# Ayuh, My lazy man's wood splitter,...



## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

That thing looks like it is going to be a beast. 

Keep the thread up to date with pictures. Looking forward to it.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

I love it, I've busted my share of wood and actually enjoyed it when it was clear without knots. I really fouled my back up bustin wood, but that was years ago. 

I love seeing new ways to do a tough job, I will be watching your build. Speaking of huge chunks of steel, what would make a good anvil, right now I am using my 12 pound sledge hammer but it is just too light for an anvil.

Looking at the title of your thread, even with a spliter, there is still hard work working with fire wood, anyway you go it is going to still be back breaking work, just not as much with your machine.


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## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

> Speaking of huge chunks of steel, what would make a good anvil, right now I am using my 12 pound sledge hammer but it is just too light for an anvil.


Ayuh,.... I've got 2,.... One I made outa an "H" beam piece, 'n the other is an actual Anvil, though pretty beat up, 'n broken,....

I ain't got a picture handy of the actual anvil mounted on a big block of wood,....

This picture is an old one of my boiler, long before it was completed,...
You can see the H beam, that I welded stiffeners into, 'n mounted it on an ole beer keg,....
It Works, but ain't at all a _Nice_ anvil,....
It's just to _*LOUD*_ when ya beat on it, 'n I've learned that an anvil works best, when mounted to a huge block of wood,.....
The wood isolates it some what, 'n cuts the ringin', 'n bounce,...
Yet is still Solid when ya wack it,...

I ain't used the one I made much,...
If yer interested, I can pull the H beam off the beer keg, 'n send it to ya,....
You pay the freight, 'n can mount it on a block of wood to get the table height ya need,....

This is a poor picture of it, but all I've got at the moment,...


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## WhatRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

Nice build..I have the same 37 ton splitter in your first picture, from northern tools...I cut my own firewood upstate , so no nails and manageable pieces..


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## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

WhatRnsdownhill said:


> Nice build.*.I have the same 37 ton splitter in your first picture, from northern tools...*I cut my own firewood upstate , so no nails and manageable pieces..


Ayuh,.... The only real Problem I've got with it is the Hinge,....

tightened it many times, redesigned the bolt up system, then just Welded the whole mess to the tube,....

They redesigned the whole machine, 'n that hinge on the current models,....
Ain't been able to get a good look at it, to see If I wanta go that way, or build my own version,...

Also bought, but ain't mounted yet, an electric start,...
Coldest blooded Honda I've ever seen,....
Bein' loaded at idle don't help, so I try to remember to leave it extended enough to open the throttle, when I shut it down,...

For the New splitter,...
Just got back from the Fab Shop,... Gotta go out, 'n clean up the pieces, 'n clamp 'em up to see how it's gonna fit,...


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## WhatRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

the only problem I had on the northern splitter was in the hydraulic fittings by the hand control, the cheap o rings split, put new ones in and no more problems there, and the thin bolts that hold the handle on the return valve wore through, just drilled one size bigger and used 2 hardened bolts...never had an issue starting it, but it doesnt sit out in the ice cold, I keep it in the shop till needed..


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## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

Well,.... It's been colder than a witch's tit up here the last few days,....
Yesterday, single digits after a night of well below Zer0 °,....
That heavy iron, is C O L D to the hands, gloves or not, mittens have helped,...

Got it torn apart, welded on the longer blade mount to the dipper yesterday,...
Today, snowin' to beat the band, can hardly see the hiway at times,...
Got it fabbed up again, 'n clamped into place,...
Still needs some hammer tunin', then tack it up, 'n weld on it for awhile,...










Maybe tomorrow,...


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## WhatRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

looking good, if it works out,I might have to borrow that design for my backhoe...I have the thumb mount on the rear stick of the hoe, so half of the splitter design is almost there...


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## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

WhatRnsdownhill said:


> looking good, if it works out,I might have to borrow that design for my backhoe...I have the thumb mount on the rear stick of the hoe, so half of the splitter design is almost there...


Ayuh,.... That's a Ford 555E with an extend-a-hoe,....

I welded the top mount for the knife, 'bout an inch below the main dipper, on the extension,....
Moved the top hole, 'bout 4" further out from the dipper,...

On the thumb side, I think I'm gonna rotate the 4x6 box tube 'bout 90°, 'n open up the gullet abit,....

There's easily 24" 'tween the thumb, 'n knife, especially with the angle of the knife,...
Hopefully, I'll be chewin' through that mountain of hard maple rounds in the backyard soon,...

Gettin' down on wood up by the boiler,....
Might have to fire up the ole gas splitter,...


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## jomama45 (Nov 13, 2008)

If you already have the backhoe, and they have enough "curl" power, that looks like a good, warm way to split. :vs_bulb:


This is what I use to split firewood. I hook one of the skidloaders to it for reliable power. If I have a lot of big stuff and some help, I'll use the other skidloader to bring the big pieces up to the table, and they just roll them off of the forks. 













Other wise, I've borrowed one of these once from a frinedly competitor of mine:

http://www.woodsplitterdirect.com/30-ton-upside-down-skid-steer-log-splitter-attachment/


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## WhatRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

LOL..I have a triple nickle too.......with an extra long stick...


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## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

> This is what I use to split firewood.


Ayuh,.... Originally, that's the direction I was headed,....

A splitter like that, mounted to the end of the hoe,...
Just the valvin', 'n plumbin' for another hyd. circuit woulda been Hundreds of Bucks,.....

This one I found on y-tube, 'n the steel is left-over from done jobs,...

The bucket curl cylinder is 4, 1/2",.... 
That'd be 30 tons on my gas splitter, as it's 37 ton with the 5" cylinder,...

I know that years ago, when We'd 1st bought this machine, I hooked into a chunk of concrete, at Full reach, at Full extension, 'n when I curled the diggin' bucket, it lifted the entire machine on the outriggers,...
The whole tractor, 'n front bucket were Floatin',...

Donno,.... We'll see,... Soon hopefully,....


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

I'll be watching---that is a dandy looking rig.


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

That's interesting.

Nothing like YANKEE ingenuity. I like it.

Jim asked about Iron for a good anvil.

I have a 2 foot section or RAILROAD track, that I got at a junk yard, that works very well as an anvil, You will need to mount it on a stand to get it to a 
comfortable height for yourself, but you can pound on it and pound on it and not hurt it.

Apologies extended for temporarily pirating your topic!


ED


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## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

Well,..... I have to report severe disappointment,......

While it does split rounds such as in the inventor's vid, small 12"/ 18" dia. straight grained rounds,....

It don't even come close with the monster hard maple rounds, even the shorter stuff, much less a knot,....

It does make a 'ell of a grapple, but on a backhoe, motion is limited,...

I'm chalkin' it up as a failure,... 

Probably gonna put the 2' diggin' bucket back on,...


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

Maybe if you devise a thinner blade on it, that 1 inch looks a bit wide to me, or taper the wedge to a finer thickness.

Maybe you could fashion a thinner blade that attaches to your digger bucket, and just use it as a powered wedge to split hardwoods.



ED


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## 47_47 (Sep 11, 2007)

The problem is the bucket is meant for digging and probably only pushes 4 ton. To split bigger wood, you'd need to increase your curl cylinder to get 15 + ton. At that force, you'd probably take out your bucket pins or wreck your dipper arm.


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## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

Ayuh,.... I ain't completely given up, 'n pulled it off yet,.....

1st thought was/ is to carve the 1, 3/4" blade to a more tapered edge,....
I figure I can cut that back, like I cut it out the 1st time, with the bluetip wrench,...

Even then it ain't gonna be enough,....

Don't need it for small wood, need it for the 3', 4', 5' rounds, 12" to 20" long,....
With Knots,.... Lotsa Knots,....

So far, it's half-azzed handy at knockin' the frozen pile Loose, 'n movin' the rounds over too, or onto the splitter,....

The 4 tooth, 2', digger bucket is missin' a tooth, so I do use one, or two teeth to break up rounds I didn't quite cut all the way though/ evenly,....
Also good for splittin' apart tightly grown crotches,....
Splittin' factor is limited to the weight of the tractor,... 'bout 8 ton,....

As for the cylinder, it's 'bout 3, 1/2",.....
I'm thinkin' a 5" might be enough,...
Donno's I'm gonna do that, got enough goin' on now,....

Still gotta check the pressure of the by-pass valve,....
Might turn it up abit, if the pumps got it available,....


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## 47_47 (Sep 11, 2007)

Bondo said:


> Still gotta check the pressure of the by-pass valve,....
> Might turn it up abit, if the pumps got it available,....


Glad to hear you're going to check it first. Some guys are just turn it up...


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