My 3rd and hopefully last log splitter

[mikefromnh]

I started out with then typical H/V splitter which worked fine but I saw some room for improvement. So I cut it up and turned it in to a horizontal only with log lift. Much better!!! But I needed/wanted to build a faster and stronger splitter.

So last fall I sold my splitter so I could fund my winter project of building my dream splitter:laughing:

Started out with some scrap steel. I'm using a 6x8x1/2" tube for the main beam.

 

[mikefromnh]

I decided I wanted a four wheel 'cart' instead of the typical two wheel trailer. And to have it convertible to a towable trailer. Problem is I split on a bit of hill so I wanted to be able to adjust the height of the front wheels. And I want it to be indestructible.

So I built a heavy duty trailer jack. The heaviest duty store bought jack I could find used 11 gauge... Bigger is better so I made mine out 1/4" square stock.

 

[mikefromnh]

Here's what I came up with for the front jockey wheels. (Off road use only)



I also made a telescoping quick hitch to make hooking up to my Mule a little easier.






And how it goes together

 

[mikefromnh]

At this point I'm about 2/3 done and almost ready for paint. I'll add more pics later. I haven't done much since the holidays and need to get back it done by the time snow melts.

Please add suggestions, comments and complaints... I learned to weld last year and this is my first scratch built project. Always open to suggestions.

 

[EddieWalker]

I'm looking forward to following your progress.

Eddie

 

[mikefromnh]

Here it is as a roller.
It has 8" wheels in the front and 12" in the rear. I was torn about putting a torsion axle on it. In the end I decided to save the money since I don't plan to regularly tow it, the only reason I would at this point was if I sold my house and had to move it to another property. I did use 3500lb spindles and hubs in the rear though.

 

[Tejas]

Nice job. I’d like to know how you went about making the jack....wish you had some more photos of the process.

 

[mikefromnh]

Thanks, I'll get some more pics when I take it apart for paint.


Pretty simple and quick
I bought a cheap $20 jack so I'd have the acme screw and top handle and inner adjustment cast "nut". The nut goes in the top of the inner piece. On the original jack it was crimped in place. I ended up drilling above and below the nut and inserting a couple of pins to capture it in place on mine

Then I just capped the outer 2.5" tube and drilled a hole for the top of acme screw to poke out and bolted back on the handle.

The weak link is the cast nut but if I bottom out the jack before I tow it there is no weight on the nut.

 

[mikefromnh]

A little quality time with my angle grinder



Found a NOS 16hp liquid cooled v-twin in ebay for less the a HF chonda would have cost me.



Cut the beam to length and used the cutoff for an engine mount/gas tank

 

[mikefromnh]

I'm going to have an adjustable 4 way wedge. I wasn't sure this would be strong enough so I filled it with flat stock