OK, so I have been kicking around the idea of building a log splitter. Does anyone have plans and advice on doing such. I was thinking about going with a 5x24" cylinder, a 22gpm hydro pump and a 9hp gas motor. I think I will need about a 20 gallon oil tank? Any way to know what the cycle time would be on such a splitter? I would like it to be very fast, but still powerfull. I was also toying with the idea of an electric motor. Maybe a 5hp electric. What do you all think? Any ideas on where to get the best deals on these parts?
log splitter plans
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J_J
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I am assuming the pump you are talking about is this log splitter pump,
It says to use a 12 HP engine, although a 9 HP would work for the most part.
https://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?UID=2009080922085565&item=9-4896&catname=hydraulic
22 GPM = 4.3 in per sec
06 GPM = 1.2 in per sec
If you are talking about a non log splitter 22 GPM hydraulic pump, it would take about 45 HP to run it.
It says to use a 12 HP engine, although a 9 HP would work for the most part.
https://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?UID=2009080922085565&item=9-4896&catname=hydraulic
22 GPM = 4.3 in per sec
06 GPM = 1.2 in per sec
If you are talking about a non log splitter 22 GPM hydraulic pump, it would take about 45 HP to run it.
Last edited:
MarkV
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It has been a while but I think Northern Hydraulics use to have splitter plans and sold most of the parts except the beam.
MarkV
MarkV
GE222
Gold Member
While an electric motor will work, it will place a serious limit on mobility.
With a 2 stage pump, a 4"x24" ram will work in most applications, unless you will be splitting in multiple directions. I have split some pretty good sized logs and have yet to run out of power with mine.
With a 2 stage pump, a 4"x24" ram will work in most applications, unless you will be splitting in multiple directions. I have split some pretty good sized logs and have yet to run out of power with mine.
Just Bill
Silver Member
I built a splitter a couple of years ago and used a 5x24 cyl, 11 gpm 2 stage pump, and a 6.5 hp Briggs.
Its not real fast but it will keep 2 people as busy as they want to be.
I bought some of the parts a northern tool the rest I made.
Its not real fast but it will keep 2 people as busy as they want to be.
I bought some of the parts a northern tool the rest I made.
bassgrinder
Member
I think you defiantly want to use a 2 stage pump the principle is that it runs in the higher GPM lower pressure stage to perform the unloaded action which would be most of the ram travel. It switches over to low GPM high pressure when the load demands such as when the block is actually being spilt, quite often this is only somewhere between 3 and 10 inches worth of travel unless there is a stringy stubborn block in. even then many times it will go back to high GPM once the “back” of the block has been broken so to speak. Otherwise the single type of pump options would end up to be either a higher GPM lower pressure pump which would require a non practical amount of HP, or the low GPM high pressure pump which would make for ungodly slow cycle times.
If mobility is not an issue, then an electric motor could be a good choice since it is much more efficient, Northern Tool used to have a conversion chart in their paper catalogs a long time ago that compared electric, gas, and hydraulic motors I think a 1 hp electric matched up to about a 2 1/2 hp gas. It would be basically about torque and duty cycle. If you decide on electric, I would choose a farm duty or commercial duty motor; if it is readily available to where the splitter will be use I would opt for 220 volts as opposed to 110. One advantage with electric will be maintenance, no worries about oil changes spark plugs or tune ups, another is the noise difference, and there also is no exhaust. I had a friend who used an electric motor, he had a large machine shed and hebrought the blocks inside with his FEL, he split inside with no concern for the elements. Since he piled his wood in there any way he felt it put him way ahead the game when he would take the split pieces right off the splitter and put them directly onto the pile. I had to admit it looked pretty good in winter when, at 20 below he would have a nice fire in the stove while he split in his shirt sleeves, while I on the other hand would be doing the same outside with 3 layers clothes, taking my jacket off as the work made me too warm and back on when I slowed down, all the while my hands freezing no matter what I did. Here is one site that may be of interest in comparing gas to electric.
http://www.baumhydraulics.com/files/infobuild/measure_torque.pdf
As far as the cylinder goes, whether you would really need a 5” instead of 4” depends on the wood you plan to split, the price difference stings a bit when you go to buy them. But I have never said “dog gone it I wish my splitter did not have so much power”, I have never seen the difference in cycle time be an issue in a hand feed splitter. With a valve that has a detent in the return stroke, that time is usually used up either getting next block into place or clearing the split pieces out the way; in my experience with a manually feed splitter in the long the man power portion can never outwork the machine. Now it is true that when I was 18 the splitter my dad had me using was me swinging a maul and I could out split any splitter for an hour or two, but splitting all day on a 20 cord pile the slower machine would still win out. In my old age I have grown to favor the 5” cylinders because I feel the pump and motor are the heart of the machine and the 5” cylinder makes the work easier on them which prolongs their life. I also believe that with pump J J listed and a 12 hp motor you would be hard pressed to ever find a block knotty or other wise tough enough that a 5” cylinder would not crack with ease, just make sure the I beam and wedge are sufficiently stout enough since it will generate in the 40 to 50 ton range of splitting force.
As far as plans go if you google using “wood splitter plans” there are over 38,000 results one decent one is at
Log Splitter Plans, Wood Splitter Plans, How-to, Ebooks
the price is reasonable ( $8.95 for 24” and $10.95 for 30”) and the finished products looks pretty good, with or without plans I would go look at as many commercially sold splitters as you can, get up close and personal and do your best to reverse engineer them. Building them is not rocket science and it is pretty easy to see the design and how they are built just by looking closely. There many different designs that have some great functions to them. IMO the best splitter you can make would be by looking at all the designs you can and taking the qualities that will best suite you and what you want from your splitter. I also believe that there is nothing with your home built splitter being a work in progress, remember if you make it you can change it just as easy. I often hear folks talk about the money they saved by DIY, but that is just a part of what is great about it. The best part I feel is that it gives you power to end up with EXACTLY what YOU want and need and not some one else’s concept of what that is. When you build your splitter and then figure out you saved maybe $500 to $1000 or so on what you could have bought one from the local dealer for, stop for a minute and consider how much the dealer might have charged if you had them custom build one to your specifications. Over the years I built several splitters and have helped friends build even more. I feel my best advice that I gave was to have the goal not so much to be how much money they could save but to end up being able to say “I love my splitter, it’s the best I have ever seen”
Have fun building
If mobility is not an issue, then an electric motor could be a good choice since it is much more efficient, Northern Tool used to have a conversion chart in their paper catalogs a long time ago that compared electric, gas, and hydraulic motors I think a 1 hp electric matched up to about a 2 1/2 hp gas. It would be basically about torque and duty cycle. If you decide on electric, I would choose a farm duty or commercial duty motor; if it is readily available to where the splitter will be use I would opt for 220 volts as opposed to 110. One advantage with electric will be maintenance, no worries about oil changes spark plugs or tune ups, another is the noise difference, and there also is no exhaust. I had a friend who used an electric motor, he had a large machine shed and hebrought the blocks inside with his FEL, he split inside with no concern for the elements. Since he piled his wood in there any way he felt it put him way ahead the game when he would take the split pieces right off the splitter and put them directly onto the pile. I had to admit it looked pretty good in winter when, at 20 below he would have a nice fire in the stove while he split in his shirt sleeves, while I on the other hand would be doing the same outside with 3 layers clothes, taking my jacket off as the work made me too warm and back on when I slowed down, all the while my hands freezing no matter what I did. Here is one site that may be of interest in comparing gas to electric.
http://www.baumhydraulics.com/files/infobuild/measure_torque.pdf
As far as the cylinder goes, whether you would really need a 5” instead of 4” depends on the wood you plan to split, the price difference stings a bit when you go to buy them. But I have never said “dog gone it I wish my splitter did not have so much power”, I have never seen the difference in cycle time be an issue in a hand feed splitter. With a valve that has a detent in the return stroke, that time is usually used up either getting next block into place or clearing the split pieces out the way; in my experience with a manually feed splitter in the long the man power portion can never outwork the machine. Now it is true that when I was 18 the splitter my dad had me using was me swinging a maul and I could out split any splitter for an hour or two, but splitting all day on a 20 cord pile the slower machine would still win out. In my old age I have grown to favor the 5” cylinders because I feel the pump and motor are the heart of the machine and the 5” cylinder makes the work easier on them which prolongs their life. I also believe that with pump J J listed and a 12 hp motor you would be hard pressed to ever find a block knotty or other wise tough enough that a 5” cylinder would not crack with ease, just make sure the I beam and wedge are sufficiently stout enough since it will generate in the 40 to 50 ton range of splitting force.
As far as plans go if you google using “wood splitter plans” there are over 38,000 results one decent one is at
Log Splitter Plans, Wood Splitter Plans, How-to, Ebooks
the price is reasonable ( $8.95 for 24” and $10.95 for 30”) and the finished products looks pretty good, with or without plans I would go look at as many commercially sold splitters as you can, get up close and personal and do your best to reverse engineer them. Building them is not rocket science and it is pretty easy to see the design and how they are built just by looking closely. There many different designs that have some great functions to them. IMO the best splitter you can make would be by looking at all the designs you can and taking the qualities that will best suite you and what you want from your splitter. I also believe that there is nothing with your home built splitter being a work in progress, remember if you make it you can change it just as easy. I often hear folks talk about the money they saved by DIY, but that is just a part of what is great about it. The best part I feel is that it gives you power to end up with EXACTLY what YOU want and need and not some one else’s concept of what that is. When you build your splitter and then figure out you saved maybe $500 to $1000 or so on what you could have bought one from the local dealer for, stop for a minute and consider how much the dealer might have charged if you had them custom build one to your specifications. Over the years I built several splitters and have helped friends build even more. I feel my best advice that I gave was to have the goal not so much to be how much money they could save but to end up being able to say “I love my splitter, it’s the best I have ever seen”
Have fun building
EdK
Silver Member
If you're serious about pursuing the electric option here's a great thread (thanks to RonL/no idea why he was "banned") from a few years ago: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/46262-full-size-electric-wood-splitter.html
BTW, great post Bassgrinder
BTW, great post Bassgrinder
turnkey4099
Elite Member
Just a couple suggestions:
1. If you are buying all the components, you will pay way more than buying an already built one.
2. Beam height - Ideal, at least IMO, is such that you can just rest your knuckles on the beam. Bending over one that is too low will get you in your back in short order. BTDT with my homebuilt. I now have a TroyBilt that is just about right.
3. Cylinder: 4" - adequate in most cases and makes for faster cycle time.
5" - overkill and much slower. 4 1/2" seems to be the good compromise (my Troybilt has it).
4. Pump - as others have said: Two stage. Don't even consider a single stage (BTDT too).
5. Wedge: Not too tall. My homeuilt was 9" that was a bit too tall. the Troybilt is 7"
and seems good. I prefer a "two stage" wedge, i.e., a knife blade and then some "wings" to force the block open beginning several inches back from the knife edge. Many commercial have a single wedge that IMO takes too much power to begin the split and when shearing through knots. Were I to build another one, it would be about 7" high - 2 stage and then a taller, thin 'knife' at the back to cut strings. I hate looking at a block that is completely split except for some strings holding it together at the top. My solution so far is to use a hatchet to cut them vice wrestling the block to turn it over and run it back through.
Harry K
1. If you are buying all the components, you will pay way more than buying an already built one.
2. Beam height - Ideal, at least IMO, is such that you can just rest your knuckles on the beam. Bending over one that is too low will get you in your back in short order. BTDT with my homebuilt. I now have a TroyBilt that is just about right.
3. Cylinder: 4" - adequate in most cases and makes for faster cycle time.
5" - overkill and much slower. 4 1/2" seems to be the good compromise (my Troybilt has it).
4. Pump - as others have said: Two stage. Don't even consider a single stage (BTDT too).
5. Wedge: Not too tall. My homeuilt was 9" that was a bit too tall. the Troybilt is 7"
and seems good. I prefer a "two stage" wedge, i.e., a knife blade and then some "wings" to force the block open beginning several inches back from the knife edge. Many commercial have a single wedge that IMO takes too much power to begin the split and when shearing through knots. Were I to build another one, it would be about 7" high - 2 stage and then a taller, thin 'knife' at the back to cut strings. I hate looking at a block that is completely split except for some strings holding it together at the top. My solution so far is to use a hatchet to cut them vice wrestling the block to turn it over and run it back through.
Harry K
Diamondpilot
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I built one 4 years back to run off my tractors hydro system. I used a 4"x24" stroke. My hydro system is 7 gallons per minute but I am sure that is probably at PTO speed or somewhere near. I have split about 100 ricks with it and 1200 rpm on my tractor works fine even though my PTO rpm is 2250.
As you can see I utilize my 3 point hitch I made out of a Ford Ranger Hitch for the attachment. I also made it go long ways out the back of the tractor so two guys can work from it. I added the wood log cradle later which is a must and I also made a adapter in the 3rd picture that allows it to double as a shop press.
Chris
As you can see I utilize my 3 point hitch I made out of a Ford Ranger Hitch for the attachment. I also made it go long ways out the back of the tractor so two guys can work from it. I added the wood log cradle later which is a must and I also made a adapter in the 3rd picture that allows it to double as a shop press.
Chris
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J_J
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Diamondpilot,
Is the PTO rpm you stated correct ? If so, please explain futher. Are you using tractor hydraulics, or a PTO type pump?
Is the PTO rpm you stated correct ? If so, please explain futher. Are you using tractor hydraulics, or a PTO type pump?