Building a Log Splitter from Scratch

[Suz]

I expect to have to make some changes. I have seen this same wedge design work, so I'm giving it a try.

The under-carriage is nearly finished, motor mount affixed and welded.

Rolling Chassis

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With that much of the H beam hanging past the axle how is your weight at the hitch on the tongue? When I built my horizontal/vertical splitter the rig ended up pretty light on the tongue.
Also, I'd like to suggest looking at making a boom lift rather than a log lift on the side of the splitter. I run mine with a 3000# winch and we are able to pick rounds up from any position around the splitter. Whereas if you have a log lift off to the side you are restricting yourself to working off one side of the splitter, plus you still have to roll or carry the rounds to the log lift. Plus you will be adding a lot more weight hanging off the back of the splitter.

Here are a couple of pictures of my boom lift in action.

 

[rdbrumfield]

I am all for the boom lift also. I built mine with a T knife. It doesn't split the block intwo. It just takes firewood size off the bottom of the block as you work it down. the main block stays complete. Just take a couple of pushes off the bottom, rotate with the tongs and finish it off. Having the hyd or elec winch sure saves on the back and like said above, you are able to grab from either side. My unit is likely overkill for most. I built it over 25yrs ago using the pto. Have since changed it to be self contained. faster and easier on the tractor.

 

[SkunkWerX]

The weight on the tongue will be fine. I have the hydraulic tank to mount, and can slide it forward, if need be. In the picture there is plenty of tongue weight, it's an optical illusion because it looked that way to me too.

With the FEL and grapple it's no problem bringing logs to the log-lift side of the splitter. The booms and winches are great, just not for me, on this project.

 

[richmatz]

can you please post photos of your adjustable splitting head?
Do you have plans that you are working from or just designing as you go?
How come you didnt place the wedge on the ram end and not on the ibeam end?
Thanks

 

[SkunkWerX]

Here is the latest progress. Log lift is completed, 4-way is completed, running the plumbing currently.

THe wedge should be on the beam on a horizontal model if you want the wood to move past the splitter and onto a feed table, tray, or into a tractor bucket.

I do not have plans, sorry.

The 4-way is working fine, tested on on air pressure, waiting for the final hydraulic fittings.

Splitter with Log Lift and 4-way

 

[sizzami]

looks like a good light duty splitter , but you will want to brace the lift arm its too light. also your adjustable wedge is still too tight not bad all in all for a first try:thumbsup:

 

[SkunkWerX]

looks like a good light duty splitter , but you will want to brace the lift arm its too light. also your adjustable wedge is still too tight not bad all in all for a first try:thumbsup:

The "lift arm" is braced. You didn't kneel down and look underneath? :laughing:

How can you determine strength over the internet?
What thickness of steel would you think would be strong enough?

 

[sizzami]

I could be on the moon and see that 1/8 x1x1 box isnt heavy enough , I allways use 1/4 x 1 1/2 x 1/2 for mine but the main strength issue is that your cylinder stroke is too short when you raise the arm the log will be cantilevered over the cylinder end this will cause eventual breakage of the light tube .

 

[SkunkWerX]

Moving right along....


Update to anyone interested:
I finally fired it up and checked out everything.

It did have a small hydraulic leak, at a fitting, fixed that. Towed it out to the woodpile, and split some black cherry in the 20" diameter size range.
Went through about 20 logs as a "shake down" run.

Everything is working properly. Next up will be the out-feed table.

maybe some pics soon.

 

[OrangeinWis]

Moving right along....


Update to anyone interested:
I finally fired it up and checked out everything.

It did have a small hydraulic leak, at a fitting, fixed that. Towed it out to the woodpile, and split some black cherry in the 20" diameter size range.
Went through about 20 logs as a "shake down" run.

Everything is working properly. Next up will be the out-feed table.

maybe some pics soon.

Good job, you should be proud of your machine, I can see your grandchildren borrowing it from you, years down the road! My questions aren't structural, or ergonomic, but piddly little aesthetic ones (design/build, mate enginepumpvalvehosesteel WAY out of my league).
1. Did you have the adjustable wedge chromed ? It sure looks shiny!
2. Is the gray color the basecoat for Kubota orange?
3. The 11R clamped on the H beam, is it holding a mock-up of perhaps a beverage holding device?:thumbsup:
Driving down to Dallas for two weeks, I'm interested in your outfeed table, I need ideas to help me complete splitter set-up I built and posted. Indeed, please show your progress with pics. Thanks

 

[sizzami]

here is the design I came up with after alot of trial and error

 

[SPYDERLK]

I am all for the boom lift also. I built mine with a T knife. It doesn't split the block intwo. It just takes firewood size off the bottom of the block as you work it down. the main block stays complete. Just take a couple of pushes off the bottom, rotate with the tongs and finish it off. Having the hyd or elec winch sure saves on the back and like said above, you are able to grab from either side. My unit is likely overkill for most. I built it over 25yrs ago using the pto. Have since changed it to be self contained. faster and easier on the tractor.

:thumbsup: That Tknife is an interesting, useful variation. I wish I had thot of that when I made my moving wedge splitter 35yrs ago. A bit trickier to incorporate into a mobile wedge -- esp with my inexperience then...
larry

 

[SkunkWerX]

1. Did you have the adjustable wedge chromed ? It sure looks shiny!
2. Is the gray color the basecoat for Kubota orange?
3. The 11R clamped on the H beam, is it holding a mock-up of perhaps a beverage holding device?:thumbsup:
Driving down to Dallas for two weeks, I'm interested in your outfeed table, I need ideas to help me complete splitter set-up I built and posted. Indeed, please show your progress with pics. Thanks

Thanks OrangeinWisc.

No, no chrome! I just sprayed it with metallic silver paint....it's what I had on the shelf. Nothing special. It will wear off fast once wood starts running over it.

The gray is the final color. Kubota also has a dark gray in it's color shceme, so this is good enough. i figured the "battleship" gray won't show the wear and tear like orange would.

My friend talked about a "beverage" holding device also, and while it would be easy enough, I think a small cooler on the tractor will be fine. Plastic water bottles and gatorade bottles usually litter my wood splitting area after a day of splitting.

Yes, the Out-feed table is a "MUST" have item. I will share once I have it figured out.

 

[SkunkWerX]

I've split about 3 cords of wood so far. All systems are "go".
Mostly locust wood, a worthy test, as it's dense and stringy to split.

Still need to add the drop leg and out-feed table. Have been splitting directly into the FEL bucket, then dumping on the pile.

4 way splitting locust

Splitter and work area

 

[JuHaa]

I am wondering why do you split your logs only in four pieces? I'm building a splitter with 8-way wedge. Pistons is 4" in diameter.

 

[mrcaptainbob]

JuHaa, what is the psi you plan running the cylinder at? What type wood will you be splitting?

 

[fishinfool]

I am in the tree removal business, in this part of the country were often dealing with giant (4 -5' dia) eucalyptus trees. Eucaluptus burns well but reducing 5' "wagon wheels" into managable size pieces gave birth to this contraption:

Mounted to a JD410, It has a 6" X 30"cyl. with about 110,000 lbs of splitting force I can grab split and load a round in one operation. Really big pieces can be split a few times before loading. the goal is to reduce rounds to managable size, not to create firewood at this point
I have created a market for "pre-split" wood. Selling 25yd roll off boxes full of wood to offset cost of hauling.

Wood needs to be split again to size by the end user but at this point it may be more easily managed.

 

[fishinfool]

Just figured out how to post photos

 

[JuHaa]

JuHaa, what is the psi you plan running the cylinder at? What type wood will you be splitting?

I'm running cylinder at 180 bar, about 2600 psi. Maybe your logs are little bit bigger than mine. I'm splitting mainly birch, pine and fir, biggest are about 70cm (2,6 ft?) in diameter.

That log lifting system made from winch is genious. I think I'm going to copy it to my splitter too.

This kind of splitting wedge I'm planning to my splitter.
8 Way Splitter

 

[SkunkWerX]

I'm running cylinder at 180 bar, about 2600 psi. Maybe your logs are little bit bigger than mine. I'm splitting mainly birch, pine and fir, biggest are about 70cm (2,6 ft?) in diameter.

That log lifting system made from winch is genious. I think I'm going to copy it to my splitter too.

This kind of splitting wedge I'm planning to my splitter.
8 Way Splitter

JuHaa,

Birch, Pine and Fir are easier to split. I am splitting Locust and Wild Cherry hardwood, very dense. The Locust wood tends to be difficult to split.

Also, in North America we tend to to use larger pieces of hardwood in our wood stoves, where Europeans and Scandinavians tend to split and load longer, yet, smaller pieces of softer wood.