Hey, woodsplitter experts.

[Gologit]

I just inherited a homemade woodsplitter. It's built like a tank...super strong iron all the way around. Vertical or horizontal and tows like a dream. Plenty of grunt, I've been splitting dry oak and madrone and it just cuts what it won't split.

The problem is...it's slow. As in S-L-O-O-O-O-W. It has a 16hp Kohler but the pump is a little bitty Barnes two stage. I don't know what the pump's GPM is...all the lables are gone.

How big of a pump can I run behind the Kohler? Will the cycle times speed up enough to make the cost of a new pump practical? Or should I just keep bringing a book with me to read while the ram is retracting?

Any good ideas as to brand of pump? I don't mind spending an extra buck or two to get something reliable and long lasting.

Thanks in advance. Bob

 

[Blowncrewcab]

Barnes and Haldex are both good pumps. You can get a 16gpm 2speed that will cut your cycle times down allot. What Dia cyl do you have?

 

[Wood Doctor]

Before you replace the pump, check for blockage in the hydraulic lines. That Kohler is big enough to handle an elephant-sized pump. I have a feeling the Barnes is doing OK and the fluid's not flowing right. Check also for too many right angle elbows in the piping.

One last thing. Is it possible that the Barnes is stuck in the second stage that should only kick in when the wood is really mean? You said, "S-L-O-O-O-O-W".

 

[mga]

i run a 22 gpm two stage pump with a 12.5 kohler with no problems at all.

 

[Chuck Diesel]

Try this site for your hydraulic calculator.
http://www.baumhydraulics.com/calculators/cyl_speed.htm
It will even tell you your tonage.

 

[SWI Don]

Does your pump bolt on with two bolts or four bolts. If 4, it is the smaller series of pump (5-16gpm). If 2, it is the larger series (22 or 28 gpm).
On the smaller pumps the 13 & 16 gpm pumps are longer 5.47" vs 4.91" for the smaller displacements.

You should be able to handle a 22 gpm pump easily and a 28 gpm if your engine is in top shape. To do this you would most likely need to upsize all of the piping and possibly the valve to 3/4" min hose and a valve rated to the proper gpm. Also your pump mount would need to be changed to a two bolt one.

If it has a pressure gage on the inlet to the valve, check the pressure to operate it with no load. It should be around 100 psi or less to make it move otherwise you need to start looking for restrictions.

Good luck with the troubleshooting.

Don