MGH PA
Gold Member
Let me preface this post by stating, that yes, I did search this site as well as arborist site and many others on this topic. I just have a few things that I want advice/clarification on before moving forward.
Our hunting club has passed on the responsibility for me to have a custom splitter built for cabin use, and since I teach with a manufacturing teacher who has happened to build these with his upper level students for the past two years, it only made sense to go this route. The students benefit, the club benefits, and we (hopefully) get a unit that is built to our needs at a price much less than the higher end traditional commercial units.
Our club wants a splitter than can split 38" logs, but have a 40" log capacity (we can certainly cut our wood to fit our fireplace at 36", but the majority cannot be convinced otherwise). As such, we were initially limited to a few specific heavy duty commercial units in the $8K range, or have one custom built by a manufacturer (also $$). Instead this is our plan.
I'm specing out the cylinder, engine, hoses, valve, and pump. Everything else will be manufactured mostly in house by the instructor and his students (under supervision of course). It will be basic I-beam frame with a reservoir built into the top of the axle. Based on some calculations, I think a 5" bore/36" stroke/3000PSI cylinder will do the trick on all but the gnarliest 38" pieces (and even 40" pieces). I plan to run a Haldex 22GPM 2 stage pump (based on my calculations), but am unsure of what HP I need to drive the pump, since I can't plug in the numbers in the GPM x PSI x 1714 formula? I know two stage pumps have a high volume/low pressure and high pressure/low volume, but I can't find the specs as to what these are from the pump manufacturer. What GPM figure (once I find it) would I use to calculate the HP requirements? I'm assuming the low volume high pressure side?
Secondly, what are the calculations for figuring hose diameter for both the supply and the load side? I'm looking at prince 4 way/3 position valve with 3/4" in/out and 1/2" working ports.
Our hunting club has passed on the responsibility for me to have a custom splitter built for cabin use, and since I teach with a manufacturing teacher who has happened to build these with his upper level students for the past two years, it only made sense to go this route. The students benefit, the club benefits, and we (hopefully) get a unit that is built to our needs at a price much less than the higher end traditional commercial units.
Our club wants a splitter than can split 38" logs, but have a 40" log capacity (we can certainly cut our wood to fit our fireplace at 36", but the majority cannot be convinced otherwise). As such, we were initially limited to a few specific heavy duty commercial units in the $8K range, or have one custom built by a manufacturer (also $$). Instead this is our plan.
I'm specing out the cylinder, engine, hoses, valve, and pump. Everything else will be manufactured mostly in house by the instructor and his students (under supervision of course). It will be basic I-beam frame with a reservoir built into the top of the axle. Based on some calculations, I think a 5" bore/36" stroke/3000PSI cylinder will do the trick on all but the gnarliest 38" pieces (and even 40" pieces). I plan to run a Haldex 22GPM 2 stage pump (based on my calculations), but am unsure of what HP I need to drive the pump, since I can't plug in the numbers in the GPM x PSI x 1714 formula? I know two stage pumps have a high volume/low pressure and high pressure/low volume, but I can't find the specs as to what these are from the pump manufacturer. What GPM figure (once I find it) would I use to calculate the HP requirements? I'm assuming the low volume high pressure side?
Secondly, what are the calculations for figuring hose diameter for both the supply and the load side? I'm looking at prince 4 way/3 position valve with 3/4" in/out and 1/2" working ports.