PTO Woodsplitter

botaman2 · Nov 8, 2005

Got the old Stickler out of mothballs,still works great! For those members not familiar with the Stickler,It is a screw type pto wood splitter. I run it 237rpm PTO speed (1100 indicated) seems to be a good speed for splitting.I've split wood up to 12' in diameter. The length I keep around 3-4' .Wood species also determines how well it will split. You simply roll or carry up the wood to the splitter screw,hold the end near the screw up off the ground,and let the screw auger in about 12''-15" from the end then stand back let-err screw. I keep a small axe on hand to cut stringers.

botaman2 · Nov 8, 2005

In action!

Youare · Nov 9, 2005

I had one that bolted onto the rear axle of a pickup that I used for a while. When that truck was replaced it didn't fit the new one, so for many years it sat in the cellar. Now it has been put back into service by some one else.

They worked great for longer length wood but on the truck short pieces could end up being a propeller. They sure were quick. I had not seen one set up for a 3PH, that one looks good.

Randy

RonMar · Nov 9, 2005

Now what you need is one set up like a post hole digger with anti rotation bar along the side. You drag the log onto a level open space and cut to fireplace length with chainsaw but leave it lay in a row. Back the tractor over the log and lower the screw into each piece as you move along the length of the cut log... The only time the wood gets picked up is when it gets stacked and you could probably pick it with a loader bucket. This method would be limited by the diameter of log you can drive your tractor over but would probably be pretty fast. HMMM I wonder where you can get one of those screws...

botaman2 · Nov 9, 2005

If you look at the picture of the splitter,you will see a pipe parallel to the screw,this is the stiff-arm designed to prevent spinning of the piece of wood to be split. I split mainly longer pieces of wood,that when splitting are long enough that they hit only the ground.(to the right of the screw),the screw turns clockwise. If you were to split only short pieces ,you would need to be very cautious, the longer the piece the safer it is.

XANDROS_user · Nov 9, 2005

Sir, I too own a Stickler which attaches to the rear axle of my pickup truck. Am most envious of your setup with pto attachment. But ( and a big BUT) unfortunely my style is fashioned to work counter-clockwise and the pto (on my JD4100) rotates clockwise. Am asking 'did you purchase that package from Stickler or is that a custom made?'
Regards

Highbeam · Nov 9, 2005

That's one of those death tools. What if you catch your sleeve in that thing? Or your beard?

jimmysisson · Nov 9, 2005

I don't know about death, since I'm still alive, but kneeling on the ground to split your wood is a job for a young man. I used one of these for a couple years back 30 years ago. There was a kill switch on a magnet you wired into your coil-to-distributor primary so if you caught your sleeve you could stop things. You could put your hand on the pointy end running and it wouldn't bite, don't ask how I know.
They split pretty quick and got most everything. It spun pretty fast, at V8 11-1200 rpm, 3rd gear and a 3.90 rear probably turned around 300 rpm. It would bog down that Chevy 305 a little in a big tough piece. As was said, you needed a hatchet for stringy elm and yellow birch. Still, being on your knees limits how much wood you can have around you at one time, so you needed to have a helper. And the tractor setup is a bit more roomy compared to the side of a pickup. I think mine was threaded clockwise as I used to put it on the drivers side rear. Jim

Regal · Nov 9, 2005

We also used a splitter like that, probably 20 years ago by now. VERY dangerous device. As we all know, the areas we cut and split wood are not always the most tidy places to work, i.e. frozen ground and bark etc. As I recall we had a near miss once when someone tripped or slipped and almost had a spinner in the knee. LAST time we used it. Be safe!!
Rick.

jimgerken · Nov 10, 2005

Ronmar has a great idea there! If it worked vertically as he said, it would encourage you to sit on the operator's seat to drive it from log to log and pointing the cone downward would also improve safety. If you could buy the cone part, could it simply be bolted to your exising posthole digger gearbox instead of the auger part? Where can we get one? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Steve_Miller · Nov 10, 2005

I know a guy that had his arm ripped off at the shoulder with a device similar to this. I'm not condoning these devices, just remember to be aware at all times of what you are doing.

Steve

milkman · Nov 10, 2005

Does anyone know if they still make the PTO powered splitters, I'd like to have one. I know they are dangerous, so are the hyd. splitters, almost took a finger off with one of those, have to be careful with any machinery. I tried to find info on the PTO Stickler, no luck.

XANDROS_user · Nov 10, 2005

Milkman, Not trying to come off as a noitall but here is what my research shows. Contacted the Stickler rep that sold me the cone attachment for my pickup some 4 years ago and he said Stickler discontinued the pto application quite some years back. The original Stickler was from Taos Equipment Co in New Mexico but cannot find them on the internet. Possibly taken over by Arnold Industries in Ohio (they were referenced in the article I read about Taos Equipment in Mother Earth News).
The problem with the cone I have is the direction of rotation.
Mine rotates counter clock wise (left rear axle application only). A pto application must be a clock wise rotation so I'm thinking my cone will not work. Am reading this forum for further comments. The post hole digger application seems more feasiable but again the rotation of the cone is important and I'm thinking a clockwise rotation is not available.
Regards , Fred

CTyler · Nov 10, 2005

Connect a hydraulic motor to the splitter and run it off a remote on the tractor. Run a short string to the lever so you have to pull it for the motor to run. That way it only spins when your ready to split a piece. Thats about the safest way I can think of to run one of those.

milkman · Nov 10, 2005

I found a home made one on another site, that used a gearbox that was mounted on a carry all, might work for your counter clockwise screw, or if you could find and old PHD gear box, that would also slow it down. I'll start watching at some of the auctions, maybe find one, or at least a cone to tinker with over the winter.

jimmysisson · Nov 10, 2005

If you're lying on the ground looking up at the phd, and the bit turns counterclockwise, that's the direction the Stickler screw would work correctly bolted in the same position. I never had a phd so I don't knwo which way they turn.
Jim

botaman2 · Nov 10, 2005

Your research is correct,my unit was made by Arnold Industries,Toledo Oh. I purchased my unit new back in late 70's. I've split many cords of wood with this unit over the years,I kinda like it. I don't burn wood anymore,but use it to split wood that will not fit into my 4" chipper.

jimmysisson · Nov 14, 2005

Milkman I've still got my old Stickler with the Chev adapter, maybe you could modify it? It's pretty hefty, though, maybe 50#?, and I'm in western Mass, so I don't know if the freight is worth it to you. I'd give it away if someone could figure out how to get it.
Jim