I am accumulating parts to build a hydraulic log splitter. So far I've decided I want it towable on highways,(longer toungue and wider wheelbase and bigger tires than most), it's own engine so I can run it anywhere and horizontal or vertical. Looking for thoughts and experience before i start welding. Any ideas, photo's or things I should or shouldn't do would be great. Thanks
building wood splitter,(looking for ideas)
- Thread starter MOE
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TonyM
ArboristSite Guru
The biggest complaint I have with my purchased wood splitter is that the engine is mounted rigid to the frame. As a result, everything vibrates like crazy, and the engine has managed to self destruct with very few hours of use (lost fasteners, cracked sheet metal, broken welds, etc.) I would definitely mount the engine on some vibration isolation mounts!
Another neat thing I saw was a splitter that splits in both directions. You lose a little power on one stroke, but you don't need a fast return to have a quick cycle time, so you can use a larger cylinder or smaller displacement higher pressure pump.
The two stage pumps are nice to get good power without sacrificing speed.
Just make sure you take into effect the height of the ram or wedge and calculate the bending at the maximum distance from the frame, so you keep the things sturdy enough. A lot of lower end splitters use short wedges and rams to allow a flimsier frame, sometimes making it a little difficult to split big chunks.
Another neat thing I saw was a splitter that splits in both directions. You lose a little power on one stroke, but you don't need a fast return to have a quick cycle time, so you can use a larger cylinder or smaller displacement higher pressure pump.
The two stage pumps are nice to get good power without sacrificing speed.
Just make sure you take into effect the height of the ram or wedge and calculate the bending at the maximum distance from the frame, so you keep the things sturdy enough. A lot of lower end splitters use short wedges and rams to allow a flimsier frame, sometimes making it a little difficult to split big chunks.
Smeagol
ArboristSite Member
Awesome rig, Craig! Go for it! 
Al Smith
Addicted to ArboristSite
My 2 cents
Use a 2 speed pump,and a detent return valve.Mount the pump,using a mount off the engine,then shock mount the engine and pump,as a unit.The option to tilt up in a vertical position,will be greatly appreciated by your back.All this is good info.I have built 6 of them,but never finished my own.What's wrong with this picture?
Use a 2 speed pump,and a detent return valve.Mount the pump,using a mount off the engine,then shock mount the engine and pump,as a unit.The option to tilt up in a vertical position,will be greatly appreciated by your back.All this is good info.I have built 6 of them,but never finished my own.What's wrong with this picture?
Farm Show magazine had a pic of the ultimate splitter. It was a full size trailer with a 6 cylinder continental running a splitter, a buzz saw, hydraulic output and I think a belt pulley. It also had a chain drive, and could move itself on the site. All in all the best splitter I've ever seen.
My uncle built a nice splitter out of a large I-beam. The wedge wraps around one of the "I 's" and is powered by a 7 hp engine and 2-stage hydraulic ram. The stationary plate is another I-beam welded on top of the first. The wedge is removable for sharpening and uses an old piece of spring steel for the leading edge. The fluid reservoir is an old propane tank. The whole thing is set on an axle for towing. He plans to put ears on the wedge to make it split both ways. So far nothing has been able to stop it, even at half throttle it split the thickest oak we could find.
Tom Dunlap
Addicted to ArboristSite
That two way splitter is a great idea. Twofer's Rule!
Somewhere I saw a splitter that had an interesting "wedge" setup. A round piece of tubing with splitters bisecting the tube into four quadrants. The inside edges of the tubing were sharp and acted as the primary splitter. The wood would be "extruded" into four uniform pieces and the extra would fall away outside the tube. A person could weld on some fins at noon, three, six and nine to split the extra pieces too.
Somewhere I saw a splitter that had an interesting "wedge" setup. A round piece of tubing with splitters bisecting the tube into four quadrants. The inside edges of the tubing were sharp and acted as the primary splitter. The wood would be "extruded" into four uniform pieces and the extra would fall away outside the tube. A person could weld on some fins at noon, three, six and nine to split the extra pieces too.
Fluid reservoir, You could use square pipe, ends welded, pipe fittings weld in, under the I-beam, H-beam is better. For a breather tube, pipe up with an oil cap breather from a car or old truck. It holds lots of oil and you don't have a tank mounted in the way of things. The square pipe welded under the H-beam, stiffens the beam so less twist when doing the really knarly pieces. With the pipe fittings welded in the sides of the square pipe the square pipe hits bottom first and acts as a skid plate in rough areas so you're not knocking off fittings. Square pipe has more surface area to cool oil than a tank. I don't have pics but I have built 2 splitters. Side mount hydraulic lift to lift the big stuff, 4' dia. pieces. Works like tailgate lift on a truck.
WoodTick007
Addicted to ArboristSite
rborist1 said:
Are the pressures rated the some on the forward splitting stroke are the return stroke? Could you post some detailed photos of your project?
canguy21
ArboristSite Operative
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.
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.
jimc
ArboristSite Lurker
I've found the tilt-up type is good if you're planning on splitting big rounds.
I've also used one that had the ram & beam on flex hose with couplers, the motor& pump was in a generator frame. The whole thing easily loads into the pickup handled as two parts, and the beam sits close enough to the ground for rolling the big stuff, or put it up on something for comfortable reach doing smaller stuff. This was a fairly light duty setup though, with a 6" beam & 4hp 2stage power.
Another IMPORTANT thing, the wedge should always have some back angle towards the beam .That is, the top of the wedge should point toward the pusher. This tends to pull the wood into the splitter rather than camming it up, or perrmitting that frozen elm to pop out into orbit or worse. A lot of homebuilt and commercial splitters miss the boat on this.
I've also used one that had the ram & beam on flex hose with couplers, the motor& pump was in a generator frame. The whole thing easily loads into the pickup handled as two parts, and the beam sits close enough to the ground for rolling the big stuff, or put it up on something for comfortable reach doing smaller stuff. This was a fairly light duty setup though, with a 6" beam & 4hp 2stage power.
Another IMPORTANT thing, the wedge should always have some back angle towards the beam .That is, the top of the wedge should point toward the pusher. This tends to pull the wood into the splitter rather than camming it up, or perrmitting that frozen elm to pop out into orbit or worse. A lot of homebuilt and commercial splitters miss the boat on this.
Mange
Addicted to ArboristSite
I am going to build another that cuts and splits at the same time, but this "prototype" has been properly tested with about 300 cubic meters of wood.
WoodTick007 said:
From the little I know about hydraulic cylinders, you'll never get similar pressure ratings on both the forward and return stroke because the surface area of the piston that gets pressurized on the return stroke is reduced by the diameter of the rod.
Ranchero50
ArboristSite Member
I've been thinking about making one for a good while, almost a firewood machine type setup with the ram mounted above the passenger side wheels of my car trailer with a removable 15' hydraulic driven pickup conveyor to lift the heavy stuff to the splitter. Then the splittings will fall into the trailer bed and when I get home I can rig the conveyor so my kid can toss the split wood into it and I can stack it as it's cut and split. I think it would result in a lot less time spent moving wood piles and keep the mess at the wood lot instead of my back yard... If as said above I keep it in three seperate units I think I can manage loading it onto the trailer without a tractor. The hydraulics would be pretty easy, it's just a matter of getting the materials. I have a couple main hydraulic station pumps from the presses at work that are driven by 35hp electric motors.
Am I nutz?
Jamie
Am I nutz?
Jamie
Here is the ultimate splitter
So I tracked it down...
http://www.farmshow.com/issues/28/01/280104.asp
So I tracked it down...
http://www.farmshow.com/issues/28/01/280104.asp
canguy21 said:
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
Harry, All good ideas. Here is a couple more.
Control valve reachable with one hand when the other is touching the front wedge or plate. For your safety.
Make splitter so the wood is sitting at a comfortable work height.You won't want to be bent over the whole time your splitting.
Don't skimp on hydraulic tank size.Rule of thumb is about a gallon per gpm of pump. So an 11 gpm pump needs about an 11 gallon hydraulic tank.
Monitor hydraulic tank temperature.Take a break when oil is over 150 degrees F.
I tried several types of motor to pump couplings. The least vibration was when using a Woods #4 coupling.
Ray
Control valve reachable with one hand when the other is touching the front wedge or plate. For your safety.
Make splitter so the wood is sitting at a comfortable work height.You won't want to be bent over the whole time your splitting.
Don't skimp on hydraulic tank size.Rule of thumb is about a gallon per gpm of pump. So an 11 gpm pump needs about an 11 gallon hydraulic tank.
Monitor hydraulic tank temperature.Take a break when oil is over 150 degrees F.
I tried several types of motor to pump couplings. The least vibration was when using a Woods #4 coupling.
Ray
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