And yet another log splitter build

[bob is your uncle]

Well, decided to build a splitter as i couldn't find any of the lower priced ones liked. the main beam is a W14X61 the oil tank is double 6X6HSS holding about 80 liters of oil, the motor is a old 19hp briggs opposed twin with a 22GPM two stage pump, the cylinder is approximately 5" bore off of some sort of cat NOS from the scrapper. if i did it again I'd definitely do it different its very tongue heavy but it does allow you to pull it from the pile of splits rather than burying your own hitch. Still need to find a way to slow the log lift down. (sorry don't know how to resize these)

 

[bob is your uncle]

 

[HawkinsHollow]

GREAT JOB!! Such a great looking splitter. I bet you it will tear it!

 

[CADplans]

Nice looking splitter,,
The suction, and return need to be near the center of the length of the oil tank.
(as well as the fill, which, I think already is near the center?)
If the suction and return stay at the ends, you will at different times, get foaming of the oil, and starvation of the pump.

Both will damage the pump.

While you are moving those, might as well move the axle towards the middle, so that you do not have to fight all that weight to move the splitter when it is not hooked to the truck.

 

[CADplans]

I think your video is set to "private",, possibly.

 

[bob is your uncle]

hold on, will try to fix the video first time using youtube.

it got build and modified over two years the axle ended up in the back since if it was nearer the middle it would either be where the pump is or where I'd want to stand (had a vertical shaft engine so had to mount vertically making quite the tall stack up).

Yes, the return is on the back in the center of the two tubes and the suction near the front, guess ill live with it and see how that works out i should have put the fill caps on risers so it doesn't splooge fluid so easily.

my intent is to split with it hooked up so i can keep pulling it out of the pile.

 

[bob is your uncle]

Nice looking splitter,,
The suction, and return need to be near the center of the length of the oil tank.
(as well as the fill, which, I think already is near the center?)
If the suction and return stay at the ends, you will at different times, get foaming of the oil, and starvation of the pump.

Both will damage the pump.

how does this cause the foaming and how would putting them near the center mitigate this?

 

[Rustyiron]

To slow down the lift...
I forget the term, but they make a little insert that restricts flow. I believe it's placed in the end of a hyd line.
Nice build

 

[CADplans]

To slow down the lift...
I forget the term, but they make a little insert that restricts flow. I believe it's placed in the end of a hyd line.
Nice build

It is called a "blind fitting" , it is male, female about an inch long, with no hole in the middle, hence, "blind".
You get to drill the hole size that allows the amount of flow desired,,

Start with a 0.060" drill, if too slow, use the next larger drill,, and try again,,

 

[CADplans]

Visualize where the oil is if the wedge end of the splitter is "low"
Now,,
visualize where the oil is if the wedge end is "high"

If operated connected to the truck, the low or high is what you will be seeing as operating conditions.
(very few places offer flat land,, perfectly flat)

You mentioned the oil "splooging" out of the fill,,
I would bet that was when the wedge end is "high",, right??

The pump and return were foaming the oil, the oil expanded because it was full of air,,
there was no where for the oil to go in the now pressurized tank,,
out the fill was where the oil had to go,,

 

[ovrszd]

I'm not sure I understand the design of the "catch" tray? Aren't the splits going to fall off on the ground at the wedge? Sort of easy to catch the one on the operator's side. You'll always drop the opposite side.

If I'm understanding what I described properly, maybe extend the catch tray out around the sides of the wedge so the splits are always laying on the tray? You could add some angled outward sides and simply let the next split push the previous ones toward the end of the tray?

With a log lift this splitter will be much more efficient with two people working. If using it with two people you are gonna be smothered in your split pile very quickly.

Anxious to see some action pics and your thoughts after using it. Nice work!!!

 

[bob is your uncle]

Visualize where the oil is if the wedge end of the splitter is "low"
Now,,
visualize where the oil is if the wedge end is "high"

If operated connected to the truck, the low or high is what you will be seeing as operating conditions.
(very few places offer flat land,, perfectly flat)

You mentioned the oil "splooging" out of the fill,,
I would bet that was when the wedge end is "high",, right??

The pump and return were foaming the oil, the oil expanded because it was full of air,,
there was no where for the oil to go in the now pressurized tank,,
out the fill was where the oil had to go,,

i see what you're laying down, it pushed oil out on the first stroke only i figured it was still purging air from the system, if all ports were near the center they would be on its lengthwise tilting acces and always with the correct amount of fluid. i figure if i find a slight downward spot and use the jacks to pick it up a little and level it that way it should be good to run i mean who cares if i pick the back off the truck up a little while running it.

and yes i will have to pick up one of those restrictor fittings, doubt anyone in town has them in stock ill have to get one next time i'm near the city.

 

[bob is your uncle]

I'm not sure I understand the design of the "catch" tray? Aren't the splits going to fall off on the ground at the wedge? Sort of easy to catch the one on the operator's side. You'll always drop the opposite side.

If I'm understanding what I described properly, maybe extend the catch tray out around the sides of the wedge so the splits are always laying on the tray? You could add some angled outward sides and simply let the next split push the previous ones toward the end of the tray?

With a log lift this splitter will be much more efficient with two people working. If using it with two people you are gonna be smothered in your split pile very quickly.

Anxious to see some action pics and your thoughts after using it. Nice work!!!

i intend to mostly run it with the box wedge you see in one of my build pictures and that way it should just push them on through, kind of like that woodmizer/tempest splitter.

on the single wedge i need to cut the splitter cheeks down or remove them it pushes the pieces way too far to the side.

I'll probably will use it this spring/summer and take some pictures or video.

 

[ovrszd]

Yeah, your wedge is wayyyyy too wide. It will actually hinder the splitter's ability to split a grainy piece of wood.

My "wedge" is made from 1" flatbar with a pointed edge. It never fails to split a round unless I'm trying to split something 24" in diameter or more and it's a knotty, grainy round. Then I may have to turn it 180 and hit it again. But that's very rare.

Again, a thick wedge robs power from the splitter.

 

[4570Man]

Yeah, your wedge is wayyyyy too wide. It will actually hinder the splitter's ability to split a grainy piece of wood.

My "wedge" is made from 1" flatbar with a pointed edge. It never fails to split a round unless I'm trying to split something 24" in diameter or more and it's a knotty, grainy round. Then I may have to turn it 180 and hit it again. But that's very rare.

Again, a thick wedge robs power from the splitter.



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A thick wedge is a design of a horizontal/vertical splitter to help crack the wood in half and shorten the cycle time. With these push through splitters it’s really not a useful feature. Also I’d make the splitter more friendly to use from the lift side. My splitter is setup to use from either side and walking around the splitter got old real fast. I always work from the lift side. I also agree with you that the split table needs to be bigger. My split table is twice that wide and I still have a lot of pieces falling off especially working by myself.

 

[Wyobuckaroo]

Bob... I like the big fan tail apron on the back end.. A place to bolt a trailer hitch of one kind or another and load the trailer right off the apron...

Good job.... ...eh...

 

[Rustyiron]

You're 2nd group of pictures with more details earn you another few
You'll work out the little bugs.

 

[LD1]

Nice craftsmanship.

A couple things I notice though....

The return filter is in a bad location. I have a push through splitter with a similar end table. You would be surprised at how many pieces will fall off the end of the table and bounce awfully close to that filter.

Second thing is your choice of hydraulic tank. Long skinny tubes suck for a hydraulic tank in a horizontal position.

Looks like your tubes are 6x6 and about 6' long. All it takes is about 4.5 degree angle of tongue being high and you are starving the pump. And your oil fill sight glasses are on the opposite end of the tubes. And the return at about mid level....hard to ensure the return stays submerged so it done cause foaming.

Basically you need to keep that thing perfectly level or you are gonna have issues

 

[AnotherBueller]

To slow down the lift...
I forget the term, but they make a little insert that restricts flow. I believe it's placed in the end of a hyd line.
Nice build

Get a hold of Brian from FitRite Hydraulics. He's a sponsor and if he can't set you up with a flow restrictor he might tell you where to get one.
A lot of people here have used him for top n tilt kits for the 3 pt hitch. There's not much about hydraulics that he doesn't know.

 

[bob is your uncle]

Restriction fitting has been picked up from greenline will start drilling small hole and see what it does.

The catch tray should maybe be wider, its what i had on hand for material, most of the trees i will be splitting are <16" diameter so a super wide catch tray may not be required? gonna learn the hard way i guess.

Yes the tubing was a poor choice for the tank, but it was available for the awesome price of free. maybe i should have put the intake suction on the bottom and come out with a street 90° cant be much crud in there, but i wanted a strainer so came in sideways. the sight glasses are just there cause i could, the level is easily checked by looking in the filler cap.

When it gets above 400 below here I'll hack the cheeks off of that wedge.