Log splitter rehab...

[gotcha]

While re-doing the plumbing and valve, I think I would seriously think of putting on a hydraulic oil filter in the line also.
The Gotcha Man

 

[Wayne County Hose]

Wayne County Hose,

So what are you going to do with your free hand while you're waiting those agonizing seconds for the wedge to come up to the log? What better things does it have to do? It can't be that "hard" to hold the lever for that little bit... Or is it just a little bit of laziness?

A detent on the push stroke is suicidal at worst and foolhardy at best. Would you trust your healthy hands to the faith in that detent kicking out at the "proper" time?

Come on man, get your head on straight. I know that you're smarter than this, at least I hope you are... maybe not?

Sorry to be so harsh, but sometimes it takes a 2x4 between the eyes to get the mule's attention...

In my life, I've split a LOT of wood with a splitter, and I've pinched my fingers once with my splitter... and to this day I don't know exactly how it happened or why I had my fingers back there. I know for sure it scared the **** out of me. And, I thank God that I had the presence of mind to let go of that lever, and THANK GOD it didn't have a detent. Don't believe for a second that you'll NEVER have your fingers in the wrong place... it happens, believe me. And it only takes one time. I got lucky.

I too have split cord after cord of wood. Do I need a wake up call? Only if I'm staying at a Holiday Inn.

Sorry dude, you have the nerve to call me "foolhardy at best?" I'm not the one that caught my hand between the wedge and the wood. I NEVER place my hand between the wedge and the wood. I always grab the wood by the bark, never by the ends.

What am I going to do with my free hand? Well, throw what I just split on the wagon, stage the other half of the big piece I just split, stage another piece to be split, etc. What I'm not going to do is sit there with my hand between the wedge and the wood waiting for something to happen.

As far as laziness is concerned, it is lazy to sit there and watch something happen when you could be doing something else. So, you tell me who is lazy.

 

[Wayne County Hose]

Wayne County Hose. Maybe you suffer from "small wedge syndrome" if you feel the need for a double detent valve. I'd try a modified wedge before a double detent valve. I cut all my wood the same length and installed a wedge with a faster taper. Oak wood splits in about 3" of travel and then I hit the retract so it only takes about 3-1/2" of stroke for a cycle.
The screen name "Lefty" may still be available

Most of my wood is hickory and curly maple, both of which need to be run the full stroke to split. And then sometimes I have to get the hatchet out to finish the split. If my wood split as easier as yours, I would do it by hand.

 

[xlr82v2]

I too have split cord after cord of wood. Do I need a wake up call? Only if I'm staying at a Holiday Inn.

Sorry dude, you have the nerve to call me "foolhardy at best?" I'm not the one that caught my hand between the wedge and the wood. I NEVER place my hand between the wedge and the wood. I always grab the wood by the bark, never by the ends.

What am I going to do with my free hand? Well, throw what I just split on the wagon, stage the other half of the big piece I just split, stage another piece to be split, etc. What I'm not going to do is sit there with my hand between the wedge and the wood waiting for something to happen.

As far as laziness is concerned, it is lazy to sit there and watch something happen when you could be doing something else. So, you tell me who is lazy.

Well, it's your fingers, your livelyhood... and you're obviously the superior man here I suppose, so you'll NEVER have an accident. I learned a long time ago to never say never, maybe you haven't lived long enough to learn that yet.

Have at it... I tried... so have others on this forum.

I just hope you don't have the same insurance company as I do so my premiums won't go toward repairing the results of your bad judgement.

Have a great day!

 

[6sunset6]

I got really tired of piston maintainence and converted my log spitter from a 5hp B & S to a 2hp electric. It was a commercial unit from Agway I think, I got it used. Added a filter , behind the motor, old cylinder leaked and new seal did not fix it. New cylinder. All the parts are from NH.
Swapped out the valve for a log spitter valve with detented return. I had a pervious one with detent both ways but it made me nervous. Accidents are not planned and they happen faster than you know.
It splits every single thing I have ever put in it up to 2' diameter. Have to be smart around the big ones and work the edges a bit. I put a thumb on my FEL bucket to lift in the big ones but rolling them up works better with a cant hook. What would really make it work is a shelf on each side , easier to get the big ones back for resplit. Also wings 1/2 way back on the wedge really works well. It is the two stage pump that makes this all work.
Motor is 220 . 2hp 3600 rpm.
Trade off is I take it all to the wood shed before I split it. But all my wood is on my property.

 

[mrcaptainbob]

Well! Didn't mean for good people to start chopping at each other on this!
Back to this log splitter issue...The lines are steel but have some sort of copper colored paint on them. I guess it did work well for many years. And it does have a filter! Never saw one like this before, as it has a dial indicator on the outside showing when it's cleaning time!! The cylinder base was swapped out to a 2" thick steel plate. It has MANY holes in it! No idea what it was originally used for, but it works well for this application. Much of the plumbing goes to this plate. It's a very heavy beast and VERY well balanced.
I agree with the idea of having wings straddling the cylinder/wedge guide. Also some wing extensions past the wedge is a must. Wish I had an extra cylinder to work a wing lift. Now THAT'S the ticket! Maybe in the future I can fab one up.
By the way, I just noticed I posted this in a topic right above the more appropriate hydraulic one. If the moderators would care to move it, that would be fine....
Thanks for the suggestions and help. WIll take it all into consideration....

 

[mrcaptainbob]

6Sunset6...Don't know how you can stand it. No fumes, no noise, no rope starting..... what a dumb machine. And yes, I DO think that's a great idea! Am impressed that a 2 hp electric can perform as well as a larger hp gas engine. Neat and clean job, 6Sunset6. Thanks for those pics, too.

 

[Wayne County Hose]

Mrcaptainbob,

That splitter looks old, but if we chucked everything that was old, we wouldn't need Social Security. Give it a shot and see waht happens, if something goes wrong and you need some help, let us know.

 

[ovrszd]

Well! Didn't mean for good people to start chopping at each other on this!
Back to this log splitter issue...The lines are steel but have some sort of copper colored paint on them. I guess it did work well for many years. And it does have a filter! Never saw one like this before, as it has a dial indicator on the outside showing when it's cleaning time!! The cylinder base was swapped out to a 2" thick steel plate. It has MANY holes in it! No idea what it was originally used for, but it works well for this application. Much of the plumbing goes to this plate. It's a very heavy beast and VERY well balanced.
I agree with the idea of having wings straddling the cylinder/wedge guide. Also some wing extensions past the wedge is a must. Wish I had an extra cylinder to work a wing lift. Now THAT'S the ticket! Maybe in the future I can fab one up.
By the way, I just noticed I posted this in a topic right above the more appropriate hydraulic one. If the moderators would care to move it, that would be fine....
Thanks for the suggestions and help. WIll take it all into consideration....

Your splitter looks to be very well built. With a little maintenance and upgrading I think it will give you years of service.

In regards to the wing issue. When I built mine I wanted a platform to catch the split wood. Also wanted some sort of wings along the beam to make it easier to hold a large log on the splitter. I made mine flat with the beam and still catch the table occassionally with a very big log so I'm glad I didn't raise the wings or angle the platform. My platform is removeable and uses square tubing of two different sizes so you simply pick the platform and wings up in one piece and they come off. My platform could be a little larger but I didn't want it to interfere with splitting from either side. Here's a couple pics for ideas. If you look at the last one you can see that if I had angle my platform or built my wings raised above the beam I would have had trouble with this log.

 

[6sunset6]

ummm That is exactly what I need wouldn't have a spare would you?
This winter work shop job .