iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

Processor build

Started by wiam, January 17, 2019, 04:36:36 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

wiam

Gathering parts to build a processor. Belt driven saw. Looking for opinions on rolling blocks into splitter trough or falling straight in 

hedgerow

I don't think your going to find a clear cut answer. A lot is going to depend on what you have for parts. The big thing you want to do is make sure you build the splitting tunnel to self center the wood no matter the dia of the wood and make sure you have easy access to that tunnel if the round needs repositioning. You need to watch a lot of processor videos to see what you think will work for your set up the best. If I was doing it over again I wouldn't have used a splitter I already had and I would have went with a flipper that rolls the round into the splitter. 

jmur1

Quote from: wiam on January 17, 2019, 04:36:36 PM
Gathering parts to build a processor. Belt driven saw. Looking for opinions on rolling blocks into splitter trough or falling straight in
Both methods may have drawbacks.  Also you need to know the typical wood you will cut.  
Rolling Method:  If you have limbs and lots of knots you will not roll easily and hands-on manipulation will be required for every cut.  If this is in the plan anyhow then no big deal.  It definitely helps for things like placement of hydraulics and location of major components (engine, hydraulic tank, and so on), by increasing the frame size in the horizontal plane.  
Drop Method:  If using a belt driven (circular?) saw - dropping method can also be problematic for many reasons.  With only air below the wood when cut it may "flip" somewhat and drop with a spin to it.  Also if you want to have a hard stop for measuring lengths this can also cause binding and bad drops.  These problems also leads to hands on manipulation of cuts.  
If you notice in the all the processor Utube videos even the most expensive giant processors have quick access to the machines spitting chamber.  I suspect there is no 100% fix to this question.
With my own machine I have found the 10" diameter size wood falls  the best.  Bigger and smaller both cause some issues.  This may be because I am using a smaller diameter circular saw blade.       
jmur1
Easy does it

wiam

My wedge failed on the splitter I plan on incorporating and I'm looking to redesign using a single thick piece instead of a V. What width and thickness are most using?

wiam

Putting together a wedge like this for my splitter that will be part of my processor. 
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lSYYYPDuD2E

wiam


wiam

Put new set up together today. Still need to finish welding to splitter and sharpen. 

 

wiam

It worked. I guess I need to straighten the back plate as knife does not quite line up. 🤭

wiam

 

 

 Straightened back up plate. It was only off by 1/8” but was driving me nuts. Also added wings to make it a 4 way.  Thanks to beenthere you don’t have to turn your monitor sideways. 

wiam

 

 

 Added manual knife lift and trimmed end of beam. Split wood was not dropping enough. 

jmur1

Hi wiam:
How did you make out on the knife?  I just added a comment to Knute's logsplitter thread above that may be relevant to you.  When I look at you photos it looks like you have already considered that anyhow.
Curious how your project is going.   
Easy does it

wiam

Really need to put a cylinder on the height adjust. What I set up for notch's does not work great.

wiam

 

 

 Working on putting together belt driven bar

Hilltop366


hedgerow

Wiam
Looks like you making some process on that saw. I think in the long run you will be happy you went the belt drive way. When I built mine I started the belt drive way but found a axial piston hyd motor cheap so I went hyd. When it was said and done I had a lot more money in the hyd saw. I wish I would have kept on the belt driven track. The hyd saw works great but a lot more investment. Keep the pictures coming. 

luap

I can't tell from your picture but on your horizontal wedges, how is the bevel orientated? Typically the  vertical wedge has a bevel on both sides. A horizontal wedge should have the bevel facing up and flat on the bottom. If it has a bevel on the bottom it will force the wood down pinching it and less efficient performance.  I built basically the same design splitter with power up and down on the wedge. Also had power lift table so no lifting blocks.  It was for a friend of mine and his family, brother, cousin , brother, and uncle. They all were very happy with it.

wiam

Luap, 
Bevel is on bottom. I made it that way because my plan was to add 2 more wings at an angle above them.  There is room behind the wedge for wood to drop down. So far it is rare for it to lift the wedge. 

wiam

Hedgerow,  what size cylinder do you have on your saw pivot?  Do you know how long it takes your bar to go from vertical to horizontal?  Just trying to figure how much flow/cylinder I need. Also pondering air but that is another system....

Crusarius

What about angling the entire splitter head up? so as wood is pushed in it is lifted off the bed allowing for room to spread?

hedgerow

Quote from: wiam on May 07, 2019, 10:44:08 AM
Hedgerow,  what size cylinder do you have on your saw pivot?  Do you know how long it takes your bar to go from vertical to horizontal?  Just trying to figure how much flow/cylinder I need. Also pondering air but that is another system....
I am running a 1X12 1/2 inch cylinder for the saw pivot. Cylinder came from Surplus Center.  I am using a flow control valve to control speed of the cylinder and a low pressure relief valve to control force on the bar. It works good if I was building again I would add the air compressor and go air. You can use the air to push the oil to the bar for the chain also so you don't need a pump and can always use the air system for clean up or air a tire up. 

wiam

Quote from: hedgerow on May 07, 2019, 01:50:35 PM
Quote from: wiam on May 07, 2019, 10:44:08 AM
Hedgerow,  what size cylinder do you have on your saw pivot?  Do you know how long it takes your bar to go from vertical to horizontal?  Just trying to figure how much flow/cylinder I need. Also pondering air but that is another system....
I am running a 1X12 1/2 inch cylinder for the saw pivot. Cylinder came from Surplus Center.  I am using a flow control valve to control speed of the cylinder and a low pressure relief valve to control force on the bar. It works good if I was building again I would add the air compressor and go air. You can use the air to push the oil to the bar for the chain also so you don't need a pump and can always use the air system for clean up or air a tire up.
Would you go electric compressor or belt drive?

hedgerow

I don't think it matters on the compressor. I had thought about belt running a York AC compressor to make the air but a 12 volt one would do also. 

Hilltop366

Like a truck with air brakes would a air system need a dryer to prevent freeze up?

hedgerow

Quote from: Hilltop366 on May 08, 2019, 07:41:37 AM
Like a truck with air brakes would a air system need a dryer to prevent freeze up?
I don't think you would be using enough volume of air you would need a drier. You would just need to drain the tank at the end of the running day. I worked on trucks for 30 years in the 60's and into the 70's trucks didn't have driers but the driver better kept the wet tank drained or he had a lot of problems. I started working on fleet trucks in the mid 70's and none of there trucks had driers. I had the boss order the new trucks with driers and by the first two years I worked there every truck had a drier. Made the shop guys life easier. 

Hilltop366

True enough, I guess "need" kind of over states.

Thank You Sponsors!