Page 10A-KINGS MOUNTAIN HERALD-Thursday, May 3, 1984
Ross’s Splitter One Of A Kind
Anyone who has ever tried to split hardwood with an axe and
wedge will appreciate the latest invention of Horace Ross of Kings
Mountain.
Ross, with the capable assistance of friends Bob Morris, Fred Dixon
and Larry Slycord, has constructed a mobile woodsplitter which could
be the only one of its kind.
Unlike most homemade—or marketed—woodsplitters which must be
hauled on the back of a truck or trailer, Ross’ is driven to the wood
pile.
And, Ross’s machine cost him hundreds of dollars less than what it
would have had he purchased it. Except for the hydraulics, every item
on the woodsplitter was taken from scrap or junk yards.
The idea for building the splitter came following a discussion bet-
ween some older and more experienced wood cutters and some
younger bucks one day at City Auto and Truck Parts, where Ross
works.
Some of the younger men were bragging on their woodsplitters
while some of the older ones, including Ross, were saying that they
could split more wood with a go-devil than the younger ones could
with their fancy woodsplitters.
After all the joking was laid aside, Ross made the comment that
“I'm not really throwing off on the woodsplitters. I'd like to have one,
but I can’t afford it.”
So, Morris, Dixon and Slycord said they would volunteer their time
to help Ross build a woodsplitter, if he would supply the parts.
“I went home and started going through my junk. We decided if we
were going to build one, we might as well go all the way and build one
that I could drive. I live on a small city lot and it’s hard to maneuver
Girls
Cleveland County Girls Club On Wednesdays the
will sponsor a variety of ac- Sunbeams are led by Peggy Vess
tivities during the month of and there is softball practice. A
Activities Set
May.
On Mondays an art class in
water colors will be instructed by
Ruth Self. There will be softball
practice coached by Bobbie Mit-
chell and Mardella Shelby. On
Tuesdays karate class is 'in-
structed by Dora Jackson and
photography is taught by Edwin
Stilwell. Needlework is taught by
Ruth Self.
baton class is taught by Lynn
Propst. On Thursdays Family
Life class is taught by Linda
Hooker and crosstitch is taught
by Elwin Stilwell. Needlework is
taught by Ruth Self. On
Thursdays, Family Life Class is
taught by Linda Hooker and a
crossstitch class is instructed by
Kim Bumgarner. Cooking class
is taught by Annie Browner.
IT'S A BOY
Wayne and Rachel Thomas of
Kings Mountain announce the
birth of a son, Matthew Wayne
Thomas, April 30 at Gaston
Memorial Hospital. He weighed
eight pounds, 13% ounces. He
has a five-year-old sister, Cindy.
NO SMALL
PRINT
Grandparents are Mr. and Mrs.
Herbert Thomas of Bessemer Ci-
ty and Mr. and Mrs. William
Bradley of Gastonia. Great-
grandmother is Mrs. Ola
Thomas of Dahlonega, Ga.
IF YOU OWN A BUSINESS
THAT USES TRUCK?
NOW THRU MAY 12
*449
INCLUDING
of REIGHT
Slants
By
Gary Stewart
Stewart’s
one around on a truck or trailer,” he said.
Ross’s splitter, called a “Portasplitter”,
carts, riding mowers and garden tractors, and such name brands as
Craftsman, Homelite and Snapper.
“I built it, clamped it and bolted it together, and then took it to Bob
On Fridays, May 4th is the
Girl of the Month party and bir-
thday party. May 1l will be the
last session of the winter bowling
tournament and there is a one
dollar fee. May 18 will be video
games and putt putt at one dollar
fee. May 25 will be the VIP trip
to the mall cinemas with a 50
cent fee.
Registration for the summer
session will be June 1 and 4 with
summer hours starting on June
4th. The Cleveland County Girls
Club is a United Way Agency. It
is located at 105 Rogers St.,
Shelby, and is open to all girls of
school age in Cleveland County.
For more information about the
club and its activities,call the
club at 482-8431 or stop by.
NO HIDDEN
CHARGES
OVER 00 IN STOCK
1984 ISUZU PICKUP (GO4 MODEL)
WIDENHOUSE-LYTLE ISUZU
864-1192 GASTONIA N.C.
contains parts from old golf
WOOD SPLITTER - Horace Ross of Kings
Mountain sits on his mobile woodsplitter
which he and some friends built from scrap
ONLY(B LEFT
>2990
SOLD AS IS
864-1192
Morris’s and Bob, Fred Dixon and Larry Slycord did the welding and
hydraulics,” Ross said.
Before they would turn the machine back over to Ross, they made
sure it was in good working order by splitting a pickup load of wood.
Ross has also used it to split a load and it works perfectly.
“We believe it’s one of a kind,” said Ross. “We’ve seen woodsplitters
hauled behind tractors and on trailers, but I believe this is the only one
in the area than you can drive to the job.” -~
The men originally intended their challenge to be a part-time, sum-
mer hobby, but they got so wrapped up in their work they completed it
in six weeks spare time.
Ross, who has burned only wood for the past four winters and uses
about five cords of firewood a year, built the machine for his personal
use only and does not plan to build another, although it would be a
good business venture for someone who had the time and finances to
build them.
His splitter travels four inches a second and will split wood up to 24
inches long and any diameter. The motor is a 10 horsepower Kholer
which came off an old golf cart. His hubcaps were taken off an old
Ford garden tractor. John Mitchell, an expert sign painter who works
with Ross at City Auto and Truck Parts, took the name Ford off the
center of the caps and painted Ross on them. A special sign on the side
of the splitter credits Morris, Dixon and Slycord for helping Ross build
1t.
“It was a challenge for all of us,” says Ross. “We're proud of it.”
Ross received quite a few comments and words of congratulations
as he displayed it in front of City Auto and Truck Tuesday afternoon.
At the end of the work day, he returned it to his home on Second
Street to rest up for awhile before the fall splitting season.
PRinSPLITIER
Photo by Gary Stewart
parts recently. Ross's invention could be the
first of its kind and is an idea many others will
probably pick up on.
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5 WILKINSON BLVD
ET
SRR