Poormans log cradle -
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SolarAndWood
Minister of Fire
I thought about welding an actual cradle on the beam - and then came to the conclusion that it would work no better than what I already have.
SolarAndWood
Minister of Fire
I am fixed horizontal and home made anyway. Now that I know about how big I want it, I am going to keep my eye out for some cat walk grate and make it permanent. Almost thinking of extending the catwalk all the way to the back of the splitter so that I can roll the big ones out of the back of the trailer right onto the deck.
Just having that little bit of work space significantly reduces splitting effort.
Just having that little bit of work space significantly reduces splitting effort.
I need to come up with something for mine. I split horizontal 99% of the time because vertical hurts my back more believe it or not. I like the pallet idea, but I tend to move my splitter a lot as the round pile shrinks and the split pile grows. Too cheap right now to spend the $ on a bolt-on.
SolarAndWood
Minister of Fire
Jags, let me run through the steps on your system for a big round:
1. roll the log onto the lift
2. lift to beam height
3. walk around to other side of machine
4. roll round to desired position
5. make first split, let half fall back onto lift/table, hold onto the other half
6. position held half for next split that spits out between held half and half on lift onto fixed table
7. repeat as necessary?
I can't decide if I would rather have the lift or just come up with a way to roll right out of the back of the trailer onto the splitter? Everything that I get comes home on the trailer.
1. roll the log onto the lift
2. lift to beam height
3. walk around to other side of machine
4. roll round to desired position
5. make first split, let half fall back onto lift/table, hold onto the other half
6. position held half for next split that spits out between held half and half on lift onto fixed table
7. repeat as necessary?
I can't decide if I would rather have the lift or just come up with a way to roll right out of the back of the trailer onto the splitter? Everything that I get comes home on the trailer.
Kinda S & W, but different.
1.) Roll log onto lift
2.) Stand in splitting position
3.) Run log lift up till log rolls onto beam
4.) First stroke splits in half. 1 part in hand, other part on worktable.
5.) Continue splitting as needed.
The log lift VS ramp argument has one flaw. Its an uncontrolled ramp. Gravity is a constant. Log lift is easily controllable. I have used quite a few designs through the years (I have never run a Super Splitter). I have built a couple of splitters to boot. I have built pipe frame types, and I beam types. Smaller, faster and bigger, slower machines. I have use the vert/horiz. types as well. I admit that I don't like crawling around on the ground. Heck, I admit that I don't even like to sit down, so I am biased. Heck, lets face it, any splitter will pop open a nice straight grained 14" oak. Vert/Horiz. is simply preference. BUT, WHEN IT COMES TO THE BIG BOYS - I will take my log lift and work table design every time.
A typical example of my wood - I currently have at least 2 cords of rounds that DO NOT dip below about 36" DBH, many are 40"+. I designed this machine to work with this kind of stuff. If I lived Ooop Nort and only dealt with needle trees at 16-18" max, I would have designed a different machine.
I guess the point of this long winded post is - WHAT EVER WORKS. Thats my motto.
1.) Roll log onto lift
2.) Stand in splitting position
3.) Run log lift up till log rolls onto beam
4.) First stroke splits in half. 1 part in hand, other part on worktable.
5.) Continue splitting as needed.
The log lift VS ramp argument has one flaw. Its an uncontrolled ramp. Gravity is a constant. Log lift is easily controllable. I have used quite a few designs through the years (I have never run a Super Splitter). I have built a couple of splitters to boot. I have built pipe frame types, and I beam types. Smaller, faster and bigger, slower machines. I have use the vert/horiz. types as well. I admit that I don't like crawling around on the ground. Heck, I admit that I don't even like to sit down, so I am biased. Heck, lets face it, any splitter will pop open a nice straight grained 14" oak. Vert/Horiz. is simply preference. BUT, WHEN IT COMES TO THE BIG BOYS - I will take my log lift and work table design every time.
A typical example of my wood - I currently have at least 2 cords of rounds that DO NOT dip below about 36" DBH, many are 40"+. I designed this machine to work with this kind of stuff. If I lived Ooop Nort and only dealt with needle trees at 16-18" max, I would have designed a different machine.
I guess the point of this long winded post is - WHAT EVER WORKS. Thats my motto.
SolarAndWood
Minister of Fire
The control is a good point. The other reality is that with any good score I am running as hard as I can to get the wood out as fast as I can. So, I just dump over the bank and split later. Rarely, do I have the luxury of working straight out of the trailer.
My latest Oak score has been humbling. I got all the big stuff, so probably 3 of the 4 cord was over 30" in diameter. Still have 10 rounds to do after having it for a couple weeks. Usually, for the few big ones in any given score, I just roll them up my little ramp of rounds onto the beam and don't think twice about it.
Are you accepting orders for the JagsLiftnTable?
My latest Oak score has been humbling. I got all the big stuff, so probably 3 of the 4 cord was over 30" in diameter. Still have 10 rounds to do after having it for a couple weeks. Usually, for the few big ones in any given score, I just roll them up my little ramp of rounds onto the beam and don't think twice about it.
Are you accepting orders for the JagsLiftnTable?
SolarAndWood said:
If I thought I could do it for ya, I would. :coolsmile:
Take a close look at the pic I posted. The design is somewhere between clay snowman and crayon drawings for difficulty. BUT, the steel for the arm that the winch is mounted to needs to be substantial. Other than that - it could be made from pipe, if you wanted to. It is really a very forgiving and easy design. Oh - one other build note - pay close attention to the hinge area of the lift. Notice how it was spaces so that the lift stays out of the way of the push block.
Better pic:
Also note - the work table is removable. In this pic it has been removed.
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SolarAndWood
Minister of Fire
Jags said:
Can't blame a guy for trying
Thanks for the pic, I have a few ideas of guys here that can do it. Even snowman or crayon difficulty is beyond my skills that are limited to a fix in a pinch on my own stuff no one elses. Where do I send the royalty check?I am kind of surprised that half one of those big rounds coming down on the one corner that isn't supported doesn't rack the lift?
SolarAndWood said:Jags said:
Can't blame a guy for trying
I am kind of surprised that half one of those big rounds coming down on the one corner that isn't supported doesn't rack the lift?
The pivot points are 1" pillow blocks with a solid 1" rod as the pivot. They are mounted with grade 8, 5/8" bolts. The frame it self is made from the back rack from a fork lift. And all the "U" channel you see is 3/8" thick. There ain't no give in the system for a tweak to happen.
Truth be know, the weak spot it probably the lift cable, and that has a working limit of 1500# with at least a 50% safety factor.
SolarAndWood
Minister of Fire
SolarAndWood said:
Solar - you might also want to ping Shari (that has once again started gracing the forum). She had a log lift conversion done on her didier splitter. It also looked very functional. If I am not mistaken - I think Highbeam did the work (but I could be wrong). Hers was a bit of a lighter design. Not everybody needs the ability to lift the stuff that I do (although it sounds like you are in a similar category).
Just throwing this out there. . . . When I split large rounds, I don't make the first split right in the middle, I split what looks like a slab from the side of the round opposite the control handle. I reach over the round and grab the split with one hand while operating the handle with the other. This creates a small enough piece that I can toss to into the shed for stacking. I roll the round while it's on the beam to the next position taking another slab sized piece (or a little bigger than a slab depending on the size of the round), and split again. I work my way around the log until it is manageable and continue splitting it smaller and smaller until it's done.
No need for me to have a cradle, or to handle heavy rounds or half rounds multiple times.
It also seems easier on the splitter since I am taking a smaller bite. It allows me to run at 2/3's throttle or so, more logs per gallon.
Unfortunately this method can't be applied to vertical splitting.
I have tried vertical, seems like I get tired alot sooner.
No need for me to have a cradle, or to handle heavy rounds or half rounds multiple times.
It also seems easier on the splitter since I am taking a smaller bite. It allows me to run at 2/3's throttle or so, more logs per gallon.
Unfortunately this method can't be applied to vertical splitting.
I have tried vertical, seems like I get tired alot sooner.
kettensäge said:
The reason that I half on the first split is that I am often working with 300#+ logs. Gets half the weight off of what I am working up.
SolarAndWood
Minister of Fire
Jags said:
I understand, and with a log lift that is easy. I though we were talking stationary beam mounted cradles.
The most I can lift is a 200lb round, any bigger and I noodle them with the saw or split them in half vertically.
SolarAndWood
Minister of Fire
SolarAndWood said:
Only a few, most of the rounds I cut are less than 18" dia.
The tree service that supplies about half of the wood I burn cuts the big stuff and leaves it at the customers house for me to pick up. They cut a 33"dbh red oak last fall. I counted roughly 160 rings. The trunk from ground level to the first branch was nearly 20'. It was almost a shame to make it firewood but I got over it. Anyway most of the rounds from that tree had to be cut into 3 pieces to get them loaded on the truck, it was 5 loads total with the branches, Nearly 12,500 lbs of fresh cut oak.
SolarAndWood
Minister of Fire
SolarAndWood
Minister of Fire
Jags said:
lol, i thought something might be wrong with my math but was pretty sure it is close given what it takes to roll those things up on the beam and hold them long enough to get the ram into them.
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