Building a new tip-up log splitter

[radroy92]

Roy you are an incredible welder fabricator. I have no talent in that area. Thanks for sharing this picture rich tread.

What size is the cylinder and the rod?

Thanks rep sent for great post David

Hi David,

Thanks a bunch!! 4" cyl. with 2" ram. Found it in a dumpster!

Roy

 

[radroy92]

Tip-Up Splitter Finally Done !!!!!!!!!!

Well it's been a while ......... I ran into all sorts of problems with metal, shielding gas, weld cracks, etc. and took some time off the project here and there but I put a push on last week and had it running and splitting New Year's Eve!!!!! I've got one small oil leak at the suction fitting on the used 16 gal. pump but it's pretty minor. I attached some pics of it sitting in the garage. I'll get some splitting action pics up soon. Sorry it's only in primer, I'll get a coat of yellow on it some time.

Roy

 

[olyman]

Well it's been a while ......... I ran into all sorts of problems with metal, shielding gas, weld cracks, etc. and took some time off the project here and there but I put a push on last week and had it running and splitting New Year's Eve!!!!! I've got one small oil leak at the suction fitting on the used 16 gal. pump but it's pretty minor. I attached some pics of it sitting in the garage. I'll get some splitting action pics up soon. Sorry it's only in primer, I'll get a coat of yellow on it some time.

Roy

i read the whole thread..i hope,,your ground out,,all the old welds,,that had been welded with the wet 7018,,and rewelded with the dry rod..7018,,can lose 50% of its strength,,with any moisture to speak of in the rod..thats why bridge welders,carry a closed rod holder,,when they weld on a bridge..thats also why you were getting porosity..they have to be kept dry,,and after so many times of opening the rod holder,,they go back into a hot oven to dry them back out..

 

[radroy92]

Welding

i read the whole thread..i hope,,your ground out,,all the old welds,,that had been welded with the wet 7018,,and rewelded with the dry rod..7018,,can lose 50% of its strength,,with any moisture to speak of in the rod..thats why bridge welders,carry a closed rod holder,,when they weld on a bridge..thats also why you were getting porosity..they have to be kept dry,,and after so many times of opening the rod holder,,they go back into a hot oven to dry them back out..

Yes I did. I took a welding class at the local community college and got informed. Keep E7018 in rod oven 250 degrees F, preheat thicker metal before welding, multipass welds, etc.

I had a problem with toe cracks on the plate to I-beam welds. Our best guess is the plate is high carbon (surplus find). Ground out all the cracked welds and deeper. Re-welded with MG-600 specialty rod for welding dissimilar steels (90 to 100 PSI-TS) with 400 degree perheat. Everything looks good now. Should be a nice long wearing plate.

Thanks for the info. and thanks for slogging through the whole thread!

Roy

 

[fordracer]

Very nice job radroy.

 

[radroy92]

Splitting!

Very nice job radroy.

Thanks FR! I upgraded to a used 8 horse engine with a 16 GPM pump mid-project. I'm glad I did I like the speed. I think the original 5 horse engine and 11 GPM pump would have been too slow.

I worked out by the garage yesterday clearing some logs off the driveway see attached pics.

Roy

 

[fordracer]

Thanks FR! I upgraded to a used 8 horse engine with a 16 GPM pump mid-project. I'm glad I did I like the speed. I think the original 5 horse engine and 11 GPM pump would have been too slow.

I worked out by the garage yesterday clearing some logs off the driveway see attached pics.

Roy

Mine is 9 hp with a 16 gpm pump and the cycle time is 14 seconds,keeps me busy when im doing it by myself,lol.

 

[radroy92]

Action Pics

I got a few good days in before the snow came. It's been working fine. Had a couple leaks that were easy to fix. Frozen Bur Oak really pops!

Roy

 

[radroy92]

A Few More Pics

Here's more pics before and after it snowed.

Roy

 

[bubba3228]

You gotta be proud of that machine, very nice work.

 

[radroy92]

I am!

You gotta be proud of that machine, very nice work.

You betcha! I don't know what I expected maybe a break-in preiod or something but it just works. Some minor easily fixed leaks and the air worked it's way out of the oil after one run. After all the hard work building it, it seems too easy. But I'll take it.

Thanks,

Roy

 

[firewood guy]

Great Job!

As a fellow welder/fabricator my hat is off to you in that many people can either envision or build , but not too many get-er-done! Great pics, you have helped me in my project motivation...

 

[radroy92]

As a fellow welder/fabricator my hat is off to you in that many people can either envision or build , but not too many get-er-done! Great pics, you have helped me in my project motivation...

I'm glad to be of service! I needed a lot of motivation myself!

Roy

 

[Blazin]

Nice Build!!

 

[radroy92]

Thanks

Nice Build!!

Thanks Blazin!

 

[Stihlofadeal64]

nice work

Nice fabrication and work on this post. Keep the pics coming!

 

[radroy92]

Wedge Mods

The 1/4" plates on the spreader part of the wedge started to bend in from splitting nasty logs. It only moved about 1/8" but it would probably get worse. So I added some 3/4 x 3/4 bars to stiffen the back edge. There really isn't a lot of room to add cross braces so this was my other option.

Roy

 

[radroy92]

Wedge Mods 2

Just some pics after welding and grinding and testing on a few logs.

Roy