Homemade log splitter. Anybody made one?

[ultrarunner]

I hear ya, no reason to live here except its 70º and sunny outside right now.

Seldom ever turn on the furnace and A/C is rare where I live…

The East Bay Climate suits me well.

That said I was set to build a splitter using my tractor for hydraulic source.

That was until I saw a ad for a 22 ton splitter with a new Briggs motor $400 best offer.

I looked it over and said the guides a little worn so he said 350 and I said sold… I have all the storm fall oak I could want so it makes sense.

 

[grsthegreat]

i dont mind using the tractor while splitting wood...as im the only one using tractor. when im splitting wood....the tractor has no wheres else to be.

 

[ericm979]

I think unless you already have some of the major components or get a super deal on them, it'll cost less to buy a used splitter. Of course you'll be stuck with the design of a cheap splitter, which is usually a horizontal/vertical unit. The ergonomics are a compromise. On mine in horizontal mode the road wheels intrude on the place you'd like to stand while operating it. Vertical mode means you're working with wood on the ground which I find especially difficult. A dedicated horizontal splitter has a clear space to stand and a dedicated vertical one has a table so you can work standing up. But these days those usually cost a lot more as they come from specialty manufacturers in the US rather than mass produced in China.

 

[Yander]

My dad built this one when I was a kid and we used it for 42 years. He sold it a few years ago when he stopped burning firewood. I didn't know he was selling or I would have bought it just because.. I have a lot of hours working that splitter.

Wisconsin engine.

 

[scootr]

I see some units have a stationary splitter and some have a stationary block or stop. Is there an advantage either way?

 

[Rustyiron]

Vertical requires the wedge on the cylinder.
I built mine this way for v/horiz operation after seeing a commercial Vermeer splitter waaay back in the late 70's or early 80's and copying it as best as I could remember.
I probably have used it vertically under 20 times in the past 40+ years but did discover that by having the wedge moving, you're not having to drag the pieces back for re splitting. I've often wondered how many miles of pulling back 24" halved rounds this has saved me in those years!
This splitter was built before the days of big HP and 4 or 6 way wedges that would eliminate re splitting. Also being a dumb azz kid with a little budget and a beginning welder was a factor.

 

[scootr]

That begs another question. Should the wedge be a single - style or a 4 way + style?

 

[DarkBlack]

Mine is homemade. Built a looong time ago with limited tooling and knowledge. I was 11 or 12? When I built it alongside with my dad. It's only a 12 Ton unit but so far, I haven't really needed more.

Back then, I had a little Kubota B7000, so I built it towable because the Kubota didn't even have 3 pt hitch and certainly not the power to lift it.

Over the years, it had various versions. Started with a small Tecumseh gas engine, which made a lot of noise and really liked gas.

Then, I started using the my homemade backhoe, but it required to have the backhoe there every time I wanted to split wood.

Next, I changed it to a 3 phase 400v electric motor. The best version of it. Good speed and very very quiet.

Later, I bought my Branson and started using the splitter using the remotes of the tractor. Engine running at 1500RPM, give or take. Obviously louder than the electric motor, but still quiet enough you could have a conversation. Barely used any fuel.

By the time my Branson started to stay more and more at the remote propriety, I also got solar panels at home, so I decided to change the splitter back to the 3 phase 400V electric motor. Timing things right, means I can pretty much split wood for free as the solar will cover the power used by the electric motor easily.

During this change over, I went ahead and modified the valve so it would auto return. I did this by changing how the spring actuated on the spool and then used a end of stroke valve I had, so when the cylinder retracts all the way, it dumps the fluid to the tank. The way the spool on my valve was built, I couldn't do it with a mechanical linkage, without deadheading the pump. Also, I made a foot pedal to control it. This really improved the productivity as you now have 2 free hands to handle the wood.

Man, now that I read this post, it quite a story. Sorry for the long winded post.

Anyway, all of these changes and I only have some pictures of the very first use it got in its first version. Can't even see the axe of it but it's on the cylinder side. I've since extended the width of the side "tables".

View attachment 1736780

Interesting. Your hydraulic cylinder looks much longer than 1/2 the I-beam length. How do you prevent the wedge from inadvertently driving into the end plate?
On your latest setup, are your solar panels connected to 3 phase inverters, or are you using single phase to a VFD at the spitter?

 

[Jrasband]

You said log splitter I thought you were talking about a "log" splitter. It seem you are talking about a firewood splitter.

Also someone posted a picture of a maul and I just wanted to share that the Fiskar splitting axe is far better to any maul. Swing for so much longer without getting tired and splits better too. Don't bother with rounds that have knots.

 

[dodge man]

I prefer a two way. I can drop a 4 way over my two way and use it that way. If you have the perfect size rounds a 4 way is great. What I find happens is when using a 4 way if the round is to big you end up with two splits that are good and two that are to large. Then it’s tough to split the to large ones with the 4 way.