Another Firewood Processor

[CDN Farm Boy]

The one thing you're not taking into account is most wood will pop long before being split the full 16". I've had charlie horses and had to turn to protect the jewels (hence the charlie horses) from rounds exploding from off my splitter. So, you'll get a lot of deflection in the first couple inches of the cut, but soon the wood will open up, even if it doesn't fully split. That will lessen the amount of spread by the time you've split the round. Some wood, like hard maple, will do this much more than something like elm, but even elm will open up a little. A lot of the wood I split, I only have to move the splitter cylinder 6" - 8" to fully split rounds.

That makes sense. I have zero experience on a splitter while paying attention to HOW the wood moves rather than just keeping hands out of the way and deciding if a re-split is required.

I think if you dropped the wood tray down 3" behind the processor, you'd eliminate the lift on the 4 way.

I agree.

 

[Wild Bill the 2nd]

How thick are your blades going to be? I really like mine at 1", but 1/2" might have worked much better.

The center wedge is 1", the all multi-wedges and the box are 1/2"

The main wedge is 6" deep and the same is true of the box. The supports on the back side of the box add another 2" to the depth. Those box supports could easily be narrowed up.


Many of the Timberwolf splitters have little wings on the wedges. Is this to keep the wood from spreading out or is it to assist in the splitting?

 

[kiotiken]

The center wedge is 1", the all multi-wedges and the box are 1/2"

The main wedge is 6" deep and the same is true of the box. The supports on the back side of the box add another 2" to the depth. Those box supports could easily be narrowed up.

View attachment 408997
Many of the Timberwolf splitters have little wings on the wedges. Is this to keep the wood from spreading out or is it to assist in the splitting?

The box you're building is very similar to mine except I used 1" for all blades and 1/2" for the frame. I also have 2" behind the frame on the sides.

I believe those wings are to spread the wood and help with the split. They're basically trying to get the wood to pop.

 

[kiotiken]

I have zero experience on a splitter ...

Oh, that's just not right, come on over, I still have my splitter. You can gain some valuable experience and knowledge before building yours :laughing:

 

[Wild Bill the 2nd]

So I modeled my 24" block being split. Renderings show the log the log pressed half way (12") into the wedge and the assumption is made that they would split the entire way back to the butt of the log at such point. This assumption may or may not be true depending on the species of wood and may be less so given that we are only using 1/2" steel in the multi-wedges.


Back View


Bottom view, Note the bottom log is blowing through the bottom plate (4-way wedge) This could potentially cause some issues. We could angle the wedge down to follow the natural path of the log and relieve the stresses.


The top and sides would be at the minimum required clearance for the above mentioned assumptions


I dropped the outfeed rack 3" from the I-beam which looks to provide ample clearance


The sides for the outfeed will need to be widened to avoid jamming.

My thoughts... If I want to still use a box design (which I still think I do at this point) I would want to add a minimum of 1" additional clearance to the top, left, and right sides. I also think I might want to angle the 4-way wedge down to more closely follow the natural direction the split pieces will want to go.

Opinions?

 

[Wild Bill the 2nd]

Found another issue.



While the log is being split it will be forced outward and would bend the crap out of my splitter trough as currently designed. You can see it peeking out through the sheet metal here.

 

[kiotiken]

Found another issue.

http://s200.photobucket.com/user/bi...r/Processorv3WedgeSplit6_zpsa135b293.png.html

While the log is being split it will be forced outward and would bend the crap out of my splitter trough as currently designed. You can see it peeking out through the sheet metal here.

Not sure if you're following my thread but I had the exact same issue and yes, it did bend the crap out of the trough ( I posted pictures). I'm starting to think you're on to something with modeling instead of building it to find these problems!

 

[Wild Bill the 2nd]

I did take a look at your thread, and saw that. You've had quite the journey. Thank you for posting your bulid and helping us out on our end!
I just thought of modeling the split log last night. But not sure what assumptions I need to make about how the logs will split. Theory is always just that much different than reality you know... Often times not in a good way.

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

I'm starting to think you're on to something with modeling instead of building it to find these problems!

X2! If you are a person that can figure out how to use the programs.....

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

My thoughts... If I want to still use a box design (which I still think I do at this point) I would want to add a minimum of 1" additional clearance to the top, left, and right sides. I also think I might want to angle the 4-way wedge down to more closely follow the natural direction the split pieces will want to go.

Opinions?

Angling the bottom blade will alleviative your problems in the 8 way mode but it will increase the deflection of the bottom split substantially when using the 4 way

 

[Wild Bill the 2nd]

Well it is your guys concerns and experiences that lead me to model the split log in the first place. I never would have otherwise.
So for that I thank you greatly.

If you have specific designs that you would like me to model for you I would be more than happy to do it. I figure it is the very least I could do for all the future work you have saved us.
I use Sketchup Make which is a free program. It is a little bit different from old school 2D CAD software and takes some time to get used to but it is really powerful for being free.

 

[Wild Bill the 2nd]

Angling the bottom blade will alleviative your problems in the 8 way mode but it will increase the deflection of the bottom split substantially when using the 4 way

I agree. I will have to look and see how it looks and works

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

Another possible problem you may run into is with your plan to have the rounds already cut and sitting on the plate over the splitter cyl. I suspect that the rounds will tip and not lay flat in the bottom of the tray. If the cyl is fully retracted prior to the cut, it will likely just drop in. As gravity will affect the round quicker than the cyl will retract, it won't drop in straight.

Personality, I like the designs that the round only drops a couple inches then rolls down a ramp into the tray.

 

[Scooby074]

The designs that roll the round into the split chamber are great in theory, but with the ugly wood I get, the round would just sit there and not move! Ive seen some processors that address this with either a pusher that comes out and pushed the round into the chamber or they have an elevator type system that lowers the round infront of the pusher.

Elevator style,

 

[Scooby074]

Side pusher style
http://youtu.be/6E_RDlZoFNM

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

The designs that roll the round into the split chamber are great in theory, but with the ugly wood I get, the round would just sit there and not move! Ive seen some processors that address this with either a pusher that comes out and pushed the round into the chamber or they have an elevator type system that lowers the round infront of the pusher.

Also a good point. I was thinking you could always reach out and give it a poke with your hand if you needed to. Easier that having to reset a block that's on its end in the trough but certainly wouldn't want to do it with every one.

 

[Wild Bill the 2nd]

I really like the offset designs like the Twister the Hornet. But I went for the simplicity on an in line setup. I am hoping that the block will kind of get wedged against the box wedge as it starts to drop then once the splitter runs back it will drop right in. Not quite sure how that will work.

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

I just looked up those Twister processors. HOLY CRAP, are they expensive!

 

[kiotiken]

So, any progress to share?

 

[Wild Bill the 2nd]

Not much on the design unfortunately. I've been away the last 2 weekends and will be away again this weekend.
The other guys in the crew welded up the infeed rack and the framing for the trough while I was away.
I'm hoping to get into the splitter and splitter trough re-designed some night soon.

I will certainly post renderings when I do.