Mock up of my splitter I'm building

[davedj1]

OK, time for an update. I don't know how to edit the title of the thread to add "new pics"
I started bolting it together this morning, still waiting on valve and hoses and half a love joy for pump.
I ended up going with a 22 gpm pump. If it doesn't work out I'll either get a bigger motor or a smaller pump.

 

[Scooby074]

Looking good.
:thumbsup:

 

[boxorox]

Looks good how thick I beam did you use my neighbor gave me 3 pieces of I beam ONe is 7feet long is that long enough. more pics please its awsome

 

[mangus580]

Posted this in Scooby's thread, but I will add it here too...

Here is what I just did to my wedge. It used to be a drop on wedge from Northern Tool. I hated it.

Here is what it looks like now....



It seems to work very good now. You will notice the cross part of the wedge is back a couple inches from the main point of the wedge. This allows the first split to happen before it hits the cross, thus making it not bog down as much.

Videos....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4NHS5C3wSI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-Dvn7aHsNM

 

[davedj1]

Thanks for the kind words.

Nice Mangus. How far off the beam are your horizontal wedges? I don't mine having some smaller splits mixed in, I'm too old to lift on the heavy stuff.

boxorox, I think 7' will be long enough if you go with a 24" stroke cylinder. Mine is 30" stroke.
The beam is 5" x 5" x 3/8" thick. Some people have warned me about it twisting. I ran it by my local fab shop and they seem to think it will be fine. If I notice it twisting or flexing too much I will address it ASAP. I'm hoping that with the knife for the wedge it will just slice right through most wood.

I almost forgot todays update. Decided to use the old valve that came with the stuff I bought originally, I picked up the other half of the Nova fitting for the pump, a 3/4" swivel 90 and a 1/2" swivel 90. I'm going to get it running without the log lift temporarily. Maybe tomorrow!

 

[mangus580]

Nice Mangus. How far off the beam are your horizontal wedges? I don't mine having some smaller splits mixed in, I'm too old to lift on the heavy stuff.

Centered top to bottom, which I think makes it 4"

I dont mind the smaller pieces either. I have kids to move the wood ;-) not to mention I am moving to a pallet system here this summer, which will minimize handling. I prefer to keep the wood manageable, so the wife is willing/able to feed the fire....

 

[davedj1]

Well I'm very dissapointed. Got her all up and running today and it extends at a snails pace but retracts like lightning! LOL Hs no power extending either.
I did have some fluid coming out of the end of the cylinder so I pulled it apart, now I need to find either someone to rebuild it or buy a new one.
I'm also wondering if the valve is the culprit, could it be bypassing in one direction? It seems to me if it was a bad cyl. it would bypass in both directions, not just extend.
the valve I have is an old cross, spring to center, no detents. I took it apart but didn't see any replaceable wear items so I put it back together.
Anyone know of a hydraulic shop in the Albany NY area? The only one I knew of went out of business.
thanks,
dave

 

[whitepine2]

Posted this in Scooby's thread, but I will add it here too...

Here is what I just did to my wedge. It used to be a drop on wedge from Northern Tool. I hated it.

Here is what it looks like now..

View attachment 303260

It seems to work very good now. You will notice the cross part of the wedge is back a couple inches from the main point of the wedge. This allows the first split to happen before it hits the cross, thus making it not bog down as much.

Videos....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4NHS5C3wSI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-Dvn7aHsNM

I watched your Video and I think if you were to add to your plunger on the outside two spacers so as not to touch the wedge itself but could by-pass it it would clear the splits better. I did this with two chenille laid flat for strength. I think a wider table at wedge would hold bigger splits and make it easier
to re-split you made a nice splitter but I think it could be better,not telling you what to do just saying
Whitepine2

 

[plumbstraight]

Here is my system for lifting the heavys. The T knife keeps the block in one piece just taking two off the bottom.

 

[mangus580]

Well I'm very dissapointed. Got her all up and running today and it extends at a snails pace but retracts like lightning! LOL Hs no power extending either.
I did have some fluid coming out of the end of the cylinder so I pulled it apart, now I need to find either someone to rebuild it or buy a new one.
I'm also wondering if the valve is the culprit, could it be bypassing in one direction? It seems to me if it was a bad cyl. it would bypass in both directions, not just extend.
the valve I have is an old cross, spring to center, no detents. I took it apart but didn't see any replaceable wear items so I put it back together.
Anyone know of a hydraulic shop in the Albany NY area? The only one I knew of went out of business.
thanks,
dave

Sorry to say I dont know any in Albany, but I do know of a great one in Rochester....

I watched your Video and I think if you were to add to your plunger on the outside two spacers so as not to touch the wedge itself but could by-pass it it would clear the splits better. I did this with two chenille laid flat for strength. I think a wider table at wedge would hold bigger splits and make it easier
to re-split you made a nice splitter but I think it could be better,not telling you what to do just saying
Whitepine2

I agree with what you are saying. Both have actually been discussed since I made the wedge change. I will say that the wood being split in the video was extremely stringy. I really need to learn to not fight it, and just drop another log on to push it through.

After seeing some of the other builds, I am considering an outbound table as well.