Making a log splitter .

teepee

I am in the process of making a log splitter , i will need it for splitting beech & ash .In times of recession i would save some money by gettingmade up rather than buying it of the shelf . I have got a 12hp , twin cylinder diesel lister engine , perfect condition . Also a 30 ton hydraulic ram in good nick .So any tips ??

pakalasa

teepee,

Be very careful. I work with hydraulic circuits at a design and testing stage, so I have some experience.
You can create some serious pressure and forces without realising it.
For example, if you pump in say 100 Bar presure in at the back end of a double acting ram, the pressure at the other end can be intensified to 200 Bar (this for area ratio of 2 between the ram and the bore of the cylinder.)
Use pressure relieving valves (back to tank) for safety to limit the pressure in the line.

CJhaughey

Depends what size rounds you are splitting.
Realistically a 12hp diesel will be overkill for splitting rounds here.
Most people want 30cm pieces as their logburners won't take big pieces.
You really need a fast cycle time to be productive with a Hyd. splitter.
How much will you process in a day? 4 cord?6 cord?
Are you crosscutting rounds and then lifting them onto the splitter?
Think about a lifting rack if so, it will save your back.
Or are you making a vertical splitter?
whatever you do, make sure you build it so both your hands have to be away from the wedge/ramface at the time .
Nothing like losing several digits to slow production down.:D

teepee

thanks
i have cut up 8 number beech trees knock by the council 3ft in dia round them then split in half with the chain saw . Its hard stuff . Needed for a log gasifiction boiler 500mm lenghts of logs wanted for it .

CJhaughey

Ripping with a chainsaw is very slow, why not try riving it?
Most trees will split this way if you know how.
I would just cross cut the logs in 500mm lengths and start riving those with a wood grenade type wedge and a heavy maul.

Building a splitter is a lot of time and money, more than you think will be swallowed up by the pump, anticavitation tank, and hosing/valving.

I was out with a guy today who is running a Posch processor, autofeed, and circular saw he has a 15t vertical splitter for the bigger stuff and hardwoods.
Hard to make as good and safe as the bought stuff.

biblio

I built a splitter a few years ago, used an 8"x4" RSJ as the main frame , a 100mm dia. hydraulic cylinder with a 50mm piston rod and a 500mm stroke.
it is a horizontal type with a fixed wedge the design is quite similar to ones I have seen for sale .
The construction cost was €50 for the steel , I had the cylinder , a double acting spool valve was €80 off ebay two hydraulic hoses & a few fittings €70 and a box of welding rods .I have a mechanisim that requires both hands to operate the splitting cycle (so hands cant get caught) Ensure all welds are strong with good weld penetration for maximum strength. I run it off tractor hydraulics 35 litres/min @ 215 bar . If you rather use a seperate engine hydraulic equipment suppliers can get suitablle pumps and pump to engine adaptor flanges to make up a power pack I have used it to split a lot of timber and no problems

biomech

biblio wrote: »

I built a splitter a few years ago, used an 8"x4" RSJ as the main frame , a 100mm dia. hydraulic cylinder with a 50mm piston rod and a 500mm stroke.
it is a horizontal type with a fixed wedge the design is quite similar to ones I have seen for sale .
The construction cost was €50 for the steel , I had the cylinder , a double acting spool valve was €80 off ebay two hydraulic hoses & a few fittings €70 and a box of welding rods .I have a mechanisim that requires both hands to operate the splitting cycle (so hands cant get caught) Ensure all welds are strong with good weld penetration for maximum strength. I run it off tractor hydraulics 35 litres/min @ 215 bar . If you rather use a seperate engine hydraulic equipment suppliers can get suitablle pumps and pump to engine adaptor flanges to make up a power pack I have used it to split a lot of timber and no problems

Ya this is def the way to go.... ive used both horizontal and vert type splitters but would definatly prefer vert... was rear mounted on a tractor so might not be practical if your goin free standing...

il gatto

A friend of a friend made their own a few years back. It was basically a forklift mast mounted on a three point linkage with a steel platform and a slow ram (no idea what specs the ram/pressure was) with a wedge axehead. It was operated by levers mounted to the side of the mast. Pretty safe to use as the ram moved quite slowly. Very effective though.

bushy...

Cute :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfnavISaP9c

CJhaughey

bushy... wrote: »

Cute :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfnavISaP9c

Those chainsaw based processors are OK with clean straight timber like the stuff he was cutting, but hardwoods are very rarely straight, and the commercial spruce is all full of grit from being skidded and handled.
Chains get blunt real fast. Circular saw blade processors are much better IMO.
Posch have a nice one and Hakki Pilke have a better version. They are not cheap though.