Bi Directional Log Splitter

[Yellowhair42]

Just think how fast you would be if you did not have to be moving all the split wood out of the way. You could have your helpers working with another splitter and double your out put. LOL

The **** Erectus will make two windrows of wood on each side 5 feet away from the splitting area without touching it after it has gone through the wedge. Like having a conveyor on each side.

Clutchcargo,I rarely have helpers.Just wanted to convey how fast this design is.Although,now I want to rip my Powerhorse apart and make it like your design.It's wedge is more like a knife.Will you be using that design or a more conventional "wedge"?

 

[clutchcargo]

Clutchcargo,I rarely have helpers.Just wanted to convey how fast this design is.Although,now I want to rip my Powerhorse apart and make it like your design.It's wedge is more like a knife.Will you be using that design or a more conventional "wedge"?

Yellow Hair

The single wedge will be "knife like" similar to yours. Wider is not always better. Wider consumes more power and is slower. The popular opinion is that using a wide wedge will spread the log apart faster resulting in a quicker split. on straight grain wood that might be true. But on the real gnarly stuff is where it generally gets all bound up.

My experience has been that either style will work on the easy stuff but the thin knife edge will cut through the crotches and limbs better than trying to shove a football through.

What has been your experience with the Power Horse?

 

[Yellowhair42]

I've noticed the same thing.Being more of a knife it will easily cut cross grain.

 

[clutchcargo]

I had a little time this afternoon so I beefed up those angles a bit. Someone on another site said A36 angles have a tendency to twist.

 

[clutchcargo]

Here is a pic of the whole assembly sitting on my welding table right side up. I have mocked up the push block system. If you can imagine the working table top between the tube/slide and the push block you will have a pretty good idea about how the Erectus will function. There will be two slots along the length of the table where the 1" x 3" flats will connect the slide to the block. The upright flats have not been cut to length so the block is sitting further away from the slide eventually will.

I still am waffling between a plate steel top or 2 x 2 angles with the point up to create a corderoy effect to keep the logs from sliding around.

Keep the comments coming they keep the creative juices flowing.

Stay tuned the table frame is next! :thumbsup:

 

[clutchcargo]

Here is a close up of the nylon I used to line the inside of the larger tube to prevent galling and give a real true slide with no slop. It is kind of hard to see because it is black. The steel is shiny from grinding the nylon is Flat Black.

The little angle pieces are there to keep the nylon from coming out. I just tacked one end so after 10,000 cords or so I will be able to replace it.

 

[Brad_Blazer]

Is the cylinder going to mount below the slide? Having the cylinder so far out of line with the push block will put a lot of undesirable torque on the slide. Conventional splitters have the cylinder totally inline. The dual split designs have a much longer tube-in-tube guide to handle the torque of the upright blade. If you are mounting the cylinder low I'm afraid it will bind up even with the nylon inserts.

 

[clutchcargo]

Is the cylinder going to mount below the slide? Having the cylinder so far out of line with the push block will put a lot of undesirable torque on the slide. Conventional splitters have the cylinder totally inline. The dual split designs have a much longer tube-in-tube guide to handle the torque of the upright blade. If you are mounting the cylinder low I'm afraid it will bind up even with the nylon inserts.

That is a legitimate concern. The reasons I chose this method are as follows.

1. I am able to keep the overall width of the splitter down by cantilevering the ram attachment in relation to the push block.

2. I do not have to put the cylinder inside a tube and have the hoses subject to kinking and wear

3. I can keep the cylinder out of the way and in a protected position.

I hope to offset the additional torque by having it spread over the 30 inches of 7 x 5 tube and use of the nylon sleeve. I guess I will find out if my judgements are correct.

Thank you for the input.

 

[woodgrub]

hi, i,v been using box beam sliding,tube within tube splitter for years logging with big aussie hardwoods. u wil wear out b4 it does,still slides like new and with safety.