Hydraulic splitter build input...

[crpncoop]

I'm in the process of building a new splitter. I've acquired a 5 1/2" cylinder at a great price. I realize it's overkill, but it want it to split big, knotty oak rounds if need be...and it was cheap. I also have a 8HP engine which in all likelihood won't be used on this project. If I do go with the 8HP, I could run a 16gpm two-stage pump with a cycle time of 21 sec. That's pretty slow. My other thoughts are that if I upgrade to a 12HP engine, I could run a 22gpm pump at a cycle time of 16 sec or a 16-18HP engine with a 28gpm pump for a cycle time of 12 sec. Suggestions for the best engine/pump setup?

 

[muddstopper]

Just offering personal experience. Which ever pump/engine combination you choose, I would figure on about 85% of the mathmatical cycles times. Pumps usually only put out about 85% of advertised rates. I use a 5in bore cyl with a 28gpm two stage pump. My engine is overkill at 25hp, but it was free. I do use a 6way wedge for splitting, but I would like for the cyl to be just a tad faster. with your 51/2 in bore cyl, I would go for the biggest engine pump combination I can find.

 

[crpncoop]

That's kind of what I was thinking, muddstopper. I don't need it to be super fast, but I'd like it to at least be fairly efficient as far as the time factor is concerned. Forgot to mention that it's a 31" long cylinder with a 2 1/2" rod and I plan on using a 4-way wedge. At this point, I don't have the larger engine, but that should be about the easiest part to find. And the difference between a 22gpm and 28gpm pump is nominal.

 

[jthornton]

One good thing about too big on the cylinder and too small engine is it will not stall out as easy.

JT

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

20 sec cycle time would be nearly comically slow. Even 12 secs isn't all that great. I'd shoot for the 5-8 sec area.

 

[bayard]

that cylinder is very big? i have a 4.5 dia. with a honda 11hp engine with a 22 gal pump it works great i run the engine at 50 to 60 % most times. 70 to 80% only for the big and nasty. very fast.

 

[muddstopper]

5.5in x 2.5x31 cyl at 28gpm is 12.3 sec cycle, adjusted for pump efficentcy is a real time about 14.5 sec cycle. To get to the 5-8 sec range that Valley suggests would take about a 56gpm pump. 56gpm at 3000 psi is going to take around 108 hp just to pull the pump and would give you an actual splitting force of 35.5 tons. Everything about that setup is overkill for a 4way wedge. For a processor those speeds make sense, but for a hand fed splitter, unless you will always have a ton of help, you dont need a 5-8 sec cycle time. I can make the tongues hang out of five people with a 12 sec cycle time. Working by myself, or with only one more person, I dont even run half throttle.

 

[crpncoop]

Looks like the most economical setup for me would be the 28 gpm pump and 18-20 (or greater) HP engine. I can deal with those times. I will most likely be working by myself, so blistering speeds won't be necessary. I burn through about 10-12 cords a year for myself plus a bit more for my dad. He does have a 180 HP Perkins diesel sitting around out of an old White combine though...

 

[muddstopper]

I need that Perkins, any chance its for sell

 

[crpncoop]

I need that Perkins, any chance its for sell

I'll have to check and see if it's for sale. It's in PA

 

[Mike Van]

If you split mostly 18" wood, that big cylinder stroke is a waste of time - Sell it, buy the right one.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

5.5in x 2.5x31 cyl at 28gpm is 12.3 sec cycle, adjusted for pump efficentcy is a real time about 14.5 sec cycle. To get to the 5-8 sec range that Valley suggests would take about a 56gpm pump. 56gpm at 3000 psi is going to take around 108 hp just to pull the pump and would give you an actual splitting force of 35.5 tons. Everything about that setup is overkill for a 4way wedge. For a processor those speeds make sense, but for a hand fed splitter, unless you will always have a ton of help, you dont need a 5-8 sec cycle time. I can make the tongues hang out of five people with a 12 sec cycle time. Working by myself, or with only one more person, I dont even run half throttle.

I work by myself usually. My splitter has a cycle of about 11-12 secs and I find it quite slow. My processor, 5 sec, and it's just about right.

I guess I just move quicker than others. Could be why it seems several folks I've hired seem to just about stop time with how slow they move!

 

[crpncoop]

If you split mostly 18" wood, that big cylinder stroke is a waste of time - Sell it, buy the right one.

My OWB can handle wood up to 60" long. Current splitter can only handle up to around 22" (and doesn't technically belong to me). I get longer burn times with longer wood, so the longer, the better. I intent on using as much of that stroke as possible. And I have some ridiculously twisted, knotty, large diameter oak that the little splitter just can't handle.

 

[muddstopper]

I'll have to check and see if it's for sale. It's in PA

It doesnt matter where it is, I drive all over the country anyways. PM me a price and contact info if its for sale. I am needing a power supply for my processor build and the 180hp of that perkins would be just about right.

 

[muddstopper]

I work by myself usually. My splitter has a cycle of about 11-12 secs and I find it quite slow. My processor, 5 sec, and it's just about right.

I guess I just move quicker than others. Could be why it seems several folks I've hired seem to just about stop time with how slow they move!

Oh, I could keep up with it for a little while, but before the days out, a 5sec cycl time would be waiting on me. Just wondering, are you feeding your processor already sawed rounds by hand and if so, why?

 

[muddstopper]

My OWB can handle wood up to 60" long. Current splitter can only handle up to around 22" (and doesn't technically belong to me). I get longer burn times with longer wood, so the longer, the better. I intent on using as much of that stroke as possible. And I have some ridiculously twisted, knotty, large diameter oak that the little splitter just can't handle.

60in wood must be a bear to load in the stove. My splitter has a 24in stroke, but I can fit a 26in long round between the wedge and pusher. I built it that way on purpose. My stove will take 32in long stuff. I like the wood about 22-24in long. Anything any longer gets hard to load in that little door. I kind of figure the longer burn time comes from more wood in the stove, pure and simple, the longer the wood, the more you have in the firebox. I can get a decent 9hr burn out of 20-24in long wood, Oak, not the maple my wife hates, adding the extra 8 or 9 inches of wood at each fill up would probably net me close to 12hrs of burn time.

 

[cantoo]

I cut my owb wood at 32" long and just split some of it smaller for a decent mix. If my wife is feeding the owb she can grab the small stuff out of the crates. We never fill the own full because it just seems to burn the wood anyway. We load depending on outside temps, type of wood, heat demand and burn time desired. I'm running a 13 hp and 16gpm pump on my 4"x 36" cylinder and I sure wouldn't want it any slower. I'm thinking about getting a 3" cylinder on it just to see what the difference is cycle time is. I'm mostly splitting ash and maple so don't need the power often.

 

[crpncoop]

60in wood must be a bear to load in the stove. My splitter has a 24in stroke, but I can fit a 26in long round between the wedge and pusher. I built it that way on purpose. My stove will take 32in long stuff. I like the wood about 22-24in long. Anything any longer gets hard to load in that little door. I kind of figure the longer burn time comes from more wood in the stove, pure and simple, the longer the wood, the more you have in the firebox. I can get a decent 9hr burn out of 20-24in long wood, Oak, not the maple my wife hates, adding the extra 8 or 9 inches of wood at each fill up would probably net me close to 12hrs of burn time.

I have my wife spoiled. She has never had to load the OWB even once.

I can shove the longer stuff in the bottom and the shorter stuff on top of it. If I load it fairly full, I get 24 hours out of it, depending on the outside temps and wind. Mostly oak. If I stack it to the max, I can go on a two day hunting trip but must be home that second night to load it again.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Oh, I could keep up with it for a little while, but before the days out, a 5sec cycl time would be waiting on me. Just wondering, are you feeding your processor already sawed rounds by hand and if so, why?

Not normally, but butt ends off saw logs we cut by hand and load into the splitter on the processor.

 

[muddstopper]

Valley, how big of a round will your processor split. I have planned my processor to accept 27in dia rounds, with a max limit of 30in dia. I certainly dont expect to run logs that size all the time, but I wanted the ability to do the occasional log that pops up time to time. I am putting a knuckle boom on my machine to load the logs as well as the oddball rounds into the splitter. For me, ideal wood would be no larger than 24in dia and not under 6in dia. With my 12way wedge, this should make the splits and acceptable size without a lot of splinters. Probably wont work that way in the real world, but thats the goal.