Logsplitter 2.0

[rswyan]

Looks like I still have some leaks on the two 3/4" MPT ---> 3/4 FPT swivels on the control valves. One is on the outlet (PBYD) of log lift valve and the other is on the inlet of the valve for the push block. Droolin' all over the place.

Pineridge is supposed to have some super-duper anaerobic something-or-another that is really good for sealing up pipe threads ... might see if I can hit him up for a dab or two that later today.

Valve cover on the engine appears to still be leaking as well ... makes me wonder if I over-torqued the bolts when I installed the new gasket I made.

What's left on the menu (besides the above):

1. Modify log lift for push block clearance and fix the bent brackets.

2. Bend the ends of the table grate pipes nearest the H-Beam so that they taper downward a little.

3. Come up with some way to secure the table grate in it's upright position. There's a clearance issue on this with the log lift ... but maybe no. 2 will handle it.

4. Come up with some way to secure the log lift in it's upright position for transport. I'm thinking just a chain over to the cradle on the opposite side will do it ... maybe weld a D-ring onto the log lift for an attachment point.

5. Pick up another 2" hitch receiver and weld it to the end of the beam so that the drawbar with the trailer coupler on it can be removed and used for an outrigger to provide stability when lifting really big rounds.

5. Fashion a pair of "hooks" with eyelets that can be used with a chain to pull off anything that gets stuck on the wedge.

Might wanna do something about adding that section of pipe for a riser for the fill/vent cap ... but I don't see getting around to that for a while. Probably not until I pull things apart for painting later this year.

 

[aczlan]

3. Come up with some way to secure the table grate in it's upright position. There's a clearance issue on this with the log lift ... but maybe no. 2 will handle it.
4. Come up with some way to secure the log lift in it's upright position for transport. I'm thinking just a chain over to the cradle on the opposite side will do it ... maybe weld a D-ring onto the log lift for an attachment point.
5. Fashion a pair of "hooks" with eyelets that can be used with a chain to pull off anything that gets stuck on the wedge.

Could use your chain attachment points on the push block (from #5?) to solve #3 or #4.
Could also have the log lift chain to the table grate when both are upright.

Aaron Z

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

Dunno if I mentioned this or not before, but look around for one-man or smallish outfits that do tree work and don't want to hassle with selling the wood and are just looking to dump/get rid of it.

.

I've tried that, spoke with several companies both big and small about both firewood and wood chips. I'm 15 min from the edge of a city of million people with a dozen outfits between here and there and they all say I'm too far away :-(

 

[LD1]

The 5/8 pins are plenty strong. I think you just need more bearing area for them so they dont wear quick and cut through. 3/8" isnt much. What size are the pins for the hydraulic cylinder for the lift?

As to the hooks...I didnt add them on mine. But my wedge design is different. No extra kickers and no 4-way. Just a thin knife edge. So never any issues getting stuck?

The leaky fittings...what did you use first time to seal them? Teflon paste? It is suppsed to be okay for hydraulics, but I prefer loctite 545. Its a purple sealer. Probably what pineridge has...

 

[ajmaxham]

I also used the loctite 545, on all the NPT fittings, when I built my logsplitter -- no leaks.

 

[mikehaugen]

I'm not sure if you'll need the flow restrictors. With a large log on the lift it may kick the pump into low flow.

 

[rswyan]

The 5/8 pins are plenty strong. I think you just need more bearing area for them so they dont wear quick and cut through. 3/8" isnt much.

Yup ... probably should seriously think about drilling out the square tube the log lift frame is made out of and sleeving the pin holes.

I can pick up a foot of .188" or .250" wall tube (.625 ID) from McMaster and pop it in there. That would give me 3" of bearing surface x whatever thickness the tube is.

What size are the pins for the hydraulic cylinder for the lift?

1" ... it's a 2" x 8" Chief cylinder.

As to the hooks...I didnt add them on mine. But my wedge design is different. No extra kickers and no 4-way. Just a thin knife edge.

Right.

So never any issues getting stuck?

If you're asking me, yeah - I've had few so far ... but it's been on smaller logs ... and no real problem to knock 'em off.

Mostly happens on the the twisted, gnarly stuff ... where the wedge is slicing through the grain, rather than splitting along it.

The leaky fittings...what did you use first time to seal them? Teflon paste?

I used Teflon paste ... but I was hoping the threads would seal ...

Dunno if I over-torqued them or what ... I did try tightening them each once ... after I noticed I had a leak.

It is suppsed to be okay for hydraulics, but I prefer loctite 545. Its a purple sealer. Probably what pineridge has...

Yeah ... I think he did say it was a Loctite product.

 

[rswyan]

I also used the loctite 545, on all the NPT fittings, when I built my logsplitter -- no leaks.

:thumbsup:

 

[rswyan]

I'm not sure if you'll need the flow restrictors. With a large log on the lift it may kick the pump into low flow.

Even in low flow mode the extension speed on the cylinder will be around 4"/second ...

I've already tried loading it up with 6 or so smaller (8" to 12" heavy rounds) ... and you still have to be careful with feathering the valve or it will come flying up.

I'd rather have it slow and steady than take a chance of losing control of a large heavy round.

Some of the rounds of oak over at Bobbi's will be 48" in diameter ...

Makes me even wonder whether the cradle opposite the log lift is even tall enough.

Practically speaking, I'm thinking that I really only need the flow restrictor on the work port that extends the cylinder.

 

[rswyan]

Could use your chain attachment points on the push block (from #5?) to solve #3 or #4.
Could also have the log lift chain to the table grate when both are upright.

Aaron Z

Yeah ... probably could just run a chain around all of it ... :thumbsup:

 

[rswyan]

I've tried that, spoke with several companies both big and small about both firewood and wood chips. I'm 15 min from the edge of a city of million people with a dozen outfits between here and there and they all say I'm too far away :-(

Well ... crap ...

 

[aczlan]

Yeah ... probably could just run a chain around all of it ... :thumbsup:

If you already keep a chain with the splitter to pull stuck pieces off of the wedge, you may as well make use of it...

Aaron Z

 

[rswyan]

The apple wood:

This is the pile I wound up with after we finished this afternoon except for about 4 bucket loads that we stuck behind the house to burn. It really needs to season :

 

[rswyan]

If you already keep a chain with the splitter to pull stuck pieces off of the wedge ...

I do now ...

... you may as well make use of it...

Makes sense to me ... :thumbsup:

 

[rswyan]

Spent most of last night working on finishing things up and fixing things on the splitter.

What happens to a log lift hinge pin when it gets in the way of the push block :

Dang thing rotated handle up ... and the block caught it.

Heated it up with the torch and straightened it out ... after I did the same for the log lift brackets. Drilled the pins as well, for some hitch pin clips.

Got about 1 1/2" trimmed off the log lift top, which should keep it out of the way of the push block when it's raised. Also capped the square tubes ... so they don't collect water.

The super-duper thread sealer turned out to be Permatex No. 2 (non-hardening) - which I already had - so I got the two problematic fittings between the valves pulled, cleaned up, coated with sealer, and reassembled.

Heated up the pipes on the table grate and bent them into position.

Got the valve cover for the engine pulled and found what was causing the leakage (bent around the bolt holes) ... still have to straighten that out and cut a new gasket.

 

[rswyan]

Table grate with pipes bent. Also did a little mod awhile back to the center tube so that it would clear the wedge when folded up into the upright position:

 

[rswyan]

Picked up a restriction orifice fitting (1/2 MPT ---> 1/2 FPT swivel) at TSC yesterday and installed it after I got home.

It's 1/32" (.03125") orifice ... which sure does look tiny. I installed it on the line to rod end of the cylinder, which should be a little faster than if it were installed on the line to base end. Have to test it out here in a little bit.

Also picked up a new muffler, as I noticed that the one on there is rotted out in at least one spot. It's an "Arnold" brand replacement part ... not exactly an identical replacement (it's a bit longer) but it should work with a little modification of the heat shield that (mostly) covers it. Be interesting to see if it quiets the engine down any.

Of course, that assumes I can actually get the old muffler off ... we heated up the pipe elbow it screws into yesterday with the O/A torch to cherry red ... and it still wouldn't budge.

Cut a new gasket for the valve cover and tried to straighten up the edges of the cover itself a little. Slapped some of that Permatex No. 2 (non-hardening) on it to see if I can eliminate the oil leak. If this don't handle it, I think I'll be looking for a new valve cover.

I also used some blue Loctite on the bolts, as I noticed several were loose when I went to remove the cover yesterday.

Might try and see if I can sort out why the engine will only run at WOT today ...

 

[CarterKraft]

Might try and see if I can sort out why the engine will only run at WOT today ...

Great job on the splitter and the thread. I have found the build thread to be as much work as the build.

Usually if the engine won't run in idle or mid-low RPM it's due to the pilot jet being clogged. There are a bunch of small holes in this jet that clog easily.

 

[rswyan]

Great job on the splitter and the thread.

Thanks.

I have found the build thread to be as much work as the build.

LOL ... yeah, there's definitely some T and E involved in documenting it.

Usually if the engine won't run in idle or mid-low RPM it's due to the pilot jet being clogged. There are a bunch of small holes in this jet that clog easily.

I got into trying to figure this out yesterday ... probably should have taken some pics but I didn't.

I pulled the arm on the throttle linkage that goes to governor off when I cleaned up the engine ... which was probably a mistake ... although it was still doing this (only runs at WOT) before I did that.

Looking at the throttle linkage, it seems to me that there is no return spring anywhere to pull the butterfly in the carb closed ... all the springs (there are 3) actually tend to pull the butterfly open ... :confused2:

I can take my finger and close the butterfly and idle the engine down while it is running ... and it runs fine at an idle ...

Of course, the B/S owner's manual is absolutely worthless - no real info there.

Probably have to do some more hunting around on the 'net to try and find some pics or a video that shows how it is supposed to be.

 

[rswyan]

Managed to get the old muffler off yesterday by heating the crap out of the pipe elbow that it screws into. Here's the old muffler and the new replacement:

Made sure to use anti-seize when I installed it.

The new one sticks out a little beyond the stock heat shield ... I had to replace the sheet metal on the front section of the heat shield because it was rotting out. Took a win on that because I was able to weld it successfully without blowing holes in it (it's about 18 gauge sheet) Still have a couple of small tabs to weld on, so the heat shield can be screwed onto the muffler as an anchor point.

No noticeable difference in the noise level with the new muffler ... but I was in an enclosed area.