Log Splitter Beam Question

finchm · Apr 30, 2013

I'm going to build a log splitter and I was hoping to use some metal I have around the yard.

Rather than buying an I-Beam, I am considering building one out of 3/8" x 6" plate over a piece of 2"x2" 1/4" wall structural tubing.

Would this be strong enough for a cylinder with a 24" push of 14 tons?

CNC Dan · Apr 30, 2013

finchm said:
Would this be strong enough for a cylinder with a 24" push of 14 tons?

<img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=315626"/>

No. Not by a long shot.

plumbstraight · Apr 30, 2013

CNC Dan said:
No. Not by a long shot.

Have to say X10 on that. Minimum of 3/8 I beam for that 14ton. The beam is the major strength of the splitter. 7/16 or half would be even better. Might want to put a larger cyl or engine later on. If you had a 1/4X2X6 tube under that 6inch plate that would work for torsion, but still that plate would get bent up I would think.

jwmorris · Apr 30, 2013

2x2 would fail with 10 tons.

On the one I built, I used 6x6" H beam that is 5/16" thick with a 4" bore 16 gal/min pump and 8hp engine. No problems out of it after years of use. Might be able to get by with lighter material if you made it like a truss and just used a heavy bearing surface but that's a lot more work.

finchm · Apr 30, 2013

Would this beam work?

6" top, bottom, and middle. all 3/8" plate

SPYDERLK · May 1, 2013

finchm said:
Would this beam work?

6" top, bottom, and middle. all 3/8" plate

View attachment 315669

Yes. My 18Ton is on a 6" beam with 4"Wx 0.40Thick" flanges/rails. An I beam is rather fragile in torsion and those forces develop inevitably when splitting and can finally crack the rails. To correct this I split a 3" pipe and welded it back together on the web of the beam. That was~35yrs ago. It has been trouble free.
larry

yomax4 · May 1, 2013

You may want to enclose the end of the beam with some 1/2" plate. I tweaked mine pretty bad when it was open ended and had to heat it and beat it to get it back in shape. Good Luck.

jwmorris · May 1, 2013

Yes the 6x6x3/8 will work. I made the base of mine on the end and the splitting wedge is the part that rides back and forth.

This allows you to use it horizontal or vertical. Vertical use allows you to split logs without lifting them off the ground.

Short Game · May 1, 2013

I used square tubes on mine. It has worked quite well. 4X4X1/4 for the beam and a 5X5X3/8 slide. I put four blobs of bronze in the top and bottom insides of the slide and two blobs inside the sides of the slide. These blobs I ground to fit the outside of the beam for bearing surfaces which I keep greased. If I did anything different it would be to have used 3/8" tube for the beam too, though the 1/4" has worked out okay.