10 replies to this topic

[grizbach]

I have been documenting my progress at yahoo groups, but now that I am actually getting results, I thought I would share my chunker.

So, I am getting close to finalizing my chunker. My Dad gave me a 1.5 hp/3450rpm motor. I ended up putting a 8” X 1/2” flywheel directly on the motor.
I ran a few 2” branches through it (pine and apple).
RAN GREAT! Good power and twice as fast! One cut every 4.4 seconds, with a cut taking 1 second. I plan on putting a gutter under the blades to catch the run off and direct the chunks to a bucket.
Bad news is the blade is showing some flexing. So I will have to go thicker or hardened. I am currently using .150” thick. (Kevin, I looked into the oxy cylinders, they are not hardened, but I may still use them they are ¼” thick and 9” OD.)
It seemed like I got a lot of fines when looking at the whole mess. But after screening it with 3/8”, there really wasn’t much there.
Terry

Attached Files

•  new motor and flywheel.jpg   75.87K   52 downloads
•  .375 screen seperated.jpg   96.62K   31 downloads
•  sifted.jpg   99.79K   29 downloads
•  siftings.jpg   99.62K   28 downloads

[PresentTeck]

This looks great! how much did it cost to build?

i think it would run off a 3 or 5 hp gas motor fine, what do you think?

(gasifier running motor to make more fuel for the gasifier, lol)

[jimmason]

terry, that's fantastic looking fuel.  great work.

i assume you are holding the stick with your hand again the anvil, yes?  are you going to add some sort of tube or other holder to make it a bit less free form?

and nice chain reduction rack.  remember surplus center has very high reduction worm drive boxes pretty cheap too.

thanks for posting this terry.

jim

[grizbach]

Brad, 3-5 hp engine will work. The gearing of course could/should change with hp.

Jim, No plans for a tube. Once I beef it up I should be able to process a branch up to about 5X5. So there will be a lot of variance in feed stock.
I did look into the worm gears, but for a prototype I didn't know what reduction I would finally use. Once it shows it can hold up, it would make sense to convert over for reliability and safety(less exposed moving parts)

Terry

[fuel spiller]

Ed Burton made this one using the better part of a rototiller
I may make one with a Troy built Horse 'tiller. It has a four speed box and can drag me along too. 8hp & e start

Attached Files

•  Chopper%20Hopper.jpg   29.28K   25 downloads
•  Ed%20with%20Tractor.jpg   39.12K   18 downloads

[PresentTeck]

I would kill for one of those, thats awesome.

he did a real good job of making it look like the thing was built that way.

[tritowns]

interesting... does your chunker just cut the wood or does it split it as well?

[mogasification]

 wood chunker cutter resized.jpg   128.53K   9 downloads  wood chunker overall resized.jpg   228.98K   6 downloadsWell done. Caught my eye because I have been using one similar to yours  but my cutter runs at about 900 rpm. With 14 hp and the heavy pulley it is more of an inertia system rather than torque.

[grizbach]

mogas, I love how simple yours is!
Could we see a pic of the chunks? How big a branch can you cut?
And lastly, at 900rpms do you have time to feed the branch effectively?
Thanks, Terry

[mogasification]

 Chunks resized.jpg   100.46K   7 downloadsAs far as feed it will take a two inch branch as fast as you can walk. With the spiral it tends to explode dry wood. I found a fix for that. Being based on inertia I went to a cutter that was nearly straight with the anvil. The cut is cleaner and takes less power. I didn,t have any green wood chunks to show you. The pics are from dry slab wood from sawmill. The cutter isn't really big enough for two by fours but I have managed to get a few to go through. Since the earlier picture the chunker has been updated with a 16 hp engine, and a few guards. I am now building a twin knife rotor with feed rolls.

[TreeHuggingTreeCutter]

This is very similar to a model I saw on Youtube.



Great looking machine you built there.