Does anyone have any experience with these folks out of Rockford, IL? They have a lot of machines listed on eBay for a fairly cheap price. Are they any good for 5-10 cord/year use?
Logsplittersource.com - OK or not?
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jags
ArboristSite Guru
They are a "home town" mfg. I am sitting in Rockford right now. I have reviewed most models of theirs and my personal opinion is that they are built a little "light" for me. I think their components are as good as any (pump, valve, engine), the design works, but when it comes to steel, I think they could beef it up a bit more. Just my opinion.
As an example, look at the push plate for the ram, 4 bolts in total holding it to the beam (which is NOT an I beam) and a hunk of channel iron as the push plate.
I think I would have it tore up splitting the stuff that I split. My splitter has a 1" plate for the pusher and it needs every bit of that.
As an example, look at the push plate for the ram, 4 bolts in total holding it to the beam (which is NOT an I beam) and a hunk of channel iron as the push plate.
I think I would have it tore up splitting the stuff that I split. My splitter has a 1" plate for the pusher and it needs every bit of that.
Aname was not mentioned but the splitters usually seen on Ebay are Brave splitters . The company has two lines of splitters Iron and Oak commercial and Brave low end line.
I have not used either but the reviews I have seen give the Iron and Oak models good reviews while the Brave models seem to lack quality.
I have not used either but the reviews I have seen give the Iron and Oak models good reviews while the Brave models seem to lack quality.
jags
ArboristSite Guru
Triptester - I believe that Computeruser's question was for the Logsplittersource.com brand of splitter according to the title of his first post.
rx7145
ArboristSite Guru
They look well made to me. (what am I missing?) I was looking at the 25 and 30 ton models. I wonder if they would make a 30ton electric model? I have always liked the idea of a electric spliter but they never are big enough. My dream spliter would be a 30ton gas/electric vert/horz spliter with a four way wedge!!
rx7145
ArboristSite Guru
They look well made to me. (what am I missing?) I was looking at the 25 and 30 ton models. I wonder if they would make a 30ton electric model? I have always liked the idea of a electric spliter but they never are big enough. My dream spliter would be a 30ton gas/electric vert/horz spliter with a four way wedge!!
I emailed them about a 25ton electric splitter and they make one! It has a 3hp 220v moter and 16gpm pump.
crowbait
ArboristSite Member
Building my ultimate splitter, as we speak:
Considered adding a hydraulic wedge lifter, but I've heard people buy 'em, and never use 'em.
Should be done in about 10 more days. Gonna be sweet. Can't wait to hear what 30 tons of pressure sounds like, cracking open an elm crotch. Running the electric motor will allow me hear it for once!
- 5hp electric motor on 220v
- AND gas Honda engine (switch between the 2 by simply using the quick connect hydraulic hoses)
- 30 tons of force on either gas or elec
- Log lifter (lifts 500 pounds)
- 5" cylinder
- 2 way wedge or 4 way (slip on)
- 28 gpm 2 stage pump
- Full cycle valves (Push forward..they lock and I walk away and get my next log..when reach end, they return..all on their own)
- Hydraulic pressure gauge so I can see what's going on
Considered adding a hydraulic wedge lifter, but I've heard people buy 'em, and never use 'em.
Should be done in about 10 more days. Gonna be sweet. Can't wait to hear what 30 tons of pressure sounds like, cracking open an elm crotch. Running the electric motor will allow me hear it for once!
jags
ArboristSite Guru
A 28GPM pump is gonna use up every bit of power that 5hp electric has got. What size of gas engine are you strapping to this baby? It should have a minimum of 14hp (16hp would be better). Keep in mind that gas vs electric is roughly a 1:2.5 ratio, meaning that a 14hp gas engine is about the same as a 5.6 HP electric.
My guess is that with a 5" ram you may never get to max pressure anyways. Just stuff to think about. Sounds like a cool splitter to me.
rx7145
ArboristSite Guru
Sounds so cool. Please post pictures of your set up. Is the electric motor running a 28gpm pump also? I'm thinking of buying a 25-27ton spliter and adding a electric moter/pump to it. What do you think your cycle times will be?
crowbait
ArboristSite Member
Yes, I have two 28gpm pumps...one on the elec, and one on the gas.
Jags, are you suggesting that a 28gpm pump on the elec. is a mistake, and that I'd be better off with a smaller pump?
Jags, are you suggesting that a 28gpm pump on the elec. is a mistake, and that I'd be better off with a smaller pump?
jags
ArboristSite Guru
Kinda of. If you get a real tough one to split, to the point that you are at max pressure, you may find that 5 hp is a little light to be pulling that pump. Now with that said, my splitter that I built has a 5" ram as well, and I have NEVER had the 2250 psi bypass kick in, and I split some really tough crap. So, long story short, you may never get to the point where you are "maxing" out, and the 5 hp may do a very fine job. You may also find that you really like the speed of the cycle times of the larger GPM pump, with only a rare chance of stalling it.
Hope that all makes sense.
If you think this will be an issue, you have 2 choices.
1. Go with a little smaller pump
2. Go with a little bigger electric motor
But I think you will be OK for 99.8 percent of the stuff.
crowbait
ArboristSite Member
Not sure I understand...but will try.
I used to have a 20 ton splitter, gas, 5hp. I think it had a small gpm pump. When it would encounter a tuff chunk, it would slow way down, and the wedge would creep thru the chunk. really slow...but it would go thru.
Then I had a 25 ton splitter with a 28gpm pump and it too was gas, but 7hp. Every now and then, it would stall in a tuff chunk. It never seemed to slow down to a creep, and dig its way thru...it would just stall.
Is that kinda what you're talking about? I mean, would the 25 ton have done better do you think, if I'd have had a smaller gpm pump on it?....even tho it would have cycled slower?
I used to have a 20 ton splitter, gas, 5hp. I think it had a small gpm pump. When it would encounter a tuff chunk, it would slow way down, and the wedge would creep thru the chunk. really slow...but it would go thru.
Then I had a 25 ton splitter with a 28gpm pump and it too was gas, but 7hp. Every now and then, it would stall in a tuff chunk. It never seemed to slow down to a creep, and dig its way thru...it would just stall.
Is that kinda what you're talking about? I mean, would the 25 ton have done better do you think, if I'd have had a smaller gpm pump on it?....even tho it would have cycled slower?
jags
ArboristSite Guru
You have it correct. A 7 hp gas engine simply will not pull a 28 GPM pump to its max psi (even on the 2nd stage of the pump) and the engine will quit first.
If that 7 hp splitter would have had a 13.6 (maybe even a 16) gpm pump, although you would have slower cycle times, it would not stall the engine.
11 gpm = 5 hp+
13.6 gpm = 6 hp+
16 gpm = 8 hp+
22 gpm = 11 hp+
28 gpm = 14 hp+
For electric, the "basic" rule of thumb is 1:2.5 elec:gas
crowbait
ArboristSite Member
So, if the motor can't pull the pump to its maximum, does that mean the 2nd stage may never kick in?
What if my motor never bogs down? On my previous splitter, my motor never seemed to bog down, yet my wedge would stall.
What if my motor never bogs down? On my previous splitter, my motor never seemed to bog down, yet my wedge would stall.
jags
ArboristSite Guru
No, the second stage should kick in once the pump starts creating big pressure, it is typically set at the factory to kick in at a given psi. Although, if you do not have enough hp to reach the kick down psi of your 2 stage pump, you are correct, it will not kick into the 2nd stage.
If your motor does not bog, and your wedge stalls:
1: you have reached the bypass psi set on your valve
2: you have some type of a leak by situation (i.e. seals on the ram, worn pump, etc)
crowbait
ArboristSite Member
Ok...I'm learning from what you are writing. Thanks....
I had no leak, so I must have been hitting my preset bypass.
But, shouldn't my ram speed have slowed down drastically (stage 2 of the pump), and tried to go thru the log, before it stalled?
If "yes", then maybe it did, and I just didn't really notice.
I had no leak, so I must have been hitting my preset bypass.
But, shouldn't my ram speed have slowed down drastically (stage 2 of the pump), and tried to go thru the log, before it stalled?
If "yes", then maybe it did, and I just didn't really notice.
jags
ArboristSite Guru
It actually sounds like maybe you could have had a worn out pump. If the pump has an internal leak by, you would never create enough pressure to kick in the second stage, or push the ram as hard as it should be. Or possibly your relief valve was faulty, never allowing enough pressure to kick in second stage or build enough pressure for the ram.
Oh, and just cuz were on the subject, a "leak by" does not have to be visible. If you have leak by on the internal seals of your ram, you will probably never "see" it. No drips will be visible. The same is possible for your pump and valve and relief valve. Shaft seals are different from pressure seals and tight tolerances (i.e. pump).
According to horse power required calculations 28gpm @600 psi requires 8hp..
The 2-stage pump will down shift between 600-800 psi.
The 2-stage pump will down shift between 600-800 psi.
jags
ArboristSite Guru
Triptester - those are great numbers. Do you have a chart or something that shows what the 28gpm pumps would require at say 2000 and 2500 psi?
The formula is Hp.= GPM X PSI divided 1714 x % pump efficiency.
The 2-stage pumps are 85% efficient.
When a 2-stage pump down shifts it will continue at approximately 1/4 it's rated gpm.
The 2-stage pumps are 85% efficient.
When a 2-stage pump down shifts it will continue at approximately 1/4 it's rated gpm.
