Building a Cub Mounted Wood Splitter - Part 5
Posted: Sat Oct 23, 2010 9:06 pm
Well, all good things must come to an end, and with this final installment my Cub splitter project has reached the end of the journey. Over the past few years there has been more than a little controversy about whether or not a Cub powered splitter would be useful never mind work. I have always believed that Ellie would be more than capable of handling this duty and naysayers nothwithstanding, I always believed that this project would happen. In the previous 4 parts I have described that journey that my brother-in-law Raymond and I took building Rudi's Folly.
Today was the day that the proof would be in the pudding. Either I would be proved correct or proved wrong. It was a nice nippy kinda dull October Saturday and after I got home from the Dieppe Farmer's Market with Em and the girls, I decided that I would go out and finish up a few things. I had to recheck the Pressure Relief Valve and make sure that I don't create a situation where the Hydraulic Pump could get damaged or something else and I needed to continue bleeding the system. So outside I went, hopes high.
It didn't take very long to reconnect the Pressure Gauge -- I forgot to take pics -- will add them later. The battery still is not holding a decent charge so while it sat on the chager for a bit I busied myself with a few other things. Ray showed up about 3pm I guess with the Massey wanting the trailer so he could help his son Frank get some of the wood in the basement. While he was here, I decided that now was as good a time as any to see if the splitter would actually do what it was supposed to do. Started Ellie up, cycled the Touch Control a few times ----- it still needs some bleeding but the frothing/foaming is settling down and the fluid level is pretty stable. Guess the only thing left to do was grab a piece of firewood that needs splitting and get to it.
With a little trepidation ..
Haha
It Works !
Ellie didn't even burp... no strain, no struggle.. just smooth splitting action.
Kuffaw you say
Well have a listen .. Ray and I decided that we would take both tractors over to Franky's (my mother and father-in-laws former home) and split some wood with Ellie and haul it with the Massey.
Ray and I started about 4pm or so and 3 hours later we had split almost 3 cords of wood. The cycle time really surprised and impressed both of us and as you can see we were having a bit of fun. Yup, it is fast enough for me. Both of us are in agreement that Ellie and the splitter is as fast if not faster than the 5 hp Honda powered 20 ton that we usually rent.
So the answer to the big question... can a Cub power a splitter The answer has to be a resounding Yes !
This is a great project for anyone who needs a splitter and doesn't want to spend a couple thousand on a store bought unit. If you have access to the major parts cheap and are somewhat crafty ... for another couple hundred you can build a splitter that mounts on your Cub and have access to the major tool to get your firewood ready for the upcoming winter season. I hope you enjoyed my little adventure half as much as I did building it and writing about it.
Next installment - Wood Splitter Storage Bracket - Part 1
Today was the day that the proof would be in the pudding. Either I would be proved correct or proved wrong. It was a nice nippy kinda dull October Saturday and after I got home from the Dieppe Farmer's Market with Em and the girls, I decided that I would go out and finish up a few things. I had to recheck the Pressure Relief Valve and make sure that I don't create a situation where the Hydraulic Pump could get damaged or something else and I needed to continue bleeding the system. So outside I went, hopes high.
It didn't take very long to reconnect the Pressure Gauge -- I forgot to take pics -- will add them later. The battery still is not holding a decent charge so while it sat on the chager for a bit I busied myself with a few other things. Ray showed up about 3pm I guess with the Massey wanting the trailer so he could help his son Frank get some of the wood in the basement. While he was here, I decided that now was as good a time as any to see if the splitter would actually do what it was supposed to do. Started Ellie up, cycled the Touch Control a few times ----- it still needs some bleeding but the frothing/foaming is settling down and the fluid level is pretty stable. Guess the only thing left to do was grab a piece of firewood that needs splitting and get to it.
With a little trepidation ..
Haha
It Works !
Ellie didn't even burp... no strain, no struggle.. just smooth splitting action.
Kuffaw you say
Well have a listen .. Ray and I decided that we would take both tractors over to Franky's (my mother and father-in-laws former home) and split some wood with Ellie and haul it with the Massey.
Ray and I started about 4pm or so and 3 hours later we had split almost 3 cords of wood. The cycle time really surprised and impressed both of us and as you can see we were having a bit of fun. Yup, it is fast enough for me. Both of us are in agreement that Ellie and the splitter is as fast if not faster than the 5 hp Honda powered 20 ton that we usually rent.
So the answer to the big question... can a Cub power a splitter The answer has to be a resounding Yes !
This is a great project for anyone who needs a splitter and doesn't want to spend a couple thousand on a store bought unit. If you have access to the major parts cheap and are somewhat crafty ... for another couple hundred you can build a splitter that mounts on your Cub and have access to the major tool to get your firewood ready for the upcoming winter season. I hope you enjoyed my little adventure half as much as I did building it and writing about it.
Next installment - Wood Splitter Storage Bracket - Part 1