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Log Splitter Powered By Deere Combine Engine
"It works as well or better than any commercial log splitter on the market," says Norman Smith who, along with his brother-in-law Merlin Steele, of Walsh, Ill., built a heavy duty log splitter that mounts on the frame of an old pickup.
The splitter is powered by a 40 hp 4-cyl. gas engine off an old Deere 45 comb
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Log Splitter Powered By Deere Combine Engine WOODLOT EQUIPMENT Miscellaneous 23-3-29 "It works as well or better than any commercial log splitter on the market," says Norman Smith who, along with his brother-in-law Merlin Steele, of Walsh, Ill., built a heavy duty log splitter that mounts on the frame of an old pickup.
The splitter is powered by a 40 hp 4-cyl. gas engine off an old Deere 45 combine. The engine shaft-drives a hydraulic pump taken off a Case backhoe. A grain elevator was converted to deliver split wood to a wagon. There are two splitter cylinders, one mounted above the other. Smith normally just hooks up the bottom cylinder but for tough wood he can use both.
A hydraulic-operated lift arm hoists logs up onto the splitting table, which moves with the splitter plate. The rig is also equipped with a circular saw off a David Bradley brush mower. The saw is belt-driven off the engine crankshaft. A belt drops down from a pulley on the crankshaft and drives a 5-ft. long shaft that powers the saw.
"We spent a total of less than $500 to build it. A commercial rig with comparable features sells for at least $5,000. I got the pickup frame from my dad and bought the engine at a junkyard for $100. I paid $120 apiece for the hydraulic cylinders and got the backhoe pump at work for free.
"We use the upper cylinder only to split really tough wood and engage it by flipping a valve. The extra cylinder gives the splitter twice as much power, but also makes it go twice as slow so we use it only when necessary.
"The lift arm really saves on our backs. For example, we can roll a 24-in. dia. log onto the platform without doing any lifting. There's a tray on either side of the splitter, and both trays move back and forth with the splitter cylinder so we don't have to move the wood back in order to resplit it. We just move part of the log back onto one of the trays and return it to the lift arm.
"To convert the elevator, we removed the elevator's rubber cleats and welded in new metal ones which do a better job of grabbing the split wood.
"To set the splitter up we use a stand on each side of the wheels and one at the center of the frame under the oil reservoir. The center stand can be telescoped up and down by the same hydraulic cylinder that's used to split the wood, allowing us to tilt the splitter frame up or down when hooking up to a tractor or pickup."
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Norman Smith or Merlin Steele, 7302 Walsh Road, Walsh, Ill. 62297 (ph 618 774-2960).
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