3 pt. log splitter

Anonymous Poster · Dec 14, 2002

That's a nice unit and if I were buying, I'd also consider the 4-way version. But you know...they quoted me $725 for the 230 and $995 for the 230-4, delivered to PA. $35 less if I caught them on a regular run into the States. You certainly got a good deal!

OkieG · Dec 15, 2002

molerj,

You have "power beyond" capability on your 955. JD sells an aux hydraulics kit (part # BM16763) with the fittings and tubing to plumb hydraulic fluid to the rear of your tractor. The kit ties in to the SCV (loader valve) valve body and creates a tubing loop to the back of the tractor with a quick disconnect in line to allow access to the fluid. That is "power beyond".

Power beyond supplies fluid to power a backhoe or any rear mounted implement. Even though PB taps in to the hydraulic fluid at the SCV, it bypasses the SCV itself, so that the SCV does not control PB fluid flow. Another separate set of control valves is needed to use an implement. The PB just supplies the high pressure inflow and returns fluid to the tractor reservoir.

Hope this helps.

OkieG

Anonymous Poster · Dec 16, 2002

The 4-way wedge should be available as an add-on for your SS230 from split fire sales, I am sure it could have been bought separately when I bought mine.
I don't know anything about Kubotas, but there was no valve needed to add power beyond on my JD, just two hoses and some fittings. Maybe he thinks you want an SCV, I wonder that by the way you mention "valve". The kit for another SCV for my tractor is $500 in parts from JD.
The splitter may seem slow, but you do not have to ever return it to split another piece, therefore doubling capacity.

centell · Dec 16, 2002

Split-Fire thanks for the good information. Today I will call Split-fire to see if I can get an attachment to make it a four-way splitter. Your are right, you never have to split one twice. This splitter is real powerfull and I do like the forward and back stroke. I read on the other splitfire page you can get an attachment to make it four way. I believe you first split the big logs and then use the four way. Am I correct. Do you have to split the big logs first and then use the four way on the other side. Which one of the strokes have the most power. The forward or back. Which one should I put the four way splitter on. Can the four way splitter be removed easily or not. Hope it does not have to welded on. So far I have about 5 cords of wood split, all pecan. Tornado remove all my huge pecan trees, hated to see this wood go to waste. I let grandkid handle hydraulic lever and I put the logs on the splitter and I have others stack wood. This is like team work. We all enjoy the log splitter. Next week I bring tractor and splitter to camp and will be spliting wood for about five of my neighbors. This should keep the camp ground happy. I will not charge them anything but at least they will owe me respect. Ha. Ha. This should keep everyone happy. I know I will get free meals and beer for this.

rdbrumfield · Dec 16, 2002

You get the most power when the cylinder is extending. you have more displacement to fill. When retracting you have to subtract the area of the ram from the diameter of the cyl. It is probably good that the cylinder doesn't pull as hard, could pull itself into.

hazmat · Dec 16, 2002

FYI Northern has slip on 4 way splitters

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=4006970&storeId=6970&productId=28657&langId=-1>8" $60 </A>

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=4006970&storeId=6970&productId=23781&langId=-1>12" $75</A>

Anonymous Poster · Dec 16, 2002

On my splitter, the wedges interchange. There is a pin that pushes into the wedge that holds it onto a piece of steel that sticks up out of the frame of the splitter. You will easily be able to see it, it is about 1" diameter, just push it out and lift the wedge off the machine, replace with 4- way. I am not sure if the 230 come equipped with this quick-change, or it is an option. Check with split fire.
Split fire recommends splitting tough logs on the 2-way. I have never used my 2-way wedge, 4-way will cut anything, no stalls. Even knotty elm and beech, I've split 30"+ blocks this way, also.
One direction is rated higher, although I do not remember which. I honestly have never stalled it either way. Mine has a 4.5" cylinder, I think the 230 may be a 4", not sure.
Be careful letting young people run this machine. It is different than other splitters in that it will split coming back towards the operator. If someone lets the front block become a hand rest, they will soon have 1 less hand. I let my daughter run the lever as well since she did on all other splitters. I spotted her hand there before it was a problem. She now watches from the swingset. Even had adults want to rest thier hand there while operating....please keep an eye on it.
If you have a quick-tach bucket, set it next to your wood, back the splitter between the bucket and woodpile, stack wood off the splitter in the bucket. This will really save your time. I'll try to have my wife attach a picture of our operation soon.

beenthere · Dec 16, 2002

Re: 3 pt. log splitter (losing fingers)

""I let grandkid handle hydraulic lever and I put the logs on the splitter ...""

Can't buy into that procedure. If you split very long, you will learn that too many other things can detract that person running the lever, and they don't pay attention at the key moment when a quick re-adjustment has to be made to the log being split, and some fingers might be in the wrong place at the wrong time. I saw it happen, and fortunately all that the wedge caught was the tips of three fingers of the leather glove. Cut them off clean though. The operator had thought all was set to go, but at the last split second the log moved as the pusher made contact, and the person reached to reposition the log. The operator didn't even know that the guy's glove was in there, as he was looking somewhere else at the moment.
I always run my own lever ever since that experience. And it wasn't my glove that was ruined. But it is also a good practice to teach how to position logs onto the splitter by holding their sides, and not position them holding the ends of the log. This keeps fingers out of the path of the splitting wedge and pusher. Amazing how many want to split by grabbing the log by the ends and setting them down on the splitter with fingers at each end. (Maybe just my opinion).

Anonymous Poster · Dec 16, 2002

Re: 3 pt. log splitter (losing fingers)

I rarely run the lever, as I like to feed wood to the machine and keep it moving along. My wife runs it most of the time. While the operator is obviously responsible to watch the operation, I surely feel more responsible for my fingers than to stick em in to grab a moving log. Hope the person on the lever didn't feel totally responsible, everyone around needs to be on thier toes and thinking.
The decal on my split fire says never to grab wood by the "sawn ends", makes sense to me.

centell · Dec 16, 2002

Re: 3 pt. log splitter (losing fingers)

Thanks for all this good information that each one of you are giving me. I will try to answer each one of you in this post. I did call Split-fire today to get the four-way attachment. They tell me it is not availiable for the ss 230, but to bring it up to a ss240 would cost me three hundred something dollars. I told him thank you I would look further. I did click on the information on Hazmats post and found an attachment at Northern for sixty dollars. I order it not knowing if it will work or not. May have to make some modifications or maybe I just threw my money away. Splitfire and Benthere you are both right, you can get carried away, I would say on any log splitter if you are not carefull. I guest sometimes we depend too much on the next person. Saturday afternoon I mashed my finger not holding the log right loading it on the splitter. Probably will lose the fingernail out of this. It sure taught me a good lesson and enjoyed reading your post about the safety of this. I know the fingernail will grow back but not the finger or hand. It was a lesson well learned. Could have been worst. Sometimes we take attachments and machinery for granted not thinking of the dangers involved. But all in all still satisfied with the splitter and anxious to install the four-way attachment to it. I did get to split another cord of wood after work today right before dark. It did not take me long and still enjoying it.

Anonymous Poster · Dec 16, 2002

According to the email I got from them, there are physical differences between the 230 and the 230-4...not a retrofit, I have the impression.

centell · Dec 16, 2002

I believe you are right. They both look identical but not a retrofit. I order the slip over 4 way splitter adapter from Northern to go over the knife blade. Hope it will fit. I should receive it within the next ten days. Will let you know how it works. It may not have the power to push it. I don't know yet.

ScottAR · Dec 17, 2002

As an aside, any hydraulic ram will always have more power on extension as there is no space taken up by the piston inside the cylinder.

Molerj · Dec 17, 2002

Okie, I just went to the JD website & put in the part number of the aux. hydraulic kit that you provided. I was hoping they would have a picture or description of what all is included in the kit for the $116.00. I suppose I could see a more detailed picture at the dealer when I get a chance to go there. Did you install yours & if you did was it complicated? Thanks.

OkieG · Dec 17, 2002

molerj,

I installed mine myself and it went pretty smooth. As you can see from the parts blow-up, the kit doesn't look too intimidating. The instructions are easy to follow. Installation is straight forward.

The most difficult part for me was that some of the spaces available for my wrench to tighten fittings were a little snug because of other hydraulic plumbing in close proximity, and part #15 (plug) seats deeply in the SCV/rockshaft valve body, tightened, I believe, with a long Allen wrench. I don't remember the plug being hard to place, except I didn't have an Allen wrench long enough, so I had to rig something up. Not an overwhelming challenge. The kit fits perfectly and has worked well from the start.

So, far mine has only been used for backhoe work. In the future, I would like to install a valve for Top n Tilt and maybe have a couple extra valve functions available for hydraulic backblade manuevering. Just kinda dreaming.

OkieG

centell · Dec 18, 2002

Read your post on the aux. power beyond valve kit. It seems fairly simple to install on your JD tractor. Wonder how much on a 3010 Kubota tractor if I bought it and installed it myself, and if I could get the schemetic with it and not having to tear down the whole tractor to install it. Dealer ask me $600.00 installed. Paid $640.00 for the 3 pt log splitter. At present I am runing through the SCV valve at the joy stick. This way my dump and curl side on bucket would not be disable and it may get more oil presurre to the log splitter valve and less hoses to worry about. I pretty sure someone out there has done this on their own and would probably know. Thankyou.

rdbrumfield · Dec 18, 2002

For an easy way to tap into the hyd sys for your splitter. take the return line from your fel and have a quick disconnect installed on it. When hooking up your splitter, just unsnap it and put your splitter in line with it. you can still use your bucket and the lift. Be sure to shut the tractor off when taking the return line apart.

hazmat · Dec 18, 2002

For an easy way to tap into the hyd sys for your splitter. take the return line from your fel and have a quick disconnect installed on it. When hooking up your splitter, just unsnap it and put your splitter in line with it. you can still use your bucket and the lift. Be sure to shut the tractor off when taking the return line apart. 

Randall,

Some (Mine anyway) Compacts with factory loaders have a hard piped return (vs. a hose) Making your suggestion a bit easier said than done.

I checked your profile, don't know what they do on the bigger machines (we're all jealous by the way)

I've checked into a "Hydraulic kit" for my New Holland. $170 to get supply & return hoses w/ quick connects to the back of the tractor (for backhoe) but no valves.

Since the NH & Deere are both <$200, I'm guessing that the $600+ for the Kubota is some kind of mistake (maybe includes valves?), might be worth investigating further.

rdbrumfield · Dec 18, 2002

Oh, I was thinking of coming off the fel spools. I can't think of a tractor without a fel.

OkieG · Dec 18, 2002

not having to tear down the whole tractor to install it.

On my JD installation, the operator's seat, rails and bracket had to be removed to get access. That is not particularly hard, but adds time to the project.

I really have no idea how easy installation is on a Kubota, but it seems they make a very nice machine and I bet it is not too difficult to add the PB plumbing.

it may get more oil presurre to the log splitter valve

It probably won't give you more pressure, as your FEL probably operates at full system pressure and most likely doesn't have it's own pressure relief valve. You may or may not get a bit more flow, though. Some parts of my FEL circuit utilize flow restrictors. If the source of your splitter fluid is travelling through a restrictor, then PB could up the flow.

OkieG