PTO Log Splitter

[hwatkins]

I needed a log splitter and I'm sure the cheapest route would have been to buy one already made, but I really hate the sound of small engines and I didn't want another engine to maintain. I went the route of building one powered by my Kubota B2920.

The main parts were:
Northern Tool Log Splitter Kit (Ram and some other pieces)
Prince Model LS3060 Rapid Extend Log Splitter Valve
Prince PTO HC-PTO-2AC Pump

First part was welding the anchor block to the beam to mount the ram on.



I had to cut the beam down, but didn't have a torch, used the sawzall, tedious but it worked.


This is where the lower link arms will hook up.


Stiffened the bottom plate up with channel to keep it from bending



Main framework complete and painted


Project finished, splitting some test logs: https://youtu.be/sz4ni1fqI0c

 

[Brad_Blazer]

Good job on the splitter!

 

[jimmysisson]

Do you have height enough to set it on blocks so the splits fall away? I'd be impatient.
Jim

 

[ovrszd]

Nice build. Curious why you went with vertical rather than horizontal??

 

[hwatkins]

Brad: Thanks!

Jim: If I lifted it up while splitting I could probably get it to fall away, but most logs are pretty large around so I have to shift them multiple times to split up completely anyway, so not falling away is really not a problem.

Richard: Most of the wood I'll be splitting is large mature oak trees, 18+ inches in diameter, the cut logs weight 100+ lbs a piece. Unless I built a log lifter for the horizontal splitter it would be a bear to get those up to cutting height. Much easier for me to roll them over to the vertical splitter.

We burn about 1/2 cord of wood a year, so maximum productivity is not the top concern.

It was a fun build, only thing I not real happy with is with the Kubota's PTO shield the PTO pump is a tight fit. I might try to figure out a way to build a mount for the pump off the splitter and then run a PTO shaft to the pump. The PTO pump is a female connection and every shaft I've seen connects male PTO shaft to male attachment shaft. I guess I would have to get a long male shaft to fit through the PTO pump and then extend out to hook the other shaft on.

 

[Eric C]

Great job. I like the idea of rolling the logs in, rather than having to pick them up to lay on it.

 

[ovrszd]

With a 3pt horizontal splitter you simply lower the splitter to the ground for those large ones. On everything else you are always working at the perfect height. Add a catch tray and you don't even hafta pick up the splits off the ground.

Nice build. Good for a man's Soul isn't it.

 

[hwatkins]

Nice build. Good for a man's Soul isn't it.

Absolutely true, both welding and splitting wood are incredibly therapeutic, nice change from sitting behind a desk during the day....

 

[Industrial Toys]

Me too. Can't stand some pissy-asss little engine screaming away! Gives me a head ache.

But PTO splitters are always so slow! My solution, and it's coming together, is to build a splitter that runs off my loader hydraulics but is controlled electrically. It will completely cycle forward and back so you don't have to stand there like a union worker watching the wood split. You can pick up or pile wood while the splitter is doing it's thing albeit maybe somewhat more slowly then an engine driven unit.

 

[LD1]

I hate 4-way wedges. Make too much little crap like shown @ 1:36-1:40 in the video.

I will ask, what size ram did you use? Seems awfully slow in low speed for an 11gpm pump?

And something just dont sound right when in rapid mode. That valve is only supposed to be used with 4gpm. Feeding it 11+gpm and you are trying to move too much fluid through the valve I am afraid.

Nice build overall, and it may just be the video, but like I said, something just dont sound right. And I think it is the mis-match of components.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I only watched the video now. How do you advance that cylinder so quickly to contact the work piece? You arn't using regeneration plumbing on the cylinder/valve by any chance are you?

Actually, I just clued in. PTO as opposed to 3PH/remotes. I saw your reservoir and was wondering why, but now it all makes sense.

 

[LD1]

I only watched the video now. How do you advance that cylinder so quickly to contact the work piece? You arn't using regeneration plumbing on the cylinder/valve by any chance are you?

Actually, I just clued in. PTO as opposed to 3PH/remotes. I saw your reservoir and was wondering why, but now it all makes sense.

Yes he is using the prince 3060-3 valve, which is a regen valve. Only supposed to give it 4gpm input though, not the 11 he is. Which is why I am thinking things sound wonky

 

[J_J]

That sound you hear is the relief valve going off.

A relief valve is usually set with about 10 GPM's, and in regen, he is generating about 4 times 11 = 44 GPM through the valve and the relief is trying to keep up, but can't.

If you want to save that valve, I would recommend you run the tractor rpm very low to let the valve use a 4 to 5 GPM input like it is supposed to.

or

Connect the log splitter to your tractor hyd and run the engine at about half engine rpm.

 

[ovrszd]

Me too. Can't stand some pissy-asss little engine screaming away! Gives me a head ache.

But PTO splitters are always so slow! My solution, and it's coming together, is to build a splitter that runs off my loader hydraulics but is controlled electrically. It will completely cycle forward and back so you don't have to stand there like a union worker watching the wood split. You can pick up or pile wood while the splitter is doing it's thing albeit maybe somewhat more slowly then an engine driven unit.

Where did you come to believe that PTO splitters are slow?? That's so incorrect. I built a PTO splitter using a 22 gpm PTO pump and 6"x24" cylinder. It would complete a cycle in 14 seconds. Don't get your hand in the way.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

My pto splitter had a 5" cylinder and has a "10 second" complete cycle time, NOT slow at all and you can't see it slow down any, as it pushes EVERYTHING through the 4-way wedge!

As for the 4-way wedge, it can be flipped to make big splits OR small splits!

I wouldn't want to be without my table either! It really makes splitting BIG rounds MUCH easier!

SR

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Me too. Can't stand some pissy-asss little engine screaming away! Gives me a head ache.

But PTO splitters are always so slow! My solution, and it's coming together, is to build a splitter that runs off my loader hydraulics but is controlled electrically. It will completely cycle forward and back so you don't have to stand there like a union worker watching the wood split. You can pick up or pile wood while the splitter is doing it's thing albeit maybe somewhat more slowly then an engine driven unit.

I'm trying to figure out how running a splitter off the loader is going to be any faster than the remotes??? Both are only as fast as the hydraulic pump on the tractor.

Also, all you need is the right valve and any splitter will complete the split while you are away from it, I could have that on mine, but I'm happy with it just having auto return...

SR

 

[Industrial Toys]

No, like I said, I misunderstood to think 3PH mounted running off the remotes. Naturally, you can make a high performance PTO splitter. It's the remote operated ones that remind me of watching paint dry.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

No, like I said, I misunderstood to think 3PH mounted running off the remotes. Naturally, you can make a high performance PTO splitter. It's the remote operated ones that remind me of watching paint dry.

Yes, I have one of those too, it runs off the remotes and it slooooooow.... BUT, how will running it off the loader make it any faster??? That's what I'm trying to figure out...

SR

 

[Industrial Toys]

I never said it would be any faster. As far as my project goes, I am simply going to save time by not having to stand there and watch the paint dry, so to speak. I can be doing something else like getting new rounds or stacking wood. It's not the speed of the remote operated splitter that is the problem, (as I see it) it's that usually you have no choice but to stand there operating it.

 

[blucoondawg]

I never said it would be any faster. As far as my project goes, I am simply going to save time by not having to stand there and watch the paint dry, so to speak. I can be doing something else like getting new rounds or stacking wood. It's not the speed of the remote operated splitter that is the problem, (as I see it) it's that usually you have no choice but to stand there operating it.

There is a reason you are supposed to be standing there operating it, it is called safety, as a union operating engineer we are trained in safe operation of equipment and what can happen if safety features are eliminated