Part II, My splitter fab pics

[gink595]

Alright, here is some more pics of the wedge and Adj. 4-Way. I still have some more to do on it but that is the general concept. I have to trim the wedge yet so it might seem a little tall right now, I didn't know how high I was going to need it until the 4-way was completed. I flame cut the wedge by hand, I was going to go to the machine shop and have them do it, but i got impatient and deciced to do it by hand It came out great surprisingly. It looks like I can do up to a 28" round into quaters. I really don't cut much over 20" so it's a bit of overkill. The four way is designed so I can take it off by just pulling it straight up, it rests on top of the block that is conected to the adj. cylinder. I wanted it this way beccause I'm really uncertain how the 4-way will perform and it will be so much easier to make a new one if I have to if the one I made don't work good. It's kinda funny I designed my whole 4-way on the possibility it will suck! I did however make it so I can use either end of the 4 way alls I have to do is jsut flip it over and it has a different depth and angle, If I'm lucky they both will work!

 

[gink595]

More

 

[arlen]

Wow that is one beautiful splitter wedge David

 

[mga]

nice work!!

now, just add some sensors that can 'see" and measure the log size so that it will automatically adjust your 4 way. lol

 

[boostnut]

Gink, are you looking for a job? We're always on the hunt for good fabricators and you sir, especially considering the tools you have to work with, are a heck of a fabricator. Keep up the good work.

 

[Zodiac45]

Outstanding work Frank!

You've taken the best of all the different splitter designs and made it your own. Can't wait too see that baby in action. That's a lifetime rig right there. Do it once, do it right!

 

[gink595]

Thanks for the compliments guys, it's refreshing to hear it looks good, I've been staring at it wondering what to do for quite some time now my mind went numb, the problem is I've looked at too many different versions and was so confused that Zodiac is right I've combined all the different ways others have made theirs into my own mess, The wedge is straight from Nicockers TW, I had something that I was doing until I seen his post and my old Idea was put away in the circuliar file! I hope it works
Thanks for the job offer, But my welding days are over other than for hobby. I used to make pretty good money fabbing but after a couple liver transplants, I've changed gears and am into the engineering side of things detailing. I must say I really don't like being in a office, I sure miss the shop

 

[gink595]

Here is tonight progress, I finished the Adjustable cylinder mount, I had to make the bracket removable with a 1" pin otherwise I could not get my cylinder in place, plus if I ever have to replace the cylinder all I will have to do is move the bracket up/down to accomodate the new size and drill a hole. The 4-way is complete now, I will be able to concentrate on the oil tank and motor pump now, as far as I'm concerned the hard part is done. I should have more pics tommorow.

 

[gink595]

Opps I posted the wrong pic

 

[gink595]

Alright here is the last picture of the night, this one is showing how the 4-way attaches to the cylinder, the block on top of the cyl. is fixed so it can't rotate in the yoke.

 

[husky455rancher]

damn gink that things beefy, makes mine look like a toy lol. i made a temporary 4 way for mine during the winter to try it out. it worked but my baby splitter was working really hard to do it. so i took it off its too hard on the machine.

 

[gink595]

Hard on the Hydraulics as in lack of power or stressing the beam? I'm not so sure I'll have enough azz to push it through either with what I have now, if thats the case I'll hook it to the bobcat for the big stuff and run the little motor for the small stuff, at this point I don't care what it takes that damn thing is going to work if it kills me!!:greenchainsaw:

 

[gink595]

Well I tried the splitter out for the first time tonight, I hooked it into the Bobcat and had to run the cylinder off the hand controls but I just wanted to try that wedge out before I finished it. It definatley needs some more work, it did okay on the smaller rounds but overall it sucked ass, the 4-way blades are too far away from the leading edge of the main wedge, it won't pound the round all the way through, also I haven't cut the main wedge down so I have like a 27" tall wedge, that didn't help matters, being that tall really flexed things, so that needs to be addressed, I'm going to try to cut the old blades off and move them 2" closer and add some more steel to create more of a wedge at the main wedge to help split the rounds open more, it stays narrow all the way through, I'm having to cycle it all the way out to get it cut. I did like the stepped part of the wedge it "pops" the round open. I guess that was the only part that was good!! Oh well, what can you do, I'll try again tomorrow with something different, maybe I'll get it closer.

 

[husky455rancher]

good to know about the little step part on the wedge. i might have to try that sometime. i think the 4 ways especially the big ones are kinda decieving. well i mean about the shear power that it takes to drive a log especially a large log through the wedge. i made a temporary one and it was very small abe my spliter was cryin like a baby. it did split small stuff but anything of size was a no go. granted mines a toy compared to yours but same principal. if i remember right my side wedges were maybe an inch back from the vertical wedge. my memory aint the best

 

[SWI Don]

Gink,
Here is what I am about to try. I have the wedge milled and just need to get it welded together to try.

It has a 30° forward slant to hopefully hold the logs in. The points also sit just under 3" back from the point. The width of the 4-way is 16" for scale. It is made of 3/4" plate.

There is also a picture of the main wedge. It has a couple of spreaders made of angle iron to pop open the logs.

Good luck on your project.

 

[gink595]

That looks like a nice setup you got going. Let me know how yours works out. You might run into the same problem as I have with that wedge being at 2.78" away from the leading edge at the outsides and around 6.25 +/- just past the wedged angles I figured the math by taking (1/2) of 16= 8" wedge and subtracting 2"(guessed) for the depth of the angle iron so 6" run at the 30* angle and finding the rise of that is 3.46 and adding it to the 2.78" = 6.24, is that right?? I will take some pics of mine to show how the log will just sit there split but not all the way, I have around 3" from the main leading edge to the 4-way wedges. I really do like the way you're making yours adjustable and how the 4-way is one piece, give it a try and post some more pics I'm curious on the way your's is going to split, you might be my guinea pig, and save me more worthless efforts, good luck and post more pictures of your setup looks great.

 

[nickblaze466]

looks good, wedge turned out pretty good for torch cutting it, i was surprised after i saw that first pic.

i think you might have some trouble with the beam where that wedge hooks in, i've never tried anything like that but with that size wedge if you change that cylinder out and bite into something good enough to give it a workout, i would bet you a six pack that beam folds up as is.

 

[skid row]

Looks great gink. Nice fab work and engineering. Awesome looking welds and heavy duty steel. Ya cant really overbuild a splitter.

 

[gink595]

looks good, wedge turned out pretty good for torch cutting it, i was surprised after i saw that first pic.

i think you might have some trouble with the beam where that wedge hooks in, i've never tried anything like that but with that size wedge if you change that cylinder out and bite into something good enough to give it a workout, i would bet you a six pack that beam folds up as is.

Yeah that wedge needs to be trimmed down, I never planned on using it that high, I didn't know how much I was going to need when I was making the 4-way but I know now just haven't done it. That rear upright that guides the 4-way takes a lot of load also, through the 4-way. I am going to put stiffners under all the load points of that wedge system to try and calm the flexing it will have. But after seeing it in action last night it needs something more.

 

[milkie62]

I need the pictures sent a different way.I only get the little x's where the picture is suppose to be.Someone HELP ME !!!!!!!!!!! Thanks