Old Baler Chops Wood

Old Baler Chops Wood HAY & FORAGE HARVESTING Balers (6) 1-5-23 What used to be an International Harvester T-50 hay baler has been converted into a low cost wood chopper that requires very little horsepower and fuel to operate. "It uses impact rather than a lot of power to do the splitting. Low horsepower and a low fuel requirement are its two outstanding features," says C. L. "Chris" Ahlschlarger, Minneota, Minn., inventor. Ahlschlarger increased the diameter of the large drive wheel to 38 in. to get the proper operating speed of the pushpull plunger it drives. A 5 hp engine drives the wheel. Ahlschlarger used plate steel and an axe blade to make the wedge at the end of the plunger which does the splitting. The "bumper" and cradle in which individual logs are placed for splitting accommodates logs up to 18 in. long and up to 16 in. in dia. The plunger moves back and forth in slow, continuous push-pull strokes. As it draws back to clear the cradle, a log is laid inside. The plunger splits it on the "push" stroke, then clears the cradle for the next log on the "pull" stroke.

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