Farmall Guy - The table/catcher after the wedge was the cheapest, simplest, most labor saving thing I ever did to mine. All those pieces that need to be resplit, etc, they're right there. It saves hundreds of 'bendovers' a day - 
log lift bought or homemade!!
- Thread starter dahmower
- Start date
Help Support Arborist Forum:
Mines 8 inch. Thats about as short as you can use.
Steve, that would be putting them in series. Yes, it will work, I did mine that way. However, the mfgs. recomend that the first valve have a power beyond port. This port just flows oil back to the tank if it has to. With valves in series, there's a chance of pressure building above what it should. The power beyond valve is supposed to stop this, or give the pressure a place to go.
wkpoor
Addicted to ArboristSite
I would like to ask a question and share my point of view.
First what do you do if the monster round you lifted up to the table doesn't split all the way through? I suspect roll it off to reposition and then lift it back up to try again. For a year now I've discovered its much easier for me to simply quarter up those monsters first on the ground into easy to lift pieces and then split them normally. Maybe the log lift work ok up to 24" but I can't see it on 30" and above diameter stuff. This is why I don't do vertical any longer either.
First what do you do if the monster round you lifted up to the table doesn't split all the way through? I suspect roll it off to reposition and then lift it back up to try again. For a year now I've discovered its much easier for me to simply quarter up those monsters first on the ground into easy to lift pieces and then split them normally. Maybe the log lift work ok up to 24" but I can't see it on 30" and above diameter stuff. This is why I don't do vertical any longer either.
wk - I do that too, 24" and up probably isn't going to split clean unless you have a wedge with HUGE wings on it. The straight grain big stuff, I'll split into quarters with a couple of wedges [unless it's a good sawlog, then it wouldn't be in my woodpile] The snotty big crotch pieces, I'll quarter with a chainsaw, then load the quarters. Some guys love to run their saws, but me, when I look at those huge piles of 'noodles', all I see is wasted wood.
WidowMaker
Addicted to ArboristSite
WidowMaker - That I don't know - I have 2 setups running for years with no power beyond. One on my splitter [3 valves] and on on my sawmill [5 valves] I would guess it's happened, somewhere ? I do know a system with NO relief valve is not good, as I found out years ago when I split a pump in half. The learning curve, you know?
WidowMaker
Addicted to ArboristSite
===
Mike that's a definite NO..NO, I too have run multi valve systems with not Power beyond with no problems...
wkpoor
Addicted to ArboristSite
Thats me...love to run my saw plus the noodles make great bedding for my chickens and fire starter for my stove. Mostly though its convenience. When I go after a tree with a large trunk I can do it with just my saws and dump trailer. When I get home its all ready to split easily. I have a tractor grapple but try to avoid long hauls with it because its heavy.
skid row
ArboristSite Guru
Surprisingly the BIG rounds split ok. Maybe cause they are so heavy or straight grained or something. Every once in a while a biggie will go through twice. As for the big crotches, yep time to make noodles.
SWI Don
ArboristSite Guru
We split some elm that was 30" x 5' and it split fine. My compound wedge probably spreads the log out 4-5". We had a couple of guys so we would direct one chunk back on the log lift and then work up the other chunk.
Don
Don
VirginiaIron
ArboristSite Operative
====
So I've heard, but how is pressure going to build above relief valve setting??
A 10 yo thread and the door is still open, smile.
I finally made a lift and I wonder how I did without it for so long- I will never again be without one. Many valves will safely work up to a certain pressure on the return side. So, you could use a splitter valve with 500 psi max return pressure operating the wedge and it is piped directly into the lift valve, rated at 50 psi return, which is then piped to the return. The spec's vary according by manufacturer and some valves will tolerate only low pressure and will work safely so long as you do not exceed the stated pressure. If you exceed the return pressure on the valve, that circuits' piston will start to operate and you can damage the seals, valve, become injured, etc. The safe and proper way is to use a valve with a power beyond port or a multi-valve monoblock so you know you have access to the full psi and no other circuits will operate unintentionally and cause damage or injury.
What did the OP end up doing?
