Self-Propelled Log Splitter
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Clayton Otwell calls his self-propelled log splitter the “Split & Git”. He drives it to the field, splits the wood, and hauls it back home to stack. His Nissan 4 by 4 light truck chassis with a 318-cu. in. V-8 and a front clip from a Chrysler Fifth Avenue has plenty of power to get the job done.
“I have yet to take it out of second gear,” he says. “I wouldn’t want to know how fast it could go.”
The Nissan had been left behind by a previous property owner when Otwell bought his property. He stripped it down to the frame, axles and drive train and installed the 318 engine and transmission. An upright 2-in. pipe welded to the front frame served as a mount for various components like the radiator and lights. The front end of the frame had to be narrowed to match the Chrysler A-frame.
“I cut cross sections into the frame so I could ‘weasel’ the two together,” says Otwell. “Then I pad-welded the sliced-up frame with steel plate to reinforce it.”
While Otwell was working on the vehicle part of the project, his father Jim, a former boilermaker by trade, was working on the splitter. The younger Otwell trusted his dad do a better job on the precise welding needed.
“The splitter has a 4-in. cylinder with a 24-in. stroke,” says Otwell. “The splitter wedge is a 14-in. wide, 1-in. thick steel plate welded on edge to an I-beam. The push plate is also 1-in. plate.”
The push plate rides on an I-beam base boxed in at the bottom with angle iron for reinforcement. “This is the second one he has built, and he knows how much the I-beam can twist when splitting,” says Otwell. “We used all new hydraulics and powered it with a 16 gpm hydraulic pump on an 18 hp Briggs & Stratton.”
Otwell had planned to run the hydraulic pump off the 318, but discovered the cost of a clutch drive was excessive for what he wanted to spend. Instead, he extended the frame at the front of the engine with steel pipe to hold the Briggs & Stratton.
At the rear and alongside the splitter, Otwell installed a stacking bed. “The splitting blade has wedge sides, so half the chunk falls onto the bed,” says Otwell. “I can catch the other half and toss it into the stack.”
Otwell estimates he has around $1,000 invested in the rig and is fast getting his money’s worth out of it. He has even driven it in a local parade.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Clayton Otwell, 25117 Wyoming Rd., Wellsville, Kan. 66092 (ph 913 832-6231; cjmotwell@gmail.com).
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Self-Propelled Log Splitter PICKUPS Miscellaneous Clayton Otwell calls his self-propelled log splitter the “Split & Git” He drives it to the field splits the wood and hauls it back home to stack His Nissan 4 by 4 light truck chassis with a 318-cu in V-8 and a front clip from a Chrysler Fifth Avenue has plenty of power to get the job done “I have yet to take it out of second gear ” he says “I wouldn’t want to know how fast it could go ” The Nissan had been left behind by a previous property owner when Otwell bought his property He stripped it down to the frame axles and drive train and installed the 318 engine and transmission An upright 2-in pipe welded to the front frame served as a mount for various components like the radiator and lights The front end of the frame had to be narrowed to match the Chrysler A-frame “I cut cross sections into the frame so I could ‘weasel’ the two together ” says Otwell “Then I pad-welded the sliced-up frame with steel plate to reinforce it ” While Otwell was working on the vehicle part of the project his father Jim a former boilermaker by trade was working on the splitter The younger Otwell trusted his dad do a better job on the precise welding needed “The splitter has a 4-in cylinder with a 24-in stroke ” says Otwell “The splitter wedge is a 14-in wide 1-in thick steel plate welded on edge to an I-beam The push plate is also 1-in plate ” The push plate rides on an I-beam base boxed in at the bottom with angle iron for reinforcement “This is the second one he has built and he knows how much the I-beam can twist when splitting ” says Otwell “We used all new hydraulics and powered it with a 16 gpm hydraulic pump on an 18 hp Briggs & Stratton ” Otwell had planned to run the hydraulic pump off the 318 but discovered the cost of a clutch drive was excessive for what he wanted to spend Instead he extended the frame at the front of the engine with steel pipe to hold the Briggs & Stratton At the rear and alongside the splitter Otwell installed a stacking bed “The splitting blade has wedge sides so half the chunk falls onto the bed ” says Otwell “I can catch the other half and toss it into the stack ” Otwell estimates he has around $1 000 invested in the rig and is fast getting his money’s worth out of it He has even driven it in a local parade Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Clayton Otwell 25117 Wyoming Rd Wellsville Kan 66092 ph 913 832-6231; cjmotwell@gmail com
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