know where to stop. Speed can be your enemy if you like your fingers, particularly after 8 hours or more when you can get rummy. So, there is a balance as I see it. Fast enough, but not too fast.

How do you set a stop on the return stroke?

That has been a gating issue on "one man" output with my present splitter.

I put a "stop block" on the splitter rail, but it didn't last long. Hard wood, maybe I need to machine machine up a proper clamping stop,