Woodsplitter build #2

[6sunset6]

yup outside wedges tapered on outside only. Middle both sides.
I turned my scrap piles upside down looking for a piece of 3/8 plate. Not one piece. Plenty of 1/4 and 1/2. So I made the center wedge from 1/2. Probably better anyway.
I welded the wedges to the bottom and tacked the top. Let it cool till tomorrow and unbolt it , turn it over so I can weld down. It does not look pretty but I got some bevel on the wedges and used 5/32 6011 at 165 A. I know it got right down into the root. The first passes looked good. The follow on passes look terrible but there are less blow holes than I have ever had . Some under cut but in 3/4 plate I don't think it matters much. I was almost going to take this someplace to get it welded but then that's why I have a welder. If this one blows up I will take it someplace. I think there is a lot less stress on the wedges with this design.

 

[Scooby074]

I think you might be a bit high on amperage for your 6011?

How many passes are you running for your cap? Id probably run 3 to give a nice, fat, smooth weld to keep the wood from hanging.

Have you tried 7018AC on your machine?

 

[6sunset6]

I only have a rotary switch 145 or 165. 145 does not seem to give enough penetration on the 3/4 plates. Probably just my technique. I was trying for 3 passes but it kinda ended up two. Maybe I should go back to 1/8 for the overpasses. I can always grind to smooth it out. I had some 7018 but it did not work well. Maybe it was dc rod. Box does not say. This is the first time i have welded 3/4 plate.
Usually 1/4-1/2 and structural shapes. lot of people have mentioned 7018. When I was down at the welding supply place at the beginning of this project I told him what I was doing and mentioned 7018. He said it was not really necessary. I should look for some and try it. The box is really heavy . I handled it with a chain falls when it was inside. Now I will have to use the FEL.
Tomorrow I will unbolt it and turn it over to weld the top. Always hard with one person. I never mentioned this before but I have done all of this by my self except picking up the beam , the first day. I only have a Subaru. That's another long story.

 

[Scooby074]

I loves me the Subarus. Thats where my nick comes from:thumbsup:

If your welder only has two taps, then i guess your stuck. Not much you can do about that.

On the 7018, it really is a DC rod, but they do make a AC version. Ive never ran it. Ive always had access to DC, so i cant comment on how well it works.

While the 7018 may not be required for strength, it is a VERY nice running rod. Nice smooth ripples and easy to remove slag. That's my experience on DC however.

One thing you need to know about 7018 is its a Lo-hy rod. It really should be kept in a rod oven. Its flux attracts water. In critical situations (one where you actually NEED 7018) it can cause weld fractures (hydrogen embrittlement).

I wouldnt sweat it for a woodsplitter, unless its nuclear powered , but if it gets wet it can be hard to run and you can have flux flaking issues. This may or may not be important to you.. I keep my rods in a home made oven (lightbulb in a box) that works ok, but if i got something critical, like a trailer hitch, ill go buy a fresh box.

Keeping the rods in one of those plastic air tight rod tubes with a desiccant pack from something can help a lot.

 

[6sunset6]

It's all ready to go again. I beveled the wedges, used 6011 5/32 at 145 A for the root weld. 160 was too hot. I think that really worked well. The over passes I started with 6011 but then said What the heck and tried the 1/8 7018 at 100A . It's a little different. Sticks a little sometimes. But lays down really nice and less porosity. I tried to fill under cuts and get 3 passes over the root. Funny I practiced on bottom plate which I had welded together with bevel joints at the beginning of this project. I filled in the top of the weld with 7018. IT worked really well nice dimes . But I still have trouble in the corners with the fillet welds. Very hard to keep an even fillet. So I have less porosity but lots of bumps .
Well, the proof is in the splitting. Tomorrow afternoon I think.

 

[Scooby074]

Sounds like its coming together.

There is a reason that almost everybody loves 7018.. with a little more practice, you likely will too.

 

[6sunset6]

I am going to look for some 7018 AC rod and see what that does. I have no idea what I had. It does not say AC on it

 

[6sunset6]

Put a 30 amp 240 v outlet in my shop today so I don't have to use the 50A welder outlet. I can't get an outlet in the wood shed till I split some rounds. Need the splitter for that. In fact the spot for the new spiltter has a pile of rounds sitting where it goes. No further work till Tuesday. Have to go away and see friends. It's an annual thing on this weekend for 25 years now.

 

[GE222]

I am anxious to hear how the new box works. It looks like the angles should work great! :thumbsup:

 

[6sunset6]

I will be running it in about an hour . Stay tuned.

 

[6sunset6]

All right. This will probably be my final report. Maybe. It works. Pictures say it all. I have some comments.
Box wedge. Most of the psi activity is around 800- 1000 psi occasionally 1500. Knots or tapering grain will stall it at 2000. Just like learning on a single wedge to keep crotches vertical and work around knots, same here. I did not pay attention at the beginning or experimented and so the sledge hammer and chain saw are nearby. I split 10 rounds today. The last 4 went right through. What I did was run one split and then turn the round over 180d, avoiding knots. This seems to take some of the binding and compression out of the round. I flipped the big ones a couple of times. When enough comes off I flip it 90 to keep working around the knots. The smaller rounds 18" I don't have to do that but still watch for knots. In one of the pictures you can see a large square balk, that is from working it around. That whole thing went throu licitly split. :laughing: At 2000psi the whole end of the beam , box and all was flexing a little bit. NO more psi on this puppy with out some added structure. The top of the box is really nice for keeping the round close and it position. I cleared the box after every round, works a little better like that.
Auto valve. Probably not worth the money. It does not always work, sometimes pops out early and sometimes does not reverse. Be better off with the one you hold to split and then has an auto return . This one does that too if you want to run it like that. Hold the first lever to complete split, let go of it and pull the other , it will stay until it detents out.
Out Feed table Outstanding What a back saver. 2 small rounds 18" or 1 big one and I have to clear the table or the splits get pushed onto the ground. What is the point of that. My skids take 8 rounds. They are 3 feet wide. They used to be 4 but my loader could not lift a 4 x 4 x 4 skid full of wet firewood. When it dryed it could but whats the point of that. The way mine is built it slides in so when a piece get stuck it just pushed the table out. It is good to notice before it is completely out.
Log Lifter Better back saver than the out feed table , well maybe equal. See the last picture That is almost the largest round I currently have. A welded part broke just has I was lifting. Too bad because I wanted to see the psi for the lift. The part was a keeper for the weldment that holds the cylinder. I did not think it was taking a load but just holding the rest in position. So a little redesign and welding. I will post the psi for lifting that round when I get it fixed. Next week.
I started the build of this on 11/17, today is 2/17.
I will answer any questions anyone has here or PM

 

[arrow]

Very nice build Bob. It's possible your machine may be working harder to over come the angles of your end wedges. I think these angles are more pertinent if your center wedge was out further than they but from the looks of it, you are getting a straight push through without the splits angling to the end wedges. I could be wrong and someone somewhere else may have mentioned this already but I am not the type to wade through the thread to find out so forgive my repeat if indeed this is so.

 

[6sunset6]

It's hard to get the right angle on paper. The top wedge leads by an inch, then the side wedges start 8" in between, The center starts an inch behind the sides. The sides angle away such that when the center starts there is enough space to account for the thickness of the center when it starts separation.
Best I could do on paper. The center is beveled on both sides. The top and sides have a single side bevel away from center. When the grain is straight the pump does not even go to low gear. Most of the time it never goes over 1000 psi. Knots are a killer.

 

[Scooby074]

Knots and a box wedge are a killer for sure. Its a brute force thing. in a normal wedge, the log can squirm around knots and follow the path of least resistance.. Not so with a box, hence why the commercial models have a huge cylinder and high press. But it sounds like you have it figured out to work with your lower pressure, just watch for knots.

Glad to see you appreciate the log lift and out feed. As i said, probably the best features pound for pound.

Hows the pickaroon working out?

Your autocycle should lock in. Mine very rarely kicks out, usually it only does it when the oil is cold. Yours might need adjustment if its kicking out all the time.
Once you get used to it, i think youll like the autocycle more. It lets me do two jobs, run a cycle and throw the splits into the loader bucket at the same time.

Nothing like standing back and admiring a finished project though:thumbsup:

 

[6sunset6]

Hookaroon is a back saver as well. Would not think it would work as well as it does.

 

[turnkey4099]

Hookaroon is a back saver as well. Would not think it would work as well as it does.

Same here. I always wanted one but delayed due to there, IMO, overpricing. Bought one a few years ago and proceeded to kick my year fro not doing it 20 years ago. Feel lost without it.

The other day I was knots/crotches through the splitter and rather than bend over and manhandle a big chunk 15 ft, I walked 100 ft both directions to retreive the hookeroon (Log Rite).

Harry K

 

[94BULLITT]

All right. This will probably be my final report. Maybe. It works. Pictures say it all. I have some comments.
Box wedge. Most of the psi activity is around 800- 1000 psi occasionally 1500. Knots or tapering grain will stall it at 2000. Just like learning on a single wedge to keep crotches vertical and work around knots, same here. I did not pay attention at the beginning or experimented and so the sledge hammer and chain saw are nearby. I split 10 rounds today. The last 4 went right through. What I did was run one split and then turn the round over 180d, avoiding knots. This seems to take some of the binding and compression out of the round. I flipped the big ones a couple of times. When enough comes off I flip it 90 to keep working around the knots. The smaller rounds 18" I don't have to do that but still watch for knots. In one of the pictures you can see a large square balk, that is from working it around. That whole thing went throu licitly split. :laughing: At 2000psi the whole end of the beam , box and all was flexing a little bit. NO more psi on this puppy with out some added structure. The top of the box is really nice for keeping the round close and it position. I cleared the box after every round, works a little better like that.
Auto valve. Probably not worth the money. It does not always work, sometimes pops out early and sometimes does not reverse. Be better off with the one you hold to split and then has an auto return . This one does that too if you want to run it like that. Hold the first lever to complete split, let go of it and pull the other , it will stay until it detents out.
Out Feed table Outstanding What a back saver. 2 small rounds 18" or 1 big one and I have to clear the table or the splits get pushed onto the ground. What is the point of that. My skids take 8 rounds. They are 3 feet wide. They used to be 4 but my loader could not lift a 4 x 4 x 4 skid full of wet firewood. When it dryed it could but whats the point of that. The way mine is built it slides in so when a piece get stuck it just pushed the table out. It is good to notice before it is completely out.
Log Lifter Better back saver than the out feed table , well maybe equal. See the last picture That is almost the largest round I currently have. A welded part broke just has I was lifting. Too bad because I wanted to see the psi for the lift. The part was a keeper for the weldment that holds the cylinder. I did not think it was taking a load but just holding the rest in position. So a little redesign and welding. I will post the psi for lifting that round when I get it fixed. Next week.
I started the build of this on 11/17, today is 2/17.
I will answer any questions anyone has here or PM

That's a nice soft cab who made it?

 

[6sunset6]

Original Tractor Cab - About Us

I am not sure they sell direct. I got this through a dealer as a part for the NH tractor. Happened to see it on the parts list. I take the doors off in the summer. Actually one door can come off now. I really need it just for snow blowing .
I modified the hinge locations so I can just lift the door off .

 

[GE222]

Congratulations! I'm glad to hear the the box was successful!

I want to thank you for all your posts and pictures during the build.

 

[6sunset6]

Lifter is fixed. After welding the second attachment that let go on that big round. My 9 year old grandson helped. Actually I grew a set of eyes in the back of my head keeping track of him. We went out to spilt wood. Broke a weld, un bolted , ground it out, re welded, bolted it up . Split wood. He was great, Did everything I told him. Asked a thousand questions ,including why pay for hydraulic oil when you could use water? He came back in and told my wife it was the best day of his life. I guess maybe there is something to this skipping a generation. Anyway 600 psi to lift that big round. Which is 5700#
No wonder small sections were letting go. I should know better than to try and weld up under something. Took it off and rotated all welds down.
So now I will run it awhile to clear the space where it goes so I can move it to it's permanent home.
I guess I owe you guys a movie. The 9 year old said I know how to do that Grandpa. So maybe tomorrow.