Putting a 36" cylinder on a Huskee 12.5hp splitter

[bwalker]

I know this is going to require a bit of fab work, but will the pump and motor power a 5"x36" cylinder vs the 5"x 24" thats on it now?

 

[drmiller100]

yup.

if you stroke it the full length of 36, it will take longer.

and you might verify the tank is large enough. The longer stroke takes more volume from the tank. someone can do the math pretty easily.

engine no issues. pump no issues. hoses no issues. just takes long to cycle.

 

[cabinman]

Dr

DR,. Pretty much covered it,.. Eric

 

[oneoldbanjo]

I don't believe the longer stroke will take any more oil from the tank - but will require a little more oil to be added initially. There is oil on both sides of the piston. When the piston has oil flowing in one side and the piston is moving away from that end of the cylinder - the other side of the piston is pushing oil out of the cylinder and back into the reservoir.

 

[046]

your 12.5hp motor will support a 22gpm pump from current 16gpm. hoses will need to be upgraded, pressure side to 3/4in, return line enlarged too. valve body should be 3/4in already.

downsizing to 4in ram is another option. already slow 16 second range, cycle times will be slower yet... any slower will drive you nuts

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

I don't believe the longer stroke will take any more oil from the tank - but will require a little more oil to be added initially.

Agreed. You'll increase the total volume of the system, so you'll need to add oil up front.

 

[bwalker]

Thanks for the advice. I am going to go ahead and do it and I think I am going to upgrade the pump at the same time to a 22.

 

[bwalker]

You guys think a 4" cylinder would get er done?

 

[drmiller100]

i've split 36 inch logs with a 4 inch. sometimes you have to back off and take a different angle.

we have western fir and pine, I don't know about eastern hard woods.

 

[046]

would think the best way to setup is duplicate American splitter or timberwolf's spec's for a 36in ram.

http://www.americanmsr.com/logsplitters.htm

You guys think a 4" cylinder would get er done?

 

[Crofter]

The additional fluid to add will be about 2 litres and the additional volume difference between closed to extended will only be the extra volume of 1 foot of cylinder shafting depending on what size that is, probably a litre, so your tank will almost guaranteed adequate. Most of the force is to make the initial split so a longer piece will not be harder to do. Lengthing the space between mounting point and the other end of the block will make any twisting springiness more evident. I have a 32 inch stroke on mine with nearly 7 feet from anchor to wedge and even with a 12" beam it is quite springy in torsion. I should stiffen it up a bit.

 

[drmiller100]

what he said on the twisting of the beam.

i should stiffen it up some. but real world says it falls in the category of "i'll fix it when it breaks." and so far after about 80 cords she just keeps plugging along.

 

[bwalker]

Well I went ahead and put a 5" cylinder on it. I used the existing pump, but turned the pressure up from about 1000 to 2500PSI. I also replaced all the hydro lines with ones rated for higher pressures.
I am very satisfied with the way it performs and really dont see the need for a higher GPM pump. Its basicly unstopable in big sugar maple.
the only other thing I would like to do to it is make the wedge bigger. Its around 8" right now and I would like to double that.

 

[046]

where did you make the adjustments to increase pressures at?
amazing stock pressures is only 1,000lbs...

I'd like to increase mine to 2,500 also.. does the cycle times go down with pressure increase?

Well I went ahead and put a 5" cylinder on it. I used the existing pump, but turned the pressure up from about 1000 to 2500PSI. I also replaced all the hydro lines with ones rated for higher pressures.
I am very satisfied with the way it performs and really dont see the need for a higher GPM pump. Its basicly unstopable in big sugar maple.
the only other thing I would like to do to it is make the wedge bigger. Its around 8" right now and I would like to double that.

 

[A. Stanton]

walker,
Talk with Blue Ridge Mark and ask him about the toe plate on his splitter. Then have 2nd thoughts about that upgrade.

 

[046]

speeco has already sent a new beam with new foot and are taking care of all issues. not surprising.. Speeco is known for great service.

this is the first major problem reported out of many happy speeco owners... it's all but impossible to never have problems... it's how the mfg takes care of problems that counts... and of course how often problems occurs.

walker,
Talk with Blue Ridge Mark and ask him about the toe plate on his splitter. Then have 2nd thoughts about that upgrade.

 

[oneoldbanjo]

bwalker: If you are talking about making the wedge taller - it would probably be necessary to raise the cylinder mounting point up. If you had a 16" tall wedge and the cylinder was mounted only 4" above the rail - there would be a huge twisting load placed on the wedge and I imagine it would bind on the beam (or possibly bend or brake the wedge where is slides on the rail). I believe the most efficient way to split a log is to start on one side and not have the wedge as tall as the round being split. I understand that some commercial splitters have 4/6/8 way wedges and can split lots of way simultaneously - but they are very powerful and built very strong.

Also the amount of load the cylinder has to push (up until the round splits and relieves the pressure) doubles when you double the size of the wedge. You may lose the extra push that you have obtained from raising the pressure.