Logsplitter 2.0

[LD1]

CAK (Akron/Canton)


Appreciate the offer.

What part of central Ohio are you in ? (my oldest lives in Columbus)

Right on your way to columbus.

I am about 10 minutes from the 151 (SR95) exit. Also about 10 minutes from the 140 (SR61) exit. Bout 1/2 way between mansfield and columbus.

I'll have about a 2" gap ... but hey: ... that's what the next round is for, right ?

What if its the last piece you split?:laughing:

Actually, my reason for making NO gap was cause I use the splitter for more than just splitting wood. I got some different blocking and jigs that I use for bending metal with. Have also used it to break beads on tires, press in/out backhoe boom pins, and a few other crazy things. So I wanted to make mine have no gap. But for wood, you should be just fine

 

[rswyan]

4" should work just fine.

Yeah ... maybe a little slower than I'd like ... but I'll learn to live with it.

Gotta be better than splitting by hand

There will be a few nasty pieces it wont split, but I dont like a 4.5" cylinder with an 11gpm pump. Just too slow.

Yup.

Actually, if I could change anything (and I still might), would be going to either an autocycle valve, or double detent valve.

I let the safety police talk me out of double detent, but wish I hadnt.

I used one back in the 80's that had a double detent valve - maybe a Little Giant or Giant brand ... I really liked it.

 

[rswyan]

Right on your way to columbus.

I am about 10 minutes from the 151 (SR95) exit. Also about 10 minutes from the 140 (SR61) exit. Bout 1/2 way between mansfield and columbus.

Ok ... yeah driven by that exit many many times.

What if its the last piece you split?:laughing:

The last piece I split will be 26" long ...

Actually, my reason for making NO gap was cause I use the splitter for more than just splitting wood. I got some different blocking and jigs that I use for bending metal with. Have also used it to break beads on tires, press in/out backhoe boom pins, and a few other crazy things. So I wanted to make mine have no gap.

Makes sense :thumbsup:

But for wood, you should be just fine

Yeah ... it will be good enough for 99% I'm sure.

 

[rswyan]

Got the rear attachment for the cylinder mostly welded up yesterday - still have a couple more beads to run tho' ...

Here's a few pics (apologies on the quality of the images)

Hole grubbed out ... used an angle grinder and rotary burr in a die grinder (which is a nasty business, due to all the fine shards of metal) to clean it up and cut the bevels ...

Drilled eight 3/4" holes in the top reinforcing plate so I could plug weld it ... in addition to welding the perimeter and center hole:

Rear cylinder attachment point with 1 3/4" x 1" reinforcement bar tiying it all the way through the beam to the web and top and bottom flanges:

In addition to finishing up the welding on the cylinder attachment, today I'll probably get this end of the beam boxed in and get the stub axles welded on/mounted ... need to get the latter done so I can get an actual measurement for the height/length of the front leg.

Might get the riser for the filler/breather and pipe flange for the strainer stuck on as well. Need to do that so I can fill the reservoir with vinegar and let it cook for a few days to de-rust the inside of the reservoir.

 

[deerseeker001]

I had the same thing happen with the elbow,rusted thru.

Well, after getting stiffed by our regular UPS driver twice on Friday and Monday, I finally have my Surplus Center order. I ended up have to drive over to the terminal (14 miles) and raise holy he11 and then they called him and arranged for me to meet him at a local business to get the package.

All because the guy wouldn't drive about 150' - 200' on my driveway (flat, level) ... 'cause it had maybe an inch or two of snow on it. He didn't even have to bring it all they way down to the house - just to the shop - where my van was parked.

So I now have the stub axles, the hubs, a riser for the filler/vent, the 2" NPT pipe flange for the suction strainer, a 300 psi gauge for the filter on the return line, and some fittings.

Ran into a little situation the night before last: had some creosote/debris fall down into the 90 elbow that connects the chimney to the double-barrel wood stove in the shop, almost plugging it ... which prevented me from really getting a fire going. So I spent some of yesterday cleaning out the stove/chimney.

View attachment 406561

Ultimately ends up being a good thing as it needed it (overdue) and allowed me to discover that the 90 elbow really needed to be replaced, as it was almost rusted out ... up inside the pipe that it connected to.

Also spent some time on finishing the new backstop for the pallet forks so I can get them put back together and get them out of the shop - as they're just one more thing that's taking up space in an already cramped area.

Hopefully make some good progress on the splitter today.

I did manage to get a little done on the splitter yesterday - cleaned up the log rest which was partially painted/primered ... and rusted wherever it wasn't. Also did similar for the push block.

Will probably have to make a trip to the LWS for another bottle of 75/25 ... probably hit Harbor Freight for that receiver tube while I'm at it.

 

[LD1]

Looking good.

 

[murphy1244]

Real nice welds there!!!

 

[murphy1244]

Looking good.

My BIL lives off of exit 151 down that road for the state patrol.

 

[LD1]

My BIL lives off of exit 151 down that road for the state patrol.

One of the worst roads on morrow county. Bumpy as crap, and always floods right at the second curve.

You are knocking on my back door now.

 

[murphy1244]

One of the worst roads on morrow county. Bumpy as crap, and always floods right at the second curve.

You are knocking on my back door now.

My God you ain't kidding. That road will knock your dentures out! Your about 1.5 hours south of me. I'm off route 3 exit 222.

Sorry for the Hijack.

 

[rswyan]

Looking good.

Thanks.

 

[rswyan]

Real nice welds there!!!

Thanks.

Some of them were halfway decent I guess ... there was one that was so bad though (at least cosmetically) that I that I'm in the process of grinding it out and re-covering it.

Just irritated me ... couldn't get a good look at the puddle and the work piece while I was running it and I shoulda just stopped right there until I did ...

I really like how the welds on the receiver tube today turned out though. Got the end plate on the wedge end done and receiver tube welded on:

 

[rswyan]

Also got the side plates welded on the opposite end where base of the cylinder mounts. Couldn't really fully box it in, but I think this should add some rigidity to the beam around the mount point ... the wedge end will get the same treatment as well (and it will double as the mounting points for the table/grate):

The beam is starting to get a little heavy to flip around ...

 

[rswyan]

I had the same thing happen with the elbow,rusted thru.

Yeah ... the way this elbow sits, the curve ends up being a low spot ...

I've had some water dripping down the flue pipe at times ... dunno if it's a flashing issue, the Selkirk chimney cap, or just condensation that froze and then melted once the chimney got hot enough ...

Need to check it tho' for sure.

 

[rswyan]

... Sorry for the Hijack.

No worries ...

 

[rswyan]

Did a little work with the o/a torch cutting the bevel into the plate for the splitting wedge today ... should save some grinding ... along with some work on the square tube the stub axles will mount into.

Also got the drop-down/fold-up leg assembly for the front fabbed up and the brackets for it welded on ... the holes still need hit with a adjustable reamer to clean them up a little, and the exact length of the leg is still not set in stone (need to get the wheels on it before I do that)

The "foot" is a piece of the web that was torched from the H-beam drop ... I marked it out and then trimmed it with a zip disc to remove the slag/dross from it being cut and square it up, ground the corners round, then cleaned up the edges with a flap disc.

Measures 13 1/4" x 5 3/4" x a little better than 1/4 thick. Hopefully the "footprint" will be large enough to keep the nose from sinking in, when loaded, even in somewhat soft ground.

 

[LD1]

You need a mill. Sure makes nice clean work of sharpening a wedge:thumbsup:

 

[rswyan]

You need a mill.

Yeah, I know ...

I've wanted a Bridgeport or similar for a long time.

Neighbor at the far end of the property (2000') actually has a pretty nice machine shop in his polebarn - in fact, that's largely what it is (he's a machinist by trade) ... but we're not real close and last I knew he was having pretty serious health issues. Seems like he has enough going on without me pestering him.

Sure makes nice clean work of sharpening a wedge:thumbsup:

I'll bet ...

I might be able to do it on my Delta Sharpening Center - I've used that to sharpen the knives for the chipper and to put a (razor) edge on the piece I used for the cutting edge on the shrub bucket.

Only problem is, is that this wedge is so big and heavy ... and the bed isn't all that long ... or that well supported

 

[rswyan]

Been a little preoccupied with other stuff lately ... mostly gathering fire wood.

Managed to get back to the splitter and get a few things done though ...

Got the 2" pipe flange for the suction strainer and the riser for the filler/breather welded on the crossmember/hydraulic reservoir ... and got everything except the fill hole plugged. Then I filled it witth 7 1/2 gallons of vinegar ...

It's been cooking for over 24 hours ... and no leaks in my welds anywhere :thumbsup:

 

[rswyan]

Took the back half of the 18" HF 2" receiver that I cut in half and took some 1/4" x 3/4" flat stock that I had lying around and clamped it on the end of the tube.

Used the o/a torch to heat it up and I then bent it around the tube, clamping it as I went ... the length turned out to be just right.

After that I welded them together:

This will be the receiver for the tail end.

Still have to drill a hole for the 5/8" pin.