We have some work do. With updates.

[hobbyheater]

This is a 1983 West Coast Beaver Chomper and only 24 were built.

Allan

That is a cool looking machine. Any pics of the winch setup? What kind of eyehooks are those? Are you pre drilling and then screwing them in?

SolarAndWood

The "eyehooks" pictured are known as log dogs and are just driven into the block with a 5 lb soft hammer. To get them out, give just 2 good hits from either side and they are out. When splitting the blocks, just line the dog up with a crack while having a little tension on the cable and it is out. If you can find good sound wood to drive into, they will hold enough to lift the back of the Toyota pickup off the ground. These dogs, as the locals call them, are a product that the beachcombing industry uses. The winch is a 4500 lb Super Winch bolted to the top of the splitter. The other pictures are a family wood gathering outing in the mid 90's showing the splitter and winch and the size of rounds these dogs can lift and hold.
Allan

 

[hobbyheater]

Solarandwood "That is a cool looking machine. Any pics of the winch setup?"

Pictures of the winch set up. The new block fair-lead had its first trial today and it worked good. The original roller fair leads did not work too well unless you were yarding straight in. The block fair-lead gives a good 90 degree ark, and the cable still spools well. I don't stand in the bite on good pulls as only two 3/8" bolts holding the whole thing on.
This log on the surface looks pretty good but was not very straight. There were three change of direction in 16', but a nice day for a wood cut.

I also included a picture of my crew.

Allan

 

[Woody Stover]

What kind of wood is that, isk, or did I miss it earlier? Looks like it may be some sort of Maple...

 

[hobbyheater]

What kind of wood is that, isk, or did I miss it earlier? Looks like it may be some sort of Maple...

The blocks at the wood splitter are Western Douglas Fir second growth , good sound wood but the trunk was shaped like a corkscrew.

Allan