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Kevin in Ohio

Kevin in Ohio

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See what you guys think:



I made a comment about the tonnage claim but why on earth do these companies mount the valve like that? Not normally a safety nazi but that looks like a REAL bad idea. I guess they don't think things vibrate and get flexed from back and forth pulling. They need to go back to engineering school in my opinion.

It's a 6 inch bore with a 22GPM pump so they have to be pumping 4250 PSI to get that. Don't think that valve is rated for that.
 
Trapper_Pete said:
not sure , but did that cycle time seem slow I think I could have split that with my single wedge that fast.

in this world of numbers and ratings they only have to have a cylinder rated for 60 ton to claim 60 ton
Click to expand...

A 6 inch bore with a 22GPM pump would be about that speed. I've got a 28GPM with a 5 inch on mine and I went with the 5 inch when I calculated how much slower a 6 inch would make it. VERY rare to need 6 inch unless your running a 6 way or fixed 4 way like this. I've got a 4 way for mine but found it creates too much junk to use it all the time. I just switch to it after leaving all the "perfect size" round top 1/4 up.
 
I figured mounting like that wasn't a good idea the first time I saw it on a basic box store splitter. I still figure that way. And this one is the wobbliest looking one I've seen yet I think. Someone is going to get seriously hurt, or worse, when that nipple gets fatigued past the breaking point. Which might come sooner than later when someone tries to run that 4 way thru bad stuff one too many times.

Then there is the question of how rugged is that 4 way setup?

Cylinder way too big, slows it way down - go all full honk on that then cabbage out on the valve mounting.

The engine is a bit vulnerable too.

Yah, wouldn't be on my shopping list.

(The operator is pretty skilly though, lol...)
 
Yeah that valve mounting is really poor. My speeco has the valve mounted in a similar fashion but it is tight up against the cylinder and off to the side with a JIC nipple. The lines are hard lines so it has some other support. That looks like a pipe nipple to me. I could easily see it breaking off. It’s like a lever on the end of a lever. It’s not like anybody ever slams the valve after cycling it thousands of times.

I’ve never been a fan of that style four way. It looks like it will turn rounds into two splits that are too small and two splits that are too big. Then you need to resplit the two big pieces leaving you with a bunch of trash. Unless you are splitting telephone poles I don’t see any real time savings but I do see a bunch more splitter trash.

It looks painfully slow too

“Power King” is a brand I’ve seen pasted on a bunch of Chinese equipment. I would bet money that you could buy that splitter for 6-700 off a slow boat in container quantities.
 
I would favor cycle time keep the 22gph pump put it on a 4 inch cylinder and skip the 4 way and do a taller single wedge

I haven't found anything yet the 27 ton wouldn't split so if anything beef up the frame put a taller wedge on and get the cycle time down

one more feature that would be handy is a way to not fully return so if you were splitting all 16 inch wood it stopped when it got back to 18 inches so as not to waste time moving all the way in.

I watched the video again watching the timer looks like 10 seconds in each direction for 20 seconds round trip


say you have a fairy average cycle time of 15 seconds 7.5 in each direction to go 25 inches and you only went 72% of the distance because the ram stopped when back to 18 inches you would then have a 10.8 second cycle time

if you went to a larger volume pump you could probably shave 4 more seconds off leaving about 7 second cycle time


while all that would be nice I just stage the wood and try and have the next piece in before the ram gets back past about 18 inches , the fastest cycle time in world is wasted if your waiting around for wood
 
I don't see that valve working very well long term mounted that way. Using a pipe nipple for a mounting bracket isn't a good idea. I couldn't live with those slow cycle times. I run a 28GPM two stage on a four inch cylinder on one of my home built splitters and if you read the wood that four inch cylinder has no probably splitting nasty locust and hedge and the cycle time is great.
 
Did a little searching and found them to be discontinued or out of stock at most places. Walmart has online sales of $2599. I did find one at auction that sold for $1600. At anyrate, I think that is way to much money for what your getting. To slow. 14hp kholer engine and 22gpm pump. Why not bump it up to a 16hp and 28gpm pump. I also dont like the way they mounted the CV. It will be leaking in less than a season, that is if it doesnt break off. I also think a 6in cyl is over kill for just a 4way wedge.. If your going with 22gpm pump, at least drop the cyl size down to a 5in and a 4in might be even better.
 
Trapper_Pete said:
I would favor cycle time keep the 22gph pump put it on a 4 inch cylinder and skip the 4 way and do a taller single wedge

I haven't found anything yet the 27 ton wouldn't split so if anything beef up the frame put a taller wedge on and get the cycle time down

one more feature that would be handy is a way to not fully return so if you were splitting all 16 inch wood it stopped when it got back to 18 inches so as not to waste time moving all the way in.

I watched the video again watching the timer looks like 10 seconds in each direction for 20 seconds round trip


say you have a fairy average cycle time of 15 seconds 7.5 in each direction to go 25 inches and you only went 72% of the distance because the ram stopped when back to 18 inches you would then have a 10.8 second cycle time

if you went to a larger volume pump you could probably shave 4 more seconds off leaving about 7 second cycle time


while all that would be nice I just stage the wood and try and have the next piece in before the ram gets back past about 18 inches , the fastest cycle time in world is wasted if your waiting around for wood
Click to expand...

It's fairly easy to put a length limiter on any splitter. Most valves have a kick out on the return so you may have to adjust it. Easy way to check is to just have a chunk and put it behind the ram or lay a piece of flat steel down if you have something to safely catch on. If it starts squalling bad, be ready to manually release the valve and you then know you'll have to adjust. Most are set up correctly from the factory.

MVC-019S_53.JPG


I made a simple one for mine as I cut everything 24 inch but my cylinder is 30. I wanted the option of getting a longer one but rarely need it. Nice to have it if you do though. It just slides in and out with no pins. I can level the splityter so it doesn't vibrate out and during transport, I pull it open and it locks it in place. You can drill a couple holes in your beam and just make a plate with the same holes. Drop some bolts or pins in and it's done. I was never a fan of the collars over the ram. Seen too many get scarred up or leave aluminum on the shaft and mess the seals up.
 
rancher2 said:
I don't see that valve working very well long term mounted that way. Using a pipe nipple for a mounting bracket isn't a good idea. I couldn't live with those slow cycle times. I run a 28GPM two stage on a four inch cylinder on one of my home built splitters and if you read the wood that four inch cylinder has no probably splitting nasty locust and hedge and the cycle time is great.
Click to expand...

I get quite a bit of nasties here in Ohio that will stall a 4 inch with a single wedge and that is why I went with a 5". I do like running a tall wedge(12") as it does a lot of big diameter stuff.
 
muddstopper said:
Did a little searching and found them to be discontinued or out of stock at most places. Walmart has online sales of $2599. I did find one at auction that sold for $1600. At anyrate, I think that is way to much money for what your getting. To slow. 14hp kholer engine and 22gpm pump. Why not bump it up to a 16hp and 28gpm pump. I also dont like the way they mounted the CV. It will be leaking in less than a season, that is if it doesnt break off. I also think a 6in cyl is over kill for just a 4way wedge.. If your going with 22gpm pump, at least drop the cyl size down to a 5in and a 4in might be even better.
Click to expand...

I'm guessing someone got hurt but I see some other brands are now mounting the valve the same. Just makes no sense to me. I got sprayed enough running backhoes when a flex house burst at the lower pivot and that was over 10 ft away. You're within a couple feet on these.
 

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