I got the motor mounted and in position. I went with 3 belts from a lawn mower. It was suggested to me to make sure I got good heavy duty belts and I figure mower deck belts endure a lot. I have never had one break.
I have this pulley but it doesn’t have a set screw to secure it to the shaft of the motor. Is this common?
You definately need a set screw on top of the key, and I would put another at 90 degrees to that one. Use your hand grinder to make a small flat spot on the motor shaft where the 90 degree screw touches it. Sure looks like a good start to a great chunker.
If they don’t have a set screw usually they have a bolt in the end of the shaft. Is the keyway in the pulley and shaft the same width?
I wasn’t thinking about two screws. I was planning on grinding a flat spot at 90 degrees from the keyway. I will put an additional set screw on the keyway. Thanks Carl.
@MarvinW, yes they are the same size.
This chunker is looking very nice. As for the pulley, I don’t fix anything until it breaks. It looked like you had the motor and chunker flywheel lined up will enough that the pulley was running true and not trying to work it’s way off. The set screws are a good fix. You could also make a collar out of a piece of pipe and tap/thread a set screw through it to hold the collar/pulley on. Also, I would go for drilling/tapping the end of the motor shaft and putting a bolt with a large fender washer on the end.
For the wobble; yes it looks like a little much, bbuuttttt, I think when you cut the big section out for the actual blade, that you will not see that much motion. As you are standing in the position you will feed it from, the wobble left and right will not make much difference. The wobble in and out will be a problem though. When you cut the helical out, or what ever you want to call it, set the drum so it is in the position closest to you, and make the big step off in that area. You will ALWAYS be cutting in this area no matter how wide the stock is, and you want a good “cut” to finish off, so it breaks loose. If when you are done, you find that where the cutting edge is too far from the anvil part you can all ways add material/ weld on the anvil to take up the space at that point.TomC
The cutter drum is ready for action. I first cut about 45 degrees off of the inside of the drum until the outside edge was sharp. I then took another sweep on the inside to lesson the wedge effect. Good or bad, I don’t know. What I do know is I watched many chunker videos and all of Wayne’s videos (a few times each). As far as ease of cutting, his wins. So I think reducing that angle should make this more effortless. I also left the last few inches flat and unsharpened. <—not a word but is now. Here is my result. Not sure if I mentioned above, I did use studs from a heavy duty truck and pressed them in the hub.
That looks great. Should do the job all right.
Really looking good Bill; The other day when I was chunking, I found something that I need to throw out for the groups thoughts. I was chunking away on some pretty dry wood that was giving my chunker a work out. At one point I had a piece that was to wide to go into the opening for chunking. Before I through the piece back in the pile I tipped it up on edge and I’ll be darned it fit into the opening. So I chunked it standing on edge. As I did it appeared to cut better in that position compared to laying flat on the anvil. I cut several more piece standing on edge with the same results. So, I’m recommending that you make the mouth wide enough vertically to cut boards wider than what you can cut horizontally TomC
Thanks Tom C.
Today is one of my exciting days since starting wood gas. Today I was able to chunk wood with minimal effort. No circle saw, power miter box or table saw.
After going on the hangout last night ideas were given to me and this morning I implemented them and put my chunker together. Well at least the cutting part of it. I still have the rest of the trailer to finish.
The first picture here is of the shear and the splitter. I used the portion of the drum I cut off to make the shears.
Ok… Where’s the video? 
Looks real good!!!
cool bill the chunkers do cut the labor down buuut you might find more issues running .I mean lots of fine broken up ash plugging half to light from bellow more often events. my chainsaw set up had less problems more labor but more consistent size im still chunkin arm is tired
Thanks Paul.
Terry, I still have some work to do on this before I pull it out of the garage for a real test. I will then make a video. I just wanted to see if there were problems that needing tending to with the cutter. I am very pleased with the results. I have to hook up the lights and fenders next.
come on bill you don’t need no stinken lights or fenders call it character come on that’s funny getting it done priceless.
Bill as I have said. Looking good. On your shear edge, it looks like a nice taper up until the last inch. Then it steps off rapidly. You have a line scribed to cut it 'til it blends in with the edge. Did you make the step for some reason?
Also pay attention to the tongue weight of your trailer. Looks like the fly wheel is centered, but everything else is behind the axle.
I like the size chunks your are making-- if you get too many I can use that size.TomC
Great proof run, Bill. You’re good to go now.
Looks good Bill, what HP is the motor & what RPM is the motor.
Bill make sure the ring gear shaft has zero clearance,remove shims on the opisite end of the cutter so as to stop side movement of the cutting edge.
Calvin…
Tom,
The drum is 8" deep and I cut a 5 1/2"x4" window for an opening and drew a line. After talking to Chris and him telling me he thinks his should be bigger, I took that info an made this bigger. The actual shear line is more gradual than the the line I previously had drawn. Without any wood chunking experience, I’m thinking the gradual line will be easier on the chunker. I think the opening is adequate for the rpms the drum is moving which I think is 65-70 rpm.
I only tacked the axle on because I wasn’t sure of the weight distribution. That is one of the next things to do.
Because I’m building a truck and have the mini WK all the wood will be useful. I will just bag up the small pieces separately. Once I build a solar dryer and have usable fuel, I hope to have enough that if you or anyone happens to drive through Minnesota, they can fill up here.
I could leave this the way it is and call good Paul. I also like the option to drag it behind the truck as well. I may even bring it to Argos along with a trailer of branches that Chris and I can chunk up while we are there.
Do you have a link to a video of how your chainsaw set up works? I like having options.
Thanks Calvin.
It is a 5hp air compressor motor that spins at 3450 rpm.
Can you explain what you mean about the ring gear shaft having zero clearance for me? I’m also not clear by what you mean about shims or where they’re at.
