My DHT 22t log catcher.

[beerbelly]

Finally getting around to posting pic's. The "el cheapo" I am by nature wouldn't allow me to by the log catcher for my splitter, so I made this from rebar & some scrap steel. It works well and will hold my 200+lb. fat azz, so I am sure it will hold any round I can lift.

Tri-axle load of wood coming next week end (later than I hoped, it is getting a bit warm for my old, fat self!) so I can give this splitter a work out. So far it has worked really well and for a grand I figure I can't go wrong. I have all the steel & tank now, so everything else (engine, ram, valve, pump) is replaceable if need be.

 

[Officer's Match]

Darned nice job. ^

I used a wire shelf from the racking I have in my printshop (used to hold multiple cartons of paper, very strong). It provides a guard over the engine as well as a log rest, and since the wires on the top run lengthwise, it's easy to slide big chunks forward to make space for multiple re-splits.

 

[beerbelly]

How is that attached to the I-beam?

I was thinking I should extend mine over the engine or weld up some type of lip to stop anything from sliding off on top of the engine. I'll post some pics if I come up with something. Happy splitting.

 

[Officer's Match]

How is that attached to the I-beam?

I was thinking I should extend mine over the engine or weld up some type of lip to stop anything from sliding off on top of the engine. I'll post some pics if I come up with something. Happy splitting.

I'll take some pic's when I get it out again. I attached two 3/8's i-bolts through the holes in the splitter beam's center section, positioned so the holes in the i-bolts are in line with the beam (think of the beam as a rifle barrel and the i-bolts as dual peep sights). The ledge around the wire shelf sits over the upper "rim" of the i-bolt, and is secured with a barrel bolt cinch thingy I bought at Lowes for $1.95 (see pic below). This barrel bolt thingy spans from the i-bolt to where a horizontal wire is welded to a vertical wire, at an angle to that pulls the shelf towards the stop end of the I-Beam. A few twists of the barrel bolt and the table simply lifts off for refueling or vertical splitting. Which, BTW, is something you could consider for a fixed bolt on like yours: even if it did cover the engine, the engine is easily accessible by standing the splitter beam up. Your setup looks very clean and professional. If you wanted to extend it over the engine, I'd say a third brace setup like you did and longer rebar and a few holes drilled in the splitter beam and you'd be set. If going that route, I might consider smooth pipe to make sliding the wood forward an easier task, and if not too difficult, a slight upward slant discourage the half from rolling off after the split.