hydraulic splitter maintenance

[Charles2]

About how long would y'all say my bottle jack will last before it needs to be replaced or repaired? I'm asking because the ram travels about 3 inches less than when it was new, and I see a lot of leaking fluid. Does it make more sense to repair or replace?

 

[EatenByLimestone]

It sounds like it's ready for replacement. You probably can repair them, but they don't cost much. I wore a bunch out lifting a cabin, I can't see ever rebuilding them.

 

[Eman85]

Clean it and look for the leak, might be simple to fix. Most likely made in China and designed to go to the landfill after a few years.

 

[Charles2]

Most likely made in China and designed to go to the landfill after a few years.

Who makes a durable one to fit my Grizzly/Northern/Wel-Bilt splitter?

 

[salecker]

Who makes a durable one to fit my Grizzly/Northern/Wel-Bilt splitter?View attachment 322294

I really can't imagine using a splitter like that when there are Fiskers Ax's
Or the Elcheepo electric splitters,which seem to do a good job for what they are.
I have a hydrolic jack for lifting semi's which is probably getting close to 40 years old,but to split a piece of wood must take foreva

 

[EatenByLimestone]

20 ton Air/Hydraulic Bottle Jack

Amazing deals on this 20T Air/Hydraulic Bottle Jack at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

I wonder how fast it’d run with the air compressor moving it!

 

[Eman85]

20 ton Air/Hydraulic Bottle Jack

Amazing deals on this 20T Air/Hydraulic Bottle Jack at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

I wonder how fast it’d run with the air compressor moving it!

Don't know how fast but I'd say it wouldn't last long.

To the OP there are durable bottle jacks but they would be pricey. Harbor Freight sells bottle jacks that would probably work, they sell an extended warranty. Honestly pumping that to split more than one piece of wood would get old fast.

 

[Charles2]

pumping that to split more than one piece of wood would get old fast

Most exercise isn't much fun, but necessary.

 

[Eman85]

If you bought it as an exercise machine then it should be good. For me if it's intended for work I measure it by work to time ratio, that's not a work machine.

 

[Charles2]

If you bought it as an exercise machine then it should be good. For me if it's intended for work I measure it by work to time ratio, that's not a work machine.

If I were running a commercial firewood business, I'd certainly invest in an electric splitter. For personal use, it's great. I measure its worth by energy produced to energy consumed ratio.

 

[bigealta]

I wonder how fast it’d run with the air compressor moving it!

We had a similar set up at the blacksmith shop for forge pressing. Instead of a wedge there were inter changeable forging heads. It was hooked up to the compressor and worked great. The steel structure was more substantial though.

 

[Jags]

Air over hydraulic - easier? I would think so, but they are typically pretty slow. I have one on an engine hoist and love it for that application. Splitter application...probably not. Just one dudes opinion.

 

[bigealta]

For forging it was great. Pressing is the job. A Fast speed is less important.
It's not used as a power hammer, but does a similar job by squeezing.

 

[salecker]

If I were running a commercial firewood business, I'd certainly invest in an electric splitter. For personal use, it's great. I measure its worth by energy produced to energy consumed ratio.

Personally i can find a lot of things to do with my time besides splitting wood in a very time consuming way,
Even if i lived somewhere warm and didn't need to put up 8 cords a year.

 

[RockyMtnGriz]

Just in case you wanted to find one on the cheap, if you have a friendly junkyard (I know, but I actually do), you might stop in. Some heavier vehicles (dual wheels) have hydraulic jacks as standard equipment.

 

[xman23]

Who makes a durable one to fit my Grizzly/Northern/Wel-Bilt splitter?View attachment 322294

How many rounds did you split before never using it again?

 

[Charles2]

How many rounds did you split before never using it again?

I'm still using it.