Logsplitter 2.0

[rswyan]

Also welded in a 3/8 pipe bung on the bottom of the 2nd hydraulic reservoir for a drain since it didn't come with one:

 

[rswyan]

Trimmed the sides of the table grate. Since the span is getting pretty wide, I decided to beef it up a little by sticking in 3/4" solid round inside the pipes:

If I had used Schedule 80 pipe rather than Schedule 40, I wouldn't be as concerned ... but my supplier was out of Schedule 80 at the time I ordered the steel originally.

 

[rswyan]

Still have a little bit more welding to do to get the pipes all tied in but it's getting there ... should have all the welding done on the table grate in the next hour or so:

Will need to swing by U.B.'s tomorrow and put the torch on the new pipes and bend them down.

The additional space on the table should make doing resplits a lot easier.

 

[rswyan]

Got the pipes on the table grate all welded in last night after dinner.

Pic from the front that kinda shows how wide it ended up being (with a little illusion of the camera lens as well ):

 

[rswyan]

Welded on a 7" piece of 3/4 solid round onto the center section of the table grate:

This allows the receiver hitch to bear some of the weight of the table and its contents, when the drawbar is removed ... so all the weight isn't resting on the 1" stop pins back on the beam (lots of leverage if I hadn't done this):

 

[rswyan]

Also managed to get the guard for the log lift side fabbed up and welded on:

I used 1 1/2 x 1/4 flat stock and 3/4 solid round to build it. Seems pretty stiff.

The 3/4 solid round is set on an angle to cause a wild log round to be inclined to roll down and away from the center ... where the expensive stuff is.

Still need to bend the ends of 3/4 solid rounds towards the rear once I get over to my friend's place that has the torch.

 

[rswyan]

Threw some water in the 2nd hydraulic tank to leak test the pipe bung I welded in, will see how that's doing when I head up to the shop here in a bit.

Most likely will try and get the guard for the engine/operator side done today.

I noticed the other day when I was splitting that the (warm) "cooling" air coming off the engine pretty much blows right at the operator ... so I figured I'd see if I could incorporate a movable deflector into the design: ... warm air deflected when it's warm out, warm air not deflected when it's cold out ...

Probably will also try to finish up the mount for the 2nd hydraulic tank and see if I can't get some of the plumbing done.

Mebbe change out the engine oil too ... before I forget to do it ...

 

[rswyan]

Got the frame for the guard for the hydraulic pump and engine pretty well fabbed up and welded on ... just need U.B.'s torch for six bends in the two pieces of 3/4 solid round and I can finish welding those to the flat stock:

Should have decent accessibility for all components and room in the future for a larger pump/engine combo should I ever want to do that.

Still need to figure out the deflector for the cooling air coming off the engine.

No leaks on the pipe bung on the hydraulic tank which was good news.

 

[Leejohn]

Do you walk aroud the splitter each time to load the lift or there 2 people when you are splitting wood?

 

[rswyan]

Do you walk aroud the splitter each time to load the lift or there 2 people when you are splitting wood?

Leejohn,

It's been a mix of the two, but overall, it's mostly just me.

Sometimes I load the lift by hand ... small stuff that I can easily lift, I'll pick up and stack on there. Some of the bigger rounds I'll roll onto it ... others I set on the lift with the grapple.

With a helper tho', I could really crank out some splits ...

 

[rswyan]

Think I got everything bent with the torch that needed bent.

Now just have to weld it up.

Pics to follow ...

 

[rswyan]

Rear guard, log lift side:

Rear guard, engine/pump side:

Still need to stick a cross bar between the two rounds just above the pump ...

 

[rswyan]

Widened table grate, with the new tubes bent down so nothing catches them (hopefully) and some 10 gauge sheet on the sides ... so nothing catches the solid round stock that supports the outside pipes:

 

[rswyan]

Tabs welded on the mounting frame for the 2nd hydraulic tank, so it can be bolted down:

I drilled the mounting bolt holes for the tank after I took this photo. I also tapped them (5/16-24) ... mostly because I wasn't sure I could get a nut on the other side (a design oversight) ... without it hitting the square tube.

Did a little more welding on the tank mount as well, to make sure it was tied in good. Still need to cap/plug the tops of the square tubes.

I have a number of minor little welds to make here and there ... but they will not get done until the unit is disassembled and the engine/pump/hydraulics are removed so it can be painted ... primarily because all that stuff is in the way.

Tomorrow (later today) I'll drain the hydraulic fluid, clean the 2nd hydraulic tank out and mount it, and start hooking up the plumbing.

 

[rswyan]

Need to run down to the hardware and pick up some 5/16 fine thread bolts to mount the 2nd tank.

Got thinking about it, and I'm not sure I want to be draining the fluid (15 gallons or so) without some way of shutting it off to swap/drain whatever I'm draining it into ... so I'll probably grab a couple of petcocks while I'm at it.

 

[rswyan]

Got the hydraulic fluid drained yesterday ... looked about like coffee ... with cream added

Assume that is water from condensation, in emulsion. IIRC, I think the splitter sat out over this past winter.

Reasonable to assume that it can be run with this water-laden fluid - without damage - and the water will evaporate once the oil gets hot enough ?

I will be adding at least another 5 gallons of (new) fluid to bring the tanks up to a reasonable level.

Also got about 75% of the plumbing for the 2nd tank done yesterday.

Might get it finished tonight ... after I get done with a little adventure in welding some aluminum.

I decided to go ahead and pull the hydraulic strainer in the axle/tube reservoir and install it in the 2nd tank, since the 2nd tank is the point from which the pump will be supplied.

Strainer didn't look too bad as terms of dirt and debris ... but then it really hasn't had that many hours put on it.

It was a real bear to get out tho'.

Originally, I had problems with getting it to seal in the pipe bung with just teflon paste ... so I used Permatex No. 1 (hardening) ... I actually had to stand on an 18 inch pipe wrench and bounce to get it to break loose. I used Permatex No. 2 (non-hardening) on the reassembly ...

 

[rswyan]

Anyone on the previous question ?

 

[/pine]

Anyone on the previous question ?

In regard to the water in the oil...unless there's a breather or fill cap that would allow some splash by during storms...I'd assume it was condensation...
Don't know about it evaporating...where can it go?...seems like it would take forever to evaporate and vent out through the tank vent?...the ambient humidity is a factor...

 

[rswyan]

Here's the fluid after 24 hours ... the water has already started to settle out a considerable amount ... it was much more "milky" when I originally drained it. The top inch or so is now much clearer.

In regard to the water in the oil...unless there's a breather or fill cap that would allow some splash by during storms...I'd assume it was condensation...

That's my guess as well.

Part of the problem may be short run times ... which I have been doing a lot of lately: use it for an hour or so ... which might not be heating things up enough to drive the water out of the oil.

Here's a pic of the fill/vent on the original reservoir:

It sits up about an inch or so off the surrounding surfaces.

BTW ... when I welded that 1 1/2 x 1/4 flat on for the guards, the fluid got hot enough that I could hear it boiling in the reservoir ...

Exciting times ...

Don't know about it evaporating...where can it go?

Out the vents is the only place I know of ... I do have a vent on both tanks.

...seems like it would take forever to evaporate and vent out through the tank vent?...

I dunno ... could very well be ...

But then I'd think this could also be a problem for our tractors as well.

the ambient humidity is a factor...

Yup ... we've had quite a bit of rain over the last 30 days or so.

 

[rswyan]

Some plumbing pics.

Older reservoir to new reservoir:

New reservoir to pump:

Was able to reuse the old hose from the reservoir to the pump as it was long enough.

Couple of minor SNAFU's:

Grabbed a 1/2" pipe bung instead of 3/8" when I went to add a drain to the new reservoir ... which meant that I had to use a reducer to install the 3/8" petcock ... :mur:

The new tank angles downwards toward the suction strainer ... rather than the other end where the drain is. Will fix that by adding some 1/8" or 1/4" flat underneath the reservoir on the strainer side.