Bill if I remember right 500# is max on the tongue weight, 150# should be fine. The 2” X 1/4” @ 4’ long is about all the length I’d give it, unless you go a little bigger like 2 ½” X 2 ½” or 3” X 120.”= (1/8”) wall.
Ron H
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Perfect Ron.
Thanks for the detailed information. I’m the kind of guy that needs it to learn.
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The tongue weight should be 10 - 12 percent of the trailer weight.
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Good morning Bill.
For some reason I missed some of your posts .
Bill , looks you did a mighty fine job on that chunker . I watched the video & that machine is not even straining to cut that heavy wood.Good work Bill…
Calvin…
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Currently I have the tongue weight at 90 pounds. I can’t believe this trailer weighs 900 pounds. So you’re saying it’s good where it’s at?
@Calvin_rader, thanks Calvin. I shut the motor off and it will chunk 3- 4 more pieces at 3" diameter before it stops. I would like to hook up my wood gas lawnmower to run this now.
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Yup, sounds like you are good with the tongue weight. Take her for a spin and see how nice it follows.
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First weld up that axle if you haven’t already…
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Chris,
I’m going to move the axle back 4-6" to get more tongue weight and then weld it up.
Here is the gravity feed tube. It shears quite well. I put a weld bead to the anvil to make sure of it after my first test run. I was able to gravity feed and feed from the side without any negative effects from the motor.
If I feed a branch halfway in the side and throw the remainder in the top, I can grab another branch through the side again and keep repeating the process.
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Hello Mr. Bill.
I think you have a good idea of the small vertical shoot. I followed your thinking and also added a small shoot for gravity feeding.
I haven’t done any chucking in the last two or three months so really haven’t tested yet.
Looks rough, I ran out oxygen!!
t
.
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I like it Wayne. Did you also add a stop inside? I put my verticle tube at an angle. I felt it would keep the branch to the cutting side and I can load from the same side I’m working on. Now I need some chunking hours.
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Hello Bill .
Mine is almost vertical although it may have been better to put it at an angle. I don’t plan any big wood going in the top shoot, just small time consuming pieces .
Yes there is an adjustable stop under the shoot. I have it preset at about 2 inches .
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That really looks good Bill. These “new generation” chunkers are very professional looking, and working. Any that show up at Argos will be very popular.
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videos please!!!
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Okay Joseph you motivated me to finish this up today. I wanted to get it done enough to move outside.
After watching the video I see what I need to do to accommodate thinner branches. Over all I am very happy with the operation of this chunker. It will take a few tweaks here and there as I get more time using it. I am open to suggestions if anyone sees something I should do.
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some big stuff there bill looks like plenty of power though .I like it
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Well that didn’t help the itch to build one… What size motor r u using there, single phase?
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Looking good there Bill ! That think really gets after it.
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It’s a single phase 240 volt 5hp from a Ingersoll-Rand air compressor. I’m impressed when cutting two pieces so close together, it doesn’t phase the motor at all.
As found out on the Friday Hangout, not all 5 hp motors are equal. But I think a 3 hp would also be sufficient. Chris runs his with a 2hp with a slight slow down.
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Great job Bill. I believe you can now chunk wood faster than you can burn it. I wish I had some of those bigger chunks down here.
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I think the lower amperage of the 240 volt is the key factor. 120 may make too much heat. Hope to see it at Argos, id like to give it a whirl
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