Group,
At lunch time I decided to re-watch some video and look at pictures of the different screw chippers. There is a guy named Sergio on the wood gas group and his videos are very helpful in my case, but so are the others. I found close up pictures on the web today of the PS-10 chipper that I never seen before which was very helpful. I new after running yesterday and observing after plug ups that the chunks being cut were not leaving the housing but rather staying in between the flights not allowing the next piece cut to head to the discharge, that I had to shorten my cutting flight. My flight actually extended into my discharge opening. My discharge opening was also several inches from my inlet on the opposite side of the tube. After observing Sergio’s video again and the PS-10, I observed how short the housings were and that the inlet and discharge holes almost overlap each other or maybe even do. So I reasoned do you really need that much flighting? The last cutting flight in the inlet is all you need. Then also the pieces cut need to get out of there ASAP! So I cut my flight back so the flight stops just outside the inlet. I also cut my discharge hole back so it is almost starting to overlap with the inlet hole. Huge difference!!! No pieces getting stuck like they were and I can do larger limbs now with out killing the tractor. However I still can only do about a 2-1/4in round of dry limb wood. I chopped up some maple 1x3 flooring boards no problem. I did stall the tractor twice trying to do this one maple branch. It just wouldn’t do it.
So progress made. I think if it is going to do anything in the 3 to 4 in range it is going to need a gear box. I don’t doubt a flywheel would help some also. Just don’t know if it will get me to my target of 4 in stock.
I will try to get pictures up soon so you guys can see some details and the size pieces it makes. To describe piece size though…….it can take a 2in limb and shear it right off and you can have a 2x2 chunk, and if your doing flat boards or dry dimensional wood you can get pieces as small as 1/2 in thick by 2in long. It really just depends on what you chuck in it. I didn’t get brave enough to try a 2x4. Wish I would have tried.
On another note I want to pose a question and I know it has been discussed before. What effect is bark going to have in the gasifire. Also is small 1 to 2 in limb wood going to be a different fuel than say pieces out of the trunk? I guess I posed two questions. Try to keep the explanation simple for my brain :o) !
Thanks,
David S
