Log splitter cylinder

[J_J]

I agree with Bobodu, that thing is way too puny for splitting wood, unless you are splitting tiny stuff.

I bought mine (below) used for $50 (30 years ago at a construction equipment salvage yard) and have never had a problem. The piston is 4" in diameter and the cylinder 8". Check out salvage yards first, before buying that little thing you are considering.

Using 2500 psi, you have 62 ton of splitting force. No need to worry about splitting. but I bet it is slow. What size reservoir so you have.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I keep staring at those figures wondering where my math is wrong.

Harry K

You're forgetting to multiply by pi (3.14159)

On a 3" cylinder r = 1.5

1.5 X 1.5 = 2.25 (r squared)
2.25 X 3.14159 (pi) = 7.068 square inches.

at 3000 psi the force is more like 21,204 pounds of force.
at 1300 psi the force is 9,188 pounds... 4.5 tons.

I'm guessing that all of your calculations with commercial splitter have come up about a third of what the manufacturer claims.

 

[scarlo101]

Farmer you are correct, I also calculated it to be about 9000lbs force. Not sure if that will be enough. I will construct it to allow me to change to a larger cylinder if required in the future. I am using this cylinder for now because of the price and also it moves faster.
The pump I am using is the one on my ironworker. It is 1300psi @ 7gpm and has a built in resevoir. I plan on teeing from there and running 2 hoses outside to the splitter. I will not need any type of engine running to power my splitter.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Farmer you are correct, I also calculated it to be about 9000lbs force. Not sure if that will be enough. I will construct it to allow me to change to a larger cylinder if required in the future. I am using this cylinder for now because of the price and also it moves faster.
The pump I am using is the one on my ironworker. It is 1300psi @ 7gpm and has a built in resevoir. I plan on teeing from there and running 2 hoses outside to the splitter. I will not need any type of engine running to power my splitter.

I'm sure I'm just repeating what most already know, but there's a threeway balance between force, speed, and horsepower. Unless you increase horsepower, more speed means less force. Of course the inverse is also true... more force means less speed. The only way around it is to increase available horsepower.

 

[smfcpacfp]

Using 2500 psi, you have 62 ton of splitting force. No need to worry about splitting. but I bet it is slow. What size reservoir so you have.

It is quite slow, but that hasn't been too much of a problem, because we take our time and don't work to exhaustion, or to the point of back pain. The slow pace suits us. The resevoir holds about 4 gallons and the cylinders holds quite a bit also.

 

[turnkey4099]

You're forgetting to multiply by pi (3.14159)

On a 3" cylinder r = 1.5

1.5 X 1.5 = 2.25 (r squared)
2.25 X 3.14159 (pi) = 7.068 square inches.

at 3000 psi the force is more like 21,204 pounds of force.
at 1300 psi the force is 9,188 pounds... 4.5 tons.

I'm guessing that all of your calculations with commercial splitter have come up about a third of what the manufacturer claims.

Yeah, I figured out the pi error. Even multipliign by it does not make the manufacturer's claims come even close.

Thus a 4" cylinder is claimed to give 20 (some claim 22) tons.

2x2 = 4 x 3.14 = 12.56 x 3000 = 37680 or just over 18 ton and that is running the bypass at 3,000 psi - not recommended.

Harry K

Harry K

 

[J_J]

On a 4 in cyl, each 500 psi = 3.14 ton
------------------ 1000 = 6.28
------------------ 1500 = 9.45
------------------ 2000 = 12.56
------------------ 2500 = 15.7
------------------ 3000 = 18.8 ton

------------------ 4000 = 25.13 ton

------------------ 4775 psi = 30.0 ton