Logsplitter 2.0

[rswyan]

Got the table top for the control valves cut and cleaned up from a piece of 10 ga. hot roll that was a drop ... rounded off the corners, smoothed the edges, and drilled the holes to mount the control valve for the cylinder for the pusher block. Made the table big enough to accommodate a second valve - which I don't have yet - for the log lift.

Still need to get the cylinder up on the beam to figure out the exact mounting location for the table.

The valve in the picture is a Prince logsplitter valve - think it's an LS3040 - it's a double detent - so it will extend or retract the cylinder unattended.

Will probably go with a Prince RD5000 series valve with Power Beyond for the log lift.

 

[rswyan]

Got the drop legs for the stub axles drilled with a hole saw. I then reamed them out with an adjustable reamer to clean them up a bit. Basically they're ready to weld together ... probably get that done later today.

The 2" 1/4" wall square tube for the legs came from a log lift that I had started to build 10 years ago ... and then decided that I might be going a little overkill material-wise ...

 

[rswyan]

This is a piece of the flange (one of two) from the H-Beam that will be used to "box" the beam in at the splitting wedge. It will also serve as mount for the "table grate" which will catch the the splits after the come off the wedge/beam.

A 5/8" hole was drilled for the bolt in the reinforcing plate and in a piece of 1/2" x 1 1/2" flat stock ... there will a nut welded on the backside of the reinforcing plate for the bolt to screw into.

I then drilled a 1" hole to accomodate a pin which will protrude out from the plate for the flat stock to rest on. The 1" (x 1") pin will be made from a 2" long drop of 1" cold roll solid rod I had lying around.

This will allow the "table grate" to fold up out of the way for transport.

 

[rswyan]

Thinking of using Tractor Supply's Universal Tractor Trans/Hydraulic Fluid in this thing ...

It's what I'm running in the 'bota ... and it would be nice to standardize.

Anyone have any input, one way or another ?

 

[LD1]

IF you want to spend an extra $5 a gallon or so.

Just plain Hyd oil is fine. Iso 46 or whatever. I think its about $5 cheaper than the Trans fluid, as you do not need the friction modifiers or special properties for extreme pressure gear on gear contact.

But nothing wrong with the trans stuff if thats what you are asking. IT should work just fine

 

[skylarkguy]

This build is pretty nice looking. Something to aspire to. I'd probably use the UTF as well, Just to have fewer types of fluid to buy.

 

[rswyan]

LD,

Thanks.

Yeah ... I'll go the extra $5 quid ... like skylark says it easier to standardize on a single fluid. Given the fluid capacity of the splitter, I'll probably buy two five gallon buckets ... and have a couple gallons or so left over for the next fluid change in the tractor/backhoe/whatever.

 

[rswyan]

This build is pretty nice looking. Something to aspire to. I'd probably use the UTF as well, Just to have fewer types of fluid to buy.

skylarkguy,

Thanks.

 

[rswyan]

Got the stub axles welded on to the drop legs last night, along with welding the nuts for the table grate mount onto the reinforcing plates. Also did some grinding on the splitting wedge ... still have a ways to go on that.

Dug out the Second Nature Whisper 1000 (aquarium) air pump and ran a hose down in the hydraulic reservoir last night to provide a little bubbly agitation. The reservoir will get drained today - so I can weld the stub axles/drop legs on, as well as welding on the mounting plate for the engine (which I have yet to make) ... be interesting to see what comes out of the reservoir.

The bushings on one of the wheels for the blade on the bandsaw are pooched ... thought I ordered the correct replacements from Grizzly, but it turns out that the unit Grizzly sells actually uses ball bearings (a common one thankfully) rather than bushings ... and I'm fairly sure that the guys that marketed the saw I have (Homier) do not carry spare parts.

So I'm gonna pull the wheel and see if we can't carve a couple of recesses to convert mine over to ball bearings ... PITA, but it should be much better if we can pull it off ...

 

[oldtimer 66]

RSWYAN, some where in this post I thought a table was mentioned, to be mounted beyond the wedge. I added a table Timberwolf to a friends splitter. Then I made the same later because he did not want to shuttle the table between locations. The Timberwolf design has those .38 thick wings that the table slides under and it clips as shown. My friend said that any wild wood heading down mainly using the 4 way wedge will be re-directed onto the table with out damaging the table. And you cannot just paint it you need to "Decal it Up" Just some info. Later.