I wanna make a Homemade Log Splitter

[TWEETER]

<font color="blue"> </font> I wanna make a homemade log splitter. Does anyone have any suggestions or ideas? I am mainly interested in something that is gas operated. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] hittinrun@hotmail.com

[Egon]

I'd have a tendency to go look at the new ones in the store and then just copy.

Egon

[Deerlope]

I have built 5 homemade splitters for people over the years. The last one that I built was for myself and cost me about $800. It is a 20 ton ,8 HP&amp; 13 gpm pump. I had to buy everything(used engine)&amp; weld it all together. Depending on the area you live in if you watch the for sale in the local papers you can usually pickup a good one for 800 or less.

[Zork]

Northern has all the engines/ 2 stage pumps/ mounts/ couplings/ valves/ tanks and cyllinders that you will need. All you would have to do is design it, buy the steel, cut, weld it . If your not planning on building a beast or something custom, your best bet may be to buy new or used. Your cheapest bet to build is a tractor mounted unit, for the money and time invested, its operation may cost you more than say an 8hp self contained unit. Why I say this is because of the earlier $800 20 ton example and after I priced all the steel, wheels, lights, etc for a 2900# trailer I would only save $250. So I bought new because it was cheaper to buy since my labor was worth more than that. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] Franz

[MossRoad]

<font color="blue"> Does anyone have any suggestions or ideas</font>

Yes. Take a look at this thread by kcbarnes. He has a log splitter with a small boom crane for lifting large chunks of wood. There are several pictures. If I were ever going to build a log splitter, this is one addition I would seriously consider. Heck, even if I purchased a log splitter, I'd add something like this. My poor old back would be soooo happy! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[RonR]

One option for finding hydraulic parts is a farm equipment bone pile of hay making equipment. In the 80's, a few ag implements had a chain driven (from the PTO) hydraulic pump, tank, and valve setup that was an option if you didn't have hydraulics on your tractor. I recall Hesston stack hands had that option.

Some of my buddies found the units surplus (still new in the box). Made great splitters, even with single stage pumps.

Don't know where to look for them now.

Ron

[moeh1]

I made my own (twice) many years ago. Second version fixed some minor engineering flaws [img]/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img] I made a vertical splitter that also could be used horizontal, but I don't use that option much. Make sure you look at the balance point if you want it to swing up easy, a piece of pipe under the beam finds the center of mass easily for you. I went with the pump mounted right on the engine second time around, saved some alignment issues. I used a 2 stage pump, my friend marvels how much faster mine is than his (which runs off tractor hydraulics). Also, I went with a 3-1/2" bore cylinder for speed. I have found about 15 or 20 pieces of wood I couldn't split over the years. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img] All in all, probably not alot cheaper than buying a used one. Have fun like I did making one. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Skeptic]

I was going to build a 3 pt log splitter, but then I found this Swisher brand log splitter at Sam's Club for under $1,000. It is 26 ton, with a 6.75 hp Briggs engine. Splits vertical or horizontal. I pull it with the 4 wheeler and use the FEL to carry the split wood. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
So I am building a grapple instead. I have some good pictures of the hinge pieces that I recently welded.
Anyway here is the picture of the log splitter.

[powerstroke2000]

I can't get the pictures listed like you are supposed to so you will just have to look the hard way sorry guys. But this is a splitter my buddy and I made.
The one picture show the 4 way wedge in the storage postion. We made two wedges for it so we can just pull a pin to change back and forth. Today was the first day we ever had to change back to the single wedge since we made the 4 way, and that was just for one tree that was going was to hard and it was frozen.If you look at the other picture you wil see the tall skinny leg on the push plate.We use that to rap a chain around to pull the logs that get stuck. The third picture shows one of the wood trucks.It is a 1973 two-wheel drive that dump that will go just like a four-wheel drive.Hint look at the tires.
http://community.webshots.com/user/smokin_stroker

[rdbrumfield]

This is my representation of a log splitter. It will handle up to a 6' dia block 24inchs long, but I like to keep them to 16 in length. A gas motor would be nice.