Commercial splitter but no conveyor - looking for suggestions to improve efficiency

I just picked up a barely used Eastonmade 9-16 for a deal I couldn't refuse. Has the 4-way (still brand new), 7 way box wedge and electric start but no full auto-cycle (just auto retract). Super excited because I get a fair amount of tree service wood. My guy treats me well with 75% of the drop offs between 6-18" in diameter and minimal knots. I do occasionally get 20-26" logs though and currently have to hand quarter with a maul or noodle them down.

I typically cut all my logs in one spot and then load into a 6' long rack made out of pallets that I can pick up with my tractor. I then take the wood to the splitter right next to where I want to stack. I can raise the pallet rack to waist height so it's easy to feed my Super Splitter HD.

Brought the Eastonmade home and cleaned her up, fixed a faulty hydraulic fitting (awesome customer service from EM!) and sharpened the box wedge. First thing I noticed is this thing is HEAVY! I can barely pull it with my Polaris Sportsman 500 ATV - have to be in 4WD because it nearly lifts the rear wheels off the ground. I can definitely see why people keep these in one place and use a conveyor.

I like to store my equipment inside during winter and under cover during summer. Pulling the EM with my ATV is not a long term solution. I can pull with the tractor but usually have an implement on the back and forks on the front (fork frame has a receiver hitch but would have to take forks off).

Anyone out there using a commercial splitter without a conveyor? What is your process? What do you move your splitter with? Do you bring the wood to the splitter or the splitter to the wood?

I have done 30 cords a year the past few years but would like to get to 50. I stack all my wood on rows of pallets with IBC totes between each cord.

 

Fellow super split HD owner here. Prefer to bring the splitter to the wood. The caveat there that I’m an arborist who also enjoys holding firewood. I’ll typically bring home wood from jobs and unload into a long windrow. Then split that up and stack on the opposite side of the splitter from the windrow . Be interesting to hear what the non conveyor horders have come up with for systems.

 

I have an area that I stack my 8’ firewood logs at, rows are 5’-6’ high and 6’or so between them. The last couple years the log rows were around 30’ or so long. I cut them into 16” pieces during mud season when I can’t use heavy equipment. Toss the pieces to slightly to the right and end up with a windrow of pieces to be split.

Then take the tractor and Wolfe Ridge splitter and start at the back of the row, pull up next to it and start splitting. Being a one man operation, I can almost keep up with the auto-cycle on the splitter with having another piece ready to go. ends up being a long windrow of firewood, and then it gets moved with tractor bucket to the storage area, and stacked.

It took a couple of tries to figured out what works for me, the first year I just made a pile of wood to be split, and ended up moving a lot of splits with the tractor to keep my splitter in the same location. It was a lot of splitting breaks, and not very efficient time wise.

 

Not a 9-16 but I put a set of castor wheels on mine and push/pull on both sides. Have a front hitch on my Polaris 570. I like pushing it in front for around the property use. Wouldn’t try it on the road
Bought a conveyor to go with it tho.
I assume from your post you have a serious negative tongue weight? In which direction?

 

Negative tongue weight when towing from the engine end. Usually always toe from this end so I can set up and start splitting with burying the tongue with fresh splits.

I did some splitting the last few days and found that if I take box wedge return arm off that it helps balance things. Takes weight off the rear of the splitter and adds weight to the rear of the ATV if I set it on the rear rack. Doesn't take long so it's worth it when towing to/from the barn. Not worth it just to move splitter a few feet forward to make a new pile.

Others have suggested a small ramp or chute at the end of the outfeed table to fill a trailer. Might look into this. Could leave the splitter in one spot and bring wood to it. Split onto the trailer and then take tbr trailer the stacks. Eliminates a touch and reduces time moving the splitter.

 

I don't have a commercial splitter, but it will keep you real busy loading it. I have been splitting into a row, where the splits pile up behind the wedge and the splitter moves itself back as it shoves the new splits in the the pile. I end up with a row about 6 ft wide and 4-5 ft high and as long as I care to make it.

I have been thinking of making a chute that will funnel the splits into a trailer or off to the side, since my hitch is under the wedge. I've thought about getting an old corn elevator from my dad, but that's a lot of work to make it work. (Cutting it to length, adapting a hydraulic drive, putting new wheels/bearings/axle on it, and maybe new chain)

I can split up 10-20 cord pretty quick, it's the stacking that takes the time.

 

I HATE stacking!

Top 10 things I like about making firewood:
1. Cutting things with a chainsaw
2. Cutting things with a chainsaw
3. Cutting things with a chainsaw
4. Cutting things with a chainsaw
5. Cutting things with a chainsaw
6. Splitting
7. Cutting things with a chainsaw
8. Cutting things with a chainsaw
9. Cutting things with a chainsaw
10. Stacking

 

Anyone have experience with a Range-road RR502 conveyor? I can get one unassembled for $2650+ tax. Similar to the previous one I linked but 18' instead of 16' but conveyor is only 12" wide instead of 18" and looks a little less beefy overall. I spoke with the rep today and he said they have sold quite a few with minimal issues. He did mention that the conveyor likes to be on level ground - can have belt tracking issues otherwise.

RR502 Standalone Conveyor - Range Road USA

I have been looking at hay elevators everywhere for a few months. Don't really want something 24+ feet long. Most that are in decent shape are $1k and then you have to buy an engine/pulley/belts/mount.

I did make a trailer hitch mount for my ballast block and moving the splitter is easy with the tractor compared to the ATV.

 

I’m waiting for pricing and availability for one right now.

half the price of a wolfe ridge, I’ve watched the YouTube assembly videos I can find and I think it will fit my needs. First being not breaking the bank…

I’ll likely conveyor off the splitter into a dump trailer, move the conveyor and trailer to the pile locations and then come off the trailer and conveyor into a pallet setup like Chris’s from In the woodyard that’s 3 pallets wide and 150-200’ long and 12’ tall.

10.5’ wide X 150’ base X 4’ height is 6300 cu ft

pile that’s 10.5’ wideX 130’ long (10’ long slopes)X 10’ tile is 7100 cu ft.

At 13,400 ci ft loose stack, that’s about 75 cord. My goal is to have 300 cord seasoning for sales.

stacked 8x4x4 is a 2400 sq ft footprint plus space between rows vs 1575 sq ft. piled.

about the only way I can manage that is to use a conveyor.

at a pile height of 15’ though, and the end of the conveyer about 19’ away, not quite a 45* angle, you need a 24’ conveyor.

with only a 18’ conveyor, the base will be 10’ from the centerline of the pile. Or about 6’ outside the pallet edges.

So the RR502 will be great for loading a dump trailer, you’ll need at LEAST a 24’ or longer to make a decent sized pile.

just things that keep me up at night.

 

May seem crazy but it works.

 

Exactly what I’m looking to do but three wide and 150’ long.

which conveyor is that? Looks awesome.

 

Burlock Custom fabrication. A one man show out of his barn. New Hampshire.
Sounds like you’re looking for a 30 footer. Especially if you want a set of grizzly bars on it.
That one’s 20 feet. No paddles on the belt. Maybe paddles will allow a steeper travel.
I wanted a 16 footer. Now I wish I had 25

May I ask how you plan on removing the 15’ high wood? I plan on just reversing the conveyor and feeding onto the trailer instead of throwing it. At 15’ I’d start worrying about avalanches

 

fall height off the conveyor will be 15’.

like you said, loose 2’ for grizzly, another 1’ to allow for moving the conveyor..

stack should only be 12-13’ max.

 

You lucky dog congratulations

we need pictures and reviews PLEASE

 

Got to see the range-road conveyor in person a few weeks ago. Nice unit for the price and I think it will do what I need. Unfortunately he didn't have any others in stock to sell. He "sold" 2 in the week between when I called him and then went to see it (2hrs from my house but I had something else to do down his way). I found out he is actually the US distributor for range-road. He sent the conveyors to 2 of his dealers. Nice guy and knowledgeable about the products. I'm on a wait list for a conveyor once he gets some more in.

Sometime in the next week I'm going to check out a 16' chain driven Hud-son conveyor. Unfortunately it's almost double the price of the RR. Only 16' and narrow but has max height of 9'6".

 

Did he have an expected wait time?

 

No - he only brings semi truck loads at a time so it will have to wait for his next order.