New splitter build

[Charlie Pendleton]

Not so sure those are stick welds. Charlie, what did you use to make those welds

Not so sure those are stick welds. Charlie, what did you use to make those welds

7018 rod for the root, mig for the top passes

 

[muddstopper]

thought so

 

[Wood Hound]

This thread has turned into all about welding-will we be getting a update on how this machine turned out???Will it split wood???

 

[Charlie Pendleton]

This thread has turned into all about welding-will we be getting a update on how this machine turned out???Will it split wood???

Haha, yea it splits. I split a cord before Christmas with the test motor which didn't have nuts to turn the pump in knotty wood. I am building the mount for the new motor and control panel. It's an electric start motor so needs a battery tray etc. I'll update with video soon as it's done.

 

[Wood Hound]

OK,that is good,will wait for your video....

 

[NSMaple1]

Haha, yea it splits. I split a cord before Christmas with the test motor which didn't have nuts to turn the pump in knotty wood.

And you survived to talk about it?

 

[Charlie Pendleton]

So got the permanent motor installed, 17.5 HP electric start. Split wood for a few min, got into some twisted gnarly Russian olive and wedged 2 out of 3 splits between the 4 way and slide. So trial and error results in no more 4 way. I spent enough time removing the wedged blocks i could have split 3 or 4 more rounds.

 

[muddstopper]

I am confused. You have a 7in cyl and it got stuck with a 4way spit.

 

[Charlie Pendleton]

Oh sorry, the cylinder did it's job and used the 2 stage of the pump for a few seconds. The wood wedged against the slide and the wedge. I don't know that I could stall that cylinder.

 

[Jakers]

Oh sorry, the cylinder did it's job and used the 2 stage of the pump for a few seconds. The wood wedged against the slide and the wedge. I don't know that I could stall that cylinder.

this is why most of the commercial built splitters have stripper bars of sorts to protect the cylinder and strip out stuck pieces on the return stroke. the learning curve is more like a never ending hill sometimes isnt it

 

[Charlie Pendleton]

Very true. There has to be a way to use a wider spreader or angles of blades that will push the pieces against the slide out preventing them from wedging. I thought about building strippers but need to get to splitting so I'll get to working this machine and keep thinking. If anyone has thoughts about preventing this I'd love to hear them. Strippers may be the only answer?

this is why most of the commercial built splitters have stripper bars of sorts to protect the cylinder and strip out stuck pieces on the return stroke. the learning curve is more like a never ending hill sometimes isnt it

 

[Sandhill Crane]

Check out the Eastonmade wood splitter design.

 

[NSMaple1]

Looking back at some of your pics, and if I understood what you said, your 4 way wing would be kind of prone to jambing with the slide and bolt heads directly below them, depending on the grain of the wood. The grain could push the wood right down against that stuff, the bolt heads would catch it. Not sure the best way to fix that for you though.

 

[Charlie Pendleton]

Very true. There has to be a way to use a wider spreader or angles of blades that will push the pieces against the slide out preventing them from wedging. I thought about building strippers but need to get to splitting so I'll get to working this machine and keep thinking. If anyone has thoughts about preventing this I'd love to hear them. Strippers may be the only answer

this is why most of the commercial built splitters have stripper bars of sorts to protect the cylinder and strip out stuck pieces on the return stroke. the learning curve is more like a never ending hill sometimes isnt it

Looking back at some of your pics, and if I understood what you said, your 4 way wing would be kind of prone to jambing with the slide and bolt heads directly below them, depending on the grain of the wood. The grain could push the wood right down against that stuff, the bolt heads would catch it. Not sure the best way to fix that for you though.

The wood grain is for sure an issue. When I used it in December I split nice pine, moving into elm and olive with nasty grain I found the problem.

 

[muddstopper]

I kind of always thought your wing wedges where a little short. Since your wedge is on the cyl and not the beam, not sure what the fix might be. With a wedge on beam, if the wood sticks, you just push it out with the next round. Strippers might be your best bet. My wedge on beam is height adjustable. It also just sets on top of the lift arm. If the wood tries to stick between the wedge and beam, the wedge simply rises up and lets the wood fall out.

 

[Charlie Pendleton]

Looking back at some of your pics, and if I understood what you said, your 4 way wing would be kind of prone to jambing with the slide and bolt heads directly below them, depending on the grain of the wood. The grain could push the wood right down against that stuff, the bolt heads would catch it. Not sure the best way to fix that for you though.

I kind of always thought your wing wedges where a little short. Since your wedge is on the cyl and not the beam, not sure what the fix might be. With a wedge on beam, if the wood sticks, you just push it out with the next round. Strippers might be your best bet. My wedge on beam is height adjustable. It also just sets on top of the lift arm. If the wood tries to stick between the wedge and beam, the wedge simply rises up and lets the wood fall out.

Well hopefully I can figure something out, I hate having so much tonnage without utilizing some of it. One cool thing i like is that this system operates at very low pressure. It's a high tonnage low pressure splitter.

 

[CaseyForrest]

Is there enough room to have another round strip the stuck pieces off the wedge or is there not enough room for the wedge to retract with wood stuck on it?


Sent from a field

 

[Charlie Pendleton]

I

Is there enough room to have another round strip the stuck pieces off the wedge or is there not enough room for the wedge to retract with wood stuck on it?


Sent from a field

I tried, it just pushes into the cylinder

 

[Charlie Pendleton]

Well hopefully I can figure something out, I hate having so much tonnage without utilizing some of it. One cool thing i like is that this system operates at very low pressure. It's a high tonnage low pressure splitter.

I'm thinking about building a plate onto the slide that flushes the bolt heads and building the wings on the slide side of the 4 way wider to spread more

 

[CaseyForrest]

Ok.

Sand hill mentioned looking at the Easton splitters. I believe it's either them or the allwood have a design the allows knife edge of the wedge to fully cut the splits. I'm not good at explanations but perhaps take a look. Seems like an easy modification that may solve the issue partly.


Sent from a field