Log Splitter I-Beam BENDING...!

[BukitCase]

Lot of good suggestions on strengthening the I-beam, but I think you shot yourself in the foot when you changed the angle on your horizontal wings -

If you think about it, once a block starts thru the wedge, your NEW sharpening angle will try to force the block DOWN against the I-beam, seriously INCREASING the force required to push the block thru the 4-way wedge.

If the wings are strong enough, it will only increase the force required - if not, the wings will either bend or break.

The original sharpening angle would allow the part of the block BELOW the wings to just slide thru without creating a WEDGE effect that tries to LIFT the entire wedge off the I-beam. This is why all the horizontal wings I've seen commercially are sharpened ONLY on the upper side, so that "wedge" effect only raises the part of the block that is NOT trapped between wings and I-beam.

Of course it's up to you; but personally, I would add "putting it back the way it was" to your list of mods while you're at it... Steve

Edit - Just noticed the "beavertail" under your actual wedge, so maybe that feature would lessen or eliminate the need for "single edge" on the wings - I would still keep an eye on that part to see if it IS a problem.

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

Lot of good suggestions on strengthening the I-beam, but I think you shot yourself in the foot when you changed the angle on your horizontal wings -

If you think about it, once a block starts thru the wedge, your NEW sharpening angle will try to force the block DOWN against the I-beam, seriously INCREASING the force required to push the block thru the 4-way wedge.

If the wings are strong enough, it will only increase the force required - if not, the wings will either bend or break.

The original sharpening angle would allow the part of the block BELOW the wings to just slide thru without creating a WEDGE effect that tries to LIFT the entire wedge off the I-beam. This is why all the horizontal wings I've seen commercially are sharpened ONLY on the upper side, so that "wedge" effect only raises the part of the block that is NOT trapped between wings and I-beam.

Of course it's up to you; but personally, I would add "putting it back the way it was" to your list of mods while you're at it... Steve

Edit - Just noticed the "beavertail" under your actual wedge, so maybe that feature would lessen or eliminate the need for "single edge" on the wings - I would still keep an eye on that part to see if it IS a problem.

This is exactly what I was thinking was the problem.

Even with the "beavertail" I think this is the single biggest cause of your problems. The lower angle of the wedge appears steeper than the beavertail. Without doing the trig or layout in cad, I'd suspect that at say 1/4 of the way into a block, the end of the block at the ram would naturally want to be several inches above the I beam based on the way the angles appear. This, combined with the increased force required is more likely the cause of the beam bending rather than a weak beam.

 

[Artisan]

I am no expert on this subject. I am starting a splitter build after the new year. I will weld a 1/2" flat plate to the top of my I-beam. I plan to weld some scrap pipe to beam flange and web similar to what Shield Arc posted. I may also add pipe to bottom i-beam flange. i will box in both ends of beam and add gussets where able. This should provide some strength.

Also, most important IMO, I will ensure that the cylinder extends and retracts parallel to the top plate. Any angled pushing may cause the slide to push up or down on the top plate. Finally, I will mount the cylinder parallel and as close to the top plate as possible. This should minimize any up and down forces on the slide as it contacts the wood.

Just a few points I am considering. Not sure if they are helpful to you. Good luck with your repair.

And make sure if you have a horizontal wedge, that it is sharpened to a 50-50 edge and
not just a one angle edge like mine had. In one of my pics I drew in magenta color
what the edge of the horizontal wedge "was". THAT I do believe is what started
all my bending, loading in a monster round that had a limb and 71 THOUSAND
pounds of pressure "Popping" it into smitherinens.


Shield Arc and LeeJohn and all thanx for the pics.

I just heated er' up and got some pretty good compliance.

Some new under flange retainers and spacers will be
cut 1st of the week, steel on steel. I am nixing the brass
that was there. The price is RIDICULOUSLY INSANE anymore.

 

[Artisan]

snip

Edit - Just noticed the "beavertail" under your actual wedge, so maybe that feature would lessen or eliminate the need for "single edge" on the wings - I would still keep an eye on that part to see if it IS a problem.

Ah HA! Someone is looking! When I removed the material on the bottom I considered
such forces as best as my burnt lil brain could calculate and I decided that I was
only going to go w/ 50% or so of the top angle.

The I Beam does drop away so the cant's (?) or split pieces of wood can drop away
as they are wedged apart but I wanted to try to AD somedown force to try to
create some equalibrum if you will in the up and down forces created.

There are just shy of a bazillion variables here me thinks!

As always I appreciate the input much!

 

[Arc weld]

Shield Arc, did someone else weld the 3 pt. mounts on the log splitter you built? You might have mentioned it before but I forgot.:ashamed:

 

[Shield Arc]

Shield Arc, did someone else weld the 3 pt. mounts on the log splitter you built? You might have mentioned it before but I forgot.:ashamed:

No, I did all the welding. Which is strange, my brother-n-law has forgotten more about welding than I'll ever know. He was an Electron Beam welder. Worked on several Space Shuttles. For some reason, and he won't say. He use to go to New Mexico to weld on Nuclear bombs.

 

[Arc weld]

If I recall, you weren't sure how long to make the mounts and that's why they extend inside the tubing?

Roswell New Mexico/area 51? Maybe he was repairing alien space ships?

 

[Shield Arc]

If I recall, you weren't sure how long to make the mounts and that's why they extend inside the tubing?

I don't remember that. The whole thing was his design. I just supplied all the material, except the PTO pump, and a couple hoses.

 

[Arc weld]

Seem to recall something about it being painted before you had a chance to cut the mounts flush? I'm just giving you a hard time because if Lanse had built it, it wouldn't go unnoticed.:laughing:

 

[Shield Arc]

Oh I see!:laughing: Now that you mention it, wonder why I didn't cut them off, I normally do things like that! See what old age does to a guy?!:laughing:

 

[Arc weld]

I know, that's why I mentioned it. I have to be consistent with my critiques or it looks like I play favorites. On the other forum, I think there were several people that thought I went out of my way to find fault, yet people were posting pictures and asking for opinions. I'd trust your welding and fabricating abilities for anything I ever needed. Funny, old age doesn't seem to affect your welding machines.:cool2: I suspect with a little more practice, you'll get better with age too!:drink:

 

[Shield Arc]

Maybe I missed it because I was so tired:confused3:. I had to drive to California pick him and his tractor up. Drop the tractor off in Hoquiam to have a FEL built and mounted. Then we started the log splitter, and counter weight while that was being done. Then a trip back down to Hoquiam to get his tractor.

 

[Shield Arc]

Artisan I started a thread over on Welding Web, the reason for the thread was for my learning of how to beef up a beam. I thought I'd seen just about everything you can possibly do to a beam. But in reality all I know is what an engineer put in front of me. I used your thread here as an example of why beams sometimes need to be strengthened. A member there came up with what I thought was a logical reason why the flange on the beam of your log splitter curled up. Here is a link to the thread, member norite post # 16.
Strengthen beams question.

 

[Mark @ Everlast]

Having worked considerably with firewood processors, and even built a splitter years ago, there are several things. 1) The cylinder must be as parallel as possible with the beam otherwise your going to have problems. I saw the one picture of the cylinder posted where it was digging into the bean, but the rear end of the cylinder was way high. 2) The horizontal splitting plane on many fire wood processers "float" if the vertical plane is fully fixed. In other words the horizontal plane drops down over the vertical one and is welded to a collar of sorts. There's a lot of physics going on with a splitter, and you just can't bend the rules when there's that much pressure on it. Anything not right will show up quickly. Learned that from the first splitter build...bend the beam too and kept breaking the slide. Of course splitting seasoned 24" cherry wood like we were any small thing out of line is going to find the path of least resistance. Wood has a good strength to weight ratio to say the least.

 

[jones6780]

You mentioned adding 3/4 to the top. What about adding 3/4 under the top flange? How long is the slide on the pusher block? Make it as long as possible to spread the stress. Is the ram centered with the height of the horizontal wedge?

 

[Artisan]

Re: Adding material to the top;

Understand that the rear of the hydraulic cylinder is attached to the I Beam w/ a massive
block welded to the I BEAM, welded like it needs to hold back 35 TONS of pressure, maybe more.
I has a hole in it so you can attach the rear of the cylinder to the I BEAM... It would be a
huge job for me to make anew and cut it off just to raise it 3/4" or so.

Adding any material to the top of the I BEAM will change the angle of attack of the cylinder
in relation to the I BEAM. I would have to cut off and re-do a LOT to do this and keep
the cylinder parallel to the I BEAM. Before I would do that I would do like the guy
from So. America on weldingweb web says, that being, GET A NEW I BEAM.

I am in believe as well as Mark @ Everlast, (see post #34) that the Cylinder NEEDS to be
parallel to the I Beam or very bad things can happen if you truly put the machine to use
w/ really big and hard rounds.


Shield Arc;
I read the weldingwelb thread and the #16 post is the reason I surmise / I was trying to convey,
in post #1 here. I am pretty sure I know why it failed...It was that poorly designed angle. Go back to
post #1 and look at the top picture you didn't post over at weldingweb.


The jest of this thread was to try to discover any adverse effects heating the top of
the flange and beating it back to plumb would have on the hardness of the I Beam
I am heating. "I" think that me changing the single angled horizontal wedge to
a 2 paced angle will fix things.

Indeed I did end up heating it and sledgehammering it back down to almost plumb.

In my first picture you can see the horizontal splitting wedge POST me changing the
one angle horizontal wedge, into a wedge w/ more of a point, like and Axe would be.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Nice army truck BTW. Do you use it much?

 

[Artisan]

Nice army truck BTW. Do you use it much?

Hopefully in the retirement future I will use it a lot, till then it is a BLAST to work on
and it gets driven once a month weather or not !

It is an M925A1 ... 6x6 49" tall x 14" wide tires, 7 of them...

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Hopefully in the retirement future I will use it a lot, till then it is a BLAST to work on
and it gets driven once a month weather or not !

It is an M925A1 ... 6x6 49" tall x 14" wide tires, 7 of them...

Did you get it at a gov't auction? Is it a 2.5 ton or 5 ton?

 

[Artisan]

It is an M939 Series 5 Ton. Yes from GL. Full blown Air brakes, Cummins NHC-250, Allison 5 speed auto, Rockwells, Transfer case. 6x6. She weighs about 27K as she sits today. 20K winch on front. I have serviced the thing to the max and by the book. I would not hesitate to hop in it and drive to the north of Alaska and back. No kidding. My wallet would protest but the truck will just go and go and go.
We believe it's mission was attached to the Marines pre-positioning forces out of Florida.

When I bought it, well just before I bought it, I found out you need to have a commercial license
to operate it as a civilian. (Some will argue that till the death but frankly, I have too much to loose in
a court battle, so...) so I hit up Dootson truck driving school and just 9 days later I had a
Class B License in my pocket, w/ Air brakes, Passenger, and Tank endorsements, plus my motorcycle.
I can drive it as a school bus and interstate.

The DMV handed me I think it was 7 tests, all at one time. Fun Stuff.