Mini digger cone splitters for oversized roundwood

[SamWhiting12]

Has any one got experience of using a cone splitter on a 1.5 tonne mini digger? Will it cope with 3m length upto 70cm diameter?

 

Or would it be more suited to get a cone splitter for an 8 tonne machine? Only looking to do around 25 tonne of oversize a year.

[Matthew Storrs]

Plenty of videos on you tube- should give you an idea of their capabilities. Admittedly most seem to be on 2.5t plus machines.

Have you looked at Augertorque. They make auger drives where you can replace the auger flight for a cone splitter. Could be a way of getting 2 machines in one if you have any need for a hole auger too (planting fencing etc)

[richy_B]

Plenty of videos on you tube- should give you an idea of their capabilities. Admittedly most seem to be on 2.5t plus machines.
Have you looked at Augertorque. They make auger drives where you can replace the auger flight for a cone splitter. Could be a way of getting 2 machines in one if you have any need for a hole auger too (planting fencing etc)

Matt, have you ever seen an auger torque one splitter in action/on video? I've seen images of the cone but can't find any videos or pictures of it in action. I am tempted to get one for my auger.

[Matthew Storrs]

8 hours ago, richy_B said:

 

Matt, have you ever seen an auger torque one splitter in action/on video? I've seen images of the cone but can't find any videos or pictures of it in action. I am tempted to get one for my auger.

 

Hi Richy.

 

No I have never seen one in action or video. Obviously there are plenty of dedicated cone splitters which seem to work well even on smaller machines- I can’t see why the augertorque ‘conversion’ would be any different as essentially they are all just hydraulic motors powering the cone which of course is exactly what an auger is- with gearing etc . I’m tempted too mainly as another service I could offer with my machine. I don’t think they are big money if you already have the auger drive. 

 

[Matthew Storrs]

It’s like the stump planers that Augertorque do- to me they look quite impressive for a minimal outlay- spoke to them about it and the chap said 8 ton machine would be the minimum but surely if my auger has the power to grind    a 12” hole though a 5 inch concrete pad it would have no problem shaving a stump down with the knives it has? I see that they say it will fit any machine 1-5 ton so perhaps the bloke on the phone got it wrong....

[Billhook]

 

My initial idea was to put an auger on a teleporter bucket so I could easily go tree planting with the young trees in the bucket.

I used an old digger track motor to drive it.

This was very successful, particularly as you can see what is going on an adjust angles etc without having to crane your neck as on a tractor.

 

I then thought I would buy a cone splitter, the one ~I bought was from Poland and about £150

 

Fitted it in place of the auger and was disappointed ,  I admit I have not really pursued the idea and it may be that the hydraulics are not strong enough, or the motor is half knackered or I tackled the log in the wrong way, but if it cannot split a log like the one in the video it is not much use to me as one that size will go through the processor.

 

What I really want is a splitter to split a large tree trunk.  I have a JCB 360 15 ton but at the moment it is easier to put the Lucas Mill around such a trunk and cut it into 8x8 20 foot lengths.

 

I think that I was attempting to do this work below with a cone only designed for small firewood!

 

 

If you do have success I would be interested to give it another go here.

[Billhook]

Yes it is very satisfying to hear all the crackles and crunches but on reviewing some of these videos I think that I would find my way to an end result of usable firewood quicker with the Lucas Mill cutting into those 20 foot lengths of 8x8 and then putting through the Palax to cut and load into foot lengths.

There is still quite a lot of work even after the trunk is split with the cone splitters

 

 

[SamWhiting12]

I've looked at lots of the Youtube videos of smaller diggers and some look great while some seem slow on nice straight grained wood.

 

I have spotted this on ebay though, recommended for a 1.5t-10t machine. If I get 2 brackets for the splitter, one for both machines, if the smaller machine is not up to the job I can then swap between machines.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LOG-SPLITTER-SCREW-TYPE-CONE-250mm-HYDRAULIC-DIGGER-FRONT-LOADER-TELEHANDLER/162734437110?hash=item25e3ba72f6:g:odQAAOSwnbZYIYOc

[richy_B]

I considered one for quite a while for my 1.7t machine. Decided it wasn't going to be able to run a cone splitter well. I am now looking at putting on on the auger torque unit for my multione, which have a must stronger hydraulic supply. As the previous poster, I have both brackets so could switch about if necessary.