Screw splitter usage - a couple of questions

[Sharkbait]

You were very lucky remember there direct drive from PTO so that cone is as bad as a unguard PTO. Piece of coat pulled by 35+ hp takes some stoping.

That must have been frightening! Thanks for the reminder of how a pto should be treated anyway - I'm still looking for a cone/shield to go over the input shaft on the splitter and I won't be using it until I've fitted one.

Checked out how I can put an emergency stop on the tractor and I think the best way might be a rope around the PTO lever in the cab which would only take a small pull to disengage. The engine stop lever would be more tricky to pull so not as good.

Thanks for the instructions on how to hold the log woodland dweller.... makes sense.

I'll also need to sharpen the cone up too as it's too blunt at the moment.

[Sharkbait]

Well it's here and I've given it a quick try on some green wood - basically just drilled a hole

Gave it a bit of a sharpen and it's now split a number of logs but there's still some 'drilling' going on. Does this mean it's still not sharp enough?

Oh yeah.... and it takes a fair shove to get it to start biting.

[Woodworks]

For our Hycrack I use a triangular hand saw file for sharpening the cone, this works a treat. Any chance of some pictures, it might help work out what the problem is.

[Sharkbait]

This is how it looks now having given it more attention with a half round file - I've not tried it since this extra work. The triangular file sounds good.

The wood I tried was very wet - to the point where the 'drilling' would produce steam!

Edited November 6, 2012 by Sharkbait

[Woodworks]

That looks very blunt. In my opinion it is would be worth getting a triangular file to give it a good sharpen. The screw needs yo have a good clean edge to bite into the wood and pull the log on.

[bobh]

That's sharper than my hycrack!

Try slowing the revs down, I find different types of wood need different speeds. Easy with my old Zetor as you just change gear to change the PTO speed. For instance wet sitka I would use 2nd, cherry 3rd and dryish ash 4th or even 5th, I don't know what actual revs this equates to, just have a play and see if it makes a difference.

[Woodworks]

What bobh said first as much less hassle

sorry I had not seen the whole picture as glitch with viewing.

But it's worth getting the tip sharper.

[bigdave]

it does look very blunt to me a sharpen & try different revs i use mine on just a touch under the halfway mark on the hand throttle!

 

 

the coat sleeve disapearing round the cone was sh*t scary untill i reliased i was not still in it then all i could do was laugh!!!

 

it was bloody close & has given me an eye opener!!

[Sharkbait]

Thanks guys. Tried it again and it is getting better but I'll get a new file and give it some proper attention.

Luckily the tractor has a digital readout of pto speed so I can work reasonably accurately. Currently trying 240rpm which seems pretty good.

[woodland dweller]

Hi sharkbait, your tip is way to blunt, the clue is in the name SCREW SPLITTER, look at an ordinary wood screw have you ever picked up a blunt one and found it will not screw into wood, well the same for your splitter. The tip needs to penetrate the wood before it can pull the log into the metal wedge. The more pointy the tip the easier you have to push the log before it grabs. I have had the wood smoking on wet beech which is really steam, just knock the log back of the cone and try another side.