Combine Makes Great Log Splitter

Combine makes great log splitter COMBINES Conversions 17-2-11 "I haven't found a chunk of wood yet that it won't split," says Ralph Grote, Decatur, Ind., who converted an old self-propelled Oliver 55 combine into a powerful "go anywhere" splitter. The self-propelled firewood maker is fitted with a hydraulic powered splitter, belt-driven buzz-type saw, and a hydraulic boom for lifting heavy pieces of wood into position for splitting. "We do some custom wood splitting for neighbors and this lets us get the job done fast," says Grote. "It takes four men to keep the machine busy. The splitter has a cycle time of only 12 seconds. When the wood is too heavy to lift, I use the boom to lift it onto the splitter table." Grote used the combine's frame, axles, engine, and transmission, discarding all grain-threshing components and sheet metal. He lowered the seat, steering wheel, pedals, and controls so that he could maneuver in the woods. The hydraulic pump is chain-driven using the combine pto shaft that originally powered the grain threshing separator. The splitter is fitted with a pair of 4 by 24-in. cylinders. It's positioned close to the ground so wood never has to be lifted much by the operator. The splitting wedge is 17 in. high and is mounted on a 11/8-. in. thick steel H beam that weighs 110 lbs./ft. . "I originally built the wood splitter for 3-pi mounting on my brother's Case 850 tractor," says Grote. "However, it was too heavy for the 3-pi and was hard on the tractor's hydraulic system. One cylinder does most of the splitting. If knotty wood is too hard to split with just one cylinder, I open a valve to activate the other cylinder. Total splitting force is 60,000lbs. An automatic return, which consists of an electric switch that operates off engine vacuum and causes a hydraulic valve to return the push plate to the open position for splitting, gives the splitter a quick cycle time. "I lay a piece of wood down, hit the valve, then go to pick up another piece of wood. By the time I get back the first piece is already split and the splitter is retracted. "The belt-driven buzz saw is mounted on the rear of the machine. I remove the drive belt when using the splitter." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Ralph Grote, 7888 N. 500 E., Decatur, Ind. 46733 (ph 219 724-9258).

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