Log splitter design ?

[kellyturtle]

OK Lets pick the brains of the experts as well as the trial and error guys. i am building a log splitter a big one i am almost done and here in the big ? on the slide I am using a mobile wedge my flange on the beam is 1" thick 5.5 " wide, how much clearance is needed on the slide i think 1/8 is enough but i have no experience to back it up so lets hear it from the pros
Thanks

 

[Iron man]

I'm no pro but 1/8 seems a bit too much.Just loose enough so it slides without binding seems right for me.

 

[WidowMaker]

If your talking 1/8 total,( 1/16 per) side you should be okay...1/8 per side is toooo much...

 

[Boogieman142]

mine has 1/16th total, its going to get looser as it wears, not tighter, too much and crap will be getting stuck in there and you will run into problems with it cocking and binding/wrecking parts and such.

 

[triptester]

The 1/8" should be no problem. You still have a lot of welding to do on the slide which may cause some warping of the plate lessoning the gap.

 

[dave1]

If you used a shim.

........If you were to use a shim, Of the same materal that they use on snowmobile runners , you might not need a space at all . noting could have more wear than one of these plate sand the go for years.

 

[kubotakid]

Adjustable slide

The best slides Ive built are adjustable, Using shims between the slide plates, You can go online and check out J&l tool or production tool, they have a varity pack, I like to run on the tight side, So you dont get so much dirt and chips between the slide and the beam, start with .020, clearence, and see how it acts, I like to use a (dry) graphite lube, I dont paint the beam way, I spray it with (dry) graphite, If you keep the **** out, from under the slide,.. It will stay tight for a very long time, a big gap under the slide = lotsa **** gettin between the beam and slide Eric

 

[kellyturtle]

I am going to stay on the tighter side, i am goinig to try a piece of sheetmetal for a shim to start. I am slightly conserned about the worpage from welding but it is a 3/4" plate and i am going to c clamp it to the beam during the weld prosses. any thoughts on hardening the blade. i want to weld the edge with some 10016 welding rod then grind it sharp

 

[wndwlkr]

are you pushing your wedge so you can go vertical ?

 

[Suz]

Come on now!! NO ONE will ever use the splitter enough to wear that slide enough that it would bind or get slivers under it. Even if you get slivers or bark under the slide, so what? It's just wood and will add to the lubrication along with the ants, grubs, and tree sap.
If your ram shaft bends because of 1/8 in or 1/4 inch play you better get one with a bigger shaft!

 

[Suz]

I am going to stay on the tighter side, i am goinig to try a piece of sheetmetal for a shim to start. I am slightly conserned about the worpage from welding but it is a 3/4" plate and i am going to c clamp it to the beam during the weld prosses. any thoughts on hardening the blade. i want to weld the edge with some 10016 welding rod then grind it sharp

Why go through all that to harden the edge. What are you planning on splitting, rocks or steel rods? Don't forget you are splitting WOOD.

 

[Boogieman142]

Come on now!! NO ONE will ever use the splitter enough to wear that slide enough that it would bind or get slivers under it. Even if you get slivers or bark under the slide, so what? It's just wood and will add to the lubrication along with the ants, grubs, and tree sap.
If your ram shaft bends because of 1/8 in or 1/4 inch play you better get one with a bigger shaft!

Well, bark carries dirt and sap will make it sticky so I see where that is coming from. I've broken my clevis end before due to too much play, keep it on the tight side.

 

[kellyturtle]

still at a loss now i am reconsidering going tighti am starting to thing binding will be more of an issue with it tighter the whole dirt and other junk kinda makes me think. i am a shade tree machinist and have built things to tight with bad results. I think about the ak47 is so reliable because it has loose tolerances.

 

[Iron man]

Come on now!! NO ONE will ever use the splitter enough to wear that slide enough that it would bind or get slivers under it. Even if you get slivers or bark under the slide, so what? It's just wood and will add to the lubrication along with the ants, grubs, and tree sap.
If your ram shaft bends because of 1/8 in or 1/4 inch play you better get one with a bigger shaft!

When I first got my splitter it being my first I didn't know a whole lot about them.I got it used and abused and noticed sometimes the wedge would cock sideways a little and make a popping noise from binding on the beam.I figured out the steel shims that rub on the side of the beam were warn way down but luckily they are slotted so all that was needed was to loosen the bolts and push them in tight against the beam then tighten them back up.I don't leave any clearance just lube it up and run it back an forth a few times and it works fine.I think it would be best to make one with sealed roller bearing if you really want it to work as smooth as possible.

 

[kellyturtle]

the sides i will keep tight its the top and bottom. the flange is 1" thick so on the sides i was going to use a 1" spacer and a 1/8" spacer the slide is 12"s long. i am looking for some real numbers from working splitters. i guess if the beam is clean you would measure the gap under the flange. or shake your slide and estimate it thanks

 

[shelbythedog]

still at a loss now i am reconsidering going tighti am starting to thing binding will be more of an issue with it tighter the whole dirt and other junk kinda makes me think. i am a shade tree machinist and have built things to tight with bad results. I think about the ak47 is so reliable because it has loose tolerances.

If you can build a splitter that is as great a tool as my Dad's AK you will have a full wood shed in no time!

 

[iowa]

The center piece or shim as you call it can be adjusted by slotting the holes. They can be moved in or out then.

 

[moose5180]

I built my own splitter and agree 1/8" is just about right.
Add some grease once in a while if you are worried about it, i never do though.

 

[Oliver1655]

When your are talking about space/gap, are you referring to the sides or where the slide sits on the beam and your retainers are under the beam's flange? On my splitter the flange was 1/2" thick so I used a piece of 5/8" flat bolted between the slide and the retainers. Remember the flange of the beam gets thicker as it meets the center web of the beam. so while the gap is 1/8" on the outside it diminished some towards the middle. I also used an 1/8" overall gap from side to side. I would not use anything larger. Your wedge will want to twist from side to side at it seeks to follow the grain of the wood it is splitting. Too much gap will increase the risk of it trying to bind. (I rounded of the corners of the spacers slightly on the beam side so there would not be a sharp edge to dig into the beam flange as the slide tries to twist to the side. With the 12" length of you slide, your should not have a problem with the binding.