Can you split wood with wedge on FEL?

   / Can you split wood with wedge on FEL? #1  

hz293

Silver Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2006
Messages
109
Location
Kalama,WA
Tractor
Kubota B7510HSD
Might be a silly question but with the downward power of a FEL, is it possible, if you attatched a wedge to the bucket, to split firewood? Yes, I'm always looking for an inexpensive (cheap) way to accomplish things without abusing my equipment.

Harris
 
   / Can you split wood with wedge on FEL? #2  
Your question can't be that silly, I tried it and the front end came right off the ground. Try it with just the bucket edge and be prepared to go up.
Now I know why log splitters come measured in tons.
Jim
 
   / Can you split wood with wedge on FEL? #3  
Yeah, it's going to be more about the weight of the front end of your tractor than the power of the hydraulics. It's just too easy to lift the tractor, especially when you're pushing that far out from the front. If you could somehow fasten the front end down, you could at least put all the hydro power into the log, but that just sounds like a supremely bad idea. If you do try that, you might want to pre dial "91" on your phone. ;)

Mike
 
   / Can you split wood with wedge on FEL? #4  
The FEL will only be able to provide a few hundred pounds of force from the weight of the bucket and 4-500 more from the weight of the front end.

A log splitter will give 20x that force or more.

Now if you somehow held the log horizontally, set the wedge on it then drove the tractor into the wedge really really fast....uh, maybe you should have 911 on speed dial ...
 
   / Can you split wood with wedge on FEL? #5  
If we are getting really creative - save the tractor - drill a 1/2" hole in the end - fill it with a couple muzzleloader chargers - add a wick - top with epoxy - and light it off... Just have someone press dial on the 911 button - when you strike the match. :eek:
 
   / Can you split wood with wedge on FEL? #6  
fishpick said:
If we are getting really creative - save the tractor - drill a 1/2" hole in the end - fill it with a couple muzzleloader chargers - add a wick - top with epoxy - and light it off... Just have someone press dial on the 911 button - when you strike the match. :eek:


That is much to dangerous. I would mount a steel wedge on the front bumper of an old car and ram the log head on.
 
   / Can you split wood with wedge on FEL? #7  
fishpick said:
If we are getting really creative - save the tractor - drill a 1/2" hole in the end - fill it with a couple muzzleloader chargers - add a wick - top with epoxy - and light it off... Just have someone press dial on the 911 button - when you strike the match. :eek:

There actually was a splitting wedge where you drove it in, filled a cavity with black powder and touched it off. I saw a picture of one way back when and can't even recall where. Wouldn't even have a clue as to what to enter for a search criteria.

Harry K
 
   / Can you split wood with wedge on FEL?
  • Thread Starter
#8  
OK, OK. I got the Idea. I'm suppose to buy an old car (I prefer Packards), weld a big wedge on the bumper, take a running start and you say this will work? Should I have someone hold the piece or will the firewood impale itself on the wedge? Should I hit it on the side or the top? How far back should I start? What year Packard should I buy? Now you've got me wondering if I really even need a tractor.

Harris
 
   / Can you split wood with wedge on FEL? #9  
All but he easiest pieces of softwood would hardly dent with your
loader.

However.....I use my loader to break beads when changing tires. Often
it will take the whole weight of the front of the tractor and loader (maybe
2000 lb) to do this. I can not break the beads of modern low-profile
car tires this way. Not enough pressure for their very stiff beads. Works
great on other tires/wheels, including tractor tires.
 
   / Can you split wood with wedge on FEL? #10  
My logger used his 300 class excavator to split several very large stumps with his bucket edge once they were out of the ground. He would power down from several feet above the stump and split the stump up nicely. This let the dirt fall out and made burning easier. If you want to abuse your equipment I am pretty confident that a backhoe could split some wood that way.
 
   / Can you split wood with wedge on FEL? #11  
Highbeam said:
I am pretty confident that a backhoe could split some wood that way.

Unless you have wood that practically falls in half it won't. I assure you a 580 Case won't. Been there, tried that. As a matter of fact, one of my best friends has one of the largest excavating businesses around my area. We used a JD 450D excavator (weighs over 100,000 pounds) and it wouldn't split a large log unless we got one tooth on the log. Otherwise, with a smooth edge on the bucket, it only picked up the excavator. He had an 850D excavator at another job site that may have done the trick since it weighs about 180,000 pounds and has a dipper stick down pressure of around 60k I think. Still, even then, if you used a large smooth edge, you may have issues.

If you used a jackhammer on the end of an excavator, I'm sure you can do it no problem. But, why use a quarter million dollar machine to do what a 800 dollar stand along log splitter will do. Sorry, but I've definitely tried this with huge equipment, and it doesn't happen. As I said, been there, tried that, got the T shirt. ;)
 
   / Can you split wood with wedge on FEL? #12  
The logger's excavator certainly had teeth which started the split and then the bucket edge widened and lengthened it. It certainly did the job of splitting stumps. It was a 3xx JD trackhoe which I am sure weighs less than some of the big boys. I saw it with my own eyes over and over again. Not the ideal firewood splitting machine but effective. Using the smooth bocket lip would severely reduce the pressures being pushed onto the wood but I couldn't imagine not having teeth on a bucket.

So yes it does happen with teeth. Your experience Dargo, is limited.
 
   / Can you split wood with wedge on FEL? #13  
Highbeam said:
Your experience Dargo, is limited.

Well, golly gee, I'd have to agree with you. I'd have to look and see, but I think that I have actually only owned 21 or 22 tractors and/or backhoes and dozers. Worse yet, I've only actually owned 5 dump trucks. And, heck, my lot isn't even quite 200 acres. I know, I've only operated 5 different excavators, about 2 dozen dozers, and maybe 50 or 60 tractors, but that is no reason to pick on me. Heck, you are probably laughing at me because my barn is only a 60X80 barn, but the limited equipment I own is all name brand like my MIG, my plasma cutter, my metal lathe, my air compressor, my 2 post auto lift (no cheap Chinese or Korean steel when I'm under it), my tire changer, my tire balancer, my fork truck, my stick welder, my TIG welder, my 40 ton press, my 3 hp drill press, etc. I'm sure that your truck puts out far more than about 450 hp and much more than 1000 ft. lbs of torque, and your trailer is far stronger and weighs considerably more than my trailer that only weighs a meazley 5800 pounds empty, to carry my name brand tractor I'm sure I paid too much for that only weighs around 7000 pounds. I could go on about the years and years I spent operating and working on heavy equipment but I'm sure it would pale in comparison to your vast experience. I know you have so much more and so much more experience, but at least what little I have was all paid for when I bought it. I'm sure that makes me slower on buying things and gaining the astounding knowledge and experience you have.

From posts in the past, I can clearly see that you have vast experience and have always given advice that is both accurate and sound.
 
   / Can you split wood with wedge on FEL? #16  
I knew that would get your goat dargo.... I know the post didn't ask about splitting wood with big excavators and big teeth but hey, the right excavator can do it nomatter what Dargo thinks. Never say never Dargo. Better rest your fingers after that.

Oh good job on the "meazley" I almost missed that. Good laugh.

You can pull a million levers but if you don't pull the one lever that we are talking about then you are lacking experience in that job.
 
   / Can you split wood with wedge on FEL? #18  
Most of these answers are for trying to split with the bucket. He said "if you attatched a wedge to the bucket" Now if it was a small enough wedge the pressure would be much greater according to physics. We need to be talking PSI not only weight of machine.
 
 

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