Log Splitters
- Thread starter Archdean
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OkieG
Veteran Member
Log splitters seem to be a pretty popular tool. Mine is a tow behind, so I can't answer your question, but there have been some threads discussing this kind of thing in the past several months. A topic search might generate some good information.
OkieG
OkieG
psuedofarmer
Gold Member
i recently purchased a unit for my tractor (runs off auxiliary hydraulics).. can't recall the unit name - i'll dig out the receipt tonight.
i'm going to start splitting tomorrow afternoon, so i'll send a detailed reply this weekend.
pf
i'm going to start splitting tomorrow afternoon, so i'll send a detailed reply this weekend.
pf
Thanks to all that replied and I absolutly agree This tractor already has more ports (outlets) than most.
My neighbor upon hearing that I was looking for a log splitter towed his down to me and it is a brute, the oddity is it has a little 5 HP and the hyd pump looks like a small elongated tennis ball but it sure split wood and had a massive frame with a 30" mouth, just the ticket, sure convinced me this is not rocket sicence!!
It appears to me that just the rail, cyl,w/wedge and perhaps valve is all I need (maybe best found on an old tow splitter with worn out engine) will begin the search locally today.
The hoses and couplings are readily available to me and with all of the hyd. fittings (ports) that are available on my tractor this seems to be an easy project and considerably cheaper than $1800 or so for a good 3 point splitter
4 cords is about what I burn every year so not exactly needing high volume production and can do that in a weeks time so really don't want to piddle around with another engine to baby sit!
Will keep you updated on this project.
Dean
My neighbor upon hearing that I was looking for a log splitter towed his down to me and it is a brute, the oddity is it has a little 5 HP and the hyd pump looks like a small elongated tennis ball but it sure split wood and had a massive frame with a 30" mouth, just the ticket, sure convinced me this is not rocket sicence!!
It appears to me that just the rail, cyl,w/wedge and perhaps valve is all I need (maybe best found on an old tow splitter with worn out engine) will begin the search locally today.
The hoses and couplings are readily available to me and with all of the hyd. fittings (ports) that are available on my tractor this seems to be an easy project and considerably cheaper than $1800 or so for a good 3 point splitter
4 cords is about what I burn every year so not exactly needing high volume production and can do that in a weeks time so really don't want to piddle around with another engine to baby sit!
Will keep you updated on this project.
Dean
OkieG
Veteran Member
<font color="blue"> 4 cords is about what I burn every year... </font>
Cords, half cords, and face cords are the firewood measurement terms I grew up with in Washington State. Everybody here in Ok. uses "ricks" as their measure. As best I can tell, a rick and a face cord are the same thing. You are the first Ok. person I have heard use "cord". My guess is you are not a native Oklahoman??
Good luck with your project. Post pictures as things progress.
OkieG
Cords, half cords, and face cords are the firewood measurement terms I grew up with in Washington State. Everybody here in Ok. uses "ricks" as their measure. As best I can tell, a rick and a face cord are the same thing. You are the first Ok. person I have heard use "cord". My guess is you are not a native Oklahoman??
Good luck with your project. Post pictures as things progress.
OkieG
_RaT_
Super Member
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You are the first person I have ever heard use "rick". We only deal in cords as a unit of measurement. When you go to buy firewood, out here in my part of CA. (we use white oak, walnut, almond) probably in that order, you get the wood stacked in a rack in 1/2 cord increments.
MarkV
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I use a 3pt. splitter on the back of my Kubota B21 and have mixed emotions about it. The splitter is a Bushhog brand, they no longer make splitters, and will split most anything I have tried in it. The reason for the mixed emotions is that with the splitter on the tractor you lose the use of the tractor to move wood while splitting. On the other hand a hydraulic splitter does not require maintaining an additional motor, something that I dislike doing. I have built a stand for mine and added some longer hoses so I can easily unhook the hoses and move pallets of split or unsplit wood to and from the splitter.
With a hydraulic splitter cycle time can be an issue if you don’t have enough hydraulic flow on your tractor. Mine is a little slow but I get a little slower each year so we about even out. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
MarkV
With a hydraulic splitter cycle time can be an issue if you don’t have enough hydraulic flow on your tractor. Mine is a little slow but I get a little slower each year so we about even out. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
MarkV
NHSawyer
Bronze Member
Arch,
I have a 3pt splitter that I run off a Ford 1710. The splitter has its own hydraulic pump & reservoir. The Ford has no problem powering it.
Your idea of finding parts from a machine that has a worn out engine sounds pretty good. I know that Northern sells a hydraulic pump that has a spline coming out of the middle of it so you can hook the driveshaft right to it. This is how mine is built and it works great.
About the only thing to consider is the weight of the splitter given it needs and I-beam or some thing like that. My tractor handles it ok but I can tell it is on there. I think in part it is because the weight extends out some 7 or so feet behind the machine.
As mentioned the upside is not maintaining an engine while the downside is your tractor is tied up.
Good luck
I have a 3pt splitter that I run off a Ford 1710. The splitter has its own hydraulic pump & reservoir. The Ford has no problem powering it.
Your idea of finding parts from a machine that has a worn out engine sounds pretty good. I know that Northern sells a hydraulic pump that has a spline coming out of the middle of it so you can hook the driveshaft right to it. This is how mine is built and it works great.
About the only thing to consider is the weight of the splitter given it needs and I-beam or some thing like that. My tractor handles it ok but I can tell it is on there. I think in part it is because the weight extends out some 7 or so feet behind the machine.
As mentioned the upside is not maintaining an engine while the downside is your tractor is tied up.
Good luck
psuedofarmer
Gold Member
have a wallenstein (howz that for a log splitter name?) splitter on my DK55; it was approximately half the price of a tow behind timberwold (which i've used in the past).
no complaints about the cycle times. to be honest, it seems to be faster than the timberwolf i last used, but that could be a result of a higher capacity pump (and my amnesia.. i tend to forget the joy of splitting 12+ cords of wood!).
i just started using it.. i'll check back in over the weekend once i have a few more hours on it.
pf
no complaints about the cycle times. to be honest, it seems to be faster than the timberwolf i last used, but that could be a result of a higher capacity pump (and my amnesia.. i tend to forget the joy of splitting 12+ cords of wood!).
i just started using it.. i'll check back in over the weekend once i have a few more hours on it.
pf
beenthere
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I suspect the reasoning is such that it keeps everyone on the same page for selling or buying (like a dozen eggs or pound of meat). There is an official description for each of these (cord, face cord), avoiding the use of other terms such as a pile, rick, or load (for which there are apparently no 'legal' terms).
LOL, yes you are correct Sir!
Was born and raised in N/C PA. and spent 23 years in the Military as a pilot mostly, last assignment took me to Alaska and spent 14 years there then migrated back to OK for my finial retirement from all of the above..
Now.. A cord is 8'longx4'highx4'wide (deep) a face cord is 8'longx4'highx2'wide (deep)
A rick is a stack of wood 8'longx4'highx (most are usally cut 18" or less to accomadate small fireplaces and as you can see it is almost impossible to hold a person legally responsible for acurate delivery!!!
I have a central fireplace that can take 30" length wood although I perfer 24" and it is eaiser to carry (3 logs will burn all night!)
Hope this clears up all the paticulars....
Dean
Was born and raised in N/C PA. and spent 23 years in the Military as a pilot mostly, last assignment took me to Alaska and spent 14 years there then migrated back to OK for my finial retirement from all of the above..
Now.. A cord is 8'longx4'highx4'wide (deep) a face cord is 8'longx4'highx2'wide (deep)
A rick is a stack of wood 8'longx4'highx (most are usally cut 18" or less to accomadate small fireplaces and as you can see it is almost impossible to hold a person legally responsible for acurate delivery!!!
I have a central fireplace that can take 30" length wood although I perfer 24" and it is eaiser to carry (3 logs will burn all night!)
Hope this clears up all the paticulars....
Dean
OkieG
Veteran Member
<font color="blue"> The reason for the mixed emotions is that with the splitter on the tractor you lose the use of the tractor to move wood while splitting. </font>
I understand the "one less small engine to maintain" philosophy. Between moving logs and cutting, and splitting and stacking, it's nice to have the tractor free as a power wheelbarrow. This is particularly true if you have a friend or two helping you out. You can use the tractor without disrupting splitting. That's the nice part about a tow behind. Also, a tow behind is suited for the occasional road trip to help a friend split wood...but it is another engine to care for.
When shopping for a splitter a year ago, I would have been happy with either a 3PH model or tow behind. The better availability of tow behinds (at TSC and HomeDepot) swayed my decision.
OkieG
I understand the "one less small engine to maintain" philosophy. Between moving logs and cutting, and splitting and stacking, it's nice to have the tractor free as a power wheelbarrow. This is particularly true if you have a friend or two helping you out. You can use the tractor without disrupting splitting. That's the nice part about a tow behind. Also, a tow behind is suited for the occasional road trip to help a friend split wood...but it is another engine to care for.
When shopping for a splitter a year ago, I would have been happy with either a 3PH model or tow behind. The better availability of tow behinds (at TSC and HomeDepot) swayed my decision.
OkieG
OkieG
Veteran Member
To the best of my knowledge, you also are exactly right. A stacked rick looks like a face cord (ie 4' high by 8' long), but a rick has no defined depth. Mostly 16" to 20" long, the firewood in a rick is usually less wood than half a cord...but the shorter pieces fit many fireplaces better than 24" lengths.
OkieG
OkieG
psuedofarmer
Gold Member
i've got 16 hours on my log splitter. here's my observations:
- easy to setup. this was my first attempt at installing an implement on the 3pt hitch - easy to put on (the difficult part was determining in/out on the aux hydraulics).
- cycle times are about the same as the timberwolf tow-behind; i'm running the tractor @1,100 rpm. will need to learn how i can (if possible) modify the rate of the pump (anyone know if you can modify the pump rate, or is this done exclusively via the RPM on the engine).
in general, i'm very pleased with this setup. i spent $895 for the unit.
pf
- easy to setup. this was my first attempt at installing an implement on the 3pt hitch - easy to put on (the difficult part was determining in/out on the aux hydraulics).
- cycle times are about the same as the timberwolf tow-behind; i'm running the tractor @1,100 rpm. will need to learn how i can (if possible) modify the rate of the pump (anyone know if you can modify the pump rate, or is this done exclusively via the RPM on the engine).
in general, i'm very pleased with this setup. i spent $895 for the unit.
pf
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MMM
Platinum Member
Not sure how you're set up, but might be possible to rob fel flow for splitter? Otherwise need more rpms, different pump gears or different pump.
