My splitter build

[Oliver1655]

Looking good! I like how you left a gap for on the push face of the push sled to allow the sled to move past the front edge of the wedge.

Something to consider reference your push sled. If your base were longer (extending underneath the cylinder) it would help to keep the sled parallel to the beam by limiting the rotation of the top of the sled backwards/the back of the sled downwards. This will decrease the wear on the sled keepers/guides under the beam as well as the beam. By decreasing the overall friction, it will also allow you to split at a lower pressure. I welded an 18" long piece of 3/4" cold rolled flat to the base of my sled when I noticed the extra wearing on my splitter & haven't noticed any significant wear since. BIG difference!

 

[Rattler05.5]

I will have to see how it goes. I broke the sled off the first day of splitting because of the force this creates. I had to beef it up already so we will see how it acts in time. I was limited in how long I could make the sled already but can redesign it all if I have to some day. I knew to make it as long as possible and I kind of did. It may not be enough.
Thanks for your insight.

 

[Rattler05.5]

It's all pine, but baby, I've got loads of it!

I have gotten some splitting done with this beast. I had a knotty round that was almost too big for two of us to lift onto the beam and it hit 3000 psi or really close to it. That would be 40 tons of force. :msp_scared:It wasn't too happy but muscled through it. The only carnage was the horizontal split wing bent downward. Not sure why though. It will straighten easily.
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I've run a lot of rounds through it but have lots more to go. I probably have all the wood I will burn this year already split, so this is either planning ahead or selling. I need to figure out a hard and fast method of making piles equal to a cord each.
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Some issues; It seems to be getting pretty warm, even with 30+ gallons of oil. My return line puts the hot oil in at the top of the tank and the suction line is right at the bottom of the tank. I guess it's just the 28GPM of fluid that is moving all the time. It almost never hits high pressure mode on the pump.

Secondly, I have bent a pushrod on the engine and like any good farmer, I straightened that sucker back out and put it back in. I think it's bent again by the way it just ran when I popped that hunk out of the wedge. I'll open it up again to look; it's only four bolts to take the cover off and another one bolt to undo to get the push rod out.
Why would it be bending the pushrod? Each time has been after running the engine for an hour plus of solid, hard splitting. Clean fresh oil and filter and fresh gas. Could the timing be off?

Lastly, I badly need to build the outfeed table. It's dumb to be standing on and tripping over the pile of splits as they accumulate. I will build that next week if at all possible.
I'm also trying to find lots of reasons to buy a Magnum 460 chainsaw. I'm tired of this little 029 super. I also need to educate myself on how to properly sharpen a chain. Mine curves to the right as it cuts, making it bind and causes a lot of heat. I'm a rookie, but I will read and learn.
Have a good weekend!

 

[half]

bent splitter

The reason for the bent horizontal splitter is that the splitter is only sharpened on the top side, like a wedge .When it hits the log the force is directed down bending the splitter. if it was sharpened equally on both sides that would not be a problem

 

[CWME]

Been seeing some posts on the new MS461 over on the chainsaw forum and it looks impressive. I love my 460 but if i were buying a saw now it would be the 461. Best thing I did to learn sharpening was to get a new chain and try to make the dull one look like the new one. That got the picture in my head of what I was looking for. Visual learner... Worked for me. Now I have no issue with the file or the grinder getting stuff sharp.

Enjoyed your thread, thanks for sharing your build etc.

 

[Rattler05.5]

My outfeed table is almost done. Credit to bert0168, since I pretty much stole his idea.

I need to add some more bracing to the very front edge. I think without it would bend under the stress of all the full rounds landing on it. I pitched the outside edge up to stop anything from rolling off. I now wish I had done more but time will tell if it's good enough.
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This thing is insanely heavy. My tractor has fluid filled tires and it wants to pick the back wheels off the ground when lifting it up. I added a small detail; lifting points. I had been fighting with chains getting it balanced and lifting and I had had it! Now there is a chain attachment point on the top of the splitter wedge and in the back by the oil tank. Pull up, hook the two hooks and lift.

Also, I got a new push rod today and put it in. Immediately turned it into a boomerang also. Then while fiddling with it I bent the other (intake or exhaust) pushrod. After doing some reading this is somewhat common and has to do with the hydraulic lifters and the "wrong" oil. I ordered new lifters, pushrods, KOHLER oil, and a new filter. Next week this should be up and splitting like crazy again.

 

[Jakers]

Also, I got a new push rod today and put it in. Immediately turned it into a boomerang also. Then while fiddling with it I bent the other (intake or exhaust) pushrod. After doing some reading this is somewhat common and has to do with the hydraulic lifters and the "wrong" oil. I ordered new lifters, pushrods, KOHLER oil, and a new filter. Next week this should be up and splitting like crazy again.

an easy fix for the lifters pumpin up is to just let them stay pumped up all the way and adjust the valve lash to accommodate.

this is an old small block chevy racing trick for classes that specify you have to run a hydraulic lifter. at 8000 RPM any lifter will pump up, especially if your bordering on valve float from pushing the limits of your valve springs or running too heavy of valves

 

[bert0168]

Looks awesome. Mine has gone from being able to move it by hand to just about blowin out a nut truing to move it even a little.

 

[vtkerr]

Bending pushrods

I have a kohler 23hp on my wood splitter, I worked on the motor numerous times, if you pull the pushrods or valvetrain, before you re-assemble you must pull the hydraulic lifters out and bleed them down.. if you don't, you will likely bend a pushrod every time! I have turned a couple brand new pushrods into boomerangs directly out of the package, I don't use "kohler" brand oil, nor do I use the specified weight... I use Mobil Delvac 15w-40, the same oil that I use in my diesel trucks.

Vtkerr

 

[Rattler05.5]

I'm not surprised it could be operator error! I will do some more looking into the valve lash and bleeding down the lifters.
Thanks for the help! I figured I was mostly alone in this small engine endeavor.

 

[Rattler05.5]

I have a kohler 23hp on my wood splitter, I worked on the motor numerous times, if you pull the pushrods or valvetrain, before you re-assemble you must pull the hydraulic lifters out and bleed them down.. if you don't, you will likely bend a pushrod every time! I have turned a couple brand new pushrods into boomerangs directly out of the package, I don't use "kohler" brand oil, nor do I use the specified weight... I use Mobil Delvac 15w-40, the same oil that I use in my diesel trucks.

Vtkerr

How do I bleed them down? Do I have to disassemble them or is it just pressure or time? I've watched a couple videos of setting valve lash but I don't think this is adjustable. It's just a bolt that you tighten through the rocker.
Sorry if I'm still lost! ??

 

[vtkerr]

How to bleed lifters

To properly bleed the lifters down, they need to be removed from the engine... if I remember right you need to pull the heads to be able to pull the lifters out of their bores, do not mix them up, put everything back in its original location

Once you have the lifters out and on the bench you need to use a bench vise or arbor press, to compress the lifter. How? Find a 1/4" drive socket that will fit in the dished end of the lifter without pinching the little wire clip that holds it all together, put the two in the vise or press and slowly start to tighten, using the socket to push the "guts" of the lifter inwards and you should start to see oil weep out of the hole on the side of the lifter. Go slowly and release pressure from time to time and let the lifter expand and start over, once you stop getting oil out, stop and do not over tighten.

This may sound a little intimidating, but its no big task compared to what you have already accomplished building that splitter! There should be some youtube videos out there showing what I have just explained. Any more questions, ask!

good luck!

vtkerr :msp_thumbup:

 

[Rattler05.5]

Thank you for that! The lifters slide right out through the valve cover/push rod area. I pulled one out and I saw the little wire circlip in the lifter that you mentioned. I am throwing some parts at it but I'm tired of this problem and don't want to fight it all the time. The engine sat for so long it may need some TLC. I had changed the oil but noticed some condensation on the dipstick and I read one account that that was an issue also with the lifters.
I am going to start fresh; new oil, filter, lifters, and push rods.
Again, Thank You for the guidance!

 

[vtkerr]

Lifters

Your welcome! I am glad I was able to help you and guide you in the right direction.... I didn't remember if you could pull the lifters with the heads on or if they had to be removed. Either way, good stuff! good luck and we all look forward to seeing and hearing about your success!



vtkerr:msp_thumbup:

 

[Rattler05.5]

Happy Fall!!!!

Its alive again and running great. I put 4 new lifters and pushrods in, new oil, and a new oil filter. Not sure exactly which one fixed it, but I'm glad it did!
I've been splitting and it's working great. I adjusted the pump so that it kicks into high pressure sooner. It's somewhere around 1200psi now and the engine is happier. I'm growing tired of the 4-way wedge pretty quickly and am contemplating a six way now. Most of my logs are ones that wouldn't typically make a firewood splitter very happy. They are large and somewhat knotty and I am needing to split pieces twice and making lots of waste.

Now I need to stack some so that I can try to earn back some of the ridiculous money I've spent on this thing!

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[kubotakid]

not saying mines flexing or bending, i work pretty closely with a structural engineer where i work, i had him work out the stresses on the beam i was looking at, with the other support i added, and from the cylinder mount to the top of my wedge (14" high) over a 7ft span, @ 200% of rated output of my cylinder, the largest deflection (ends deflecting downward) was only .016", nowhere near enough to concern me.

there was also another reason why i decided against the mount, if your cylinder end mount, and the mount on the sled itsnt exactly the same height, then when the cylinder extends and contracts the height of the cylinder tube will move up and down...

Personaly, I would not use a cylinder brace unless it was a rubber bumper type. I have found all kinds of textures when using rubber bumpers. the right one is out there. As far as using charts and grafs to determine beam deflection specific to a rated hyd cylinder force,.. I don't belive that any engineer or a chart can predict/calculate the twisting force on a beam when you throw a notty piece of $hit in your splitter. Especially if you are using a 4way wedge. all you have to do to completely throw the deflection charts off is put the log in crooked. and most logs aren't cut perfectly square anyways. I know people who can screw up an anvil,..So good judgment running any kind of a/splitter,.especially a 4way is the main reason I don't loan out my splitter. jmho Eric

 

[nathon918]

Personaly, I would not use a cylinder brace unless it was a rubber bumper type. I have found all kinds of textures when using rubber bumpers. the right one is out there. As far as using charts and grafs to determine beam deflection specific to a rated hyd cylinder force,.. I don't belive that any engineer or a chart can predict/calculate the twisting force on a beam when you throw a notty piece of $hit in your splitter. Especially if you are using a 4way wedge. all you have to do to completely throw the deflection charts off is put the log in crooked. and most logs aren't cut perfectly square anyways. I know people who can screw up an anvil,..So good judgment running any kind of a/splitter,.especially a 4way is the main reason I don't loan out my splitter. jmho Eric

you would be suprised with the things you can do with a simulator, you can apply loads any way you can think of. i know its not 100% accurate but it give a rough idea of what can happen,
when i did it we used 200% of the rated available force for the simulator, in real life it only puts out about 90% because of where my relief valve is set...