Buzz Saw- Splitter Combo

[tjintheshop]

I just built a Buzz Saw- Wood Splitter combo rig. I had the arbor, blade and splitter but wanted something transportable and pto powered. Engine was bad on the splitter. Bought the structural steel locally and picked up the tires- rims and spindles from the boneyard.

Pics are before the painting. Tried it out and the saw works great. Hums right through 12 in oak and maple. Splitter runs too slow though. I might need a bigger pump.

I have about five hundred in the whole thing.

 

[Corm]

I see this is your first post, so let me be one of the first to say Welcome to TBN! Glad to have you aboard. Please update your profile to let us know where you are from.

Your new unit looks interesting. I often wondered how I could mate my buzz saw and splitter into one unit to make my wood cutting / splitting less time consuming. Couple of questions - once you've cut up some wood with the buzz saw, I'm guessing you simply push the blocks to the other end of the table, and then go around and split them up. Is that how you are using it? If that is so, are you concerned about that saw blade being so close to the blocks waiting to be split? Maybe it isn't a concern, but the picture makes it look like they are pretty close. I think I'd want to build a sheet metal guard that closes in the blade on the splitter side of the unit.

Don't let my comments or questions take anything away from your unit. You've given me a few things to think about regarding my own stuff. Thanks for sharing your project with us.

Corm

 

[mikim]

Corm - he's got a guard on it -- take a closer look

tj -- REALLY COOL! I WANT ONE WA-A-A..... I'd bet something like that manufactured would cost several thousand.
what about hooking the splitter up to your tractor hyd?

 

[Flatheadyoungin]

yeah, that looks to be a great setup! i'd like to see some better pics of it out in the sunlight......or a youtube video would be great!

 

[Corm]

You're right! I missed it! My bad...

Corm

 

[tjintheshop]

Thanks for all the advice. I will take pics this weekend of the project now that the painting is completed. I run this off of a Farmall B with no hydraulics.

 

[Sherweld]

I ran one of those saws a lot of years ago until it showed a tiny almost invisible crack found by my 93 y/o neighbor.
He then explained why he was so crippled and had that large scar on his neck because his old saw had exploded on him despite being warned about a crack on his similar saw blade.
I wasn't able to find a replacement blade for mine, so that ended that.

Really liked using it until then though.

Please be careful out there.

Best regards
Sherweld

 

[smfcpacfp]

I concur with Sherweld - buzzsaws are really dangerous especially if you have no guard for the blade. A good friend of mine had a friend who was using a buzzsaw and it hit an imbedded nail. The blade came apart and the guy was killed by the flying shrapnel. The nail could not be seen as the tree grew around it.

A chain on a chainsaw, although dangerous, would like just come apart and perhaps hit the chain break. Admittedly I have never hit a nail and have cut lots of wood in my day.

 

[Egon]

Nice project.

 

[tjintheshop]

We had a very busy weekend. Got the Machine Painted, Fixed a hydraulic leak on the 450 and cut a good pile of wood.

 

[Flatheadyoungin]

that's a nice setup........your engineering is great.....very practical......

looks like she sure put out the work!

outside pics and paint did wonders!

We had a very busy weekend. Got the Machine Painted, Fixed a hydraulic leak on the 450 and cut a good pile of wood.

 

[tjintheshop]

I made the guard out of 1/8th in flat stock. You litterally would have to hit it with the mall to move it. My dad operates the splitter side by just sitting on the tire. Bad knees. I had the blade checked out by a local amish to make sure it was ok.

I am glad you guys like it.

 

[ahlkey]

How has your combo held up this past year? I am think of making one and would appreciate any advice. If you wanted to operate the splitter by itself or the saw could you deactive one or the other and still keep the PTO running. In short make it a one man station operation.

I also live in Wisconsin. Thanks

 

[waterguy]

Back in the 80's my dad made a saw rig using a toyota engine. It cut wood like crazy,but one day my brother and me were sawing wood and i looked away and when i looked back my brother was standing there with a funny look on his face. What had happened was the saw shaft had a little burr on the end and he touched his jacket sleeve against it and it pulled his zipped up jacket off him instantly. He had burns and scratches all over him where it was pulled off and shredded. We ran that engine in 4th gear and the sawblade would be just singing. Scary that we never thought of that blade coming apart.

 

[tjintheshop]

Sorry so late for a response. The combo unit worked great all winter. Cut and split about 40 face cords with it so far and cant complain. I still will need a bigger pump to speed up the splitter some. Borrowed it to a neighbor that cut up four bundles of oak slabs and dulled the blade some.

I didnt think about the seperate power for the units but wouldnt be hard to do. Just install inline belt clutch. Local amish sell these but they are expensive.

I grew up logging and dont seem to mind the singing of a buzz saw. Just stay away from the blade and keep an eye on the pulleys.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[Brad_Blazer]

Very nice design and construction. The slide from the saw to the splitter is an elegant feature.

I would like to see some more guarding on the shafts and pulleys.


I guess the pulley in the middle drives a hydraulic pump? I am interested in that part of the mechanism e.g. what kind of pump and reservoir you are using. Maybe you could spin it faster with a bigger pulley or a jackshaft to add another step-up.

If you want to run the splitter alone is it easy to unload the tensioner and just remove the saw drive belts? The other way around I don't think there is much of a safety or power consumption issue with letting the hydraulic pump run while cutting.

Nice work Cheesehead,
Brad