Help with ideas for 1st log splitter build

[Zeus103363]

Hi all. New to this site! I have been reading around here for a while, just desided to get serious and ask some questions.

Back to the build. Last year I built a box blade for my tractor and while gathering some steel for the box blade I got some steel for a log splitter build. First thing I got was a almost new engine. They bought a pressed washer at work, and the pump blew a seal. I asked and payed $50 bucks for the motor. It's a honda 6 hp vertical mount engine. After serfin on the web I came across some free cad drawings for a hydraulic log splitter. Kinda basic design, horizontal only with a 11 gpm 2 stage pump. I just altered the design a little of some of the basic operations of the splitter. I wanted it to be horizontal/vertical so I had to add a hinge point for the beam. I also had to change the hydraulic tank because of the steel I got for free. The beam is a pretty standard size...W6x25..6 ft long. The hydraulic tank is gonna be a piece of 12" sch 10 304L pipe 3 ft long. This part is kinda different but after all the trouble my neighbor had with his hydraulic tank on his splitter with a rust ring just above the fluid level. I live in Louisiana and it is always humid here and common carbon steel will rust real quick. I know my motor will run a 11 gpm 2 stage pump but I would like to upgrade to a 13.6 gpm to increase the cycle times if the motor can handle it. The cylinder is just a standard 4" bore 24" stroke 1.75 rod size welded cylinder. I already bought a valve from prince. It's a log splitter detent valve that detects in both directions with a max pressure of 3000psi. I already have all the steel. Just need to order the pump and cylinder and I can get started. Then...last week I got a different motor. This one is a honda gt390 13 hp horizontal. I guess usually a log splitters design is kinda built around the motor. Since a bigger motor can power a bigger pump you can add features.

With the bigger motor I thought of something different. Upgrade to a 22 gpm pump. Add a hydraulic winch, some hydraulic operated out riggers. The winch would run through a boom pole suspended above the splitting area. I could take the winch cable and pull it out to a big round, winch it in to the splitter pick it up with the winch, swing it around and drop it in the splitter and shove it through. Of corse this would get a bigger cylinder, something like a 5"...something strong enough to split the entire round with one stroke. The outriggers would only be to give the splitter some stability when winching in those big rounds. We have lots of big oaks and hickory trees here and I ain't getting any younger either. Any ideas or thoughts on which design to build. I may just move forward with the original build and save the new build for this winter. I am a fabricator / welder by profession so I can build just about anything out of steel. I have a Lincoln ranger 8 stick machine and a victor torch. We build saw mill equipment at work and I deal with hydraulics daily too so that's not a problem. I can order anything through my work and get a much better price than anywhere else. I am open to ideas.

 

[arlen]

welcome

Hi I don't really have much to add to your build. I am sure looking forward to seeing pictures of it when you start. I have repaired a couple of splitters and get my welding done by a friend. I have a 13 hp motor also and I plan on using a 22 gpm pump also, I just replaced a 6 hp motor vertical shaft with a 11 hp motor horizontal shaft with a 16 gpm pump the cycle time is much better. You will probably want to reinforce your beam and decide what you want for the cylinder will it have the wedge on it or the pusher. Good luck and welcome David

 

[Zeus103363]

Hi I don't really have much to add to your build. I am sure looking forward to seeing pictures of it when you start. I have repaired a couple of splitters and get my welding done by a friend. I have a 13 hp motor also and I plan on using a 22 gpm pump also, I just replaced a 6 hp motor vertical shaft with a 11 hp motor horizontal shaft with a 16 gpm pump the cycle time is much better. You will probably want to reinforce your beam and decide what you want for the cylinder will it have the wedge on it or the pusher. Good luck and welcome David

The first build has the wedge on the cylinder shaft. The second build has a pusher pad on the cylinder and it would push the round through a grid made of flatbar. Don't know which is better, but the second build is much more efficient, at least it seems to be.

 

[arlen]

pusher on the cylinder

The advantage of the pusher on the cylinder is you can use multiple splitter configurations. four way six way wood bundler etc. the disadvantage is your work is pushed forward if you need to return the wood back to the pusher to re split. Are you planning on selling wood? or just for personal use? David

 

[Zeus103363]

The advantage of the pusher on the cylinder is you can use multiple splitter configurations. four way six way wood bundler etc. the disadvantage is your work is pushed forward if you need to return the wood back to the pusher to re split. Are you planning on selling wood? or just for personal use? David

Oh no. I would never sell or buy firewood. This is only for personal use. It's hard to put a number on how much wood we cut each year. As few as 4 cords to as much as 10 cords.

 

[ponyexpress976]

If you go with the push plate, you will eventually make yourself a 4way and then a 6 way wedge. Save yourself the trouble and build them right into it the first time around. Make the wedges hydraulically adjustabe for height but design the wings so that when the height adjustment is at its lowest point the side wings "disappear" or become level with the beam. This way you can split the really nasty pieces without having to pull a wedge off the machine. Outriggers are a nice idea but here's why I'd go with an electric over hydraulic winch...even the small ones can be found with a wireless remote...that way you can spool out cable, keep tension on it, and not have to stand right next to the machine. A log lift can also double as a staging/work table area if you have a bunch of smaller diameter wood.

On a side note, I'd love to see someone build a splitter and use parts from a hydro drive walk behind mower so the machine can be self propelled. That would certainly make getting the splitter to the wood so much easier!

 

[Zeus103363]

If you go with the push plate, you will eventually make yourself a 4way and then a 6 way wedge. Save yourself the trouble and build them right into it the first time around. Make the wedges hydraulically adjustabe for height but design the wings so that when the height adjustment is at its lowest point the side wings "disappear" or become level with the beam. This way you can split the really nasty pieces without having to pull a wedge off the machine. Outriggers are a nice idea but here's why I'd go with an electric over hydraulic winch...even the small ones can be found with a wireless remote...that way you can spool out cable, keep tension on it, and not have to stand right next to the machine. A log lift can also double as a staging/work table area if you have a bunch of smaller diameter wood.

On a side note, I'd love to see someone build a splitter and use parts from a hydro drive walk behind mower so the machine can be self propelled. That would certainly make getting the splitter to the wood so much easier!

Cool information. I do happen to know where there is 2 high torque low rpm charr-lynn hydraulic motors that I could get for probably $50 bucks. Wouldn't a self propelled wood splitter be cool. I can see the more I think about it the more in depth this thing gets. If i keep up I just may end up with a self propelled firewood processor. Looks like I will just build the splitter already on the books and keep designing on this behemoth and see where it takes me. I hope to have the small splitter built by summers end so the winter project may well be something different. I do have a deutz 3 cyl diesel I could use...27 hp. Humm. Oh the possibilities.

 

[ponyexpress976]

A friend of mine has an old Exmark hydro walk behind...deck is shot and the motor is cranky but it runs(most of the time). I got the idea but dont have the skills to weld it up. Since the deck was a free floater I also though about removing and setting a bin/basket assembly on top of the frame to have a powered wheel barrow. Since it's only about 34" at its widest point(without the deck), this might be a nifty little project to get rounds out of some of the tighter back yards.

 

[Steve2910]

A friend of mine has an old Exmark hydro walk behind...

I also though about removing and setting a bin/basket assembly on top of the frame to have a powered wheel barrow. Since it's only about 34" at its widest point(without the deck), this might be a nifty little project to get rounds out of some of the tighter back yards.

I built something like that years ago for moving mulch. We had a condo complex that had tons of tree wells in the backyards & the terrain was hilly--- it worked great. It was set up to be removed w/ 4 pins, but we usually only used 2.

 

[ponyexpress976]

I built something like that years ago for moving mulch. We had a condo complex that had tons of tree wells in the backyards & the terrain was hilly--- it worked great. It was set up to be removed w/ 4 pins, but we usually only used 2.

So the concept isn't totally whacky? Told my buddy what I had in mind and he looked at me like I had lobsters coming out my ears

 

[Steve2910]

So the concept isn't totally whacky? Told my buddy what I had in mind and he looked at me like I had lobsters coming out my ears

Nope, converted from mower to power buggy in under 1 minute. The mower's long gone, but the pan is still out back. If you ever get down this way, you can have it for next to nothing.

 

[cnice_37]

Sounds like you've got 2 designs... one run of the mill and one deluxe.

5-6hp for 11gpm and I think you want to step up to 8hp for 13gpm.

The rest of the stuff, you know the answers better than me. Log lifts are great, but I either use the tractor & bucket with log tongs or nothing at all. Most of my stuff has to be cut elsewhere and I have to bring it home in a pickup, so its noodled on site.

Outfeed table is a must to save your back.

And buy a hookeroon.

 

[Henry and Wanda]

Hello,
Do you have a milling machine at work....either vertical or horizontal ????? I used one when I made my splitter and it makes the edges of cut steel look professional.......and also square !!!!!!! If you can get use of one, use it....it sure beats a hand grinder for finish work !!!!!!





Henry and Wanda

 

[ponyexpress976]

Nope, converted from mower to power buggy in under 1 minute. The mower's long gone, but the pan is still out back. If you ever get down this way, you can have it for next to nothing.

sounds very tempting

 

[Steve2910]

sounds very tempting

It's not going anywhere & the offer stands...

 

[Zeus103363]

Hello,
Do you have a milling machine at work....either vertical or horizontal ????? I used one when I made my splitter and it makes the edges of cut steel look professional.......and also square !!!!!!! If you can get use of one, use it....it sure beats a hand grinder for finish work !!!!!!





Henry and Wanda

No I do not have one, but there are several at work. I had that thought to use the Bridgeport (milling machine) to finish the wedge, and drill all my holes. We don't use these machines much at work because there are several CNC machines, and they run almost constantly. I got most of what I didn't have ordered today. HopefUlly this weekend I can make some progress and I will have some pictures to show.

 

[Henry and Wanda]

The idea you had about milling the wedge is a good one. I milled the tapered point of my wedge on the milling machine and it turned out awesome !!!! That was 20 years ago and you can still almost cut yourself on the edge of it....it must have been great steel because I have split so much wood with it and it's still sharp, without ever touching it up !!!!! You can't go wrong with using the milling machine. Good luck !!!!!!




Henry and Wanda

 

[Zeus103363]

Got some work done today. Got the cylinder mounts welded on and primed the beam. I for the life of me cannot figure out how to post pictures on here yet! I did take a few while working on it. Looks like the smaller motor is a bust. I'm gonna have to use the 11 hp, and I will upgrade to a 16 gpm pump also. Sure to help those cycle times!

 

[Dan_IN_MN]

Got some work done today. Got the cylinder mounts welded on and primed the beam. I for the life of me cannot figure out how to post pictures on here yet! I did take a few while working on it. Looks like the smaller motor is a bust. I'm gonna have to use the 11 hp, and I will upgrade to a 16 gpm pump also. Sure to help those cycle times!

Did I hear some say something about posting pics? Well, here you go. Stand on one foot, push the space bar twice...... Oh wait...that for a different forum! Check out my sig. AS can be a bit of a pain to get the pics embeded.

Sounds like you've got a fairly good idea on how you would like to build your splitter.

Personally, I prefer a log lift over a horizontal/vertical splitter. After splitting a few larger rounds down on your knees, being able to lift them up to wast high is the way to go. And you don't spend anytime tipping the beam.

Also, I would suggest either putting the coupler on the opposite end of the wedge or extend the tong. I've found if the splitter is left hooked to a tow vehicle, the wood get pushed in to it.

OH....Welcome to AS! Gave you a bit of color under your name REP

 

[Zeus103363]

View attachment 244089

Thanks for the photo help! Photo is of the beam for my log splitter. More to follow!