canguy21 said:
Years ago, we welded a cross on the wedge to quarter the log. The five horse Briggs stalled in birch so we installed an eight and cranked down the relief valve. Bent the 4" ram.
Vibration is a problem on the splitters with the vertical shaft engines mounted solidly to the frame. These modified lawnmower engines are cheap to buy but I like a horizontal mounted on dampers a lot better.
I worked in an agricultural machine shop building applicators. Over 10 years I and others built 6 splitters of a basic type with gradual improvements. I am still running mine after 20 years. Lessons learned:
1. Make the armature (the tube, I-beam, whatever) that the ram runs on STRONG. Any flex at all is bad. We started with 3 1/2" heavy wal square tube for the main frame. Finally wound up with an additional 2 1/2" heavy wall square tube added under it for stiffness.
2. Make both the wedge and push plate STRONG. Although mod 1 had the wedge inserted in a slot in the tube and welded firmly both top and bottom, it was neatly pushed right out of the tube. Fix was wings at an angle starting about 1/3 back from the sharp edge plus a 3/8", 3 1/2" wide plate up the backside and welded the p*** out of it. I also bent up my push plate and had to add stiffeners there.
3. Don't make the ram meet the wedge. I leave about 2-3" after full extension. If the block doesn't complete splitting, just back off the ram and stick a piece of wood in to complete the split.
4. Hydraulic tank -should- be located so the oil level is always above the pump. It only takes a few revs of a dry pump to destroy it.
5. Keep the wheels, motor etc well back from the operator position. Our mod 1-5 had the wheels positioned about 1/3 of the length. They were always in the way while operating. My mod 6 has them at the end of the armature, well out of the way. Makes for heavy tongue weight but well worth it to have a clear operating area. I just bought a "trailer dolly" from harbor frieght to ease moving my splitter around the wood pile.
6. Re: bent ram: You should have a strap over the front of the ram to keep it from lifting up and thus bending the ram rod.
7. Valve. I prefer the detent kind, i.e., stays in the position you put it. That is a safety hazard and I won't allow anyone else to use my splitter because of it. I almost lost a finger by getting it trapped and almost unable to reach the valve to stop operation. Automatic return is much better but almost requires 2 people to run it to get any decent production.
Harry K