Latest project...some recommendations requested

[chaddemler1980]

Got tired of the lame log splitters out there within the budget and wasn't gonna spend huge money. Like most I use my firewood to heat my shop up here in the cold wisconsin winters. I've rented a few larger splitters found all had there drawbacks but mostly only being able to split very large diameter rounds one split at a time... those suckered are heavy to move around to get into position. And yes I've used big name brands box wedge types and those SUCK too with 4' diameter oak trunks.
So I've set off on the following.... requesting recommendations below.
Setup
Two 18" I beams on edge 5/8" thick
1/2" thick deck plate 28" wide 36" long
8" diameter x 36" long 3,000psi cylinder

I have not decided on the gpm or brand of pump yet.. any suggestions? Go with a cheap 28gpm $250 ebay special? Opt for something better quality?
Have not chosen an engine but I have a couple rebuilt ones available....Hondas under 23hp and a cool rebuilt honda 13hp water cooled unit I had rebuilt for an old mower that's now gone.

I don't care too much about the speed as this splitter will somewhat of a box type wedge and split with 1 push.... upto 4' diameter and have 2 rows of 1/2" thick steel wedges and a top shear wedge.
Anyone think the 8" cylinder won't be able to split up to 18 pieces of firewood at the same time? Yes the 2 rows of wedges will be offset by appx 1 inch so only 9pieces of firewood would make initial contact at a time.

2 large uprights are being cut by a machine shop for the main uprights holding the wedges to the beam.. 3/4" thick x 8" wide x 30" tall. Rest of the wedges and top shear deck vary from 1/2"-5/8" and all are 6" wide.

 

[dave_dj1]

I would go with that pump. Or try looking on Surplus Center
No matter what it's going to be slow. Not a big deal as you will be splitting more in one pass than most in ten passes.
Don't under estimate the forces of hydraulics!
https://www.baumhydraulics.com/images/calculators/cyl_calc.htm

 

[cantoo]

This is what I built for the wood I have here. I do not like box wedges so made an adjustable 4 way instead. I have split big rounds with it by dropping the 4 way down, splitting it in half then raising the 4 way and split the halves several times as needed. I have a big table on it for the off splits to sit while I work the pieces. Lots of pictures of it on here if you do a search with my user name. 36" stroke for my OWB wood but pictures have 16" long rounds on them

 

[chaddemler1980]

This is what I built for the wood I have here. I do not like box wedges so made an adjustable 4 way instead. I have split big rounds with it by dropping the 4 way down, splitting it in half then raising the 4 way and split the halves several times as needed. I have a big table on it for the off splits to sit while I work the pieces. Lots of pictures of it on here if you do a search with my user name. 36" stroke for my OWB wood but pictures have 16" long rounds on them

What are the specs on your wedge blades?
Thickness & width? Mild steel or a special grade? Worried I may be going to thick with 3/4" x 8" for the 2 main uprights, 5/8" x 6" for rest of blades. And these are all bucket edges for wheel loaders but still weldable and drill able so maybe a little harder than regular mild... I believe it's 1030 steel

 

[sean donato]

Most cut edges are some form of AR plate, the hardness of the steel isn't super deep from the surface. The wedge can be mild steel, but nothing wrong with using the old cut edge imo. The mini processor/splitter I'll be starting on this winter will be using 3/4 or 1" for the vertical wedge, then 5/8 or 3/4 (5/8 most likely) for the horizontal wedges (interchangeable 4 and 6 way) 6" wide.
I'm no fan of box wedges, they are very messy and make lots of splinters. Not for me, but some guys like them.

Check and make sure your cylinder can take 3000psi, I'm guessing it's off an older piece of equipment and a lot of time the older stuff was a 2000 psi system.

The ebay pumps are pretty decent for the money, surplus center hasn't had any great deals lately. 28gpm is going to need more like 18hp for the engine to be happy. I know moat say 15 will do it, but from experience a 12/13 ho has its tongue hanging out and will stall with a 3k relief pressure 15/16 hp is better but an 18hp takes it in stride and really isn't much worse off for fuel consumption. I'd also be looking at running a small somewhere round 4gpm pump for the accessory hydraulics. My current set up shares the 2 stage pump between the splitter and lift cylinders and is a real pain on the lift cylinder when I have a big round on it. A small single stage and a 2 stage pump would have been a better choice, but no room in my current set up for a second pump. Next one will be a duel pump set up as I'm going to be using a good bit more hydraulics.

I do gotta ask, how often do you get 4 foot oaks? I get a lot of big rounds since I'm equipped to handle them, but a true 4foot oak is rare around here. I'd personally be having it milled for boards rather then cutting it into fire wood.

 

[cantoo]

Mild steel. I have to sharpen them once in awhile due to have a long hand grinded edge on them. I think I made it out of 3/4 or 7/8" thick material. wings are 5/8" maybe.

 

[chaddemler1980]

By me I get the big stuff cheaper or for free as most tree guys around here have smaller machines that can't lift a large section of big stuff so I ask them to cut it into 5 or 6' long pieces and I go pick it up with my skidsteer and dump. I also get in with the BIG guys who clear trees for upcoming road widening projects etc.... those are easy, bring the dump and flat bed and get loaded with 30,000 pounds of large trunks. By me in past 2 years it's Ben a mix of
50% silver maple
35% green ash
15% mixed oak mostly burr

 

[chaddemler1980]

I've tried selling some but not much luck, parents have a wood mizer saw and I've advertised and posted pics of the trunks and said I'd cut into whatever size they wanted even live edge and I got a few responses and a few sales at very cheap rates. Too many questions from people, or people wanting kiln drying etc etc. Turned out to be less headache to just cut it up and sell alot of it as premium bark free firewood.

 

[Big_Eddy]

An 8” dia cylinder will twist a 1/2” steel wedge out of recognition, without even stepping down to slow speed.
you’re going to need a stronger wedge and a heck of a solid support structure for the wedge. And I hope you are a good multi-pass welder.

 

[chaddemler1980]

An 8” dia cylinder will twist a 1/2” steel wedge out of recognition, without even stepping down to slow speed.
you’re going to need a stronger wedge and a heck of a solid support structure for the wedge. And I hope you are a good multi-pass welder.

Welding yes. And the supports are 4 pieces of 3/4" thick steel, the 2 main uprights are 4 5/8" thick doubled up bucket edges of 1030 steel. Only 1/2" I was using was for the deck

 

[Bill G]

As Sean noted you will need a larger engine. If you want to run a 28gpm you want a very large engine. Sean noted 18hp. That may run it but I think you need a larger engine yet. There are places online that will give recommendations
I would go even larger than they recommend. You are designing something to do a heavy job and will need a lot power

 

[sean donato]

As Sean noted you will need a larger engine. If you want to run a 28gpm you want a very large engine. Sean noted 18hp. That may run it but I think you need a larger engine yet. There are places online that will give recommendations
I would go even larger than they recommend. You are designing something to do a heavy job and will need a lot power

18hp is adequate for a 28gpm duel stage log splitter pump. I happen to have a 20hp kohler twin I'll be using for my next splitter, although I got it at a very good price, other wise I would have been looking for a 16hp engine. 18 give the minimum margin of safety imo. If he's going to use a single stage pump he would need more like 50hp @3000 psi. General rule of thumb is 1hp per 1gmp @1500 psi.
Log splitter pumps kick into high pressure low volume around 700 psi and the high pressure pump is pretty little, even on the larger pumps. So you can get away with a lot less hp then one may think.