Firewood processor design almost done.

[polemidis]

Hope we aren't hijackin this thread ! Please forgive us

Everytime I see one of these machine setup Rude Goldberg contraptions (inventor of the Mouse Trap Game), I get thinking just how neat it would be to design/build one. I'm a mech engineer CAD designer. I also have a crap ton of tools welders etc to do just about anything I'd need to do. My mind says I can do this while my body says no. If there was some way to work smarter-not harder like you said, I might be able to pull this off.

About the sawdust I just spread it around in the compostpile.I have no termites in MAine.

Polemidis, What size I beam do you plan on using for the splitter?

I my own firewood processor I have implement a W8-31 beam. But on my friend's processor I am thinking to go with a a W10-49. It adds about 100lbs but I know it will not get destroyed if as knot gets on the outer horizontal knife. 30tons of force is a lot.

L120, can you plz helpme with the FEA? I can provide you the splitter .step files (or .fcstd ifyou work on Freecad), can you tell me if a W10-49 is a overkill? I have hard time to analyze the complete splitter assembly in Freecad

 

[polemidis]

Polemidis, What size I beam do you plan on using for the splitter?

not I beam, but W beam

 

[L120]

Been OCD today watching YT's of different FW cutting machines. Big chainsaw or huge saw blade? There always seems to be something special needed with each design. Mostly other expensive equipment such as an excavator and/or a tractor with forks to load the logs onto a cradle. A grapler needed to lift each log onto the cradle. Then there is the monkey pulling controls back & forth in repetition.

Someone like me could maybe use one of these machines if serious into the FW business. Not sure what a fair price would be, but an expensive tractor would be out of the question. Like me, some guys will get together with pickups & trailers and cut wood until full. Then bring it all home to be split & stacked.

There has to be an ingenious & affordable way to put together a machine to reduce hard labor to also speed up the process. Here's another brain pressure gas release I just had. What if you had an outbuilding with concrete floor with all equipment arranged to be a firewood factory of sorts? You have racks where the split wood can be stored with a forklift and pulled to be put on a trailer or PU truck for delivery.

 

[cathy liebchen]

It would definately boost production for a fire wood business, but IMHO the extra designing and fab work involved to make this work, isn't worth it, at least not for me. Then you have the issue of dealing with wood coming off both sides of the trailer which would create another issue that would have to be adressed. According to my calculations with the equipment that I will be using the complete cycle of my splitter from start to finish should be in the 12 second +/- range. This time will be used to position the log for another cut and cut it. 12 seconds might seem like a long time to some but the whole process will be a lot quicker and a lot less handling than the "old school" way I am doing it now. Drag the wood out of the bush, block the wood, load the truck, take it home, unload the truck, lift every piece onto the splitter and split. I'm getting to old to keep doing this, I need to work smarter not harder.
Of course this is only my opinion

There are a variety of ones that attach to the front of a skid steer and lift the log, cut it and split it automatically (Hahn, for instance).

 

[polemidis]

There are a variety of ones that attach to the front of a skid steer and lift the log, cut it and split it automatically (Hahn, for instance).

Yeah, these are cool! Everybody has a different need guys. I am selling firewood, as a side income. My guy who ordered the winch processor that I showed above is logging year round. Even though that processor is not like the big brothers, it will really boost his operation as he will be able to process 40ft long logs, as soon as he skids them out of the woods with his skidder. Ido not have a skidder, but I have a regular tractor and I have a grapple (that I also designed and fabricated myself) and I will load 12ft long logs on the deck.
Everybody has different needs. On the chainsaw chains vs circular saw the answer is easy though The circular is way faster. It does not need frequent sharpening.But you need 50hp+ (from what I have read). So for the rest of us a chainsaw chain is good enough.
12sec cycle is not bad, but I assume you get that with a 4in cylinder. which imho is not strong enough if you split hardwoods 4-way. But everybody has different needs

 

[Stomper]

I agree that everyone has different needs so if you are building your own equipment, no matter what it is, build it to the specs of what YOU need it to do, not what others need it to do. In my opinion, if you are looking for a processor that doesnt need any other equipment like tractors with forks or grapples to load the wood onto the processor, the second design that Polmidis has shown would be the best option. But having said that you will have to get the logs out of the bush to the processor. This is the reason I am building one of that design, even though I do have a tractor with forks and grapple. It just saves me one more step I the whole process. Park the processor at one end of the log pile and pull off the pile with the winch. Sounds easy to me.
Correct me if im wrong but isnt the W beam that you are talking about, a wide flange I beam with a heavier flange and web. I just never heard them called a W beam before.
The 12 second cycle time is with a four inch cylinder. Around here most of the firewood is either jack pine, spruce, or poplar and in the past 17 years of cutting firewood I have seldom had a tree over 16 inches so a four inch cylinder will work good for me and the trees I have around here.

 

[polemidis]

I agree that everyone has different needs so if you are building your own equipment, no matter what it is, build it to the specs of what YOU need it to do, not what others need it to do. In my opinion, if you are looking for a processor that doesnt need any other equipment like tractors with forks or grapples to load the wood onto the processor, the second design that Polmidis has shown would be the best option. But having said that you will have to get the logs out of the bush to the processor. This is the reason I am building one of that design, even though I do have a tractor with forks and grapple. It just saves me one more step I the whole process. Park the processor at one end of the log pile and pull off the pile with the winch. Sounds easy to me.
Correct me if im wrong but isnt the W beam that you are talking about, a wide flange I beam with a heavier flange and web. I just never heard them called a W beam before.
The 12 second cycle time is with a four inch cylinder. Around here most of the firewood is either jack pine, spruce, or poplar and in the past 17 years of cutting firewood I have seldom had a tree over 16 inches so a four inch cylinder will work good for me and the trees I have around here.

You are correct about the W-beam. It is just a name we use to order steel Do I understand correct that you use softwoods poplar for firewood? Here in Maine these are not acceptable for firewood.

 

[ktm250rider]

Park the processor at one end of the log pile and pull off the pile with the winch. Sounds easy to me.

I like the mobile idea. Just need to be sure the processor stays put when pulling the log.

 

[Stomper]

Yes I burn soft woods. Spruce, jack pine and poplar. Its not a choice, but a matter of what wood is available and those are the three major ones where I live. The only hardwood around here is birch, but not in abundance. I mostly burn spruce and pine but I wont pass up easy poplar. I burn whats readily available.

 

[L120]

About the sawdust I just spread it around in the compostpile.I have no termites in MAine.


I my own firewood processor I have implement a W8-31 beam. But on my friend's processor I am thinking to go with a a W10-49. It adds about 100lbs but I know it will not get destroyed if as knot gets on the outer horizontal knife. 30tons of force is a lot.

L120, can you plz helpme with the FEA? I can provide you the splitter .step files (or .fcstd ifyou work on Freecad), can you tell me if a W10-49 is a overkill? I have hard time to analyze the complete splitter assembly in Freecad

Hi...sorry I didn't see your reply.

I work with AutoCAD all day everyday in 2-D design for restaurant planning & engineering. Determining a W10-49 would be better left to a structural engineer OR look on the internet for specs.

I had to do this when I vaulted my living room ceiling having to build 2-beam to carry load. Found all the formulas. That was all fun on CAD, but a bugger to drywall ! lol PS...it looks great.