I had been using one of my my jeep cherokees to split wood since it is the only thing with a open diff.
I thought, "I'll use the 90 tug to run the Barkbuster for a change.", It does take a little more setup time to put the passanger side up on blocks, since it has a detroit locker in the diff, and jack up the drivers side since the low bumper wont let me back onto the rollers.
I am pleased with the results, 15mph in drive with 7.17 gears worked like a charm, a lot of the big wood would stop the tire on a 4.0L jeep in low gear @ 15mph, with the 6bt ya don't even hear the exhaust note change in 3rd, wood squealing, tearing and smoking! it just keeps on going.
As a bonus I think I'm gettin more WPG (wood per gallon)

Just thought I'd show one of the odd uses for a 1st gen

 

thats a cool little setup
what is like the little truck can u take it on streets and drive around

 

Thats cool! You gotta find a way to get video of that posted on here.

 

looks neat, could you explain a little more how it works?

 

I used to have the same type of unit but it bolted right up to the hub. My International Scout 800 would just rip through firewood. Easier than a hydraulic splitter IMO.

 

I'll try to get some video of it in action.
I used to drive it around, it only goes 32mph wide open.

 

It has two rollers the wheel sits on, the front one free-wheels (so the vehicle doesn't leave the scene if the screw locks up in a piece of wood) the rear one has a small sprocket chained to a large sprocket on the back of the screw. The screw just screws in to the wood from the side and splits it open.
The bar sticking out is the safety bar, the wood hits it so it doesn't spin with the screw.
It is faster in straight grained wood than a hydraulic splitter, but you have to be VERY CAREFULL, I hadn't used it in years until my hyd splitter broke recently. There were a couple of close calls that led to it being put in storage. I was going to sell it several years ago, my wife said I had to cut it up if I ever got rid of it.
One of the guys at work has the screw splitter that bolts in place of a wheel, it has been chased around the farm several times with a piece of oak for a wheel.

 

Wow That Looks Safe

 

Danger!!! Danger!!! Danger!!!

 

That gave me a agood laugh. That looks like something that the old timers would use until it came up and ripped there head off. I have seen the one before that bolts to the hub. Scary..

 

safety bar... ya right... there's nothing safe about that death trap.
there's a good reason those are no longer sold. probably something to do with arms yanked off

best thing to do is to have it meet a cutting torch

 

Stuff like that ain't meant for people with a cell-phone clapped to the side of their head all the time; when using a tool like that, it's ALL-HANDS-ON-DECK.


There used to be several companies that made all manner of useful gadgets that used vehicle axle power.


A neighbor had a unit that either replaced a hind-wheel, or with longer studs, simply bolted on over the wheel.

This unit had several possible uses.

There was a wide-belt pulley; this wide-belt pulley had lips on each side to also spool a cable, rope, or chain; there were key-slots for attaching either a cable or rope, and another slot that captured a log-chain; in the center of the pulley, pointing outward, was a standard 540-RPM PTO shaft.


The winch feature could be used two ways, either with the truck stationary for pulling logs or whatever, or with the wheels on the ground for winching out the truck itself; the cable could be anchored behind the truck or in front.


Both the PTO-drive and wide-pulley could be used simultaneously without interferring with one another.

There also was a V-belt track on one edge of the wide pulley.


I have convinced myself that I need to build such a convenience.

 

What did you have to pay for the tug at auction? I have been trying to win one and always get out bid, guess I am cheap!

 

Thats cool. Hadn't seen one in years. They were popular back in the 70's with the back to land movement.

Safety is relative to your comprehension of the situation, alertness and IQ. If you understand the way it works and the potential problems and possible outcomes, then you can decide "do you feel lucky" (to paraphrase Clint). Lawyers and pansies have ruined the natural selection process of the gene pool. Doesn't mean you would let your child operate it or send a high school kid with his Ipod and cell phone out to run it with his hair in his eyes and his pants around his knees.

Is it as safe as siting on the couch watching TV? Probably not. Is it as safe as an open 2' buzz saw hooked to the rear PTO belt off my 1951 Power Wagon, probably safer . I have broken bones from "accepted" practices such as basketball and pulling out of my driveway. But on the other hand, I have received no bodily harm (yet) from snow skiing, jumping off bridges, riding a horse, walking on a semi-frozen river, farming, flying to China, etc, etc.

Life is basically about making decisions after judging the odds. Is the experience I am about to embrace worth the risk? Whether it is driving through traffic, peeing on an electric fence, unprotected casual sex, snow skiing or whatever. In the end you either receive the Darwin award or another joy of living memory/experience. Sometimes it's your intelligence, sometimes its your luck. Sometimes you regret doing it - sometimes you regret not doing it.

Um, sorry for the sermon. Got a little carried away there. I'm off my box now...

 

Couldnt agree with you more, KRB, and Bearkiller.