Firewood processor build thread

[kiotiken]

So my wife took the kids to visit her sister in Toronto this weekend... I've been thinking about building a firewood processor for a long time now, so it was time to get started. Like everybody else who builds one, I watched hundreds of youtube videos for ideas. After many design ideas, I finally settled on a very unique idea, KISS, Keep It Simple Stupid! I decided to simplify the design. My processor would split and advance the log at the same time, why add hyraulic motors, chains and rollers? My design is to use the splitters stroke to also advance the log to the next cutting position. It also uses my existing chainsaw to cut logs. I'm leaving it open to add a hydraulic saw in the future, but for now, my existing saw will do.

So far, I've bought half the steel I'm going to need. I've also bought a 15 hp engine, a 10 gallon hydraulic tank, a 4 inch log splitter ram and a few hoses. I still need to buy the two stage log splitter pump and steel for the 2, 4 and 6 way wedges. I'm at about $1300 so far, with another $1000 - 1500 to go. This is mostly going to be a picture thread as I slowly build this thing. Here's what I got done Friday night and Saturday...





I had to rip a piece of steel for runners. An hour and a 8 cutting disks later...




Slide to carry the log...



trough for the log

 

[dbaer78]

I think Farmi builds one on the same principle. You have my interest!

 

[kiotiken]

Good to know somebody else has tried it! After watching hours of youtube videos, it's intimidating to build one completely different from anything else I've seen. Hopefully it works.

 

[dave1949]

That's quite a project but well worth doing for what they cost.

Will you rig a remote throttle for the saw motor so it can idle down between cuts?

 

[kiotiken]

That's quite a project but well worth doing for what they cost.

Will you rig a remote throttle for the saw motor so it can idle down between cuts?

No remote throttle. I'll position the controls so my left hand controls the splitter and my right hand can stay on the saw. The only time I should have to move will be to roll the next log onto the processor. I'm going to have a deck, but it won't be live (at least not yet). I think it should be easy to reach across with something like a garden hoe and roll the next log into the trough. If not, it will be modified next year when I build a conveyor.

 

[muddstopper]

I can see how the splitter cylinder will advance the log. How do you plan on holding the log into place while retracting the splitter cylinder. Without something to hold the log in place, it will slide back as well as it slides forward. I see a couple of other problems with your ideal as well. Without some sort of log clamping system, the last round off the log will tumble into your splitting trough and have to be repositioned by hand.

 

[MNBobcat]

I can see how the splitter cylinder will advance the log. How do you plan on holding the log into place while retracting the splitter cylinder. Without something to hold the log in place, it will slide back as well as it slides forward. I see a couple of other problems with your ideal as well. Without some sort of log clamping system, the last round off the log will tumble into your splitting trough and have to be repositioned by hand.

I'd suggest spikes on a cam where the cam would rotate allowing the log to slide forward under the spikes but would lock when the log tried to slide backwards. You could use a spring to engage it. Petty easy to do and simple too.

 

[kiotiken]

I can see how the splitter cylinder will advance the log. How do you plan on holding the log into place while retracting the splitter cylinder. Without something to hold the log in place, it will slide back as well as it slides forward. I see a couple of other problems with your ideal as well. Without some sort of log clamping system, the last round off the log will tumble into your splitting trough and have to be repositioned by hand.

I have plan A & B for holding the log to prevent it from retracting with the splitter. Plan A is to build a manual arm that will slid over the log while the splitter is extending but bite in when it is retracting. That shouldn't take much force at all. It will also hold the log while it's being cut. If the manual arm isn't enough, I'm going to install a hydraulic scissor clamp to grab both sides, right at the end of the trough, but I really don't think it'll be necessary.

You're right about the last round. it will stay on the slide and have to be pushed by hand into the splitting trough. Hopefully it won't be necessary to re-position it often, but if it is, I'll do some brain storming to figure something out.

 

[muddstopper]

I did consider using the splitter cyl to advance a log on the processor I am trying to put together. My thoughts where to make the slide so that it would grab the log while extending, but collapse during retraction. Angle iron on a pin with springs to pull the angle up to grab the log, but compress upon retraction. I also figured on a clamp to hole the log in place while sawing and figured it would serve well to hold the log on retraction. To much fabricating, plus I found a used conveyor cheap, so I just gave up on the whole ideal. I have been working on ideals and gathering parts for about 3 or 4 years now and am just about ready to start the build.

 

[kiotiken]

I just asked a question about this thing in the welding forum. Any thoughts are welcome. Thanks. http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/welding/324270-weld-not-weld-question.html#post3928052

 

[kiotiken]

Another batch of steel was delivered yesterday. This should be everything I need for the cutter head and trough. Another $660 bringing the total to just under $2000. I made a tiny bit of process last night in the very short time I had. Most of the time was spent figurin'...

 

[dbaer78]

What do you think your log diameter limit will be? I know the Farmi processors that use the same design don't handle very big stuff...I wanna say 12-14" max.

 

[kiotiken]

What do you think your log diameter limit will be? I know the Farmi processors that use the same design don't handle very big stuff...I wanna say 12-14" max.

Its being designed with a 22" max splitting diameter but I'm not sure I'll try putting many logs that size through it.

 

[dbaer78]

Its being designed with a 22" max splitting diameter but I'm not sure I'll try putting many logs that size through it.

Yeah 22" is a pretty good sized log. It'll be nice to have the option though. I sell a lot of wood and many of the logs are cull logs (I'm a logger by trade) and a lot if them are 16"+. Most of the processors that can handle that size are pretty high dollar.

 

[Scooby074]

Looks good so far.

THe sliding advancement method is used on the smaller Pilkemaster Evo's etc is good for smaller wood, fast and cheap. But it maxes out at about 36cms (14") for capacity give or take.

If youre dealing with larger wood, 14"+ like it sounds like you want, I would quickly pass on the sliding idea and go with a chain or belt conveyor. No way you will be able to overcome the friction of a 14"+ log holding it by hand as the ram retracts. Just my opinion after trying to manually slide large logs on my processor. Too much friction. ANd this ignores all the ugly wood with limbs and other crap wanting to catch on the retract. In the videos they always seem to show nice smooth birch.. wonder why lol.

I went with a cable winch design for mine as you can see in my link below. I like the winch to pull logs to the processor, but the feeding part can be a bit frustrating. I wish I had went with a conventional conveyor and will likely adapt mine to a conveyor infeed at some time> A conveyor is just more flexable dealing with the randomness of the crappy logs these days.

Before you get too far into your build, strongly consider going with a conveyor over the sliding arrangement.

22" is a LOT of wood for a processor. I ran a 22" piece through mine this year and while it handled it, it wasnt happy!. After that one large piece of 8' oak (wet) I cut the subsequent smaller ones in half to lessen the load. Anything 20" and above got cut on the pile the old way and loaded into the splitter using my log lift. What Im saying is that it was a waste of energy and materials (imho) designing my processor for a 22" log. I had to make the too infeed large as well as the outfeed. I think that 16-18" would be the maximum Id build for, that way the infeed and outfeed could be tighter which would allow for better flow. Typical wood in these parts of late is 3-10", way down from what it used to be.

No I dont have giant hands... this was typical of what small stuff was delivered to me this year. Lots of twists too. Far too much of it in the pile as well! But what can you do. I waited over a month for this stuff.

 

[muddstopper]

I guess I am the opposite of Scooby, I get the knarly junk that is cut off with the loggers buck saw. 20"plus is the norm. Usually the end pieces that have all the knots and forks. Its cheap wood, most of the time I can get it for the hual bill. I got lucky and found 2 conveyors from a old saw mill. Gave $100 each and got several rolls of belting to go with it. One is 14t the other 18ft. The shorter one will be for the logs, the longer one to carry off the splits. Before finding the conveyors, I was considering the sprockets and chains, as well letting the splitter cylinder advance the log. Watching lots of videos, both methods worked well, as long as the wood was straigth and smooth. Throw a knot or crook in the mix and all bets where off. Using a roller clamp setup with additional rollers on the log bed, seems to be about the best setup, but I have never seen one in person. Videos can deceive, but watching the roller setups, I think one might run into a high maintenance situation. For all around performance, I think the belted conveyor is about middle ground and is what I have decided to go with.

 

[kiotiken]

Looks good so far.

THe sliding advancement method is used on the smaller Pilkemaster Evo's etc is good for smaller wood, fast and cheap. But it maxes out at about 36cms (14") for capacity give or take.

Nice little machine, but I'm glad I didn't get the headache trying to design it! I like how fast the splitter and the saw are with the tractors PTO pump. I considered a PTO pump, but they're expensive and I didn't want to tie my tractor up, I need it for loading logs and removing the bags of firewood.

If youre dealing with larger wood, 14"+ like it sounds like you want, I would quickly pass on the sliding idea and go with a chain or belt conveyor. No way you will be able to overcome the friction of a 14"+ log holding it by hand as the ram retracts.

I know my system will move the log no matter how big it is, but I am concerned about holding it when the slide retracts. I'm going to try a handle, like the one in the video you posted but much more aggressive and much stronger. If that isn't enough to hold larger logs, I will add a hydraulic scissor clamp at the end of the top trough.

I went with a cable winch design for mine as you can see in my link below. I like the winch to pull logs to the processor, but the feeding part can be a bit frustrating. I wish I had went with a conventional conveyor and will likely adapt mine to a conveyor infeed at some time> A conveyor is just more flexable dealing with the randomness of the crappy logs these days.

Before you get too far into your build, strongly consider going with a conveyor over the sliding arrangement.

If my design doesn't perform the way I hope it will, I will simply remove the slide from the carriage in the top trough. It will be very easy to add chain driven rollers if need be, but I'm fairly confident this will work.

The link with your processor didn't come through. I'd love to see it so post it if you can.

 

[kiotiken]

I didn't get any time this weekend, it was just one of those crazy busy weekends with the kids. I stayed up a few hours on Sunday night (not considered the weekend in my books!) and did a little and found a few hours after work today.

Building the splitter trough


Splitter trough with legs, bracing and splitting head guide.


Bracing for the splitter ram. More bracing will be added.


Splitter head slide. Large angle will be added to the back to re-enforce.

 

[kiotiken]

A little more progress last night. Got the end of the ram mostly figured out. Welded to the back side of the plate will be a 12" piece of rectangular tube that will be attached to the end of the ram. The ram will push the tube, and the sled holding the log at the bottom of the upper trough will be attached to it so the whole thing should move ahead... in theory anyway. I think I got it all level and true, my biggest concern with the design is the whole thing binding up.

 

[Scooby074]

Clamps are have been done for feeding. Its a pretty interesting idea that a few manufacturers are using. Makes for sure feeding. A little different than what you are proposing however.

Glad you thought of ways to convert it when designing. Its not the smaller straight stuff that you will have issues with its the heavy twisty stuff that will get to you. Alot depends on what your local wood supply looks like.

Here's the link to my processor build http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...ing-woodsplitter-into-firewood-processor.html I have a couple videos made that I might post. The videos didnt come out all that well so I didnt bother to post them.