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

Trying out a prototype splitter

Discussion in 'The Wood Pile' started by Firewood Bandit, Dec 26, 2020.

  1. Firewood Bandit

    Firewood Bandit

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    Haven't crossed that bridge, but I always say everything in life is negotiable.
     
  2. Firewood Bandit

    Firewood Bandit

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    The pictures do not do justice to the quality of the welding and actual machining and lay out. I've always thought his welds look like they could be on a nuclear reactor.
     
  3. Firewood Bandit

    Firewood Bandit

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    A 4 ways is not compatible with this style. As a method I find it is best to slab pieces, keep in mind cycle time is FAST, then stack the slabs and make multiple pieces.

    The debris falls inside and there is a clean out on the bottom. Easy to get to as it is pushed to the front.
     
  4. Firewood Bandit

    Firewood Bandit

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    Can't answer that. But the round on it in the pic was 35 x 35.5" and extremely heavy. It was no where near the capacity. It would lift a lot more but since the round was so big I couldn't get more on nor did I want to.
     
  5. Firewood Bandit

    Firewood Bandit

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    I am almost always a one man band. The production of high end splitters is really lost on me but I like well made tools. With this splitter 2 people are MUCH more efficient than me by myself. With the one being built with the 4 way at least 3 people could be kept very busy and almost 4 people.

    My method albeit inefficient for the use of the machine suits me. I have the splitter very close to the stacked rounds. A round gets split and the pieces go right back and is immediately stacked. Does not touch the ground and have to be handled again. Right now if you look and see the purple tub next to the splitter. I split till that is full and carry it to the pallets and stack. The machine runs doing nothing but I hate picking things off the ground.

    Without a conveyor which I don't want, the split wood becomes your own enemy, it gets in the way of production if something/someone isn't removing it.
     
  6. Creekin

    Creekin

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    Sounds like a good system, judging by your stacks it works very well!
    I too split alone but I have a tendency to order my operations in order of what i enjoy
    Buck up logs, split everything, stack.

    I have people who tell me to get a 2 way splitter, way faster
    I ask them if they're volunteering to help as they do require helpers to really maximize efficiency, usually ends the conversation
     
  7. Firewood Bandit

    Firewood Bandit

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    Actually firing up this bad boy got 2 of the neighbors over helping as they wanted to see it run.
     
  8. Creekin

    Creekin

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  9. Ronaldo

    Ronaldo

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    Not sure it's the same unit but I've used one of his that is the same concept. Very smooth and I love the efficiency.
    His saw signs are neat, too.[​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]

    Sent from my SM-G930VL using Tapatalk
     
  10. Firewood Bandit

    Firewood Bandit

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    That is the same machine.

    How do you like the big blue one?
     
  11. Ronaldo

    Ronaldo

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    Big blue one???
    I think he made one that he painted blue. Not sure, though.
     
  12. Firewood Bandit

    Firewood Bandit

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    Aren't you friends with Eric?
     
  13. Ronaldo

    Ronaldo

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    Yes indeed. Eric lives north of me a little ways and I was thinking (couldn't remember for certain) that the one Alex built for him was blue. I've seen it in use once or twice. Works great.

    Sent from my SM-G930VL using Tapatalk
     
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  14. Firewood Bandit

    Firewood Bandit

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    That is what I am having built with a few changes:
    30" cylinder with stops to shorten stroke to whatever is being cut, 18,20,22,24,26 to speed up cycle time
    No cooler
     
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