Rail road track for splitter i-beam?

[flashpuppy]

What do you guys think? I know it is not as tall as I would like, but do you think it would hold up? Anyone ever tried this?

 

[olyman]

there strong-- but dont know as the rail is width wise enough, as it may bend under 20 ton or so of force---the flat surface aint any two wide either. anddddddddd, rail is d&$& hard!!! so drilling should be fun!!! dont even think about welding on it!!!!!!

 

[John D]

I beams are that $$$,about $20-25 a foot at the most here for 6". I wouldnt use railroad tracks,myself.

 

[Zodiac45]

I beams are that $$$,about $20-25 a foot at the most here for 6". I wouldnt use railroad tracks,myself.

I wouldn't either. Too small IMO.

 

[leon]

railroad track for log splitter

What do you guys think? I know it is not as tall as I would like, but do you think it would hold up? Anyone ever tried this?

The tensile strength is too low, it is designed to carry weight not have it pushed at one end or both ends, it expands and contracts with temperature changes, bends too easily.


It is hot roll formed to allow for the sweep curvature track radius etc., it can only be welded with thermite, If you are buying scrap rail it is illegal to possess it-not me; the federal gov. says so.

An H beam is a better way to do it anyway; welded at all joints on both sides, large surface area for welding gussets for strength.

:deadhorse:

leon

 

[flashpuppy]

Alright. I have a ton of it at work, so I figured I would ask.

 

[mga]

If you are buying scrap rail it is illegal to possess it-not me; the federal gov. says so.

why is that?

because they don't want people ripping up r/r tracks for scrap metal?

 

[PatrickIreland]

That stuff expands and contracts and warps and bends way too much. I have a good length of track in my boathouse, running into the lake, for launching big old boats that no longer exist.
It's warped as anything, an inch clearance at most of the joints (no sleepers), and you just CANNOT pull it back in line. I have thermite to weld it with, but I think I'm just going to rip it out and make a smaller carrier for the boats, with wheels rather than railway axles. The axles weigh as much as any of the boats it now carries, anyway!

 

[Dan Miller]

Splitter

You could try it, but I think it would twist. We used a 3/8" I beam for ours.

 

[blackdoggy]

This topic has been up before please do a search for it in our forums, rail track is not going to work end of story.

 

[thejdman04]

DONT. I have tried it, too many darn times. I built a splitter, wedge everything for a rail road beam. Some days depending on the day, I could break 3 beams a day. They are very brittle. I was running a 4.5 inch ram on it too, a smaller ram you might get away with it, but I woudnt try it. I could get the beams for free, but wasnt worth the hassle switching them out constantly.