Hey fellows, unfortuently, I've run into a problem I can't seem to figure out. The other day I tested it out on some notty stubborn wood. Next thing I know, the two pieces of flat bar that anchor the pusher to underneath the top of the I-beam bent, a few grade-8 bolts either snapped or bent and the WORST part is the edges of the I-beam bent upward--thankfully not breaking.
From what I can tell the wood must have caused the push plate to go up alittle bending the i-beam.
Here's a bit more info.
1) I have very little up and down movement of the push plate and about a 1/4 inch move ment from side to side.
2) the hydraulic cyclinder is completely horizontal to the i-beam (thus, not applying any un-need force in either the up or down vertical direction.)
The fix and second run:
So I fixed the first problem by replacing the two pieces of flat bar that anchor the pusher to underneath the top of the I-beam with thicker 3/4" flatbar. Today ran a good bit of wood through again and ran into the same problem. This time only the i-beam bent and I was really caredful to watch for this since I know the sound it made from the first time a day prior. I backed off the pressure, hammered back down the i-beam flat, resituated the log and continued splitting.
I don't understand why this is happening. This has never happened with any other splitter I've used and the one I have built is much bulkier than anything in the store.
Have you ever heard of this happening to anyone before? Any suggestions?
Thanks, Thomas