Mods to Log splitter

[Millman]

Hi all,

I want to make some mods to my current home built splitter. It currently has the origional splitting wedge which is a triangle shape wedge. I was thinking of replacing it with a "knife" type wedge sold in northern tool. Should the wedge be sharpe? It seems that when I split this year, the wood seemed to tear and not split. The edge of the wedge is pretty dull. Also the guy that built it welded a piece of plate steel and mounted the cylinder, tank and engine to it. When we first got it working, the back end of the cylinder would flex and then Bang when it split the wood. I noticed that the back end of the cylinder was hanging over the edge of the I beam. I would think you need to mount the back of the cylinder directly to the I-beam. you can see what I mean in the pictures. please disreguard the hydrolics tank and engine. all have been replaced with the proper fittings. Let me know what you think. Also, I have an opportunity to buy another used splitter for $350, no engine and I would have to replace hydrolics possibly. Should I go for it?


Millman

 

[drmiller100]

hard to tell much with the picture.
the very front edge of the splitter should be sharp. rather then buy a new piece, I bet you could sharpen what is there, or weld a one inch piece by 3/8 of strap to the front edge, and sharpen that.

i can't tell where the I beam quits. you COULD weld the plate to the beam, then the ram ears to the plate. like you indicated, teh ears should be on top of the beam the full length of the ears plus a little if you can.

like you said, lots of issues wiht your plumbing.

 

[sawinredneck]

First what wood are you splitting? Elm will tear, not split every time. As will a lot of softwoods. I don't see anything really wrong with you're wedge, maybe hit it with a grinder to dress it.

Unless there are a lot of REALLY good parts that you can use on this splitter, I think I would pass on the other one without seeing it. roun re a last, you can pick up a used factory built for $350-$500.

 

[mga]

the cylinder should be mounted to the beam...as well as the wedge....since the beam is absorbing all the force. having the back end of the cylinder on that plate is just going to allow it to flex under pressure. when that happens, it'll stress that plate and cause your cylinder to distort. if you are just going to split 6" diameter wood, it might be fine for that small stuff.

as for the other splitter...what are you buying for $350 if you have to replace everything?

 

[stumpguy]

wow, the guy who built that must not have been much of an engineer. that thing needs some serious re-work to be considered a worthy machine. i would sell that thing "as is" and use the money along with the $350 you were willing to spend on the other splitter, and start over.

 

[Mr. Firewood]

wow, the guy who built that must not have been much of an engineer. that thing needs some serious re-work to be considered a worthy machine. i would sell that thing "as is" and use the money along with the $350 you were willing to spend on the other splitter, and start over.

I agree, that contraption should fetch $500-$700 on ebay

 

[turnkey4099]

Hi all,

I want to make some mods to my current home built splitter. It currently has the origional splitting wedge which is a triangle shape wedge. I was thinking of replacing it with a "knife" type wedge sold in northern tool. Should the wedge be sharpe? It seems that when I split this year, the wood seemed to tear and not split. The edge of the wedge is pretty dull.
<snip>

IMO a wedge should be a combination of triangle and knife, I built mine with a 6" piece of 1/2" hotrolled sharped to an edge with 'wings' starting 2" back from the edge widening out to 3 1/2" at the back. The knife starts the split, the 'wings' force the chunk apart. In reality, the only time the point of the knife touches the wood is at be bare start of the split or when shearing through knots and crotches. The split will run ahead of the knife once it starts except for knots/crotches.

Yes, the point should be sharp (reasonably). I haven't sharped mine for 20 years now, probably should the day I lay into regrinding the mushrooms on the wedges and sledges.

Were I to rebuilt the wedge would be longer and the 'wings start about 3" back from the point.

Harry K

 

[jags]

The wedges that HF or others sell are not sharp either. They come down to about an 1/8" edge. I questioned this at first (years ago) but did not sharpen it. I think the logic is that it will "follow" the grain instead of cutting its own path. It works like that on my splitter anyhow (my old one had a sharp edge and it would bite and peel wood where it shouldn't have). Now the back end of that ram......ooooh boy... something needs to be done with that. The bracket for the back of the ram should be welded DIRECTLY to the I beam. I am supprised it has not given serious problems yet.

 

[Millman]

thanks

Thanks guys. I planned on taking the plate off entirely, weld the back brace to the I beam, weld a piece of plate to the beam for an engine mount. The hydralics, engine, tank and pump have been replaced already and we split about 8 cord this year. The wood that seemed to tear was the cherry and some of the maple. As for the other spliter, I am going to pass.

Millman

 

[MRCONRAN]

If you want to add a 4 way wedge I would use a knife wedge. You don't want the peices to spread with a 4 way wedge.

 

[tazz001]

I agree, that contraption should fetch $500-$700 on ebay

:hmm3grin2orange: i wonder how mine will do on ebay?

im afraid to post a picture of mine