Log splitter build

6sunset6 · February 08, 2012, 10:48:46 AM

You guys might like this. I have been thinking about it for a couple of years. What pushed me over the top was storms that brought down 6-8 oaks 2ft at the base and 70ft long . The thought of dealing with those rounds was intimidating. There are more to come down. I have 12 A of mature trees like that. None near the house.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/226024-woodsplitter-build-2-a.html

beenthere · February 08, 2012, 11:11:32 AM

Post some pics and tell us about it. 8)

6sunset6 · February 08, 2012, 12:50:16 PM

All the pictures and the story are in the link in the first note.

beenthere · February 08, 2012, 01:21:07 PM

Granted, but bring the story and pics here. ;)

Al_Smith · February 08, 2012, 02:02:15 PM

Interesting .I read most of it but it was rather long winded to say the least .

That thing has more valves and cylinders on it than Carters have little pills .Fact I 'm not entirely even certain what they all do .

I will say this while it's too elborate for my taste there was a lot of thought involved not to mention a lot of work.Good job it should work well for you .

6sunset6 · February 08, 2012, 03:40:30 PM

Split wood with it today for the first time. Too much friction in the boxes . Push block worked but I am going to increase the pressure a little bit and see what happens. Last picture is 2 22" oak rounds split.
I hope I did not violate any forum rules . This is my first picture post ahh pictures too large I will make them smaller but not fight now.

6sunset6 · February 08, 2012, 07:20:44 PM

I give up Tried to post pictures. Seems like they have to go to a gallery which I have no access to or cannot create.

Al_Smith · February 08, 2012, 08:35:29 PM

Well I'm not complaining but I can't do it either .

Jeff · February 08, 2012, 10:34:54 PM

You have to create an album, then you will have a place to put your photos.

6sunset6 · February 09, 2012, 11:41:42 AM

OK I created an Album called Splitter and put some pictures in it. I did not see anything that said save so I am going to post this and see.

Magicman · February 11, 2012, 08:16:26 PM

You have the pictures in your gallery. Now just click on the picture that you want to post and scroll down and click on the blue box that says "Insert image in post". That will copy the picture's address to your post. Click "preview" and scroll up and you can see it before you make your post.

6sunset6 · February 12, 2012, 03:09:29 PM

Picture

All right got a picture posted. Hope I remember how to do it next time.
While trying to figuire out pictures I destroyed the wedge. Got jammed on a knot but welds were not good enough either. Also 4.5Diam cyl at 2000 psi was struggling. I an going to reduce the number of boxes from 3 to 2 and thin out the center wedge.

6sunset6 · February 12, 2012, 03:11:47 PM

The last picture is what I was going to do before I decided on a center wedge. So I will be cutting out tacks tomorrow.

beenthere · February 12, 2012, 05:36:03 PM

Thanks for the pics. Looks like it is coming along, and hope you get past this experimental stage.
Great to be so creative.

Reminds me of a friends build, where he discovered a similar problem when trying to make too many pieces in one pass. He essentially was extruding wood in the center cells. Had a 6" cylinder from a garbage truck, and his wedges wouldn't hold up. He had the wedges straight, now winged out like yours.

Good luck with the new build.

sparky1 · February 12, 2012, 09:40:57 PM

I have never seen that box design. I wonder how it would hold up to elm?? I have a hard time running that through one wedge at times. ??? It looks like its a good idea if you were to bundle it up and sell it. still it looks like a nice splitter.

Al_Smith · February 13, 2012, 09:10:42 AM

Now I'm not trying to be a smart alec but those are some rough looking welds .

If you have a buzz box ,IE: AC welder you'd do better to use something like an iron powder rod like a 7014 which will lay down a pretty good bead .7014 is basically a drag rod meaning you don't need to weave it or hold a defined arc length .In addtion it will deposit probabley twice the weld material of that 6013 or whatever you used on those welds .

Again I'm only pointing this out because quite frankly you have so much porosity and non fusion on those welds it's a wonder they hold anything .

You're doing fine you just have to work on that welding a little is all . ;)

thecfarm · February 13, 2012, 09:24:54 AM

Where's the hyd power coming from? I see hoses. I had a friend that was going to use one small motor to hook up his stuff with. Never did it though. Like that NH, 40-50 HP? I have a 40 and work it in the woods a little.

6sunset6 · February 13, 2012, 05:09:41 PM

hydraulic power supply 5hp electric motor 240v 20-22 A needs 30A breaker and 10 gage wire.

Sometimes my welds look good Sometimes my welds look horrible. I do not do it for a living but have built and repaired a lot of stuff including a heavy trailer that has been on the road for 20 years, with no repairs. I think the force generated on the box was pretty high. I redesigned the box with a center wedge and 2 outboard wedges.
Still horrible looking welds but penetration was really deep. The first pass looked good , the over passes look bad.
Right now just the bottom is welded . Letting it cool. Tomorrow I will unbolt it , turn it over and weld the top.
IF this one blows up I will clean it up and take it to a pro.

albirk · February 14, 2012, 05:43:38 AM

if you are using cutter edge you may want to preheat first i like it being white hot first then weld it all the way out 1/8" 7018

Magicman · February 14, 2012, 09:11:23 AM

I just want to see that bad boy work. ;D

6sunset6 · February 14, 2012, 05:43:15 PM

ME TOO. It's all back together. Probably will run it tomorrow. IF the wedge blows up I will shoot myself.

I will have to think about a movie when it is a success.

snowstorm · February 14, 2012, 06:15:45 PM

Quote from: albirk on February 14, 2012, 05:43:38 AM
if you are using cutter edge you may want to preheat first i like it being white hot first then weld it all the way out 1/8" 7018

old cutting edges from a snow plow or dozer will not work break easy do weld good. if using a ac welder get some 7018 ac rod it must be ac rod. reg. 7018 is great with a dc welder not an ac. turn the heat up drag the rod weave and watch the puddle. get all the slag off before the next pass

Al_Smith · February 14, 2012, 07:45:17 PM

Forney makes a very good 7018 AC rod .

FWIW a cutting edge from a dozer blade ,old knife from a chipper or any other heat treated hardened carbon steel is not a good choice for a log splitter wedge/knife .Regular old mild steel is all you'll ever need .

bandmiller2 · February 15, 2012, 07:54:34 AM

Sunset,your trying to force a round plug through a square hole.Extruding wood like your doing wastes massive amounts of energy and limits your size flexibility.Won't mention the name but theirs a hydraulic mailorder house that sells preshaped wedges and I think a fourway to slip over it. Frank C.

6sunset6 · February 15, 2012, 10:20:04 AM

The steel in the wedge is 1055 hot rolled beveled edge. 1055 has .5 carbon vs A36 hot rolled plate which has .25.
So it probably wants preheat and 7018 or even a nickel rod. But not as high carbon as cutting edge I think.
I was thinking there was some efficiency in multiple pieces per pass. Also the flat top is a table that holds the top piece prior to pulling it back. The wedge bolts on so I can change it to a single wedge or a tee or a 4 way.
We will see .
I just looked up Forney 7018 rod. Don't need preheat on high carbon steel so it would wok well for this. I used some already for overpass.