razorback98
New member
Anyone had experience with a 3-point log splitter with a pto drive?
pto driven log splitter
- Thread starter razorback98
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PILOON
Super Star Member
I made and operate a 3point MOUNTED log splitter and know that this is a common item.
The hydraulic power is from my tractor system which, granted, could be a bit faster due to my pump size but it works very well and has power to spare.
Speed would depend on the particular tractor's pump GPMs.
That being said it still is fast enough and sure beats axe/maul splitting.
The nicest feature is that with the 3-point mount you can elevate to a comfortable working height and move ahead/around easily when you are knee high in split wood.
The hydraulic power is from my tractor system which, granted, could be a bit faster due to my pump size but it works very well and has power to spare.
Speed would depend on the particular tractor's pump GPMs.
That being said it still is fast enough and sure beats axe/maul splitting.
The nicest feature is that with the 3-point mount you can elevate to a comfortable working height and move ahead/around easily when you are knee high in split wood.
rambler
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Are you talking thee typical hyd cylinder log splitter, with a pto operated hydraulic pump?
Or do you mean the spinning corkscrew type, like a Bark Buster, Unicorn, etc.?
Kinda confusing to try to answer, when not sure which you mean. I've got a Bark Buster, works fast, works well on longer pieces, and is moderatly dangerous. Since I have cattle & bulls & dad used to have me take wood away from an unshielded tractor mounted buzz saw, danger is a relative thing. I find the chainsaw & the bull a bigger danger, but the spinning wood splitter is nothing to become too casual with.
--->Paul
Or do you mean the spinning corkscrew type, like a Bark Buster, Unicorn, etc.?
Kinda confusing to try to answer, when not sure which you mean. I've got a Bark Buster, works fast, works well on longer pieces, and is moderatly dangerous. Since I have cattle & bulls & dad used to have me take wood away from an unshielded tractor mounted buzz saw, danger is a relative thing. I find the chainsaw & the bull a bigger danger, but the spinning wood splitter is nothing to become too casual with.
--->Paul
ToadHill
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I've used a Bark Buster pto driven splitter in years past. They work fine but you have to be really careful. Mine had a pipe used to catch the log to prevent it from spinning around. It broke and I near broke both my arms. If you are looking for one. I'm sure I can fine it out in the weeds with a little work.
OP
razorback98
New member
Thanks for the reply. I am talking about a pto driven pump.
What I read about using the tractors hyd for a splitter appears to be slow. I have a 1510d yanmar. Great little tractor but has a small engine.
You can get a horz. 3 point splitter from Northern with the cylinder and valve with it.
I think all that is needed is a tank and a pump. Northern has a pump that is made to hook up to the pto. Also it look like you could mount their 2 stage pump with the adapter mount that they sell. I don't know whether their direct mount pto pump is 2 stage or not.
I am wondering what the best option would be. It might be best to bite the bullet and buy a stand alone unit.
Thanks for the feedback.
What I read about using the tractors hyd for a splitter appears to be slow. I have a 1510d yanmar. Great little tractor but has a small engine.
You can get a horz. 3 point splitter from Northern with the cylinder and valve with it.
I think all that is needed is a tank and a pump. Northern has a pump that is made to hook up to the pto. Also it look like you could mount their 2 stage pump with the adapter mount that they sell. I don't know whether their direct mount pto pump is 2 stage or not.
I am wondering what the best option would be. It might be best to bite the bullet and buy a stand alone unit.
Thanks for the feedback.
erich
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I have a pto driven, tow behind 4 ft splitter. It splits wood that is four foot long. The real advantage to the pto power is that I don't have another engine to take care of. I hook it up to the tractor and go. Modern small engines are alot easier than the older ones but I still have too many to deal with. I probably rebuild three carbs a year if not more. With chainsaws, mowers, blower, gocart, motorcycles, and a couple of old David Bradleys to play with I don't need any more!
Eric
Eric
MadDog
Platinum Member
I am in the planning stage for building a pto-driven 3ph splitter from scratch. I have been looking at a lot of the same things as you. Northern's pto hydraulic pump is single stage and the 21 gpm one requires more hp than the 22 pto hp I have.
I think that I prefer the 2 stage Barnes pumps for a splitter. The pto hp is sufficient to run their 28 gpm pump, since it only needs about 16hp, but to develop rated capacity, they need to run at much faster than rear pto speed.
I have been working on ramping up the 520 rpm from the rear pto to about 3500 using a gearbox to increase to about 1100 (also turns the direction by 90deg.) and then transmitting the power from a 9" wheel on the gearbox to a 2.75" wheel on the hydraulic pump to get the pump turning at proper speed. It shouldn't be too difficult to do; I'm still designing shielding for the fanbelt/pullies so that the power transmission system won't be an amputation waiting to happen. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
I'm probably going to use a 5x24 cylinder (2.5" bore) mounted on an 8x8 beam with a 25 gal hydraulic fluid tank mounted on the far side and an hydraulic log lift on the operator's side. ...still working on how to include a 2-way wedge w/hydraulic adjustment. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I figure that parts should run about 50% of an equivilent power/quality Timberwolf splitter (probably somewhat higher proportion of what Northern is selling). I don't count labor because I'll be havin' fun. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Happy to share ideas with you as I go along. Also will gratefully receive the comments suggestions of anyone else.
I think that I prefer the 2 stage Barnes pumps for a splitter. The pto hp is sufficient to run their 28 gpm pump, since it only needs about 16hp, but to develop rated capacity, they need to run at much faster than rear pto speed.
I have been working on ramping up the 520 rpm from the rear pto to about 3500 using a gearbox to increase to about 1100 (also turns the direction by 90deg.) and then transmitting the power from a 9" wheel on the gearbox to a 2.75" wheel on the hydraulic pump to get the pump turning at proper speed. It shouldn't be too difficult to do; I'm still designing shielding for the fanbelt/pullies so that the power transmission system won't be an amputation waiting to happen. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
I'm probably going to use a 5x24 cylinder (2.5" bore) mounted on an 8x8 beam with a 25 gal hydraulic fluid tank mounted on the far side and an hydraulic log lift on the operator's side. ...still working on how to include a 2-way wedge w/hydraulic adjustment. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I figure that parts should run about 50% of an equivilent power/quality Timberwolf splitter (probably somewhat higher proportion of what Northern is selling). I don't count labor because I'll be havin' fun. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Happy to share ideas with you as I go along. Also will gratefully receive the comments suggestions of anyone else.
bird1968
Gold Member
I like the way your mind thinks, MadDog,
Could a auger gear box, used backward, work for your increase PTO?
Can you keep me posted on your project Bro-Tek@hotmail.com
I'm almost as excited, as you are,on this project /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Bird.
Could a auger gear box, used backward, work for your increase PTO?
Can you keep me posted on your project Bro-Tek@hotmail.com
I'm almost as excited, as you are,on this project /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Bird.
Highbeam
Super Member
I think this is a lot like running a huge generator head with a small engine. It is fine until you try to max the output of the generator.
Your small PTO HP is not enough to get maximum flow and pressure from the northern PTO driven pump. But the splitter won't need all 21 GPM will it? If not, then the input HP can be less.
Your small PTO HP is not enough to get maximum flow and pressure from the northern PTO driven pump. But the splitter won't need all 21 GPM will it? If not, then the input HP can be less.
MadDog
Platinum Member
I'm not so sure about that. I checked it out and there are either N.Tool or Timberwolf splitters that use that pump and are running it with 16 or 17 hp engines. Horsepower is horsepower (I think /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif ) and it shouldn't matter much whether you are producing it with a separate gasoline engine or with my tractor's engine through the pto. Unless I am missing something, my 22 pto hp should be more than enough.
The only issue, as indicated earlier, was getting sufficient pump rpm out of the 540 pto revs. If I am wrong about this, I would be very happy to be set straight, but I would think that hp being torque x rpm, if it takes 17hp to run the Barnes 2 stage pump at 3500rpm, you can get that from the large torque that a 22hp pto running at 540rpm produces by just using gears/pullies to translate higher torque/lower rpm into higher rpm/lower torque.
Now, Bird1968: I am going to open a thread on this once I get started, which should be in a week or two (as soon as I finish a trial that I am about to start).
Surplus Center has gear boxes that increase rpm and are meant to be run off of a pto driveshaft. Unfortunately, they only up the rpm from 540 to approx 1076, so I still need to take it up by roughly 3x. I can also get the appropriate 2 belt pulley wheels, with the right arbor diams, from Surplus Center.
Mounting shouldn't be any more of a problem than welding the rest of the splitter componants; ...just need to mount the pump on an adjustable pivot (like an automotive alternator) so that belt tension can be adjusted and figure out some shielding for the power transmission between gearbox and pump.
I'm having a load of fun with this, too. I'll be glad to keep you posted and, since it may be of use or interest to others, will probably do by a thread rather than PM, but feel free to PM me with any particular questions, if you prefer.
BTW, I don't pretend to be an expert on any of this. Life is learning. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
The only issue, as indicated earlier, was getting sufficient pump rpm out of the 540 pto revs. If I am wrong about this, I would be very happy to be set straight, but I would think that hp being torque x rpm, if it takes 17hp to run the Barnes 2 stage pump at 3500rpm, you can get that from the large torque that a 22hp pto running at 540rpm produces by just using gears/pullies to translate higher torque/lower rpm into higher rpm/lower torque.
Now, Bird1968: I am going to open a thread on this once I get started, which should be in a week or two (as soon as I finish a trial that I am about to start).
Surplus Center has gear boxes that increase rpm and are meant to be run off of a pto driveshaft. Unfortunately, they only up the rpm from 540 to approx 1076, so I still need to take it up by roughly 3x. I can also get the appropriate 2 belt pulley wheels, with the right arbor diams, from Surplus Center.
Mounting shouldn't be any more of a problem than welding the rest of the splitter componants; ...just need to mount the pump on an adjustable pivot (like an automotive alternator) so that belt tension can be adjusted and figure out some shielding for the power transmission between gearbox and pump.
I'm having a load of fun with this, too. I'll be glad to keep you posted and, since it may be of use or interest to others, will probably do by a thread rather than PM, but feel free to PM me with any particular questions, if you prefer.
BTW, I don't pretend to be an expert on any of this. Life is learning. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
