I have welder and access to steel and hyd parts. Just need to figure how to build a horizontal/vetical gas engine powered splitter.
Plans to build a woodsplitter?
- Thread starter TCOLBOTH
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
- Status
budman
Minister of Fire
Go to a few sites and print out pics and go at it.Northtool has all the :coolgrin: parts you need.CREAL said:
budman
Minister of Fire
Elderthewelder
Minister of Fire
CREAL said:
Just wondering if you have any experiance/training in the welding field?? If not stand clear when the steel starts flying apart under the hyd pressure
Just my .02 (after having built one) - but if you are looking to build a splitter from scratch to a set of plans, you are probably going to spend almost as much as just going out and buying one.
Most people think "Engine, Hydraulics, Frame" and Ill be done. But there is really quite a long list of components to buy to build a strong, reliable splitter - Gas engine, hydraulic pump, power coupler, control valve, high pressure hoses, fittings, pre and post pump filters, steel I-beam backbone, steel for the rest of the frame, hydraulic oil tank, splitting wedge, wheels, tires, bearings, axle for the "trailer", etc - and probably more that I have left out. If you aren't very careful, it will nickel-and-dime you to death.
If you are looking to build some type of unique splitter, or have access to a wide variety of scrap parts, then you might get some decent savings compared to an off-the-shelf splitter. But in that case, you would probably be better off just working with what you have and coming up with unique ways to get the parts to work together, than trying to build to a plan.
Corey
Most people think "Engine, Hydraulics, Frame" and Ill be done. But there is really quite a long list of components to buy to build a strong, reliable splitter - Gas engine, hydraulic pump, power coupler, control valve, high pressure hoses, fittings, pre and post pump filters, steel I-beam backbone, steel for the rest of the frame, hydraulic oil tank, splitting wedge, wheels, tires, bearings, axle for the "trailer", etc - and probably more that I have left out. If you aren't very careful, it will nickel-and-dime you to death.
If you are looking to build some type of unique splitter, or have access to a wide variety of scrap parts, then you might get some decent savings compared to an off-the-shelf splitter. But in that case, you would probably be better off just working with what you have and coming up with unique ways to get the parts to work together, than trying to build to a plan.
Corey
eernest4
New Member
www.buildwoodsplitter.com
has plans and instructional video for 20.oo or was it 29.99 ,i ferget.
as someone mentioned , unelse you very good welder, buy the ram and I beam unit with cylinder and controls at www.northerntools.com
$450.oo or thereabouts.
make sure you have a 24 inch stroke.
I think the unit you should consider is the one that mounts on hydralic tractors or fork lifts. they have 2 differnet ones , but get at least 20 tons
ram pressure.
If you can get the 4 way splitter wedge , that is the way to go.... works 3 times faster that a
single bladed wedge. quarters each log in 1 stroke instead of 3 strokes cutting your work time by 66%. 60.oo to 99.oo depending on which 4 way wedge...3 diff ones for diff splitters.
Get a used 5 hp engine from a $35.or $40 lawn mower , so its a verticle shaft , so what.
many new log splitters come with vert.shaft engines Inspect to make sure engine runs well & starts easy and dont burn oil.
A larger engine is a waste of gasoline since there motors run at a constant 3,600 rpm when splitting,or so I was told. I dont yet own a gas log splitter that runs.
Instead of a larger engine , buy a larger or better hydralic pump , at leat 12 gall/min the more gal/min the bigger ram cylinder you can run and the faster the cycle time, for the ram to split log and return.
Two stage gear pumps , I think are the way to go. Talk to northerntools.com salesperson & suck his brains dry then come back here and tell us
!
Hydralic oil resivoir needs to be sized to the cylinder and the floe rate of the pump as do the low pressure pump intake tube, suction into pump. This tube has to be flexable steel braided rubber and of larger diameter that the high pressure return hose.
I bought a 1960 homebuilt log splitter with a shot engine that i was going to restore until i found out it only had a 16 inch stroke and all my wood cut to 24 inch.
That old splitter was only good /appropiate for a 1500 sq ft stove that have 18 inch firebox.
My stove 36 inch firebox 3000 sq ft so I need 24 inch logs.
Intake hydralic oil filter a must , at the bottom of the oil resivoir and a high pressure filter not a bad idea either, 4 the high pressure return line.
U can use either a direct drive straight in line power coupler between engine and pump, if engine has appropiate mounting tapped holes which a lawnmower engine wont. But you could made conversion bracket with oxy/act tourch & plate steel.
Or ,you can use pulley, v belt and spring loaded idler pulley from old lawn tractor, but you need to ask northerntool.com salesperson if the hydralic pump is rated for pulley drive .
Some pumps may only be rated from direct drive , other pumps may only be rated for pulley drive and some pumps amy have a dual rating and can be used either way.
I am not sure but a friend pointed out to me that it makes a difference in the way they construct
the pump, because a v belt puts a certian side thrust (due to the tension on the vbelt) on the rear bearing as well as in the front
bearing of a hydralic pump while with direct in line drive there is no side thrust on either
bearing.
This next sentence got misplaced but I am sure you can figure it out.
So I am buying soon a 20 ton northstar with 4 way splitter wedge.
salvage axil kit off old utility trailer or steal the rear axil from a 1986 dodge aries k car @ your local junk yard.
good luck and let us know how your project comes out .
I started one & would have finished it until I noticed the lack of stroke length of the ram.
that blew the whole project so i gave up. Maybe I finish it some day just to sell to someone with a small stove.
has plans and instructional video for 20.oo or was it 29.99 ,i ferget.
as someone mentioned , unelse you very good welder, buy the ram and I beam unit with cylinder and controls at www.northerntools.com
$450.oo or thereabouts.
make sure you have a 24 inch stroke.
I think the unit you should consider is the one that mounts on hydralic tractors or fork lifts. they have 2 differnet ones , but get at least 20 tons
ram pressure.
If you can get the 4 way splitter wedge , that is the way to go.... works 3 times faster that a
single bladed wedge. quarters each log in 1 stroke instead of 3 strokes cutting your work time by 66%. 60.oo to 99.oo depending on which 4 way wedge...3 diff ones for diff splitters.
Get a used 5 hp engine from a $35.or $40 lawn mower , so its a verticle shaft , so what.
many new log splitters come with vert.shaft engines Inspect to make sure engine runs well & starts easy and dont burn oil.
A larger engine is a waste of gasoline since there motors run at a constant 3,600 rpm when splitting,or so I was told. I dont yet own a gas log splitter that runs.
Instead of a larger engine , buy a larger or better hydralic pump , at leat 12 gall/min the more gal/min the bigger ram cylinder you can run and the faster the cycle time, for the ram to split log and return.
Two stage gear pumps , I think are the way to go. Talk to northerntools.com salesperson & suck his brains dry then come back here and tell us
!Hydralic oil resivoir needs to be sized to the cylinder and the floe rate of the pump as do the low pressure pump intake tube, suction into pump. This tube has to be flexable steel braided rubber and of larger diameter that the high pressure return hose.
I bought a 1960 homebuilt log splitter with a shot engine that i was going to restore until i found out it only had a 16 inch stroke and all my wood cut to 24 inch.
That old splitter was only good /appropiate for a 1500 sq ft stove that have 18 inch firebox.
My stove 36 inch firebox 3000 sq ft so I need 24 inch logs.
Intake hydralic oil filter a must , at the bottom of the oil resivoir and a high pressure filter not a bad idea either, 4 the high pressure return line.
U can use either a direct drive straight in line power coupler between engine and pump, if engine has appropiate mounting tapped holes which a lawnmower engine wont. But you could made conversion bracket with oxy/act tourch & plate steel.
Or ,you can use pulley, v belt and spring loaded idler pulley from old lawn tractor, but you need to ask northerntool.com salesperson if the hydralic pump is rated for pulley drive .
Some pumps may only be rated from direct drive , other pumps may only be rated for pulley drive and some pumps amy have a dual rating and can be used either way.
I am not sure but a friend pointed out to me that it makes a difference in the way they construct
the pump, because a v belt puts a certian side thrust (due to the tension on the vbelt) on the rear bearing as well as in the front
bearing of a hydralic pump while with direct in line drive there is no side thrust on either
bearing.
This next sentence got misplaced but I am sure you can figure it out.
So I am buying soon a 20 ton northstar with 4 way splitter wedge.
salvage axil kit off old utility trailer or steal the rear axil from a 1986 dodge aries k car @ your local junk yard.
good luck and let us know how your project comes out .
I started one & would have finished it until I noticed the lack of stroke length of the ram.
that blew the whole project so i gave up. Maybe I finish it some day just to sell to someone with a small stove.
If you do not like the maintenance of gasoline engines then you should use this single phase motor: 131616 from http://www.electricmotorwarehouse.com/air_compressor_motors.htm. It's 5HP as well.
eernest4
New Member
when a log splitter is opperating the ram, what rpm is the gas engine, under load ,running at. I'm not sure ,but i think i remember reading it was 3600 rpm and i dont know if this info was correct. But this would rule out 1725 rpm electric motors leaving only the choice of 3450 volt and weater 120 or 240 volt wiring.
The lower maintainance of a 5 hp electric splitter can be well appreciated over a 20 year life,
but then there are power outages and the high cost of electricity to consider.
If you do go electric, make sure to order the motor that rotates in the same direction that your
gas engine did or that your hydralic pump wants to be rotated in.
240 volts will use less amperes , (half the amps of a 120 volt) allowing the use of smaller gauge wiring , but 12 gague minimum. If you select 120 volt, you will need 10 gague wire.
The difference in price of the wiring will stagger you ,at todays topped out copper prices, to
go from 12 gague to 10 gaue wire = $100.oo more
of course an electric set up only moves to the end of the wiring cord.
The lower maintainance of a 5 hp electric splitter can be well appreciated over a 20 year life,
but then there are power outages and the high cost of electricity to consider.
If you do go electric, make sure to order the motor that rotates in the same direction that your
gas engine did or that your hydralic pump wants to be rotated in.
240 volts will use less amperes , (half the amps of a 120 volt) allowing the use of smaller gauge wiring , but 12 gague minimum. If you select 120 volt, you will need 10 gague wire.
The difference in price of the wiring will stagger you ,at todays topped out copper prices, to
go from 12 gague to 10 gaue wire = $100.oo more
of course an electric set up only moves to the end of the wiring cord.
The motor catalog number I selected is 3450 RPM speed. They are also reversible. I pay $0.10 per Kilowatt-Hour, so electricity is much cheaper at least for me than paying $2.95 per gallon of 87 octane gasoline. The problem we have in our American households is going with 120 volts instead of 240 volts like foreign countries. Two-hundred forty volts would require less copper for the same power requirements, subsequently keeping the costs of wiring a house down.
You could go with 1745 RPM motor, it's just the pump would have to provide the GPM you specified at 1800 RPM.
You could go with 1745 RPM motor, it's just the pump would have to provide the GPM you specified at 1800 RPM.
- Status
Similar threads
