I beam size.

[woodcutter69]

I just picked up an I beam for the my splitter build, It is 8" tall and 5 1/2" wide flange. flange thickness is 3/8", and wedge thickness is 1/4". I am now worried it is not heavy enough. I will be using a 5" x 30" stroke with a 2" shaft, coupled with 13 hp and 22 gpm pump. I know this was just talked about, tried doing a search and doesnt come up with anything. by the way it is 84" long is that long enough for a 30" stroke.

 

[mga]

you have to figure your cylinder rear mount, then the legnth of the cylinder and ram extended, plus your push plate and guide and then add the wedge on the beam. that should give you your total length of the beam. (I i figured my push plate to stop about 1" away from the wedge)

as for the size being strong enough, it doesn't sound like it will hold up. i think that cylinder is going to twist that beam up real quick.

instead, look for an "H" beam about 8" wide and at least 1/2" thick

 

[kubotakid]

you have to figure your cylinder rear mount, then the legnth of the cylinder and ram extended, plus your push plate and guide and then add the wedge on the beam. that should give you your total length of the beam. (I i figured my push plate to stop about 1" away from the wedge)

as for the size being strong enough, it doesn't sound like it will hold up. i think that cylinder is going to twist that beam up real quick.

instead, look for an "H" beam about 8" wide and at least 1/2" thick

:agree2:

 

[Stihl310]

I just picked up an I beam for the my splitter build, It is 8" tall and 5 1/2" wide flange. flange thickness is 3/8", and wedge thickness is 1/4". I am now worried it is not heavy enough. I will be using a 5" x 30" stroke with a 2" shaft, coupled with 13 hp and 22 gpm pump. I know this was just talked about, tried doing a search and doesnt come up with anything. by the way it is 84" long is that long enough for a 30" stroke.

You should easily be able to get a steel yard to spec the beam for you, just tell them the max forces involved. THere are a ton of formulas out there for calculating beam sizes, I did a bunch of them back in a statics class, but it's been too long ... I have a splitter at home that doesn't have much more than about a 6" H beam, granted it's not near the size cylinder your runnning, I think it's around a 4" cylinder, but still... It looks to have been used and abused and it's still holding together....

Good Luck.

 

[Stihl310]

Here is a link to a welding site, scroll down and you will see 3d simulation of a 6x12 I beam, along with a 6x 25... These were based on a 6" cylinder putting out 35 ton of force... There is also another simulation of one that someone built with a 8 x 40 i beam... Looks like the 6 x 25 would be sufficient with a little bracing. Not sure what the 8" weight per foot is on your beam, but I would think you'd be able to brace it up if that's all you got.

Take that link for what it's worth, but they were simulated in 3D cad software, better than guessing.

Log splitter beam info - WeldingWeb™ - Welding forum for pros and enthusiasts

 

[Dustyw]

I know its a little overkill, but its about all I could find that was strong enough. I feel I got a good price on it. I only want to build this splitter once.[]
http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad68/dustywe/hbeam3.jpg

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad68/dustywe/hbeam2.jpg
http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad68/dustywe/hbeam1.jpg
http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad68/dustywe/hbeam1.jpg

 

[loganj01]

This will probably leave lots of people shaking their heads in disbelief, and possibly rolling around laughing, but my old splitter has a "beam" that is made from 2"x6" rectangular tubing that also doubles as the oil reservoir. You wouldn't believe the logs this thing has split. I broke the factory wedge off it and then broke another wedge of my own off. And that darn piece of tubing is still straight as it can be! It has a 6hp B&S with a 4.5 cylinder and a small, SLOW pump. BTW, this is a factory made splitter:dunno:

 

[Patrick62]

It is "almost" enough

I have the same beam. I am using the same cylinder, and pump.
I ended up adding 1/4 plate to both sides of the web, it has held up to 22 tons, but bends about 3/4 of a inch under that abuse.

Either re-inforce the heck out of that one, or get something BIGGER!:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[SWI Don]

Here is a post I made a while back on how to calculate beam size.
http://www.arboristsite.com/1822484-post4.htm

You appear to have a W8 x 18 with a section modulus of 15.2. With a 12" tall wedge you should have a section modulus of 33.3. If you plate the top and bottom of the beam and cap the ends you should be ok with the one you have.

If you run a 6" tall wedge you will be ok too if you don't run your pressure up to 3000.

Good luck on your build.

Don

 

[Marine5068]

It sounds a bit small. That's a big piston you've got there.
Just a note for the laymen out there, the beam is called a "W" shape(not "H") and the center is the WEB. Flange is the correct term for the top and bottom of the beam.
If you can find a guy like me(Structural Steel Designer) to do the calculation for the beam, then it would be worth it. If not I'd go up one or two sizes for sure or brace that one by adding thick plate material along the toes of the flanges. May also want to brace the top and bottom flanges by stitch-welding plate on top of them too.
The other tips on how long it should be sound pretty easy...Length=ram(extended)+rear mount+blade+ a few inches
The stop(foot piece) will not affect the length of beam as it will be welded to the end of the beam.
Good Luck.
~Stan
/Mechanical Engineering
/Certified Welder
/Architectural Engineering