Log cradle or catcher build

I don’t split horizontal a whole lot mainly because the logs are too big. The last month or two I have split horizontal more than ever. Don’t have a log tray or catcher for my Huskee, so today I thought I’d try to make one that’s easily removable. Looking around the junk pile I thought I could use steel from some pallet racking that was left over from building sheds wood shelters.

First attempt was to have 2 side pieces and a tray that would sit on top. 3 pieces to put together each time I use use the log catcher. Here’s pics....

 

Well this seemed like what I wanted but wasn’t wild about having to assemble each time before use. I liked the recess that the wood 2x4 could drop into but couldn’t weld it up this way because the teardrop that the shelf slotted into were on opposite sides, right and left and once assembled would not be removable without undoing bolts holding it to the beam of splitter. I wanted to use the teardrop feature to remove shelf.

I had to make both brackets right or left facing which meant cutting up another beam. Didn’t have any more real small ones. Had to use a slightly larger one.

Also had to reverse one of the pieces bolted to the beam.

Seemed to work out ok. I’m not going to weld anything till I get to try it out. Will screw and bolt things together with wood on top for now.

Making it all out of metal welded up and painted will be the goal.

No unbolting to get it off either. Just lift out of teardrop to remove.

 

Nice clean design.

I did something similar with scrap steel I had. I didn't have teardrop beams so I used 1/4-20 bolts to mount it. Takes a couple of minutes working with 2 nuts to put it on or off.

After testing the first version I did a slight modification to tilt the catcher slightly towards the back of the splitter. What I found was with a flat table, if I turned away for a minute, the splits sometimes started to slide towards the engine. With the slant, if I get distracted, the splits slide off the back and onto the ground. The slant is slight but obvious in the image below between the splitter beam and the edge of the table.



The piece at the back keeps splits from rolling off when both hands are busy, The little bracket was there & I just never got around to cutting it off.

KaptJaq

 

Thought of that but trust the factory weld a lot more than mine and I came up with a quick fix. I’ll post below
Thanks for the thought though.

 

Very nice! I'm intrigued by the quick release feature.

 

Just came in from finishing cobbing together a temp solution.
I took some wasted beam and sistered it next to the one I reversed just with some tacks
Put some 3/4 ply on beams to try things out. Used long metal roofing screws.
I had a piece laying around just the right size!

Looks good and comes off real easy.
Will try it out soon
Thinking metal welded in like pic below ( no wood) painted black and tack weld brackets to beam of splitter.

 

KaptJaq I never even thought about vibration and things falling on engine. I’ll be sure to watch what’s going on. Gotta think about the slant feature too.
Thanks for the info!

Just realized that my engine is on the other side

 

My daughter lives there off Wading River Rd.

 

Takes 2 seconds to lift off and put on.
Zoom in on pic of teardrop bracket and the post that goes into them

 

I understand exactly how it works. Very innovative of you to take advantage of the teardrop feature and adapt them to the cradle!

 

Ya Right!!

 

She takes the kids and dog down to Wading River beach all the time. Eats at Phil’s on sound ave.

 

Thanks. I had some sections of a heavier upright that was more square than the lighter duty rectangular profile. Thicker metal all around. We’ll see how it holds up

 

And to keep this fest going my other daughter moved to Charlotte NC and when I drive there on rt 81 I must be not too far from you!

 

Ok so to report results... works great. Took a 14” round of white Oak and split it all up leaving it on table. Held the weight just fine.
There is a lot of vibration communicated to it and the plywood board vibrates like a sounding board. Almost like I made a subwoofer with low deep sounds. The vibrations diminish as the weight increases. Table stays clean all the small stuff exits the table.
Sound is not a problem since I always wear headphone listening to tunes!
Very happy with this