Logsplitter 2.0

[rswyan]

Sliced, diced, and tacked:

I must be livin' right ... or something ... the two pieces of 1 1/2 square tube that I added in the middle ?

They were sitting on the shelf ... right length, right cuts/angles ... didn't have to do a thing to 'em, other than grind a bevel where I was going to weld them together ...

And it's actually pretty straight ... :thumbsup:

 

[LD1]

Just checked the odds and ends up in the shop ... should have enough 1 1/2 square tube to extend the lift out on a 45 degree angle and meet the hinge pins.

The piece of 1 x 3 bar stock that I cut and drilled for the base end attachment will work perfect with the current placement ... should still have 1/8" of retraction left after the lift hits the ground.

In comparison to the last drawing I posted, I'll be shortening the ends of the 1 1/2" tubes (that are on a 45 degree angle) at the top ... so that the log lift can be left in the "up" position as the push block travels down the beam. Should have plenty of clearance ... although there will be about a 3" gap between the lift and the beam.

Couple of new dimensions, after a little tweaking:

AB = 9"

BC = 18.125"

Initial angle: 22.8495 degrees ... ?

Cylinder force @ initial angle: 6862 lbs ... ?

Lift, taking leverage into account: 3270 lbs ... ?

Same numbers I am coming up with.....within ~50lbs either way (I probably rounded different than you) but basically the same.

That should lift about any round you want it to. Just be carefull that with the re-design that it doesnt lower the pressure requirements so much that it keeps the pump on high flow stage and turns it into a catapult. Down at 600psi.....the thing should still be capable of ~700#. Just have to try it and see. Worst case scenario.....add a restriction fitting or a adjustable flow control.

 

[rswyan]

Same numbers I am coming up with.....within ~50lbs either way (I probably rounded different than you) but basically the same.

Thanks for verifying it ... and teaching a man to fish ... :thumbsup:

That should lift about any round you want it to. Just be carefull that with the re-design that it doesnt lower the pressure requirements so much that it keeps the pump on high flow stage and turns it into a catapult. Down at 600psi.....the thing should still be capable of ~700#. Just have to try it and see. Worst case scenario.....add a restriction fitting or a adjustable flow control.

Yup ... going to add one of those Prince adjustable flow controls like you used on your rear remotes.

I think the smallest one (5 gpm max) should be plenty ... and it's 1/4 NPT so it will go right inline with the hoses without any adapters.

 

[rswyan]

Got the log lift table more or less finished up yesterday ... it ain't real pretty, due to patching in a section in the middle but it should be functional.

Ended up fish plating the arms where I patched in the pieces of square tube with some strips from the shipping crate from the tool gypsy's wood chipper. They aren't real thick (bigger than 1/8", smaller than 3/16") but will hopefully add some strength if I end up working with larger rounds.

Ordered a flow control valve from Surplus Center for the lift. Ended going with this one:

1/4 NPT 5 GPM PRINCE WNV-400 NEEDLE VALVE

... because it provides flow control in both directions rather than one.

Will be welding on the attachment brackets for the log lift cylinder later today.

Have another "upgrade" that I'm exploring ... more on that later.

 

[rswyan]

Possible hydraulic capacity upgrade:

If memory serves, the current "tank" has a capacity of around 7 1/2 to 7 3/4 gallons ... which is a little less than ideal for a 13 GPM pump. As practical matter, the actual capacity is even less than that ... because if it's filled too high, the hydraulic fluid leaks out of the filler.

The 10 gallon tank in the picture above would more than double the capacity, and would provide a long path to the pump ... which would be good for getting air bubbles out of the fluid I'd think. Also lots of surface area for cooling.

Would be pretty easy to plumb in ... more work in fabbing up the mount for it.

 

[rswyan]

Got the splitter side welded on, do the lift table side after dinner mebbe ...

Root:

 

[rswyan]

Got the lift table attachment point welded on late this afternoon.

The table doesn't raise as high as I'd like ... not quite enough angle down towards the beam when raised for rounds to roll down on their own.

Fortunately, the cylinder is not fully retracted when it hits the ground (I pried it out a little before I marked the rod end attachment point) and the rod end is threaded and the clevis is run in as far as it will go ... so I can run it out a little further and gain some more angle.

No interference between the table and push block, with the table raised all the way. Will need to recheck that once I adjust the clevis.

Did find out there was interference issue with the vertical knife edge and the push block ... my nice, sharp edge is now a little smushed ... :laughing:

Will need to grind that back a little. Didn't seem to effect it's operation any.

Since it was getting dark and I didn't have the grapple on the tractor, I didn't try any really large rounds. I did split about 20 good size rounds tho ... some sycamore (14" diameter mebbe ?), a few poplar, and a bunch of red oak (10" to 13" ?) ...

Good news is, is that the log lift has absolutely no problem picking up 3 or 4 oak rounds at a time ... these were pretty heavy ... probably had at least 300 - 350 lbs or so on there at least. And the lift isn't too fast ... but I may have the unloader valve on the pump set pretty low.

The 4-way worked great on the oak and poplar ... on the sycamore ... fuggetaboutit ...

Was able to split the sycamore with the fixed vertical wedge though ... but it was workin' ...

Plan to put the grapple on tomorrow and give it a good workout ... mebbe tweak the unloader and the reliefs.

Will grab some pics then.

 

[rswyan]

Got thinking about adjusting the clevis ... not sure that this:

... The table doesn't raise as high as I'd like ... not quite enough angle down towards the beam when raised for rounds to roll down on their own.

Fortunately, the cylinder is not fully retracted when it hits the ground (I pried it out a little before I marked the rod end attachment point) and the rod end is threaded and the clevis is run in as far as it will go ... so I can run it out a little further and gain some more angle. ...

... will actually work ... as both the cylinder and the table travel in a fixed arc ... :confused2:

We'll see ...

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

Regardless of the arc of both the cyl and the log lift, it will change the start and stop points of the table travel. Threading out the clevis will cause the table to sit a bit higher off the ground at the bottom and stop a bit higher at the top of the lift. The little bit of retraction you have left in the cyl from your current mounting might let it drop to the ground rather than trying to lift the splitter which is what I presume it would do now if you let it retract all the way.

Can't beat the price of the experiment though :thumbsup:

 

[rswyan]

Regardless of the arc of both the cyl and the log lift, it will change the start and stop points of the table travel. Threading out the clevis will cause the table to sit a bit higher off the ground at the bottom and stop a bit higher at the top of the lift. The little bit of retraction you have left in the cyl from your current mounting might let it drop to the ground rather than trying to lift the splitter which is what I presume it would do now if you let it retract all the way.

That's exactly correct ... if I fully retracted it (before I made the adjustment), it contacted the ground a little and raised that side of the splitter up slightly.

I threaded it out about 1/4" inch and picked up some more angle at the end of the cylinder stoke and I probably still have 3/4 of the threads on the rod engaged in the clevis. When fully retracted the log lift is not quite on the ground ... but if I step on it, it is.

Could still use another couple of degrees tho' ...

Can't beat the price of the experiment though :thumbsup:

That's for sure ...

 

[rswyan]

This was the first round I attempted to lift ... not really sure what type of wood it is ... thought it might be ash ... but the grain is a little different and the bark seems different (deeper furrows) than what I have here on the property ... but then I don't have any ash this size growing on the property either.

Dunno what it weighed but it was a bear to wrestle ... both before and after it split. Longest dimension on the diameter was 31 1/2"

Amount of angle after adjusting the clevis out on the rod:

The 4-way wouldn't touch it ... but the fixed wedge split it fine:

 

[rswyan]

Couple of things I've decided, after having used it with larger rounds:

1. The table grate isn't wide enough (only 3' or so) ... I'm going to add at least 6" on either side.

2. The outside pipes on the table grate that are angled up at 45 degrees have too much gap between them and the pipe they sit above, which allows to splits to catch on the supporting round bar that holds them up. It's only a matter of time before split gets caught and something gets really torn up ... so I'm going to add some sheet metal so there's nothing for splits to catch on.

3. The smaller Schedule 40 pipe I used on the table grate seems to be holding up pretty well ... which kinda surprises me, consider the weight of some of the rounds I split today. I had one round of northern red oak that I split today that was roughly 26" in diameter (24" x 28") ... which probably weighed over 500 lbs.

4. I really like the way that the "thin knife edge" that I added to the 4-way penetrated and got the splits going ... so I'm going to add a 1" wide (sharpened) piece of 1/4" or 5/16" bar stock to the front of the fixed wedge.

5. Had a half a round roll off the log lift (it was lowered 3/4 of the way to the ground) and bounce off the hydraulic reservoir (6" box tube) No damage ... but given the weight of some of these pieces, one of the next things I'm going to be looking to add is guards for the stuff on the rear (plumbing, engine, etc.) May also add a "railing" to the log lift itself.

6. Feathering the control valve for log lift keeps the raise/lower speed plenty slow enough ... possibly due to the size of the cylinder and hoses I used, as well as the unloader settings on the pump. It didn't take much more than 500 psi to raise any of the rounds I lifted. I probably really don't need a flow control valve, but I'll go ahead and add it since I've ordered it ... just to prevent any inadvertent mishaps.

7. The unloader settings seems to be working well for splitting too ... so I'll probably leave that alone for the time being. The engine seems to start to run out of steam around 2200 - 2300 psi ... but it rarely gets there ... if I'm cautious about what I'm using the 4-way wedge on.

 

[jimmysisson]

Having your lift able to go below ground level means you can use it on uneven terrain. When you're rolling that big elm chunk up a grade to the lift you don't want the lift platform 4" off the ground! I also like the table to be able to angle down toward the i beam, when raised. That way you can gang a few rounds to be split on the table and easily pull them toward you by hand (or picaroon), without lifting each separately. Jim

 

[rswyan]

Having your lift able to go below ground level means you can use it on uneven terrain.

That's a good point.

I don't think I'd want to put anything real heavy on the lift with the cylinder way off the ground while at full retraction.

When you're rolling that big elm chunk up a grade to the lift you don't want the lift platform 4" off the ground!

Yeah ... I've gotten too old for any ideas about rolling rounds uphill ... particularly big ones.

I used the tractor and the grapple to place a number of good-sized rounds on the lift yesterday ... just have to watch the tire on the splitter to make sure I don't spear it with a tine.

I also like the table to be able to angle down toward the i beam, when raised. That way you can gang a few rounds to be split on the table and easily pull them toward you by hand (or picaroon), without lifting each separately. Jim

Yup ... I was a little concerned about it going too high (too much angle) with a large round on ... since I'm going to be more or less standing in it's path if it were to roll right on through

But based on the speed that the lift operates (not too touchy) I should be able to avoid that.

And thanks for the reminder about a picaroon ... need to fab one of those up ... :thumbsup:

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

4. I really like the way that the "thin knife edge" that I added to the 4-way penetrated and got the splits going ... so I'm going to add a 1" wide (sharpened) piece of 1/4" or 5/16" bar stock to the front of the fixed wedge.

Now hold up there a second Speedy. Based on your pictures in Post 365, you don't have any room to add anymore to the front of your fixed wedge without rebuilding your 4-way.

 

[rswyan]

Now hold up there a second Speedy. Based on your pictures in Post 365, you don't have any room to add anymore to the front of your fixed wedge without rebuilding your 4-way.

Heheheh ... DOH ! :mur:

:laughing:

Guess I'd better just concentrate on fixing the interference issue between the knife edge on the 4-way and the push block for now ...

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

Heheheh ... DOH ! :mur:

:laughing:

Guess I'd better just concentrate on fixing the interference issue between the knife edge on the 4-way and the push block for now ...

It's ok....I'll keep it just between us

 

[rswyan]

Oh, thanks ...

 

[rswyan]

Picked another 21' stick of 3/4" Schedule 40 pipe today along with some other stuff.

That's enough to add another 3 rails on each side ... using the existing 3" on centers spacing, it will add 9" more table grate to each side and give the table grate an overall width of 54" (versus it's current 36" width)

Which hopefully be enough to leave a split on one side while I resplit the other one.

 

[rswyan]

Got the hanger for the 10 gallon tank made up and welded onto the splitter:

Still have to weld on a couple of pieces of angle to bolt the tank to, and run the plumbing.

The extra 70 lbs or so behind the axle should make it a little easier to tip up to reposition it.