Homemade or DIY wood tools/ equipment

Subscribed. I built a wood splitter, but I don't think that counts. So far nothing else but looking for ideas!

No “from the ground up” custom tools in my processing equipment, but a few mod’s to existing equipment. Mod’d the splitter to get it from 12 second cycle time down to 8 seconds. Added rear hydraulic linkage to back of tractor, so I could then add a hydraulic dump function to the farm wagon I use for moving and storing wood. Added electric winch and batteries to my tandem axle trailer for skidding logs into it, right from the felling site, which really cut down on my firewood hauling time.

I guess I built a custom rack for cutting 30 cords of splits down from 22” to 18” length, when I changed stoves, but that went on the fire pit when I was done with it.

Ashful said:

No “from the ground up” custom tools in my processing equipment, but a few mod’s to existing equipment. Mod’d the splitter to get it from 12 second cycle time down to 8 seconds. Added rear hydraulic linkage to back of tractor, so I could then add a hydraulic dump function to the farm wagon I use for moving and storing wood. Added electric winch and batteries to my tandem axle trailer for skidding logs into it, right from the felling site, which really cut down on my firewood hauling time.

I guess I built a custom rack for cutting 30 cords of splits down from 22” to 18” length, when I changed stoves, but that went on the fire pit when I was done with it.

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you wouldn't think of burning that pine in your stove huh? I really need to get one of these built so i can cut down to length...

Dobish said:

you wouldn't think of burning that pine in your stove huh? I really need to get one of these built so i can cut down to length...

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After cutting 4 inches off of every damn split of 30 full cords, and collecting every one of those little off-cuts to pack into the stoves around loads of wood, there was no way I’d deny myself the pleasure of burning that rig. Watching that thing burn was akin to throwing off the heaviest shackles, after three years of that continuous pain.

Well here's the "lawg dawg" and my pupper because he wanted to photobomb as he was scouting new places to strategically hide his next land mine. He must think I enjoy scraping it off my shoes after splitting wood.













She's not much to look at, but she'll split any gnarly old piece of wood up to 36 inches. I've bent the blade off the front more times than I can count, but this last quadruple weld with support seems to be holding.

The engine is a 14 hp Kholer with electric start, off of a cement mixing machine (covered with a tarp). The cylinder is off a well drilling rig. The steel for the frame and the I beam I bought from a steel place here in town (and paid way too much).

The 4' tall exhaust swings down when I'm not using it on a screw fitting over the muffler. that was a stroke of genius because the exhaust always blows the way I'm standing. It was my first welding project and by the time I was finished I could weld as well as your average blind farmer. I was proud.

My biggest regret with it is that I didn't use stronger steel on the I beam, and I didn't use larger bolts to hold the pusher to the I beam rail.

Everything else is perfect for me. I envy other folks with a log picker-upper sometimes, but really it's not that tough to noodle them down.

Here are a few things I have made over the years
Chopping block
Cutting jig
pallet fork
pickaroon(aka zombie killer)

walhondingnashua said:

I would like to start a thread for people to post anything they use to cut/ process wood that they made. Some of the tools we use can be expensive to buy and quit a few of us have to skill and creativity. I would like to see what types of tools you all have made yourself. Here are a few of mine.
A cart made from scrape gas line and the front spindles off a junk mower
A C clamp turned into a sharpening vice.
A cant hook from scrape metal and rebar.

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Something I started to fill in my time from other projects. Pretty insane (and I'm having way too much fun building) the end product will be a fast 50-55 true tons log splitter. 40 gpm pump and valve, 7"x29 cylinder with 5" rod. For scale, that beam has 1" flanges.

Another angle.

I made a box for my pallet forks from lumber I milled. It's about 6'x6'x4', so it's called the Cord Getter. Slats on the front come off for loading, then get added as the box fills up. The tractor will barely lift it if it's completely full of wet rounds. When I'm splitting I just chuck splits in there and drive over to the stacks when it's full. Dumps out very nicely, or position it tilted forward or raised for ease of stacking.

My modified splitter has made things much easier on the back. The table prevents each piece from falling straight to the ground after the splitter cycles. Really speeds things up! I didn’t do the mod though, an innovative old friend did.

I need a workshop so I can weld.

SpaceBus said:

I need a workshop so I can weld.

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Most of my welding projects are outside.Size,light and fresh air usually dictate the outside part.
Plus my shops turn into glorified storage sheds

I saw an old heavy metal baby crib in the trash. I grabbed it figuring I could make a metal deck to go on the side of the log splitter. That way I can push big pieces of wood onto the deck (raised baby crib floor) until I'm ready for them - thus not having to bend down an re-pick up a half round. I haven't got to finishing it but with a few mods the crib should work well.

salecker said:

Most of my welding projects are outside.Size,light and fresh air usually dictate the outside part.
Plus my shops turn into glorified storage sheds

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The shed is where the welder lives. I'm not going to keep that equipment in my house.

salecker said:

Most of my welding projects are outside.Size,light and fresh air usually dictate the outside part.
Plus my shops turn into glorified storage sheds

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Ditto. I have a 1200 sq ft heated and air conditioned shop, but it’s almost always too fulll of sawdust to safely weld in there. I sold the stick welder, so all I need to power now is a 185A MIG. I installed a 20A/230V receptacle just outside the door as an outdoor outlet, and just roll my projects out to the driveway when it’s time to weld. In fact, I’m going to spend most of today welding up a new ballast box for the tractor, it’s sunny and 35F.

Ashful said:

Ditto. I have a 1200 sq ft heated and air conditioned shop, but it’s almost always too fulll of sawdust to safely weld in there. I sold the stick welder, so all I need to power now is a 185A MIG. I installed a 20A/230V receptacle just outside the door as an outdoor outlet, and just roll my projects out to the driveway when it’s time to weld. In fact, I’m going to spend most of today welding up a new ballast box for the tractor, it’s sunny and 35F.

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Indeed, but it is not in your house or plugged into it.

SpaceBus said:

Indeed, but it is not in your house or plugged into it.

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At this house and the prior house, yes. But at the house where I grew up, and spent my teens and early 20’s welding trucks and hot rods, the welders and torches were in the attached garage. Safer than my current arrangement, as the wood shop was completely separate, in the basement.

Bolted trailer.
2x3 11ga tube
2200lb dexter axle
10" ground ht for tipping rounds
Homemade brush hog with swisher spindle and blades, 17hp brigg

I’m working on a tunable ballast box for the new tractor, that can be reconfigured to 700, 1100, 1500, or 1900 lb. also integrating a few other nifties, like rake and shovel holders, trailer hitch, grab hook, etc.

It’s based on this 700 lb platform from my older and smaller tractor.



Just getting started, with some fun drilling thru concrete-backed steel:



Also made a walnut harvester push frame, which now I’ll have to reconfigure for the newer tractor.

Ashful said:

I’m working on a tunable ballast box for the new tractor, that can be reconfigured to 700, 1100, 1500, or 1900 lb. also integrating a few other nifties, like rake and shovel holders, trailer hitch, grab hook, etc.

It’s based on this 700 lb platform from my older and smaller tractor.

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Just getting started, with some fun drilling thru concrete-backed steel:

View attachment 255645

Also made a walnut harvester push frame, which now I’ll have to reconfigure for the newer tractor.

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How much does the new machine weigh?

SpaceBus said:

How much does the new machine weigh?

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if I stripped off the loader and emptied the ballast out of the tires, I might get it down to 3000 lb, but it’s probably 4200 as presently configured, before adding the ballast box. One big question for me is the weight of the 320R loader, Deere doesn’t seem to list it anywhere.