Splitter Hydraulic tank question

[mga]

i had mine made out of heavy sheet metal...didn't have to frame it. it's just a tank...and under no pressure.

but weld in your fittings.

there's a web site out there...i forgot where i found it...a google search will do it....that will give you the gallon capacity of the tank you design by just punching in the dimentions. if i can find it again, i'll post it.

 

[triptester]

Length x width x depth divided by 231 = gallons

This would be for dimensions in inches.

 

[fast*st]

I was thinking of making the angle frame inside the
tank cause I stink at Tig welding and figured putting
an angle in the corner and welding to that will help seal
the backside of the weld and make ugly welds a little
better! Bright aluminum should dump a lot of heat.

Actually on some nascar race I saw while chowing down
a burger, they use some snazzy gold foil on the inside of
the wheels to reject or dissipate heat. Looked snazzy.


-Jason

 

[mga]

here's a photo of my tank. i didn't weld it...my son does sheet metal work and he (and the shop) fabricated it to my specs.

http://s89.photobucket.com/albums/k228/mga_01/?action=view&current=DSCF0210.jpg

 

[fast*st]

does that top return pipe have a diffuser or dip tube inside the tank?

Looks like a nice portable splitter

-Jason

 

[mga]

does that top return pipe have a diffuser or dip tube inside the tank?

Looks like a nice portable splitter

-Jason

thanks. yep...it runs down to about an inch off the bottom of the tank. i also have a baffle inside as was desrcibed by leon in his post. my suction side is about 1 off the bottom of the tank as well.

and, it's very portable. it's mounted on a light boat trailer and with the front wheel, it makes it easy for one guy to move. the leaf springs are the best...makes trailering that thing a breeze.

 

[infomet]

Is your oil running too hot?
I have a 12HP Kohler, but not sure of pump rating. Working hard all day gets the oil warm, not hot, and the tank is maybe 5 gallons.

I don't understand the talk about diffusers and baffles either. At the rate you are moving the oil, it's going to all be at the same temperature and it doesn't matter about mixing. There is almost no rise during one trip around. It's the hundreds of trips that add up that you have to think about.

If I had to make an improvement, it would be to go to a stainless steel tank. All steel tanks will rust, since the fluid picks up a little water. Mine has a coarse screen on the outlet and it will clog with rusty crud occasionally. I take the suction hose off at the pump and blow it back with my mouth. That clears the screen, but I have this funny sore on my lip..........

 

[fast*st]

Any opinions on welded aluminum tanks? is one baffle enough
or would two be better? I was thinking two would be good
mostly for supporting the sides of the tank, though 1/8 aluminum
doesn't feel very flimsy at all. How about a magnetic drain plug?

As to the baffles, they slow down the fluid flow, spread it
it around the tank, regulating the turbulence and coaxing
air bubbles to the surface. Best I can tell.

-Jason

 

[mga]

one baffle should be suffice....i mean, if you want two in there, i can't see why it would hurt anything, but two really isn't necessarry.

the baffle should be about 3/4 of the height of the tank. the bottom corners should be cut out diagnally maybe about 1 inch. remember to run your return pipe down to the bottom of your tank!

using that 1/8" aluminum should work out very well without all the added weight and support.

 

[fast*st]

Heh, weight isn't a problem, I'll have to send some mid progress pictures.

I did get some good aluminum welding tips from an old baja racer friend.

-Jason

 

[cabinman]

pusher shoe

here's a photo of my tank. i didn't weld it...my son does sheet metal work and he (and the shop) fabricated it to my specs.

http://s89.photobucket.com/albums/k228/mga_01/?action=view&current=DSCF0210.jpg

MGA,..Can you post some more pics of your pusher shoe,..It looks pretty tough,..Very important part of a high performance splitter,..Thanks Eric

 

[mga]

MGA,..Can you post some more pics of your pusher shoe,..It looks pretty tough,..Very important part of a high performance splitter,..Thanks Eric

i got the idea from it from the guys here in the forum. when i was first designing it, i was trying to think of a way to make one that would be stable under any condition. my first log splitter (i didn't build it) had a very weak one and because it flexed so much under pressure, it actually bent the 1 3/4" ram to the point where it wasn't worth keeping the cylinder...or the whole splitter for that matter. i scrapped the whole thing to the junk yard and started over, building the one i have now.

the only pics i have are the ones at the web site:

http://s89.photobucket.com/albums/k228/mga_01/?action=view&current=DSCF0207.jpg

the front is 1" thick A2 and the rest is 3/4" crs. (cold rolled steel)

 

[sawjo]

This is how I ended up mounting the tank and plumbing it. I was the original poster to this thread.

 

[cabinman]

Hats Off

i got the idea from it from the guys here in the forum. when i was first designing it, i was trying to think of a way to make one that would be stable under any condition. my first log splitter (i didn't build it) had a very weak one and because it flexed so much under pressure, it actually bent the 1 3/4" ram to the point where it wasn't worth keeping the cylinder...or the whole splitter for that matter. i scrapped the whole thing to the junk yard and started over, building the one i have now.

the only pics i have are the ones at the web site:

http://s89.photobucket.com/albums/k228/mga_01/?action=view&current=DSCF0207.jpg

the front is 1" thick A2 and the rest is 3/4" crs. (cold rolled steel)

Thats one of the Best Shoes Ive seen, you guys are building some nice machines,..I have been a pusher shoe, pusher, because I think its the most important fabed part on your splitter,..Nice work,..E,J,

 

[mga]

This is how I ended up mounting the tank and plumbing it. I was the original poster to this thread.

nice toy ya got there.

the tank looks great and i like the oil level gauge on the side....something i didn't add.

 

[fast*st]

late update

A little update, the aluminum tank came out well! Its still a little slow with a 28 gpm pump but its a big bore.

Inlet side looking toward the baffle.
<img src="http://www.tiger-mtn.com/~jasong/splitter/IMG_0294.jpg"></img>

Inlet diffuser, works well at moving the air upwards and making the flow across the tank smooth and slow.

<img src="http://www.tiger-mtn.com/~jasong/splitter/IMG_0296.jpg"></img>

Inlet side with level/temp gauge bling

<img src="http://www.tiger-mtn.com/~jasong/splitter/IMG_0300.jpg"></img>

painted and ready to work.

<img src="http://www.tiger-mtn.com/~jasong/splitter/IMG_0311.jpg"></img>

 

[Iron man]

Better late than never.It didn't really take 3 years to build that tank did it?

 

[fast*st]

Better late than never.It didn't really take 3 years to build that tank did it?

Heh, heck no, but have been using it lots, maybe 25 cords run through it. Somehow I realised that I didn't post the final pics. Its been a great runner except that mice build nests up in the cooling shroud.

 

[Iron man]

Heh, heck no, but have been using it lots, maybe 25 cords run through it. Somehow I realised that I didn't post the final pics. Its been a great runner except that mice build nests up in the cooling shroud.

I keep having the same problem with mice also.They ate the wires going to my kill switch this year so had to fix that.:bang:

 

[fast*st]

I keep having the same problem with mice also.They ate the wires going to my kill switch this year so had to fix that.:bang:

That is annoying beyond compare! Was just using the splitter tonight to chunk up some 36" oak, way too big to lift by hand so loader bucket and a rope, make a couple cracks, set it on the ground, spin the knot 90 degrees and do it again, soon its all managable pieces.