Splitter done broke

[Firefighter Kubota]

So after 7 years my splitter finally gave up . The steal around the wedge welds fatigued and tore. Wasn't too much hassle to pull the slide, and hydraulic cylinder, reweld the wedge. ran out of time to reinstall, but I hope to be back up and running on my next day off.

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

Nicely done!

 

[Firefighter Kubota]

Nicely done!

Thanks

 

[ultrarunner]

For some reasons all the splitters I have used always have the wedge on the ram... not sure why and don't know if one design would be stronger than the other.

 

[LD1]

Wedge on ram or wedge on beam is about splitter design and how you want it to function. One way is no better or stronger than the other. Both can be done right or wrong.

Nice repair OP. I just don't like the design of surface welded wedges.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Wedge on ram or wedge on beam is about splitter design and how you want it to function. One way is no better or stronger than the other. Both can be done right or wrong.

Nice repair OP. I just don't like the design of surface welded wedges.

Yes. A gusset to the bottom corners is needed. ... OP - Is the beam end closed? If you can get in there weld in a triangle extending from the tip of the wedge to each bottom corner directly below.
larry

 

[whis]

that's a two way splitter

 

[SPYDERLK]

,,,,,,,,,,,Yes.

 

[Firefighter Kubota]

Yes. A gusset to the bottom corners is needed. ... OP - Is the beam end closed? If you can get in there weld in a triangle extending from the tip of the wedge to each bottom corner directly below.
larry

I'm not sure what you are describing... but sounds like you are suggesting a weld that would then interfere with the splitting surface...

The last one held up to 7 years, So i'm sure I'll get another 5 or so out of this repair... By then I'm sure I'll have a better mouse trap...

 

[SPYDERLK]

The gusset would go inside.

 

[dstig1]

Congrats on fixing it! You have somewhat less than 7 yrs until your next fix. Look at the failure - it tore out the beam, not the weld. The beam (box tube) is not beefy enough for this. It will tear again. Probably sooner than the first time. The beam style is not correct for a splitter. You can fix it like you did, or really fix it for good. But the real fix will take a lot more time. My $0.02...

 

[sd455dan]

Congrats on fixing it! You have somewhat less than 7 yrs until your next fix. Look at the failure - it tore out the beam, not the weld. The beam (box tube) is not beefy enough for this. It will tear again. Probably sooner than the first time. The beam style is not correct for a splitter. You can fix it like you did, or really fix it for good. But the real fix will take a lot more time. My $0.02...

That failure got me thinking -if it were mine and now that I have a plasma cutter ...

a new longer double length splitter edge could be inserted all the way thru the box beam and welded around the cut out on the bottom and also on the top as was just done it would be pretty strong.

Just thinking out loud- and for getting it back in service it looks like the OP did as good a job as the factory did.

 

[AStanton]

Good luck with your repair. A splitter is a valuable thing to have.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Congrats on fixing it! You have somewhat less than 7 yrs until your next fix. Look at the failure - it tore out the beam, not the weld. The beam (box tube) is not beefy enough for this. It will tear again. Probably sooner than the first time. The beam style is not correct for a splitter. You can fix it like you did, or really fix it for good. But the real fix will take a lot more time. My $0.02...

,,,,,,,,Yes.

That failure got me thinking -if it were mine and now that I have a plasma cutter ...

a new longer double length splitter edge could be inserted all the way thru the box beam and welded around the cut out on the bottom and also on the top as was just done it would be pretty strong. Just thinking out loud- and for getting it back in service it looks like the OP did as good a job as the factory did.

Good idea to address the oilcanning of the surface that caused failure. ... Even using a thinner section, say half inch, passing thru the beam, finished flush on top, would be effective. - A bit longer F/B [at least on the top side] than the wedge. Then weld the orig wedge on centered in the area spanned by the thru gusset.

 

[triptester]

This splitter appears to be a 2-way splitter with the cylinder mounted inside the tube which only allows the wedge to be welded to the surface of the tube.

 

[sd455dan]

This splitter appears to be a 2-way splitter with the cylinder mounted inside the tube which only allows the wedge to be welded to the surface of the tube.

Sorry- couldn't see that from the pictures,
If so there is no way the splitting blade could pass thru the beam and be welded on both sides

 

[Firefighter Kubota]

That failure got me thinking -if it were mine and now that I have a plasma cutter ...

a new longer double length splitter edge could be inserted all the way thru the box beam and welded around the cut out on the bottom and also on the top as was just done it would be pretty strong.

Just thinking out loud- and for getting it back in service it looks like the OP did as good a job as the factory did.

Can't be done on this bi directional splitter design.. With out redesigning a whole new splitter, in which case it would make more sense to just buy a new/ another model. Probably why the Powerhourse were so cheap... Same for the inside gusset, as the hydraulic cylinder is in there...

This splitter...
Working from outside in,,,, There is a heavy 1/4 frame tube or box tube that houses the splitter assembly and has the valve and 3 point mount bolted to it, then inside that is the 3/16 slide tube with the wedge welded on, and then inside the slide tube is the hydraulic cylinder...

Inexpensive and practical design, I old paid $500 back in the day...

For a few hour fix, I'll run it till it does it again... Maybe in 5 years, and then another fix, or another brand splitter

Thanks for the suggestions though

 

[Firefighter Kubota]

BTW, split 1/2 cord today, oak and maple... No problems...

 

[handymantim]

On a "normal" one-direction splitter the wedge on the ram that rests in a "groove" is a far superior design for when the log doesn't split fully and then gets stuck on the wedge. When that happens, the log gets pushed off the wedge during the return stroke by the fingers of the "groove" on each side of the wedge. When the wedge is on the end of the splitter, a stuck log will continue to be stuck and require your favorite log-splitting person to remove it manually. Blah!

 

[ultrarunner]

Makes sense now that you mention it... thanks for the explanation!