Wedge Design

[mlavalley]

Anyone got ideas or experiences with log splitter wedge designs? I am building a splitter with 18hp, 28gpm barnes pump, and a prince gladiator 5"x25" piston. The pusher is going to be on the the piston and wedge at the end of the beam (I am building a log loader for it). Ultimately I would like to build slide on 4way and 6way attachments for it. I was planning on building something out of 1/2" plate steel boxed on the top and rear say 12" tall by 12" long. Question 1 is what type of angle should I shoot for? Question two is I see the wedges out of Northern Tool are high carbon content. Is high carbon content necessary? My experiences are that high carbon steel is very difficult to weld to mild steel. I had this problem with my last splitter when i built a wedge out of a sharpened high carbon die block. Anyone been through this loop before and have some insight? Any help appreciated.

Mike

I will post pictures when I get her all welded up.

 

[turnkey4099]

Anyone got ideas or experiences with log splitter wedge designs? I am building a splitter with 18hp, 28gpm barnes pump, and a prince gladiator 5"x25" piston. The pusher is going to be on the the piston and wedge at the end of the beam (I am building a log loader for it). Ultimately I would like to build slide on 4way and 6way attachments for it. I was planning on building something out of 1/2" plate steel boxed on the top and rear say 12" tall by 12" long. Question 1 is what type of angle should I shoot for? Question two is I see the wedges out of Northern Tool are high carbon content. Is high carbon content necessary? My experiences are that high carbon steel is very difficult to weld to mild steel. I had this problem with my last splitter when i built a wedge out of a sharpened high carbon die block. Anyone been through this loop before and have some insight? Any help appreciated.

Mike

I will post pictures when I get her all welded up.

Other than to weld the P*** out of it and brace it where ever possible. With that much force, it needs to be STRONG. Same applies to the armature, you don't want any flex in the I beam or whatever the system runs on.

We built several uising square and square slip tubing. Mod 1 had the wedge (1/2" mild steel) set into a slot on top of the sq tube thus welded both to the bottom of the tube and to the top where it passed through. First use pushed the wedge right out of the tube. Design was changed to have two 'wings starting 1/3 back from the point well welded plus a plate up the backside. Haven't had any trouble since but I don't think it would hold with the power you are talking about.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a292/turnkey4099/MVC-607F.jpg

Doesn't show the wedge too well.

Harry K

 

[Rleonard]

When I investigated and built my splitter I paid a lot of attention to this critical detail. I'll shoot a picture tonight of my design. It has worked very well.

The primary wedge is about 30 degrees, and there is a secondary wedge behind it. A picture will make it all clear.

Bob

 

[mlavalley]

I was thinking an "un-winged" wedge would make it easier to build the slide on 4way/6way attachement but I am open to ideas. My preliminary dimensions are 1/2" plate, 12" high, 12"deep, from a point at the front to 6" wide in the rear. I planned on placing it at the rear of my H-beam, boxed with a a traingular piece of 1/2" plate on top of the wedge and one running down the rear of the wedge to the bottom of the H-beam. This makes for a lot of contact area with the beam so welding the p*** out of it shouldn't be a problem. My biggest concern is the angle. Should I take it from a point to the full width of the beam in the rear? 6"? 4"?

The beam is 8x8 H beam with a 3/8" web. The pusher is made out of 5/8" plate welded tp p***. Should be strong enough?

Thanks for the thoughts.
Mike

 

[Patrick62]

Considerations

What are you splitting? How hard is it? Is sounds like you will have plenty of power with the engine/pump/ram. Skinny blades work more like knives, you have to push almost all the way to get the split. If you angle it out a bit you can gain some speed as it will split before a full stroke. Drawback to this is that it requires more tonnage, and it ocassionally will violently throw pieces!

Do a search, as I recently built one with a 3 way split (photo's are available) and it has worked well for me. With your setup a single blade with the 4 way slip on might be ideal.

I prefer to weld it on with 7018 rod on a stick welder. I have yet to break one, and I had enough power to split a 8" log sideways.

Good luck!

-Pat

 

[mlavalley]

Patrick:

I split mostly hard wood, ashes, maples, oaks. I often run across some pretty twisted large logs. Basically I take what I can get and that means it usually not the one handed axe splitting stuff, but it's not mesquite either. I'd like the splitter to be fast but violent projectiles doen't sound too fun. I think I will go the knife route as it sounds a little safer.

7018 is definitely the rod to use here

Thanks for the info,

Mike

 

[turnkey4099]

Patrick:

I split mostly hard wood, ashes, maples, oaks. I often run across some pretty twisted large logs. Basically I take what I can get and that means it usually not the one handed axe splitting stuff, but it's not mesquite either. I'd like the splitter to be fast but violent projectiles doen't sound too fun. I think I will go the knife route as it sounds a little safer.

7018 is definitely the rod to use here

Thanks for the info,

Mike

Re projectiles: Not really a problem IME as they are going away from the operator's position. I have had them fly 6' or more. Definitely a hazard for any helpers but not for me (rarely have any help around).

Re: wedge design: Knife will allow you to add 'wings' later if you want. Wings allow more bracing/welding. I like the wedge to start with a 'knife' then wings back about 1/3. Were I to rebuild mine, I would put the wedge in at a slant so that the split would start on a point, vice the full height of the knife but then I only have a 3 1/2' cyl and a 5 hp motor. The wings are a big help in splitting knots as they force the block apart rather than having the 'knife' cut through. With your power I don't think you will have any problems with either design.

Harry K

 

[woodchop]

This is a picture of my wedge from Norhern Hydraulics. The spreader plate edges are left blunt to "pop" the log open, so you do not have yo do a full stroke.

 

[cord arrow]

ramsplitter uses simple channel as a secondary wedge.

here it is making short work of some gnarly osage orange. (hedge)

 

[turnkey4099]

Now that is a nice idea and simple. Gives a lot of welding and back bracing to the knife.

Harry K

 

[NELOG]

Half inch steel seems a bit thin, doesn't it? I thought that most commercially made splitters had 1" wedges and that 3/4" was about the thinnest that anybody made their wedge. How tall can you make it without worrying about excessive twist? Do you need to make it longer to compensate for a lack of stability? In general, when you are welding the wedge to the beam, do you grind it to a "v" so that your weld from one side touches another, or do you grind it to a w, where the middle of the wedge, where it touches the beam is not welded at all? I'd be very interested to know how those thinner wedge work. Thanks a lot

 

[1CallLandscape]

take a look at my wedge design....it really pops open the logs generally without a full stroke. its a 1" steel plate with wings. ill post a better pic today
-mike

 

[woodchop]

When I made the 4 way splitter I saw a lot more twisting and that's why i beefed it up.