Cutting is getting tough, started splitting

These things are incredible, they run chains all year long.

The hardhat picture was kind of a joke. The landowner who was down South for the Winter asked me to keep an eye on the place and be the "Supervisor in charge". So I painted up and old hard hat.

 

I'm having anxiety seeing all those rounds cut to different lengths. Makes stacking a real PITA, at least for me anyway, as I have a process I follow to make sure my tall stacks don't lean/topple over and having different length splits really makes that difficult to accomplish. My just tuned 17 YO nephew was helping me cut the past couple days and I kept reminding him to make sure he's paying attention to the mark I put on his chainsaw. 21" long...period.

This is why I don't want a push through splitter, as I am a one man show too. I want the wood to remain stationary right in front of me so I don't have to chase it around. Push throughs are definitely the way to go for a lot of setups, however, not for a one man operation. I can do 1+ cord an hour with me simply running a 9.5 second cycle time non push through splitter.

That splitter is a heck of a splitter though.

 

I never said you want to run hydraulic oil at 240*F. That’s why I said ENGINE oil.

I also said water evaporates off at 180*F.

hydraulic oil at 100*F below operating temp is NOT good for any system. Condensation builds up and that causes acids to build up. That’s how sludge forms and cylinders also are destroyed.

I'm a firm believer that bigger is not always better and this thing having such a huge tank is a prime example. At first I was thinking it might be a decent machine to look at.


At over a ton and with that kind of an fluid issue, I’ll go look at another machine.

 

I didn't say anything about 240* either...

 

I try and make rounds 16" in order t have 16" splits but that is not always possible. I cut log cut offs from log landings. By definition they are various lengths. For example if a chunk is 40" it will become two 20" rounds. One 45" will be three 15" rounds. You are probably seeing some of the real short rounds. Well those are 14-16" in diameter and they will be to make splits that will still be 14-16 due to splitting from bark to bark.

It is all good ends up looking pretty decent.

Your 2nd comment got me thinking about a cord in ONE HOUR. Hmm.......9.5 cycle times yields 6 splits a minute or 360 cycles an hour. So each one of your splits is 14.4#s and that is giving no time to pick up rounds or pitch splits to the side. (5200/360=14.4)

 

I think I have the first splitter Alex built. He has made some improvements since then, but it does all I need it to do. Mine is not nearly as shiny as yours anymore...

 

That assumes going full stroke on every split...which I'm betting seldom happens...

 

Here's my spreadsheet I use to keep track of usage and fluid changes. I make note of the hour meter when I start splitting and then again when I am done splitting. Then include how much wood I have split for the winter haul. This is from the past two years. I also idle it up and down when starting/stopping, as shown in the video below. HOWEVER, the total cordage also includes the small rounds which I place on top right under my rubber roofing, which I do not split. So I estimate the idle up/down time negates the added cordage from the unsplit rounds. Who knows if it does exactly.



I split a trailer load at a time (~0.25 cord) and then shut it down to stack.

Here's an example of how I split. I do hand split all the larger rounds in the woods right after I buck them so I can load them into my trailer, so all the big stuff is already split into smaller more manageable pieces before I even bring out the hydraulic.

I actually start splitting around the 2:00 minute mark. The way I load that ATV trailer, it comes out to about 1/4 of a cord when full.

I am anal when it comes to stacking. I do not want leaning or toppling stacks, so I try my best to stack straight. However, the left rows of this area actually did lean over. I recently sold a lot of what's pictured here (this was stacked in spring '16) and what caused them to lean were broken pallets.



Here's the same way of computing cords/hr, but with a slower 12sec Speeco splitter I had before my 9.5sec one.

 

Oh…


It’s so cute… such a widdle one.

 

Push through splitters are great for 1 man operations. You just need to think about it differently. I have both types. Pros and cons, but you can really optimize a push through it you want to.

 

Yeah, one could push the wood randomly into a trailer of some sorts, but with how I want to load the trailer I have I don't see how it would work very well or without additional equipment. As you can tell in the video, I want to load that thing full in order to limit the number of times I have to stop the splitter to unload. Just randomly having the splitter push the wood into a trailer will not place it orderly and tight like I do.

Another thing about push throughs, they are usually SHORT. I have to be able to stand straight while splitting or my back will complain. The splitter I currently have is nice and tall, perfect for my 6'5" frame.

 

It looks like a great machine, Aside from the oversized tank. Easy fix for future builds.

There's a reason that most hydraulic fluid temp gauges usually stop at 225°.

 

The old ones are short, but can be lifted up. New ones are fine, from what I've seen, although I've only used one newer one, and it was perfect for me height wise. I'm 6'4".

Watching how you do yours, I see what you are saying, and it works for you. However, if you want to talk about chasing wood splits, you are literally handling every split at least once with a wedge on ram splitter.
Have you tried a hookaroon to get the rounds up to the splitter? I may have asked you this already. Those rounds are nice size to easily pick up with a hookaroon. Being tall, you don't want to bend over, I know I try to limit that at least.

Yes, if you put a chute on the end of a push plate splitter, and then have it drop into a trailer, especially with a log lift and 4+ way wedge then you are into mega speed for a non processor.

For me, I'm fine with non stacked into the trailer if I'm using the 4'x8'. I'll stack it when it's gets to where it will stay for a number of months.

There's a lot of ways to do it though. Do it as best as you see fit.

 

Regardless…

jeez.

At 54*F he’s not even getting it close to operating temp. He’s 100*F below it.

but let’s dwell on the fact someone said engine oil temps are 240*F.

to me, if they can’t design a machine to operate at the industry specific operating temps, it’s a bad design.


Bigger is not always better.

 

We're not dwelling on anything. It's pretty light hearted banter here. We just like to make sure that no misinformation is spread, even if it was only implied or misinterpreted

 

A few seem fixated on the low temps I am experiencing and jumping to the conclusion that the design is "faulty".

The low temps in the fluid are because:
1. RPM is run low, @ 2640RPM due to the machine is not doing anything 2/3rds of the time it is running. Running 3,600RPM is futile when it is not doing anything anyway. I grab rounds and stack off the work table as I got. Nothing hits the ground.
2. The Honda GX390 makes virtually the same torque at this speed as at WOT and a lot more noise and fuel consumption. Flow is certainly going to be less being run this way also mitigating heat.
torque curve on honda gx390 - Google Search
3. It is real cold out when I work. I cut wood in the Winter for something to do and it makes the day go by quickly and it is good exercise.

I am sure temps would be more "acceptable" run at WOT and if I had a couple helpers to run the machine at it's potential.

 

As I said before, the area where I live is what is called the "drift less area". What that means is the glaciers during the ice age missed this area of the State and consequently we have very steep terrain of what are moraines.

Cable skidders which are seldom used in the industry are the only thing that can work the bluffs here.

This is an example of the steepness. The first picture is my backyard and the rest are from the top of the bluff behind the house sweeping from left to right . As the crow flies it less than 1/3 mile away.

 

This is why I said a “widdle one”…

the well on this trailer is 29’ from front to rear for size reference. It’s 102” wide.

this is one the same size. The machine an Amish kid in Pennsylvania sold to an outfit in Michigan. I didn’t even weigh 68,000 lbs. so it weighs like 26,000. It was like 7 1/2’ wide. Same size just older than what you showed. And also a John Deer 548.



this is the machine he bought to replace it.

someone upsized the tires and filled them with liquid so I was like 88,000 lb. Means that machine was like 46,000 lbs. almost 20,000 lb difference in weight. It’s 10’ wide.

it’s a John Deere 748. There are still two machines larger.



The kid started using this thing before I had the other one tied down and hooked back up. He was all grins.

 

The machine my buddies use is small enough they can haul themselves and pull with Freightliner, (I think) On/Off road forwarder from one job to the next. No longer having to rely on someone else is pretty convenient.

Where you are from? I don't know if it is the same but what we call "dug roads" are carved into the contour of the face of the bluffs to easier navigate to the landing. Small ones can be done with the skidder, larger ones need a cat to come in.

 

I’m from minnesnowta but drive lower 48.