Hydraulic Log Splitter - Design

patsy_mccabe

I was planning on making up my own Log Splitter. I know they can be bought cheap enough now, but I have most of the scrap lying around.
I have a very good quality hydraulic cylinder but the stroke is only 9". I was wondering if I left an inch, or maybe 2" between the tip of the wedge and the fixed plate, that would allow me to split up to 11" (for 2" gap).
Would this be possible? For those that have a splitter, would they care to measure the gap between the wedge tip and plate.

(I'm not happy unless I have a Guntering challenge in my head. )

X6.430macman

Off hand the gap in my logsplitter is about inch and a half maybe. But this is plenty to split the log good.

Bullocks

If there is a gap and you are splitting knotty stuff il you will have to put in a piece to get it all the way home IYKWIM.
I'd say make the splitter as long as the pieces can fit in the stove ideally.
We have a tractor saw aswell so the last splitter the father made has a ram with a 34" stroke . We can log them that length , they are easily stacked/handled in those lengths and then chop them with the tractor saw going into the shed . It saves alot of chainsaw work

Justjens

Have a Major horizontal splitter and the gap is a least 3" (enough so you don't lose a limb!!). With knotty timber I just put another log in across and press away....but the Major has the wedge fixed onto the RSJ.

With Ash and the like it usually only takes an inch or two to actually split the timber.

patsy_mccabe

Thanks guys. I'll chance the cylinder so.