Logsplitter

Deerlope · Jan 15, 2005

15 tons is alot and you can always turn up the relief valve. Ash & oak don't split hard unless you get into a burl. Me , I am usually splitting them snarly old sugar maples.

JimR · Jan 15, 2005

Nice job on the splitter. Your splitter beam should be fine. I used that same beam on my splitter. The only difference was I made a much wider wedge on the end of the beam. I had to weld two pieces of angle iron into the corners to beef it up. I have twisted it a few times with large knotted pieces of wood. But it always came back straight. Now I need to rig it up for 3pth as I sold my old tractor that I used it on in place of the backhoe.

dullpain · Jan 15, 2005

While I was sitting there in front of the woodstove in the shed contemplating my folly, I looked over at the old Monkey Wards rototiller (with the prefectly good 8hp B&S engine) that we never use any more and thought 'I really should have went with the 16 gpm pump.'

Wish I had a nickel for every time I made something "work" on a project and when finished look around the shop only to find I had something that would have worked better!! Guess I have too much stuff!

bobodu · Jan 15, 2005

( Guess I have too much stuff! )

Ha ha...good one!!
Always wanted to own a store...sumpin' like..
Things you need today...but threw out yesterday!

beenthere · Jan 15, 2005

When you weld the wedge on the splitter, contemplate a slight angle to it (top to bottom) of about 5° slanting towards the ram. My splitter has that and it seems to pull the wood down a bit, not letting it slide up and off the wedge so easily. I didn't really notice how well it worked until the last time I split, and my 8hp engine stalled because the starter (rope/spring) hung up, and another splitter (without the slanting wedge) was used to finish the job. Its annoying when the log to be split just rides up on the wedge.
As well, the wedge on mine widens out to about 5" at the back in about 7" of wedge length. This might not work so well if the wing is added to get 4-way splitting.

rswyan · Jan 15, 2005

( When you weld the wedge on the splitter, contemplate a slight angle to it (top to bottom) of about 5° slanting towards the ram. My splitter has that and it seems to pull the wood down a bit, not letting it slide up and off the wedge so easily. I didn't really notice how well it worked until the last time I split, and my 8hp engine stalled because the starter (rope/spring) hung up, and another splitter (without the slanting wedge) was used to finish the job. Its annoying when the log to be split just rides up on the wedge. )

BT, that's a great idea - one I hadn't thought of - thanks much !

( As well, the wedge on mine widens out to about 5" at the back in about 7" of wedge length. This might not work so well if the wing is added to get 4-way splitting. )

Yeah, I've been toying around with what to do in this regard, with both the fixed wedge and the 4-way. I think Timberwolf uses the wide rear spread on the fixed wedge and then the 4-way is just built to accomodate that and just slides over the fixed. I've seen and used splitters where the wedge spreads out like that - they usually make short work of splitting - often with a POP !. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I would think that a wedge without the spread on the rear would have more of a tendency to hang up and get a log stuck on it.

rswyan · Jan 15, 2005

( 15 tons is alot and you can always turn up the relief valve. )

Right - turning up the relief valve would be interesting. The valve I'm using has the relief set at 2250 psi, rated @ 2750 psi max and the pump is rated for 2500 psi w.p, 3000 psi max - so I could go up a little if I need to - but the valve is double-detent - it detents in both directions - forward and reverse - and the detent is set to release at 2000 psi - I suppose I should be able to just hold the valve forward if I want to go higher than 2000 psi ..... dunno.

I'm not sure what type of maples we have here - red, silver, and sugar are indigenous - looking at pictures of leaves, my guess is that it is mostly red maple. Most of what I have split (by hand) has split fairly easily so a splitter ought to make short work of it - if get into gnarly burl I guess I'll just mash it a few times /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

The woods here have been unmanaged with dense growth resulting in alot of tall, spindley trees with little crown, and no large limbs. Of course there are a few exceptions to that - three of which are right around our house - all of which need taken down.

powerstroke2000 · Jan 15, 2005

It lasted about two months the last two we built were out of box tubing you have more strenght that way here is spiltty 4 I will post splitty 5 tommorrow
splitty 4

rswyan · Jan 16, 2005

PS2K,

Definitely looks very heavy-duty. I had seen the pics of splitty 4 before on another thread I think - hadn't noticed the box tube though. Looking forward to seeing splitty 5 /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

powerstroke2000 · Jan 17, 2005

( It lasted about two months the last two we built were out of box tubing you have more strenght that way here is spiltty 4 I will post splitty 5 tommorrow
splitty 4 )

The new pictures were add just now so they should be up soon.use the link above.
5 is about the same as 4 besides for the oil tank is the axle the splitter sits on hold about 6 gallons has a 10hp motor with a 22gpm pump it will build 3000psi but the motor doesn't have enough power to hold that much pressure for long. 4x24 cly with a 2" rod instead of the 1 1/2". The four way has a
1 1/2" slot in it for the wedge to float up to prevent binding between the wings and the beam otherwise it will bend the wings up. It has 12"Geo Metro wheels and hubcaps /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
note we even put the serial number on the push plate /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif