Pallet fork Log splitter

[davel8257]

I ran across a picture of an inverted log splitter hanging from pallet forks. I found a 3pt log splitter on the internet for sale. This particular model was bolted to its stand. I unbolted it from the frame, removed the hydraulic plumbing and turned it over. I used the same holes and welded 6" C-channel to make the holder for the pallet forks to slip through. I added 4ft hoses and quick connect hydraulic connectors to attach the hoses on the front of the tractor.

I was able to stand a 4ft hard Maple slab on edge and split it -- it broke right in half. I still have to get on/off the tractor to position the pieces -- but this setup has been very useful.

 

[Xfaxman]

 

[ericm979]

You made a tractor version of the skid steer log splitter! Neat.

 

[davel8257]

A skidsteer version would probably be handier -- less off/on the driver's seat to position the wood pieces, but this works and can split stuff that I couldn't split otherwise (assuming I cut it down to fit within the opening first).

 

[saint18z]

We have one very similar except mounted the pocket parallel to the ram. line up all the big rounds in a row, and split them until they are a manageable size for the normal splitter. How do you find the cycle speed running off the tractor hydraulics?

 

[nyone]

What's the cycle time on that?

 

[davel8257]

It is pretty slow, probably 30 seconds. And the getting up and down from the tractor seat to line up logs adds more time. I can usually line up 2 or 3 in a staggered row. I use it on pieces that are unsplittable by any other means. I have an 8hp splitter that is faster but that means I have to do more wrangling. I have used the tractor to lower large pieces onto the log splitter in horizontal mode -- and the split. That is also a lot of up/down and when things split, they tend to make me jump out of the way to avoid getting hit or my toes mashed.

So -- I'm willing to trade slowness for safety.

 

[Raul-02]

I ran across a picture of an inverted log splitter hanging from pallet forks. I found a 3pt log splitter on the internet for sale. This particular model was bolted to its stand. I unbolted it from the frame, removed the hydraulic plumbing and turned it over. I used the same holes and welded 6" C-channel to make the holder for the pallet forks to slip through. I added 4ft hoses and quick connect hydraulic connectors to attach the hoses on the front of the tractor.

I was able to stand a 4ft hard Maple slab on edge and split it -- it broke right in half. I still have to get on/off the tractor to position the pieces -- but this setup has been very useful.
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That's really cool got a vid of it in use?

 

[plumbstraight]

This works for me and it will take wood up to 7ft diameter. I have split some that big. You can find it on you tube. watch that spelling I made a typo. plumbstriaight wood splitter. Notice that extra i in plumbstraight.

 

[Raul-02]

and when things split, they tend to make me jump out of the way to avoid getting hit or my toes mashed.

If you have a grapple try this.

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/the-grip-jpg.719579/

Then you can just drop the thing on the ground and it breaks apart
No grapple, try a wire rope or a rope sling. It'll be more work you might consider a quick release on a tether so you can yank it from the seat of your tractor

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[Wyobuckaroo]

One time we got 2 big dump truck loads of stove length rounds delivered to our yard free.. Problem was they were cotton wood and as much as a meter to meter and a half in diameter.. Being cottonwood was not a problem, just the diameter of a lot of it made it hard to handle..

Even with the stand alone splitter on end, I still had a hard time moving some rounds into the splitter.. Or the splitter to the round..
Having an inverted splitter suspended from pallet forks would have been very useful in making this into more easily manageable pieces..

This is a good thought to keep in mind if I ever get a 3pt tractor powered splitter is to adapt a way to invert it onto the FEL forks..

It would be easy enough to put in hydraulic hose extenders as needed..

Will have to do some thinking and drawing this winter..

 

[Everhard]

I keep wondering about putting one in place of a backhoe bucket... You'd want it to be able to rotate as well though.

E.

 

[Wyobuckaroo]

I keep wondering about putting one in place of a backhoe bucket...
<<< >>>
I have seen pictures of that on a mini excavator.. Also on a skid steer.. Both upside down units.. I would presume easy enough to adapt to a tractor backhoe system..

Neither rotated, but both were capable of easily moving rounds to where they could be split into manageable pieces...

 

[davel8257]

I made a 12x12” flat plate welded to pin mounts that would fit onto my backhoe in place of the bucket. The plan is to bolt this plate to the log splitter. The next step is to replace the fixed hydraulic fittings with quick connections and plumb the splitter in in place of the dipper stick. I lose the wrist action but gain the use of the splitter via the BH joystick.

Hardware has been so expensive lately that I’ve tabled this project for a while.