Well then

[ChoppyChoppy]

Got back to the shop this evening (been logging all day for the last couple weeks, trying to beat breakup on a ~160 acre clearing job we are working on).

Anyhow, had a customer come to pickup wood. While I was waiting for them to load, I fired up the ~25yr old Iron and Oak and busted up some chunks of wood for the shop stove.
The chunks are stuff we had laying around for a year or three, stuff that was too big or knarly to fit in the processor and really too knarly to pass off to anyone.
I setup the splitter vertical and have been chewing this stuff a little bit here and there. The idea behind me clearing up the yard was to have some wood/get rid of this stuff and have some work for the hired hand. Well... he's been a no show since I set it up.

It was fighting through a piece of wood and I heard a pop. I thought it was the wood splitting open until the wedge went down but the wood didn't split any further. Figured it had slipped off the base so I retracted it to reposition.

Hmmm. Like I really need something else to work on.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

 

[FlyingDutchman]

Rather that then a blown cylinder or an engine.

That's why they say I beams are the most selfish kind of steel. They only think of themselves.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

I'd rather replace an engine or repack a cylinder.

I'm I guess gonna try to bend it back and just pour on some weld like it's hot glue. Maybe it'll hold.

I just need to figure out a way that I have 100% energy and motivation without ever eating or sleeping so I could work 24/7 instead of about 12/7 and maybe I'd catch up.

 

[boltonranger]

The steel pulled apart as though it were cast metal. Interesting how the welds seem to have held though.
Should not the relief valve have opened before this happened?

I guess another question is whether this was custom built or a commercially sold unit?

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

The steel pulled apart as though it were cast metal. Interesting how the welds seem to have held though.
Should not the relief valve have opened before this happened?

I guess another question is whether this was custom built or a commercially sold unit?

1990s Iron and Oak splitter.

Would think the relief would have done it's job. Maybe someone at some point cranked it up, though it's just got a very tired 9hp Honda so I doubt it'd make much pressure without stalling or bypassing the pump even.

 

[homemade]

Nothing lasts forever. Id definitely say you got you money’s worth out of the splitter? Weld er’ back up and put another 20 years on her. I would add two triangle shaped gussets on the inside of the I beam web to the foot just for extra support.

 

[Cody]

The steel pulled apart as though it were cast metal. Interesting how the welds seem to have held though.
Should not the relief valve have opened before this happened?

I guess another question is whether this was custom built or a commercially sold unit?

Yeah, that takes a lot of energy. I can't imagine the fatigue over 25 years though. It could easily be reinforced, but are you going to use it for another 20-25 years to make that necessary.

 

[Big_Eddy]

Looks like a typical fatigue failure. A crack started in the HAZ at the edge of the weld bead across the beam face, and over the last 20 years, it's slowly but surely worked its way through the flange one split at a time. Your stubborn block was the last straw, moving the crack beyond the flange and into the web where it was easy enough to peel the block stop off.
I'd wager if you looked closely you will see rusting on the face of the cracked portion of the upper flange. Not in the web. (Edit: looked closely at the picture - you can see where the crack has been progressing in from each side of the top flange - a couple of inches of rust showing at either end)

Grind it down, weld it up and it'll last another 20.

 

[Philbert]

Ouch!

Philbert

 

[Bobby Kirbos]

I'm not surprised that the weld didn't break. The welded section is usually stronger than the original metal.

 

[peakbagger]

If it was weld on pressure vessel I would worry about it but it sure looks to me like you can get another 25 years by just welding it up

 

[Hddnis]

Quick easy repair, use a chain and pull it closed with splitting wedge.

It looks like it was cracked for a while, edges appear to have rust in the crack.

 

[crowbuster]

never fails, when you cant afford the downtime, you get it anyway. That's the point he's makin fellas. And it sure is hard ta find good help these days.

 

[cantoo]

I'd just torch that foot off, flip it backwards to the smooth side, weld it back on and get back to splitting. If you ain't breakin it then you ain't using it. If only we could buy time.

 

[homemade]

If only we could buy time.

Sure you can... I buy it once in a while for the entertainment value.

 

[Cody]

I'd just torch that foot off, flip it backwards to the smooth side, weld it back on and get back to splitting. If you ain't breakin it then you ain't using it. If only we could buy time.

If we could buy time, I'd likely owe the devil multiple souls.

 

[sb47]

I hate it when that happens. I offer that type of wood real cheap as camp wood and as is just to get rid of the wood I'd rather not mess with. If it doesn't sell. my nephew and his army buddy's use it for bon fires. I've even given some away when the pile gets too big. Some wood is just not worth messing with.
Sometimes I'll take a big multi forked trunk and cut that section out, then I'll plunge a few cuts into the center and burn it. I always like having an outside fire going most of the time.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

I'd just torch that foot off, flip it backwards to the smooth side, weld it back on and get back to splitting. If you ain't breakin it then you ain't using it. If only we could buy time.

Going to try and bend it back together. If the cylinder or a come along won't do it, I'm sure I can rig up something to use the weight of the excavator. Have a 200 at the shop and a 330 out where we are logging. If ~35 tons can't do it, dunno what will.

For the time being, I dug out another splitter, 28ton Swisher. I stuck it under a tarp in 2014 and haven't touched it. Pulled it out today, fixed the recoil (bought the parts 4 years ago too). Poured in some gas and it was running in 4 pulls like it just split wood yesterday.
I figured I'd have to fuss with the carb, but nope.

I may end up buying a splitter to setup on the skid steer for the big bastard stuff. Sure beats man handling it.
Like this:
http://www.woodlanddirect.com/Skid-...Ch0zbwm0EAQYBCABEgJo7_D_BwE#345LogOpening:26"

Don't think I could build it for much less if I factored in all the parts and my time.

 

[lefturnfreek]

I would cut off 1/2 in of the beam, grind off the foot clean, re weld and go burn brain cells splitting....