In loving memory of Kenis D. Keathley 6/4/81 - 3/27/22 Loving father, husband, brother, friend and firewood hoarder Rest in peace, Dexterday

Tools of the trade or your inventions

Discussion in 'The Wood Pile' started by T.Jeff Veal, Oct 2, 2018.

  1. buZZsaw BRAD

    buZZsaw BRAD

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    FHC ingenuity at its finest. Sometimes the simplest are the best (and cheapest) IMO/IME!
     
  2. webby3650

    webby3650

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    Using these totes has really streamlined my firewood hoarding. I cut, split, and load these up in the Woods. I don’t touch the wood again until it goes into the stove. The addition of a table to the splitter really helps production too.
     

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  3. T.Jeff Veal

    T.Jeff Veal

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    Great idea and cheap too.
     
  4. T.Jeff Veal

    T.Jeff Veal

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    Nice setup
     
  5. webby3650

    webby3650

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    They aren’t too bad, I ended up with about 25 of them. It’s starting to add up...
     
  6. bushpilot

    bushpilot

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    Get an Isocore :D

    Edit: I just noticed how old your posting was, sorry. Always late to the party ...
     
    Last edited: Nov 7, 2019
  7. bushpilot

    bushpilot

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  8. Kevin in Ohio

    Kevin in Ohio

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    I'm 53 now and have had wood heat all of my life. Gathered with dad as a kid and he, at over 80 years old, still uses wood as a sole heat source. I've had a lot of time to find out what works best for us and make things to make it as easy as possible. We are lucky as we have our own land to gather some so that does come into play. What I mean by that, is that we can cut/gather on our own time frame. Others need to get what the saw out the same day so it does effect what you need to do. We do not drag logs as for us, dirt equals dulling chains and wasting time. We cut up where it falls and split it on site. I clear the brush down the trunk when the rounds are too big to lift normally and back the splitter down the log length throwing the splits off to the side. We do all the splitting and haul when finished. You have the path down the log length so we then back the truck down that same path and load from the sides and back. Saves loads of steps and time. If using a truck while splitting we do get one load then. We use a tractor sometimes so that is not always the case. We tend to split on wetter days and haul when it is froze or dry.

    I designed and built my splitter so one man can work up large rounds with no noodling is needed. No constant bending from a sit down style or fighting to get rounds in place. Everything is done while standing upright. Wood does not hit the ground till it is worked to size.

    [​IMG]

    We cut 24 inches and the ram is a 5" X 30. I have a quick stop to keep the stroke at about 25 but just slip it out and you CAN split a longer miscut piece. Rest of the specs on the splitter: 30 gallon tank, 28gpm pump with bypass valve, 25HP engine, auto cycle valve, Swing away tables, Overhead swing boom with cordless winch to drag the in and lift to table, stabilizer feet/arms and overhead light if needed.

    [​IMG]

    Stabilizers allow level working on hilly terrain. Note wheel is off the ground on one side.

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    Large rounds are drug/lifted and held by cordless winch. swung into position easily by one person and a slab is taken off one side. Swing that away and do the same on the other side.

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    I using the "hanger" as storage till all the ones on the tables are worked to size. Nothing on the ground that way till it is done.

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    If 2 people are there, one person can finish splitting the smaller chunks down while the other is spooling in another round from behind. Pull it in the air and then swing it in one your ready for it.

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    Single edge wedge can be switch in seconds with a single pin. Wedge on ram is needed as it keeps the log that is hanging in position and stops it from wanting to swing back as it would with a push ram design.

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    4 way is there is needed but I use it a lot less than I thought. It cycles so fast it's not that big of deal to me. 4 way creates too many smalls for me as I'm about less steps to load. I want an equal weight piece as much as possible.
     
  9. Kevin in Ohio

    Kevin in Ohio

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    [​IMG]

    Hitch can be flipped for different heights(tractor or truck)

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    or a big ball mount.

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    By far the best thing I've ever used to work up firewood. Everyone who has seen it in action has agreed as well. Hopefully this will give you some ideas for your build. Link to the entire build is listed on the quick link.
     
  10. T.Jeff Veal

    T.Jeff Veal

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    Nice build.
     
  11. webby3650

    webby3650

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    That’s a monster splitter! I’ve got so much wood that I’ve stopped bothering with rounds when they get real big. I can put 4 nice size rounds in the loader and use it to lift up to the splitter table. The kinetic splitter makes fast work of most anything I throw at it.
     
  12. saewoody

    saewoody

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    Hey webby3650. I really like your modified table on your splitter. I have that same splitter, but it is still stock. I’ve had it about three years, and I have always thought the table design was the weak point in the splitter; not nearly as efficient and functional as it could have been. Yours is similar to a lot of the newer versions of kinetic splitters that are out there. But I’m sure you know that already. Did you do the design yourself? Any input you can offer. I’ve been thinking about modifying mine, but I figure I should learn how to do some welding first. It’s always on my list, but it never seems to make it high enough up to the top that I actually get to it. Thanks.


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  13. webby3650

    webby3650

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    I bought it second hand, I can take some closer pics if you want.
     
  14. Bigkahuna427

    Bigkahuna427

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    I certainly have some equipment envy looking at this thread. I thought I would share a couple of my gimracks to save time and energy. I am coming up on 58 and due for knee surgery so anything I can do to save steps really helps. One thing I have done is to load my sawbuck onto an old snowmobile trailer. I use it to cut up the smaller stuff and can load it up do a cut up let the wood fall onto the trailer then load up again doing the second cut up at the wood pile where I am stacking. Saves a lot of bending over and picking up wood from the ground.

    The second thing I have done is marking wood for the correct length. My stove would take a 24" stick but my homemade heavy as hell and works well splitter will only do 19". So I try to cut to 18" and finding that something does not fit when at the splitter adds quite a few steps in firing up the saw etc. So, on Ebay I purchased a package of 8 x 1.25 nuts that are 30mm long. I use a fiberglass rod used to mark the driveway for plowing and they fit right inside the nut. I JB weld them to stay in place. On my Echo saw there is enough stud sticking out to just screw the nut and rod right on. With the rod cut to length I now have a great method for measuring the length of my wood. Most of the time I just leave it on for limbing but if it gets in the way I have a wrench in my back pocket. I hope this helps someone as some of the ideas here helped me.
     
  15. T.Jeff Veal

    T.Jeff Veal

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    Great ideas. I do a similar idea on my bow blade with threaded rod and a piece of flat metal for cutting smaller stuff.
    Welcome to the club. Lots of great folks here sharing knowledge and humor.
     
    Last edited: Nov 10, 2019
  16. Timberdog

    Timberdog

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    That’s a pretty sweet setup and system you’ve got there!
     
  17. Kevin in Ohio

    Kevin in Ohio

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    Thanks. It makes splitting fun and you aren't really even tired after a day of using it. Mission accomplished.
     
  18. saewoody

    saewoody

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    Just ordered one of these on Amazon last night. Should be here tonight. I’m looking forward to using it. I don’t mind hand sharpening but after a while it needs to go on the grinder, and I never want to take the time to pull that out and set it up. I don’t have the space to have it ready to go all the time. I am hoping that this tool be a time saver and a chain saver.


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  19. saewoody

    saewoody

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    If you wouldn’t mind, that would be awesome. I am curious to see how the attachment points to the frame were done. Thanks very much!


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    Screwloose, T.Jeff Veal and Stlshrk like this.
  20. brenndatomu

    brenndatomu

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    I think you got a ways to go...25 totes might impress on some sites...but this is THE Firewood Hoarders Club after all...;) :p :D
    Ibc totes
     
    Last edited: Nov 10, 2019