build a splitter

[woodgrub]

hi,standard pumpa tad slow,will replace with 11gpm shortly, relief set at 3500 psi,am amazed at what it will split for a small machine.redesigned wedge made huge logs much easier to crack open.aussie hardwood is amongst the densest,toughest to work/split in the world.u need to modify most imported machines including u.s.a built machines because all our firewood species here are hardwood,real hardwood. 'no offence to my friends inU.S.A intended.wil send pics soon,wood season is here,hope u r busy too .

 

[J_J]

chainsawnut,

You asked about why two stage pumps, and it has to do with HP. A single stage gear pump pumping 11 GPM at 3500 psi will require about 26 HP. The same 11 GPM from a two stage pump will only require about 5 HP. The two stage pump will pump 11 GPM at 650 psi, and about 3.4 GPM at 2500 psi. The shift over is automatic. The two stage pump can be direct drive or belt drive, because there are ball bearings on the shaft end.

 

[chainsawnut]

Thanks woodgrub and JJ
woodgrub look forward to the pics,my woodcutting is mainly for personal use but when a tree comes my way that I can cut to rounds and store at my workshop I dont mind selling a couple of trailerloads to a mate or two ,
covers the cost of fuel and chains for the season .But I love to use my old saws currently have 2 project saws a mac 250 circa 1965 and a mac 15 1966 both one owner preloved machines mainly carb and fuel lines to do on these two as they both fire up with fuel down the carb.
JJ thanks for the heads up on being able to run with belt drive I have stacks of pulleys and belts.
Because I had not seen a pulley set up yet only direct drive and buying the right engine mount and couplers.
As I mentioned earlier cycle time is not an issue I have to force myself to slow down so locally instead of my 10hp 2nd hand hondas I can buy a new 6.5 honda clone for 264 bucks and online the speedco 11gpm pumps are about 125 plus freight but the same pump on aussie ebay is up over 399.
Where this is going If I can use a pulley system to drive the 2 stage pump it becomes viable again thanks again guys

 

[zonta223]

Hi Pete
Had the splitter for about 18 months......Really thrashed it when I got it and split enough wood for 2 years for myself and friend...never missed a beat........starts first time and on most logs the motor does not even load up
Old seasoned Red Gum it splits with ease.
Had some other aged timber did not know what type, could hardly mark it with an axe or block splitter it handled it with ease.
Think the trailer would be ok on the roads would need lights etc but the tires are not rated at even 50kph so that is the limiting factor.
Live up near Gawler so a bit north of Adelaide.
On selling your parts etc??? depends on how much spare time and cash you have.......I did a quick calculation......building block splitter with a mix of sh and new bits having problems with worn out bits. fixing it every time I wanted to use it vers having something ready to go with 12 months warranty for virtually the same cost...........did not take me long to make the decision to buy new.
Think it cost me $75 in freight........ask the company......they really are great..I asked heaps of questions b4 I bought and they answered everyone of them. Only problem I had with the unit was a faulty stop/run switch..........they posted me one out overnight.....great service

regards

 

[chainsawnut]

Thanks for the extra info I was in gawler 3 weeks ago cut dow a small palm tree for a friend prickly little buggers those things nasty points on the fronds.This machine is starting to sound like a good option, I like making my own stuff where I can but maybe out of my depth on this one,waiting on a cd plan set that I bought online,also found a seller who has pumps valves mounts etc etc and is willing to freight as on e parcel,others I contacted even though they sold multiple parts wouldn't combine the shipping and couldn't tell me what matched what so they were only resellers this guy is a hydraulics fellow

 

[chainsawnut]

received my logsplitter plans yesterday Good drawings measurements and pics, by freak piece of luck the beam size in the plan is what I have sitting out the back ,so this weekend will have a go at the honda motors if I can get one of the 10hp's to run ok. I will build it if not the one mentioned above will have the edge.Is there a way to test my ram that I have to see if its any good,before I fork out for pump plate couplers etc.

 

[J_J]

You have to use fluid to operate the ram at high pressure. You could try air, but will be limited, or might not operate it at all if it is tight.

You might also try a manual hyd pump that has a gage to see if it will hold pressure.

 

[chainsawnut]

Thanks JJ one more question while you are around Would an air compressor tank work as a hydraulic tank I have a new one that the piston crank snapped very early in it's life (first time I used it).
Just looks like a tank waiting to be used for something

 

[J_J]

Usually a hyd tank will have baffles in it to keep the sloshing down. Never draw off the bottom of the tank. Some people filter the fluid going into the tank, and some filter before the hydrostatic pumps and charge pumps use it. The way the air tank is made is not particular useful as a hyd tank with out some modifications. Should have a good cap on the filler opening, to keep out moisture and dust, etc. A temp meter would be ideal.

https://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?item=9-7949&catname=hydraulic

https://www.surpluscenter.com/Drawing/DR9-7949.pdf

 

[chainsawnut]

Thanks JJ will check out a mates storage yard he used to have a grader and a few dozers and odds and sodds laying around.
Well managed to get one of the 10 hp hondas running today,but I must have put something back together wrong.Boy these things kick back it isn't bolted down so I had to kneel on it and try ripstart it while holding it down one kickback pulled the starter cord back in so hard it broke the cord .
Fixed that and kept cranking applying ether with each successfull fire.
Eventually got it to run but it raced badly so I had to shut it down then I had oil drip out of the carb ,removed excess oil from the sump (my fault did not know how much oil should show on the dipstick) No workshop manual.
Eventually got it started again agin it was racing I had to physically operate the govenor to bring down the speed ,this is spring operated and pulls to full revs straight away.
Adjustin the lock on the govenor at the base of the motor did not help
It's like I have things back to front but there are no other springs or cables to reverse I dont think I could have the carb on back to front as the choke is always on the outside (right ) Any clues from honda owners