My Home-built Log Splitter

[glastron23]

Thallman, you are going to have to extend the length of the push plate slide, the bottom of the push plate should be as long as it is high, if you look at the one we built we only have 6 bolts, 3 on each side. The bottom slide is only 1/2 inch material, this goes in almost all the way to the web on the Ibeam.
the other thing we do is to have a slight downward angle on the cylinder toward the push plate.
We also box in the ends of the Ibeam, this adds lot of strength to it and helps to keep the top plate from twisting. Looks like you are going to have to damage that nice paint job..... Jim

 

[glastron23]

here's a better pic of the push plate, this unit has 646 hrs on it.

 

[Gizmo2]

I used heavy stuff.

 

[Leejohn]

I would do as Jim said (;the other thing we do is to have a slight downward angle on the cylinder toward the push plate. and make sure the leading edge of the plate running on the I beam isn't sharp. Lee

 

[thallman]

Thallman, you are going to have to extend the length of the push plate slide, the bottom of the push plate should be as long as it is high..... Jim

Thanks Jim, this confirmed to me what I was thinking. I used some really thick material when building this push plate (1"+) --it's heavier than my tractor -- I think though you are right about it being as long as it is high. I really like how tall it is. I'm hoping I can get some left over scrap metal to fit under the cylinder and then weld on some gussets to fix my problem. I'll post pictures of the results.

For now it still splitts everything I throw at it fine, but I hate "splitting on eggs shells" and having to watch every step I make --though maybe that will help my keep all my extremities.

 

[thallman]

other thing we do is to have a slight downward angle on the cylinder toward the push plate....Lee

Unfortuently, if Jims idea doesn't work I'll have to do this. For all intensive purposed horizontal "should" be the best. A downward angle would cause the same undesirable force as the upward slope but in a less harmful action.

Also, the work desired to change the angle would be horrific. I'm not sure how I would go about doing that because if you look at the hitch end of the splitter, I have the mount welded (triple passed), bolted, and the hitch build around it. It's not going anywhere!! The pusher end could be lowered but the widining the hole slightly (through 1 1/2" metal) would be very difficult I'm sure!

Let's hope lengthening the push plate does the job!

 

[Short Game]

I built my splitter up from acquired scrap. The main beam is 4X4X1/4 tube. The foot is an old railroad tie iron. The wedge is built up from any scrap I could use. The slide is 6 inches of 5X5X3/8 tube (the only part except the cylinder that I bought). I put four nickel-sized blobs of bronze inside the top/front and bottom/back sides of the slide and two blobs to center it were put in each of the sides. I ground the blobs flat until the slide just fit over the main beam. I smear a little grease where the bronze contacts the beam now and then. It runs very smooth. When I hear the first squeak, I grease it (not very often).

I had not been around, or used, any splitters and I guess I just lucked out on that part. I made my mistakes on the size of the cylinder. I just saw those remote hydraulic connects on my tractor and thought, "why not?"

I mounted it on the right end of my box scraper and it tips from horizontal, with the splitting at belt height, to vertical, with the foot flat on the ground for those big rounds that I horse around with a pickaroon. I have just set up a linkage to the remote lever on my new LS R4010 so I can stand right by the splitter while I operate it (like I did with my old Cub Cadet). I have a receiver hitch on the scraper to pull my wood cart, which I jackknife to the right so the wood all but falls into it off the splitter.

When I get set up to post pics, I'll show it.

 

[LanceH]

THallman: Can I ask how you ordered a Nortrac cylinder from Northern and had it arrive with such a good paint job? My 5x24 looks like it was drug behind the UPS truck from NC to OH! Did yours arrive an any packaging?

 

[thallman]

THallman: Can I ask how you ordered a Nortrac cylinder from Northern and had it arrive with such a good paint job? My 5x24 looks like it was drug behind the UPS truck from NC to OH! Did yours arrive an any packaging?

I know what you mean. It didn't arrive so nicely either. It had scrapes and scuffs too. Thankfully, no dents in the cylinder that I remember or I would have sent it back for a replacement. The packaging was very poor indeed. Northentool isn't all it's cracked up to be. It's not like your hometown hardware store. They strive towards efficiency and productivity. Somewhere in between the customer gets lost. But, they're cheaper than most, most of the time.

 

[brcisna]

thallman,

your splitter looks great! looks like a factory made rig!
Question: can ya'll find decent sized pieces of scrap there at steel yards these days?,or did you have to buy new iron for your splitter?
Here we only have one (close) steel yard. They used to( about 5 years ago) have tons of nice pieces of steel scrap for items like you made. They got all of J I Case backhoe production ends run pieces. Of course like all other factories that are left operating in the states,the backhoe business is nothing compared to what it was 10 years ago.
You have a nice splitter for $700 greenstamps! Let us know what it takes to remedy your beam pushing up on you. That is a puzzler,to even me,,and I know everything,,,,

take care,
BC

 

[thallman]

brcisna,

Thanks for the compliments. The push-plate problem was solved by making the surface of the push plate which touches the I-beam longer than the part that pushes the wood. I started out with the cylinder a hare from perfectly horizontal (pushing downwards just a smidge) which, in theory, should keep the splitter from binding. Instead of extending the bottom portion I simply flipped mine around now using the pushing part of the plate as the base and the base now, the pusher. I'll post pictures soon so those of you here can compare the before and after.

As far as metal: I posted an add on craigslist for what I was looking for. I fellow about 30-40 mins away had a large H-beam he let me have for $50. It was about twice as long as I needed so I used the other pieces for other projects I have going on. It also had some heavy duty bracing along with a massively thick base plate attached that I'm guessing was part of a footer for some type of structure. So, the "push plate" you see attached to the log splitter actually came attached to the H-beam I bought. I even left some of the H-beam attached for support. The push plate rig is so heavy, no joke, I could barely lift above chest high when attaching it to lines to paint it.

Cheers,
Thomas

 

[Haywire]

Looks like fun. I know I had a good time building mine. I went for the speed demon approach though. 18hp Briggs twin and a 28gpm two stage pump. Cycle time out and back is about 8 seconds. It would be 6 seconds but the engine is an older model that only runs 3k rpm instead of 3600.

 

[thallman]

QUICK UPDATE:

I re-constructed the push plate as shown in the photos below. The photo's show and the "rough" looking version. I didn't want to grind and paint it to perfection until I've run this new design more. I worked with it tonight and it works so far (knock on wood) like a charm

 

[2458n]

Very nice. What rod did you use ? And how big of box or can did it come in. I have a good selection of old junk rod and need to buy some new. Thank you. Another question. How do you determine the correct height for the cylinder off of the "H" beam ?

 

[Haywire]

I have a suggestion for ya. My pusher was smooth like yours except for 1 bump in the middle and I had a problem with wood that wasn't cut quite square trying to slide off the pusher. One popped out and almost caught me in the family jewels. I solved that problem by putting a few bolts in the perimeter of the push plate. Those nuts (pun intended) sink into the rounds quite nicely and stop any lateral movement.

Ian

 

[thallman]

I have a suggestion for ya.... putting a few bolts in the perimeter of the push plate. Those nuts (pun intended) sink into the rounds quite nicely and stop any lateral movement.

Ian

Thanks Ian, that was actually going to be my next step if needed. I already have holes there from the previous set-up that would work quite nicely.

 

[thallman]

Very nice. What rod did you use ? And how big of box or can did it come in. I have a good selection of old junk rod and need to buy some new. Thank you. Another question. How do you determine the correct height for the cylinder off of the "H" beam ?

If by "rod" you are referring to welding rod, then I can't help you. I used flux core MIG with MANY passes. I don't think the height of the cylider matters. I about the wedge, cylinder, cylinder bracket and hydraulic valve from Northern Tool. It was actually cheaper that way. The bracket at the end of the cylinder actually determined the height for me. If anything a couple inches more would be nice, especially if you went with a 5" cylinder. I like to make things overkill that are also easy to work on, so having plenty of room is nice. I just made sure things wern't touching each other that shouldn't be, as to avoid wear and tear if at all possible. -Thomas