Todays' project, log splitter mod...

[JerryK]

I have an old Harbor Freight splitter [ most of my HF stuff was made in Taiwan years ago ] that I usually use vertically, big blocks. ] Today I junked up a tray so I could use it for smaller stuff horizontally. Held on by just one 3/8" bolt on the side.

 

[i579rbd]

Looks good and the tray makes it so much easier.

 

[dave1949]

Maybe a long top-link pin, and lynch pin to hold it, would allow you to to a "tool free" swap from vertical to horizontal. I probably would have used two bolts or pins. A pin might rattle unless you get a reasonably tight fit. Did you put a nice radius on the corners of the tray, especially on the working/valve side, to avoid rips in your pants?

It looks good and will save a lot bending over no doubt.

 

[JerryK]

I put a 3/4" pin in it soon after, and modified the hyd handle to make it closer. So I did not have to bend over and work the knob... which is more anoying the more you do it. Here is pictures of the hyd operator... lot fun when I caught the fringe on my old shorts on fire welding, and it took me a while to relise it... then beat out the glowing cotten.. Did not have the picture of the pin install, but it was just hog'n out a 3/4" hole with my big slow drill...

 

[JerryK]

The tray mod was a slip fit on the three inch wide splitter tube. And if it did rattle, you would never hear it over the racket the B&S makes.. I did radius the op side a little, but will radius it more thru the years as I deposit skin and blood on the edge, slowly wearing down the metal to a higly polished state.... again... [ IF it last that long, the splitter is twenty years old already... ]

 

[dave1949]

Good job. I like the valve handle extension.

As long as you don't make it just perfect, it will last another 20 years. :laughing: Over-improve it and you are asking for doom.