# How I split my wood!



## hlntoiz (Jan 13, 2009)

Finally got a chance last weekend to split half my wood for the season. I have an outdoor furnace now so I don't need the pieces to be that small.

Sit in a nice warm cab and don't have to worry about breaking my back lifting heavy logs.

Splitting Wood with and Excavator


----------



## Longae29 (Feb 15, 2008)

That's how you work hard, not smart. My grandpa told me years ago "if you don't use your head your whole body suffers"

I cut down quite a few trees at my cottage to make room to build a new one....I'm dreading splitting it all on my trailer mounted splitter.....where did you get this attachment from? Homemade? Id much rather take the mini ex up there and sit on my a$$ and split it if I could


----------



## cat320 (Aug 25, 2000)

yup 
that is my problem i need one of those lol


----------



## maelawncare (Mar 4, 2004)

If you want to use a attachment. This is a log splitting attachment.


----------



## kimber750 (Sep 19, 2011)

maelawncare;1381432 said:


> If you want to use a attachment. This is a log splitting attachment.


I need one of these Thumbs Up


----------



## NICHOLS LANDSCA (Sep 15, 2007)

Pretty sure that's SNOWLORD


----------



## hlntoiz (Jan 13, 2009)

maelawncare;1381432 said:


> If you want to use a attachment. This is a log splitting attachment.


I am not in it for production. If I was that would be my gig.

Mine is just a ram and the hydros work off the thumb hydros. Not that fastest but for my own needs it works just fine.

Working on a Skid steer is a PITA. I couldn't imagine the mess that would be made turning back and forth.

What is nice is the big logs are easy to handle. My buddies that cut trees don't want anything to do with the larger logs so they are mine for the picking. Better BTU's with them anyway.


----------



## cat320 (Aug 25, 2000)

well at leat your set up to take them. a mini and a grapple are a must to taking log lenghts and cutting to what size you need not what size people want to cut them to.when my freind lent me his 345 bobcat it was nice to pick them up and cut to lenght.


----------



## dfd9 (Aug 18, 2010)

Wouldn't it be faster off a tractor? As opposed to a skid steer of excavator?

And the guy with the ugly mug at the beginning of the video, that was scary right there. I almost had to stop watching. 

J\K Matt, looks pretty sweet. Would it work to put a 4-way splitter on the ram?


----------



## G.Landscape (Oct 20, 2011)

We build the same thing to run off your skid steer, we can;t pick the logs up though, just for splitting. Beats swinging an axe


----------



## icudoucme (Dec 3, 2008)

That's pretty cool. Could you put a 4 way wedge on it?


----------



## hlntoiz (Jan 13, 2009)

dfd9;1381643 said:


> Wouldn't it be faster off a tractor? As opposed to a skid steer of excavator?
> 
> And the guy with the ugly mug at the beginning of the video, that was scary right there. I almost had to stop watching.
> 
> J\K Matt, looks pretty sweet. Would it work to put a 4-way splitter on the ram?





icudoucme;1381678 said:


> That's pretty cool. Could you put a 4 way wedge on it?


The guy I bought the ram off of said the wedge would get jammed to often. Not worth the headache.


----------



## ScnicExcellence (Jun 9, 2008)

couldn't you put a bigger wedge and stronger cylinder and then chop the wood as well the split it. just a thought.


----------



## PerfectEarth (Feb 18, 2010)

Really like the pics on your Facebook page. Nice work!


----------



## hlntoiz (Jan 13, 2009)

ScnicExcellence;1382296 said:


> couldn't you put a bigger wedge and stronger cylinder and then chop the wood as well the split it. just a thought.


the pressure doesn't come from the cylinder, it comes from teh pumps from the digger. It runs off the "thumb" hydros. Plus when you are splitting large pieces the extra wedges are a PITA. It gets jammed up a lot.



PerfectEarth;1382434 said:


> Really like the pics on your Facebook page. Nice work!


Thanks!Thumbs Up


----------



## rich414 (Jan 4, 2010)

Nice setup. you must have a huge fireplace.
If you add a 4 way, don’t weld the wedge that is parallel to the H beam exactly parallel. Weld it with a slope so that the back of the wedge is further from the H beam than the front, also sharpen the wedge so that the slope of the cutting face of the wedge is on the top not the bottom. This will keep the logs from pinching. 
I hope I have explained this confusingly! Lol send me a PM and I will post a photo..


----------



## hlntoiz (Jan 13, 2009)

rich414;1387406 said:


> Nice setup. you must have a huge fireplace.
> If you add a 4 way, don't weld the wedge that is parallel to the H beam exactly parallel. Weld it with a slope so that the back of the wedge is further from the H beam than the front, also sharpen the wedge so that the slope of the cutting face of the wedge is on the top not the bottom. This will keep the logs from pinching.
> I hope I have explained this confusingly! Lol send me a PM and I will post a photo..


I got you. Thanks. next year I will give it a shot.

My only issue is the larger pieces that I split need to be cut in half then 1/4's before they will work with that set up. Plus I don't think the piston will have enough power to push that though.


----------



## rich414 (Jan 4, 2010)

I got you beat on the cost per cord that you and I are spending to cut firewood. I think my wood (pine) has a cost of $400 per cord, if I was to hire someone to do exactly as have been doing
BOBCAT cut dead standing trees in the property to 12 foot lengths and bring to barn
MINI Lift logs to cut into 18" lenghts so that I dont have to bend over
BOBCAT hook up splitter so that i use the Bobcat $60k hydraulic pump
Physical labor, this part sucks, lift logs onto splitter, once split stack in pallets with wired sides, 
BOBCAT get forks and bring tot he house 1/2 cord at a time when needed.

I just need a beer holder on the side of the splitter! When you got the equipment just sitting there, you should use it! 
I can buy this stuff for $125 a face cord split and stacked...


----------



## hlntoiz (Jan 13, 2009)

rich414;1388770 said:


> Physical labor, this part sucks, lift logs onto splitter, once split stack in pallets with wired sides,


U nailed it. How many times do you have to handle it?

I don't burn pine, I find it doesn't get the furnace hot enough.

As I am splitting the logs right over the pile. From the pile to the furnace is the only time I actually use my hands to move it.

Nice Equipment BTW. I love the CAT. I am going to seriously look at one my next go around. I hate bobcat. overrated IMO. I run a Takeuchi Track loader.


----------



## rich414 (Jan 4, 2010)

hlntoiz;1389069 said:


> U nailed it. How many times do you have to handle it?
> 
> I don't burn pine, I find it doesn't get the furnace hot enough.
> 
> ...


Touching the log - 
Off the ground onto the splitter
off the splitter into the wire pallet cage
out of the cage onto the deck of the house
off the deck into the fire place..

before was
rounds into the truck
out of the truck into a pile
out of the pile onto the splitter
off the splitter into a pile
stack pile
out if the stack pile into the truck (we can only handle 1/2 cord on the deck at a time)
out of the truck onto the deck
off the deck into the fire place....

I need the logs smaller for the fire place than you are splitting them, so I think that it would take longer with the mini than by hand. We have 1200 acres of pine and nothing else, so that's what I burn. I just loaded the start of cord # 4 on the deck. 1/2 a cord lasts about 2 weeks with outside temps in the 20's (F)

EQUIPMENT - I have had the bobcat for 5 yrs, there are many reasons I bought a cat mini and not a bobcat. But I wish the CAT have the electronic bells and whistles that the bobcat Mini has.. Like an alarm when you are running low on fuel! With how dorky the Mini looks that thing can move some dirt! 
here is a tread that has a summer photo with tracks ont he bobcat and winter blowing a 4 mile road...
http://www.plowsite.com/showthread.php?t=113245


----------



## hlntoiz (Jan 13, 2009)

I understand about the size of the logs. Last year my buddy helped me out because I didn't have the furnace. He moved the logs so I could get them smaller. To difficult with just the excavator. What a PITA, handle handle handle. You should look into an outdoor furnace. They are awesome and pay for them selves within 2-3 years.


----------



## rich414 (Jan 4, 2010)

we heat the house with the inside fire place box insert thing, debated a pellet stove, but declined as I would probably try and make a thing that turns logs into pellets LOL


----------



## AC700EFI (Nov 14, 2008)

A couple of years ago we built the larger model nearly identical to the one you have.


----------



## 4wydnr (Feb 3, 2008)

hlntoiz;1389256 said:


> . You should look into an outdoor furnace. They are awesome and pay for them selves within 2-3 years.


It seems like all the outdoor boilers have a mountains of wood next to them, not to mention the cost. I have an indoor wood furnace that paid for itself in just over a year. Last winter I burned about 3 cords of wood 1 maple and 2 oak. Split with a maul by me.

As for a 4 way wedge on a hydraulic splitter, the tree service I worked for in college had a real nice unit with one. It rarely plugged up and with an ambitious operator can split a cord an hour.


----------



## hlntoiz (Jan 13, 2009)

AC700EFI;1389448 said:


> A couple of years ago we built the larger model nearly identical to the one you have.
> View attachment 106198
> 
> 
> View attachment 106199


NICE!Thumbs Up that one is pretty Stout I am sure if I ever got a bigger machine I will be able to split larger logs but for now this is just fine.


----------



## jvm81 (Jan 4, 2005)

I sell some wood. My house heats his whole house with wood. But its alot of work. We do it the old fashion way and split with the log splitter - no mini ex or skid.

But my questions is if your to heat your house to save money - whats that money costing you to buy/build attaachment, run that machine for a day (fuel, hours etc costing you) and in the video I can't really see no fast cycle times, in and out, go cut a log, back in etc.

But yes I handle it many times:
Cut the wood,
Load the wood (sometimes with skid)
Unload wood at our pile
Split the wood
Split wood of splitter now thrown onto pile
Load wood (sometimes with skid)
Unload wood (usually in someones garage)

I handle the wood way to much!


----------



## Greenery (Jun 23, 2007)

Maybe it's time to quit touching it and let the wife handle your wood.


----------



## rich414 (Jan 4, 2010)

jvm81;1398347 said:


> We do it the old fashion way and split with the log splitter -
> 
> 
> > If a log splitter is old fashion,Thumbs UpThumbs UpThumbs Up what is an AX???


----------



## hlntoiz (Jan 13, 2009)

jvm81;1398347 said:


> I sell some wood. My house heats his whole house with wood. But its alot of work. We do it the old fashion way and split with the log splitter - no mini ex or skid.
> 
> But my questions is if your to heat your house to save money - whats that money costing you to buy/build attaachment, run that machine for a day (fuel, hours etc costing you) and in the video I can't really see no fast cycle times, in and out, go cut a log, back in etc.
> 
> ...


Cost me $500 to buy and plumb up the splitter to the machine I already own and isnt' working this time of year. About $45 in diesel to run the machine to split about 6 quards of wood, took me total about 8 hrs to cut and split. It isn't any faster or slower then a regular splitter.

Split wood around here goes for about $225-250 per quard. So if you figure in the cost of the first year to heat just my house ($4300 ya no joke) with oil, plus the free wood now probably add about another $3000 (if I was going to use oil to heat the garage, my cost savings to heat my 1200sq ft garage and 2300 sq ft house from one machine would be about $7,300 a year.

So my time for a few days work is worth about $300-$400 per hr. I sit in a nice warm cab, don't have to lift heavy logs and worry about throwing out my back. I will re-coupe the cost of the furnace and other heating supplies in about 2 years.


----------



## snocrete (Feb 28, 2009)

hlntoiz;1398655 said:


> Cost me $500 to buy and plumb up the splitter to the machine I already own and isnt' working this time of year. About $45 in diesel to run the machine to split about 6 quards of wood, took me total about 8 hrs to cut and split. It isn't any faster or slower then a regular splitter.
> 
> *Split wood around here goes for about $225-250 per quard*. So if you figure in the cost of the first year to heat just my house ($4300 ya no joke) with oil, plus the free wood now probably add about another $3000 (if I was going to use oil to heat the garage, my cost savings to heat my 1200sq ft garage and 2300 sq ft house from one machine would be about $7,300 a year.
> 
> So my time for a few days work is worth about $300-$400 per hr. I sit in a nice warm cab, don't have to lift heavy logs and worry about throwing out my back. I will re-coupe the cost of the furnace and other heating supplies in about 2 years.


That seems expensive? And I thought it was "cord", not "quard"?

Cool attachment!...I have one on a SS quick attach plate, and it works great. But the mini-x version appears to have its good points also!


----------



## hlntoiz (Jan 13, 2009)

snocrete;1398875 said:


> That seems expensive? And I thought it was "cord", not "quard"?
> 
> Cool attachment!...I have one on a SS quick attach plate, and it works great. But the mini-x version appears to have its good points also!


Sorry "Cord" thanks webster! LOL Maybe not next year after all the trees that went down in October and the surplus of wood butchers that are out there now, but I live in NE Everything is more expensive here. I have friends that sell it for $250 all day.


----------

