Log splitter build

deanwerden · Sep 16, 2016

The other splitter has been like that for years, I would like to see the ram that tears out a piece of 1/2 thick I beam, it would have to be well over 50 ton

TemporaryKubotaOwnerMark · Sep 16, 2016

Every store bought splitter I have seen has the anchor block welded on top like that. My Huskee (Speeco) is that way, and it's a true 35 ton. I once bent the toe plate on a tough old oak crotch, and I have stopped the thing on many a tough piece of wood, and there is no sign of that anchor block moving even a bit.

4570Man · Sep 16, 2016

My swisher splitter was like that. I probably split 150 cords of wood with that splitter before it got stolen.

LD1 · Sep 16, 2016

TemporaryKubotaOwnerMark said:
Every store bought splitter I have seen has the anchor block welded on top like that. My Huskee (Speeco) is that way, and it's a true 35 ton. I once bent the toe plate on a tough old oak crotch, and I have stopped the thing on many a tough piece of wood, and there is no sign of that anchor block moving even a bit.

I have never seen a Huskee with an anchor surface welded to the top flange.

I challenge you to take a picture and prove me wrong

deanwerden · Sep 16, 2016

Well regardless, this splitter is maybe 20 ton so I don't have to worry about that happening. Got my tank axle tacked on, strainer didn't show up today so hopefully Tommorow I get it and I can weld the coupler in for that and then cut the spindles off the other splitter and fit them

LD1 · Sep 16, 2016

Yes you are probably correct. My comment wasn't meant to criticize your design. It all looks well built and looks like it will all handle 20t. Just pointing out the weakest area I saw.....which I am not implying that it isn't strong enough. My preference is I do not like a surface weld like that. Rather I like an anchor block with more weld area tied to other parts of the beam. Same for wedges. Huskee has a good design for anchor blocks, but then again, they don't use a one piece beam either....Rather a welded up beam

muddstopper · Sep 17, 2016

I have seen many anchor blocks welded to falt surfaces, I have seen a few fail, but not many. Weld quality always plays a big part. Cold surface welds will break every time. Do a little grinding and turn up the heat and it will usually stay.

rswyan · Sep 17, 2016

LD1 said:
Did you ever mention what size cylinder you would be using?

A potential weak spot I see is the cylinder base anchor/eyelet. Just surface welding to the top of the beam like that. Have seen several splitters rip off a connection like that. Welds were good, it rips out a chunk of beam with it.

I got some pointers from some good fabricators on here, and here is how I ended up attaching the 1" thick wedge and anchor block on my splitter.

View attachment 481125 View attachment 481126

muddstopper said:
I have seen many anchor blocks welded to falt surfaces, I have seen a few fail, but not many. Weld quality always plays a big part. Cold surface welds will break every time. Do a little grinding and turn up the heat and it will usually stay.

It isn't hard for me to imagine that a failure could occur ... after having seen how much flex there is in the beam on my splitter, when it's loaded up to 2000+ psi and trying to work its way through something really tough. And it's only 15-ton ...

My beam (W8 x 28) isn't lightweight ... but it ain't exactly heavy either ...

rswyan · Sep 17, 2016

dean,

What size rectangular tube did you use for the rail the 4-way rides on ?

Looks like mebbe 3 x 6 x ? ...

I really like the design of the 4-way ... the round has already been parted by the vertical fixed wedge by the time it hits the 4-way ... for the most part, it should be less taxing on the equipment.

LD1 · Sep 17, 2016

rswyan said:
My beam (W8 x 28) isn't lightweight ... but it ain't exactly heavy either ...

8x28 is plenty heavy. I believe the op is using a 6x25....same as my splitter

rswyan · Sep 17, 2016

LD1 said:
8x28 is plenty heavy. I believe the op is using a 6x25....same as my splitter

How do you think they compare in terms of rigidity ?

I know my flanges are slightly thicker ... but the web is thinner and spans a greater distance ...

LD1 · Sep 17, 2016

Web thickness adds little to a beams rigidity. The moment of inertia (usually listed as I4 in a beam spec chart) is a direct indication of its stiffness.

Double the i4, and you double the stiffness. IE: same span, same load, a beam with double the i4 will deflect half as much.

I'll see if I can look up some specs

LD1 · Sep 17, 2016

8x28 beam has an i4 of 98. The 6x25 is 53.4.

Also worth noting....that the height of the cylinder mount, and wedge play a big role. That 20t cylinder....not a lot of that force is trying to deflect that beam. The taller the wedge, and taller the cylinder anchor...the more leverage it has to bend a beam, and more leverage it has over the weld.

deanwerden · Sep 17, 2016

LD1 · Sep 17, 2016

Just curious
...which end is gonna get the tongue/hitch

4570Man · Sep 17, 2016

It would only make sense to put the hitch on the opposite end as the wedge. It would make moving it around a real challenge with the hitch and wedge on the same end.

CADplans · Sep 17, 2016

The possibility of failure of that cylinder support has NOTHING to do with the static strength of the support/beam joint,,,

The failure mode will be fatigue failure.

I built a splitter, and a friend at work nagged me into selling it to him.
Well 3 years later, the buyer managed to push the ENTIRE end off of the splitter (it was a moving wedge design)

The guy was using it as a fund raiser for a church. They were only splitting leftover knots from logging operations.
ALL of the men members were volunteering time to split wood, which they sold.
The guy said almost EVERY stroke was full power, tearing through the knots.

He figured they split at least 300 cords like this,, free wood was free wood.

The reason I heard about it was he asked if the repairs were covered under warranty!!:laughing:

Repeated cycling can break anything,,, usually a weld joint will fail first,, the material is a different hardness.

TemporaryKubotaOwnerMark · Sep 17, 2016

LD1 said:
I have never seen a Huskee with an anchor surface welded to the top flange.

Well, I dunno what I was thinking. It is NOT flat welded.

rswyan · Sep 17, 2016

4570Man said:
It would only make sense to put the hitch on the opposite end as the wedge. It would make moving it around a real challenge with the hitch and wedge on the same end.

That's why ya use a removable drawbar ... and put a receiver on both ends ...