Is it crazy? Been thinking about all the stacking in my future. Now I just started the process of converting my splitter into a box wedge. First idea was that a single row of splits being forcefully ejected from a box wedge should push each other, end to end, up a trough type chute. Maybe not far, maybe not high. All that to be determined through testing. Old idea. Will be part of the works. So this would give me splits on the dump truck or trailer to be stacked. New idea. Instead of dumping the splits on a truck how about if I could dump them in a crib made of pallets? Thinking four feet wide and six feet tall. Build as you go and just move the splitter back as it fills. Less wood per volume but who cares. No stacking. Grabbed a load of six foot pallets today. I will give it a go after the box wedge, castor wheels on splitter and trough is designed. Just a matter of designing a fast system to put it together as you go. Easy enough.
Your crib pallet idea very similar to going staight into IBC totes. Sounds like a good idea. Even better if you have a way to move a full bin
Yes I suppose it is. Alas I have no way of moving a tote. How much cordage does a tote hold? Weight? Toyed with the idea of building forks on my log arch couple years ago. Doubt it would effectively lift high enough to load a tote ina trailer Deemed it too much effort for the return. All I know is windrows of splits won’t dry in my area well. Gone so far as surmise it could be soil type having an effect. 8” of topsoil with hard pan clay underneath. Water doesn’t drain from the soil well. Even piles on pallets seems to be a disaster. Need to get them up off the ground, not so wide, where the wind can get at them. Easy to top cover too. All my EPDM is cut to 5’ width. Otherwise I’d slant the sides of the cribs to around 6’ more effectively keeping rain off.
The IBC totes come in two sizes. 275 gallon and 330 gallon. 275 gallon/7.48 gallons per cubic foot = 36.76 cubic feet or .287 cords 330 gallons/7.48 gallons per cubic foot = 44.11 cubic feet or .344 cords So figure 1/3rd of a cord approx. Depending on species, it would be 1500-2000 lbs with most fresh cut hardwoods
Wood being pushed from the splitter doesn’t like to push very far. Especially up a ramp into anything. The wood usually ends up wedging sideways in the “chute”. You can go two or maybe three split lengths running flat but the just dump into a short conveyor. And have that dump into a bin or truck. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I was thinking along the lines of Homemade. The chute would have to be pretty narrow to keep them pointed in the right direction.
I use to work in a chemical processing plant. We had IBC totes that were only 250 gallons and some that were 500 gallons and several sizes in between. So they do come in more than 2 sizes. Though the 330 was the most common we used.
Sounds interesting and wanna see it in person when done. I like the idea of self stacking firewood. I would think your field is a perfect spot for drying wood stacked.
Conveyor for sure. Splits don't slide far well at all. Find a farm with an old wire corn crib and dump it in.
I’m thinking an 18” PVC pipe as a trough. Split in half like a concrete chute. Surrounding the box wedge another piece of plastic shaped to keep the splits running straight and allowing the transition fro level to up. A 35 gallon plastic barrel most likely. Same thing, split in half and shaped with heat. The key is the ability to shape half round to what is required. Most commercial box wedge designs arent designed to keep things running straight and smooth because it’s a given a conveyor will be used. The splits have room to drop way down exiting the wedge creating a mess. I hypothesize if I can keep them running straighter and neater they will push each other in a straight set of rows. And PVC is pretty slick. Splitter trash will be a beotch tho. Really nowhere for it to go but up the chute. Considering 1” square tubing ina half round shape as a trough too. Not as slippery as PVC but would allow room for trash to drop out on the ride up. 1/2 round shape is key to keep things neat and orderly running in straight lines.
At the top of thread, the picture in my head was trapezoidal duct where the sides diverged slightly, that a tin knocker buddy hooked you up with.
Close. More like a funnel cut lengthwise. I think the round bottomed aspect is critical. A box wedge will not be pushing an even number of rows/splits out every time. My thought is the round shape will be more effective at channeling various shifting rows while maintaining the correct direction. I’ve been wrong before LOL
I never knew that. Thanks for the information. A 500 gallon tote would be cool. Was the 500 gallon a cage with bladder, all steel or all poly?
