hydraulic splitter info

[derbyguy_78]

Hello all, i have been looking for plans on how to build a hydraulic wood splitter,but figured someone here has to have them. I would get them from another site but who knows what they will send me after i pay 20-50 bucks.Its not that i am cheap or anything just in need of some info to help me out anyway, please chime in if you have a link,or some plans..Thank-you.....Scott

 

[cntrybo2]

man, for your time and effort you will put into building a splitter you are better off IMO buying one from a company such as Northern or the like. These will come with a warranty as well and look at all the wood you will be able to split in the time it would take you to put the thing together.

 

[turnkey4099]

Hello all, i have been looking for plans on how to build a hydraulic wood splitter,but figured someone here has to have them. I would get them from another site but who knows what they will send me after i pay 20-50 bucks.Its not that i am cheap or anything just in need of some info to help me out anyway, please chime in if you have a link,or some plans..Thank-you.....Scott

If you have to buy all, or even most, of your components, you would be far, far ahead money wise to buy a commercial one.

As to plans. I only recall seeing one in the past 30 years and that was in M.E.N. way back when. Very poor design. We who have built them generally just went by our knowledge of hydraulics, mechanics and features that are on the commercial ones then build to suit our own preferences.

A few pointers.

Try for a 4" - 4 1/2" cylinder. Smaller will be a bit underpowered, larger are generally overkill and result in slower cycle times. To size the lenght of armature you need to know what the 'stroke' of the cylinder is (difference between the closed and extended length). Then make the space between the point of the wedge and the face of the push plate 3 or 4" longer than that, i.e., stroke 18", throat 22-24". 99% of your wood will split long before full extension, any that doesn't, just back off the cylinder and put a chunk of wood behind the block.

Figuring armature length:

The 'armature' (the spine that the cylinder, slide, wedge go on) gets a lot longer then you would first think after you add up all the pieces.

Length of extended cylinder (eye to eye)
1/2 width of the eye the solid cylinder end connects to.
'Height' of eye (center of hole to the base that is welded to back of push plate)
Thickness of push plate
Length of the wedge.
Added length on end for gusset bracing behind the cylinder eye. Do put one on there. That eye takes a lot of strain. Our first design had the eye cut into the armature, welded solidly both top and bottom. It failed. Subsequent models had a triangle gusset brace added - no further problems.

Once you have the length of your armature figured, go back and refigure. I had a scrounged 18" cylinder and aimed for a 22" throat. In spite of all my figuring and checking, I wound up with a 20 1/2". Never did figure out where 1 1/2" disappeared.

Just a few pointers.

Harry K

 

[ASEMASTER]

I agree

If you have to buy all, or even most, of your components, you would be far, far ahead money wise to buy a commercial one.

As to plans. I only recall seeing one in the past 30 years and that was in M.E.N. way back when. Very poor design. We who have built them generally just went by our knowledge of hydraulics, mechanics and features that are on the commercial ones then build to suit our own preferences.

A few pointers.

Try for a 4" - 4 1/2" cylinder. Smaller will be a bit underpowered, larger are generally overkill and result in slower cycle times. To size the lenght of armature you need to know what the 'stroke' of the cylinder is (difference between the closed and extended length). Then make the space between the point of the wedge and the face of the push plate 3 or 4" longer than that, i.e., stroke 18", throat 22-24". 99% of your wood will split long before full extension, any that doesn't, just back off the cylinder and put a chunk of wood behind the block.

Figuring armature length:

The 'armature' (the spine that the cylinder, slide, wedge go on) gets a lot longer then you would first think after you add up all the pieces.

Length of extended cylinder (eye to eye)
1/2 width of the eye the solid cylinder end connects to.
'Height' of eye (center of hole to the base that is welded to back of push plate)
Thickness of push plate
Length of the wedge.
Added length on end for gusset bracing behind the cylinder eye. Do put one on there. That eye takes a lot of strain. Our first design had the eye cut into the armature, welded solidly both top and bottom. It failed. Subsequent models had a triangle gusset brace added - no further problems.

Once you have the length of your armature figured, go back and refigure. I had a scrounged 18" cylinder and aimed for a 22" throat. In spite of all my figuring and checking, I wound up with a 20 1/2". Never did figure out where 1 1/2" disappeared.

Just a few pointers.

Harry K

as a mechanic and fabeicator I bought one all made . as it was cheeper and the time I spent collecting parts and building I would have all my wood cut and split.

 

[derbyguy_78]

hhmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

ok sounds reasonable, i have been looking at a huskee brand at tractor supply,but wondering if the $999 model would have enough umph for splitting firewood in bulk if i remember right i believe it is around 22 or 25 ton.

 

[sawinredneck]

$100 min for I-beam, $350 min for a motor, $250 min for cylinder, $100 for a control valve, $200 min for a pump. Then you have to plumb it, buy a resovoir, an axel, tires. Then add up welding rod and grinding disc's.
Unless you want something out of the ordinary, or like me, the timberwolf I looked at was $10k, don't even waste you're time!

Just the little above comes to $1100, IF, you can get them that cheap! Go to Atwoods, Lowes or Home Depot, buy one, and have fun with it!

 

[Husky137]

ok sounds reasonable, i have been looking at a huskee brand at tractor supply,but wondering if the $999 model would have enough umph for splitting firewood in bulk if i remember right i believe it is around 22 or 25 ton.

You are only going to split it one round at a time so "umphh" in relation to "Volume" isn't going to be an issue. If they are "true" 22 or 25 ton you should be able to split anything you want. The cheaper units tend to suffer in the cycle time.

Sawinredneck, what TW is going for 10K?, maybe the 7?

 

[sawinredneck]

You are only going to split it one round at a time so "umphh" in relation to "Volume" isn't going to be an issue. If they are "true" 22 or 25 ton you should be able to split anything you want. The cheaper units tend to suffer in the cycle time.

Sawinredneck, what TW is going for 10K?, maybe the 7?

It was the TW-7 with the hyd. adjustable wedge, You can run a four-way, or a six way on it and a ram adjusts it up and down for log size.

 

[Husky137]

That's a lot of extra cake for the 7. I bought the 5 with all of those features plus the table grate and log lift for $7200.

 

[sawinredneck]

That's a lot of extra cake for the 7. I bought the 5 with all of those features plus the table grate and log lift for $7200.

Been a year, I don't remember all of the specifics but it was, IMO, better to build what I wanted than to spend the cash for that splitter!
Now if I can only get it done!