Firewood

[Cuttinstuff]

Hi Guys,
This is my first post - usually just reading and learning (or at least trying to) but I guess I can post a pic or two that have to do with firewood...

The photo of the snow covered piles is from a year or two ago but is about what I usually have on hand at home at the beginning of the season. We don't burn all that in a year, maybe about a third of it. We just like to have nice dry wood to burn.

The other photo is from a youth camp where the guys from our church group cut firewood each fall. Each year they will go through just about all the that you see there - including the 6 foot sticks in the background which will get buzz sawed to the 14 inch length that they like to use. It all gets split into about 3 inch diameter pieces. They like it split really small because the campers use it for making cooking fires and they need to be able to build small - quick fires.

 

[MasterBlaster]

This is your 2nd post, Paul...

 

[Cuttinstuff]

Okay, I stand corrected...

 

[Altissimus]

Wood is simply the best home heat , phased out my Coal Burner and Nuclear Reactor at my house years ago

 

[squisher]

Yup. Wood heat rules. Welcome to The Treehouse Cuttinstuff.

 

[Raj]

welcome!

 

[Peter]

Wood is simply the best home heat , phased out my Coal Burner and Nuclear Reactor at my house years ago

I dunno, there's something very homely about the eerie glow of uranium.

 

[Chris E]

Welcome Cuttinstuff, that's a cool handle.

 

[Cuttinstuff]

Okay here's our latest project...
My son had a large oak professionally taken down leaving us a fair amount of firewood. We just needed to do a bit of blocking and splitting...

 

[sotc]

Beauty of a tree!

 

[MasterBlaster]

Plenty of firewood!!!

 

[Raj]

Nice!

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Lotta heat in all that

 

[Al Smith]

---not to mention a lot of work----

 

[Cuttinstuff]

Yep, the old 362XP and it's old owner - (as well as my not-so-old son) - are getting a real workout...lol

 

[candoarms]

I'm wondering if anyone here has any experience with the commercial firewood processors. I'm in the process of building one that is designed specifically for handling oddball log lengths that will be supplied by tree care companies. So...it won't be a full firewood processor that handles long logs. Basically it will be nothing more than a GIANT log splitter.

I see a number of videos showing how these machines can split a round into 8 pieces with one stroke, but all of the firewood shown is the easy-to-split stuff...birch for example. How about ash? Will these things split a nasty ash round into 8 pieces in a single stroke?

I'm thinking about building something on the order of CRD Metalworks' Green Monster https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u10Djc3m1P4

My current plan is to use an 8" hydraulic cylinder that will produce 120,000 pounds of splitting force, coupled with a motor and pump unit capable of putting out about 60 gallons per minute at 2200 psi.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Joel

 

[BlackSmith]

I think you're on the right track...

 

[Raj]

Only thing I can say is prep your welds good, but you already know that.

 

[candoarms]

Raj,

You're right about the welds. I plan on using 7018 rod and dozer cutting edge for the splitter section. I'm just curious to know if I'll be able to split a nasty elm, or ash round into 8 pieces with a single stroke from an 8" cylinder.

It's not the end of the world if I'll only be able to split these rounds into quarters, but I'd really like to be able to take a 22" ash round and make 8 pieces of firewood in a single stroke.

No matter what, this splitter is going to be a monster of a machine. It will be equipped with a log lift, auto cycle valve, adjustable splitting height, out-feed conveyor, trash separator, oil cooler, and towable. I'm thinking a 300 cu. in. Ford 6 cylinder inline engine, with a 3-section hydraulic pump will be able to handle all of the functions at the proper speeds.

Building project begins in early March. I'll keep you folks posted with progress photos.

Joel

 

[D.T.Ruck]

I'm looking forward to seeing this project take shape!

 

[BlackSmith]

Joel, if you have access to a Mig machine, 81NI outershield wire would be a great choice to weld hard plate with, and a preheat temp of 350F. Even the mild steel likes it. 7018 might be a bit weak with that kind of force.

 

[Al Smith]

You don't really need hardened steel for a wedge .If you do though you might try 11018 TI type steel .Only use stringer passes ,do not weave a cover pass .On each side run an annealing bead .-- just one method of several .Preheat too .

 

[BlackSmith]

Another ol schooler lol. Every time I mention "T-1" the youngins correct me that it's called ASTM A514 now Pops. Then I have to piss on their picnic and tell'm the school kids always call it A514 and that "T-1" is a trademark of United States Steel and not a spec#. Then they scurry away with their head buried in their phone.

 

[FireFighterZero]

Dads always wanting to build stuff out of T1. Ripper shanks especially.

 

[candoarms]

Thanks a heap for the advice, guys.

I have a free source for all of the steel I'll need for the project. A huge construction crew was in town building a massive grain handling system for the local grain elevator and they had PILES of left over scrap metal....some of it full length sticks. Our nearest scrap metal dealer is over 100 miles from here, so I told them that I'd gladly take it. Not only did they give me over 2 tons of scrap, they delivered it to my farm.

I'll keep you folks posted as to the progress, but if anyone has any further advice or suggestions, please fire away. I'd rather change plans now, than have to rework all of these things later.

Joel