Hi Guys,
I found this site in my search for log splitter ideas as I have many cords of maple and ponderosa pine to split. BIG BIG logs. There are lots of great ideas and splitters posted here. Nice work everyone! Already broke my 8lb maul so it's time for some hydraulics.
I borrowed a friends home made splitter (he didn't build it) to see if I could fix it. It had very little oomph and wouldn't split anything. I took apart the spool valve and cleaned the regulator. I have it splitting some small pieces but it still doesn't seem to be very powerful. It is PTO driven from my tractor, I put an adaptor on the high speed PTO to allow it's use so the pump is spinning at about 1000 RPM. The pump is a dump truck pump by Commercial, 30 GPM at 1200 RPM, factory set at 2000 PSI but who knows if it's been adjusted. The cylinder is 3" X 20". I have also sharpened the blade as it was quite blunt. I am posting some pics to get your opinions on it's profile. Not sure if it's a good design and perhaps, this is why the wood isn't splitting easily. The splitter loads up the 50HP JD 710 tractor so the hydraulics seem to be working. They also get real hot after 15 minutes of trying to split wood. I think I am just dealing with a design issue. My friend doesn't want it and offered to sell it to me for $200 so I think I will go for it and then start rebuilding it.
I am thinking maybe a 4" ram would be better, and change the wedge?? :confused3:
Look forward to your comments.
Update......I just checked the hydraulic fluid and it's quite milky. Yuk!
I also noticed, there is no filter in this splitter so there is the first upgrade to make. Add a filter and change the fluid. That may improve performance.
Update #2
Upon further reading here and investigating the splitter, I found the PRV on the pump, a Commercial C101AR-25, turned it in 2 turns, and put a small washer under the PRV spring in the Gresen control valve spring, as it was turned in as tight as it would go. Now I am getting a little more poop out of this. I was able to split a moderate size piece of pine, but it still won't touch the maple. I put a gauge on this to see what I am getting for pressure and when it trys to split but doesn't, it deadheads at 2000PSI. It loads down the tractor a bit more now when it bottoms out. I think the hydraulics are okay. Probably a bigger cylinder and a new wedge will make this perform better.
Your thoughts?
Cheers
Paul
I found this site in my search for log splitter ideas as I have many cords of maple and ponderosa pine to split. BIG BIG logs. There are lots of great ideas and splitters posted here. Nice work everyone! Already broke my 8lb maul so it's time for some hydraulics.
I borrowed a friends home made splitter (he didn't build it) to see if I could fix it. It had very little oomph and wouldn't split anything. I took apart the spool valve and cleaned the regulator. I have it splitting some small pieces but it still doesn't seem to be very powerful. It is PTO driven from my tractor, I put an adaptor on the high speed PTO to allow it's use so the pump is spinning at about 1000 RPM. The pump is a dump truck pump by Commercial, 30 GPM at 1200 RPM, factory set at 2000 PSI but who knows if it's been adjusted. The cylinder is 3" X 20". I have also sharpened the blade as it was quite blunt. I am posting some pics to get your opinions on it's profile. Not sure if it's a good design and perhaps, this is why the wood isn't splitting easily. The splitter loads up the 50HP JD 710 tractor so the hydraulics seem to be working. They also get real hot after 15 minutes of trying to split wood. I think I am just dealing with a design issue. My friend doesn't want it and offered to sell it to me for $200 so I think I will go for it and then start rebuilding it.
I am thinking maybe a 4" ram would be better, and change the wedge?? :confused3:
Look forward to your comments.
Update......I just checked the hydraulic fluid and it's quite milky. Yuk!
I also noticed, there is no filter in this splitter so there is the first upgrade to make. Add a filter and change the fluid. That may improve performance.
Update #2
Upon further reading here and investigating the splitter, I found the PRV on the pump, a Commercial C101AR-25, turned it in 2 turns, and put a small washer under the PRV spring in the Gresen control valve spring, as it was turned in as tight as it would go. Now I am getting a little more poop out of this. I was able to split a moderate size piece of pine, but it still won't touch the maple. I put a gauge on this to see what I am getting for pressure and when it trys to split but doesn't, it deadheads at 2000PSI. It loads down the tractor a bit more now when it bottoms out. I think the hydraulics are okay. Probably a bigger cylinder and a new wedge will make this perform better.
Your thoughts?
Cheers
Paul