Log Splitter Beam Question.

[JDavidS]

As I mentioned in another post, I am getting ready to glue/tape/staple/baling wire together a splitter. I am going to run a 5" x 30" cylinder, a 22 gpm pump, and it will be vertical.

Will a 6" H or I beam be adequate? Or will an 8" be better or overkill?

Between a H and I beam, which would be better?

Would you put 1/2" plate on the face of the 6"? On the 8"?

What about using a solid, heavy walled tubing- say 4"x4" or 4"x6" with a "sleeve" the wedge is mounted to and slides on the main tube?



Example of the tubing and wedge "sleeve".

 

[kyle1!]

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/american-wide-flange-steel-beams-d_1319.html

 

[JDavidS]

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/american-wide-flange-steel-beams-d_1319.html

Thanks Brian.

 

[nathon918]

I went with a 8 x #40 W beam (H beam) and run a 5 inch cylinder... with a 14" tall wedge the center of the beam moves up maybe .020" if I stall the ram while splitting...I wouldn't want to go lighter than a 8 x #35.
with a big splitter that you don't intend to move by hand, weight shouldn't be an issue...mine weighs around #3200, tongue weight is around #300 so theres no moving it by hand

 

[rancher2]

I don't think you ever have too much iron. I thought the sleeve on the square tube was a great idea until over time the sleeve started to score the tube causing a problem. I ground it back and now keep anti seize compound on the tube and it works ok. This splitter is vertical all the time with a big table. It sets waist high off the ground. I don't run big pieces threw this one. The one I have I like the best is made out of 12 inch channel back to back with the wedge sandwich between the channel and a one inch plate welded on the top. I run a 6 in 36 in cylinder and I have never seen that metal give. This splitter has a lift table on it that will pickup anything we split. Good luck with the build.

 

[walkerdogman85]

I would use H beam or square tubing. I used a I beam and it works awesome other than fabing up the pusher plate on the under side of the rails. After a few attempts we finally got it but if we build another we won't use an I beam..

 

[JDavidS]

Probably going to go with this-

It is a W8x?? It is 8" x 8" with a flange thickness of just a smidge less than .5" (only had a cheap measuring tape in my truck at the time, so couldn't get the precise thickness)

 

[muddstopper]

Thought about this but it would be HEAVY......

View attachment 405103

Rail road iron is brittle and can break, I wouldnt use rail. Having said that, i had a buddy that used rail and its lasted for years.

 

[JDavidS]

Rail road iron is brittle and can break, I wouldnt use rail. Having said that, i had a buddy that used rail and its lasted for years.

Yeah, I threw out the idea of using the rail after I read up on it.

 

[ft. churchill]

Go plenty heavy on the main beam. Mine is a 4"cylinder and it came off of a splitter that we rebuild because the beam was bent and twisted.

 

[kljahnz]

What is the difference between H-beam and I beam? Weather your looking at it standing up right... or laying on it's side?

 

[M.R.]

What is the difference between H-beam and I beam? Weather your looking at it standing up right... or laying on it's side?

http://www.engineering.com/Ask/tabid/3449/qactid/1/qaqid/2562/Default.aspx
Also the method of fabrication can differ.

 

[kljahnz]

That sure cleared it up, structural I beam, easily purchased from an ordinary steel supply house. H beam, commonly manufactured for pilings. My local steel supplier's web site doesn't list H beam as being available? Just multiple configurations of I beam?(web and flange thickness and length?

 

[Kevin in Ohio]

As I mentioned in another post, I am getting ready to glue/tape/staple/baling wire together a splitter. I am going to run a 5" x 30" cylinder, a 22 gpm pump, and it will be vertical.

Will a 6" H or I beam be adequate? Or will an 8" be better or overkill?

Between a H and I beam, which would be better?

Would you put 1/2" plate on the face of the 6"? On the 8"?

What about using a solid, heavy walled tubing- say 4"x4" or 4"x6" with a "sleeve" the wedge is mounted to and slides on the main tube?



Example of the tubing and wedge "sleeve".

View attachment 405101

Hey, that pic looks familiar! I like the box beam myself and that is why I used it. You have to keep the slide longer than a standard I or H slide so it doesn't dig into the beam. Mine is 16 inches long. We have had both before and the box wore less for us. I had to rebuild the I beam splitter but the other box beam splitter never needed a rebuild because of wear.

One draw back with the box beam is that if you want a side lift you can't weld it to the beam. My lift is on the end to get around that. Either will work fine and it boils down to what you can find to use and personal preferrance. The boxes you list as using would be too small in my opinion. better check the charts as to what they could take.

I used a 6" x 8" box for mine and it's 1/2" thick. Guy who builds them for a living said to use that size for a 5 inch cylinder. He uses box beam and welds a 1 inch plate on top to use it like a normal I beam splitter on his Big Boy splitters. Just food for thought.

 

[nathon918]

http://www.engineering.com/Ask/tabid/3449/qactid/1/qaqid/2562/Default.aspx
Also the method of fabrication can differ.

well most of that was a load of ****...
I beams have tapered flanges,
Wide flange I beams or (H beams) and have a constant flange thickness right to the web...W beams are the most widely used out of the two, as they come in many more sizes than a regular I beam
heres I beamshttp://turnersteelcoinc.com/html/s_ibeams.html

heres a W beamhttp://turnersteelcoinc.com/html/s_flange.html

 

[JDavidS]

Hey, that pic looks familiar! I like the box beam myself and that is why I used it. You have to keep the slide longer than a standard I or H slide so it doesn't dig into the beam. Mine is 16 inches long. We have had both before and the box wore less for us. I had to rebuild the I beam splitter but the other box beam splitter never needed a rebuild because of wear.

One draw back with the box beam is that if you want a side lift you can't weld it to the beam. My lift is on the end to get around that. Either will work fine and it boils down to what you can find to use and personal preferrance. The boxes you list as using would be too small in my opinion. better check the charts as to what they could take.

I used a 6" x 8" box for mine and it's 1/2" thick. Guy who builds them for a living said to use that size for a 5 inch cylinder. He uses box beam and welds a 1 inch plate on top to use it like a normal I beam splitter on his Big Boy splitters. Just food for thought.

Kevin, you built an AWESOME splitter- I hope mine turns out half as good. I think I would prefer the box beam, but the only box beam the scrap yard had was 4" x "6 with half inch wall thickness. I eyeballed it hard, the price was right at 15 cents a pound, but went with the H beam. Maybe because of the extra fab work/noggin scratchin' on making the sliding wedge part. To me it seems the flat plates with bolts will be easier to get right.

 

[JDavidS]

Hey, that pic looks familiar! I like the box beam myself and that is why I used it. You have to keep the slide longer than a standard I or H slide so it doesn't dig into the beam. Mine is 16 inches long. We have had both before and the box wore less for us. I had to rebuild the I beam splitter but the other box beam splitter never needed a rebuild because of wear.

One draw back with the box beam is that if you want a side lift you can't weld it to the beam. My lift is on the end to get around that. Either will work fine and it boils down to what you can find to use and personal preferrance. The boxes you list as using would be too small in my opinion. better check the charts as to what they could take.

I used a 6" x 8" box for mine and it's 1/2" thick. Guy who builds them for a living said to use that size for a 5 inch cylinder. He uses box beam and welds a 1 inch plate on top to use it like a normal I beam splitter on his Big Boy splitters. Just food for thought.

Unless....... You think the 4x6" beam might work with a 5"x30" cylinder?? Got me thinking again...... I REALY like the box beam set up- just seems more compact/tidy too me.

 

[triptester]

I-beams are typically only used in a horizontal position to support a vertical load, they require additional support to prevent side to side flexing.

Wide flange (H-beams) are mostly used in a vertical position to support I-beams, they flex less and require little or no additional support.

 

[Kevin in Ohio]

Unless....... You think the 4x6" beam might work with a 5"x30" cylinder?? Got me thinking again...... I REALY like the box beam set up- just seems more compact/tidy too me.

I don't know the strength numbers for a smaller beam but I'd be leary of it. Like I said, James said that he even puts a 1 inch thick plate ON TOP of the box beam so his is stronger than mine. Granted he sometimes builds that splitter with a 6 inch cylinder with that beam, I just don't know.

I got lucky with mine as they had Just the size I needed and it wasn't there 2 weeks prior. It was meant to be We have a 4 x 6 on our 3 point splitter but it has a 4 inch cylinder. No problems with that one.

The secret to making it last and not bind is the long slide. The longer it is, the less it move side to side, thus negating any wear issues. Use what you have available as you don't want to EVEN think about new these days. I was quoted close to $1600.00 for the beam I needed. It's crazy anymore.

 

[Guswhit]

I found and used an I beam for mine, but it was a 4"x8" so I cut 2 in equal sizes and welded them to make an 8"x8" and then welded a 1/2" plate down the length of the top. It has held up well for a long time, I think because the it has 2 supports closer to the edge of the beams instead of one down the center. Of course this is what happened to be available at the time and I always like to scrounge things.