Just bought splitter

+1, Looks like a Ramsplitter to me as well.

Looks like a lot of machine for $400 to me. Even if you put another $400 into it, you have a beast of a machine for under a grand. I bet there is twice as much steel in that thing as any of the $1000 machines.

If you can find the number on the motor search the net. Found a PDF manual for my early 90's Toro snowblower I think right from B&S.

The motor is a B&S 10HP 305 I/C but I really can't find anything about it. Can't figure out the model #.

Got it up and running.
Its seems slow. Does that mean it needs hydraulic fluid. If so, where do I add it and how do I know how much to add?
The cylinder is 5.5" wide, 29" long (excluding the wedge), and 2" wide ram
After adjusting the valves it started up with starter fluid. See pic below

Looking at the pic, the fitting on the tank furthest from the beam is the breather and fill point for fluid. Fill to 1 1/2 to 2" below top of tank. The cycle time to full extension and back should be approx. 14 seconds if you have a 16 gpm 2-stage pump at full throttle.

make sure cylinder is retracted when adding fluid.
You've got the engine going full throttle I assume, if just chugging with that can of lighter fluid(I think thats what is in the pic) it's probably engine speed.
When you say slow, time the cycle without wood.
If the cylinder is 5.5" exterior dimension there's no telling what actual wall thickness is may be 4" ram surface area. so just under 6gallons
Check reservoir with ram extened and if reservior is empty add enough for pump suction line to be covered.
It'll take a few cycles to get the air out of the lines

Added 1 gallon of hydraulic fluid. At full throttle it does take 14 seconds to fully extend. How do I determine the tonnage?

The inside diameter of the cylinder & the max pump pressure.
Easy way to get a reference of the rated tonnage is to look at the specs of other splitters,
ram size , engine hp & pump. Find one close to the sizes you have & you'll be close to the rated tonnage.
An older splitter has wear on the moving parts, so it won't be as strong as when new, but close enough.
If it splits the wood you have will it matter what it's rated for ???

I think you said it has a 10 HP engine (gas hog) , that's getting up to the 30 ton+ range.

Sorry for my ignorance, but I am surprised the hydraulic tank is just open. The fitting that I added fluid to is just a pipe. Are they all like this? I assume the pressure side is not part of the tank. The fluid must suck from the tank? Correct?

Yeah the tank is just a reservoir. As the fuild heats/cools, or cylinder extends/retracks the fluid level rises and falls.
It has to be vented or it would cavitate the pump. The suction line doesn't have to be pressure rated just strong/rigid enough not to collapse.
Basic setup you have is suction off bottom of tank to pump, discharge from pump to valve body.
Valve body has line to each end of cyclinder driving it in or out, and one returning fluid to to the tank.
Does it have an auto detent valve - cylinder automatically retracts after extending cylinder and allowing handle to return to neutral position.
As far as tonnage goes: (Cylinder diameter^2 x 3.14)/4 x pump pressure/2000lbs
All the numbers posted on splitters is when the pump is stroked to HP not LP. The closest thing I can find to the Ramsplitter which is what it appears to be is an 8hp 25Ton model
Oh yeah and they look to be ~$3k new yours is bigger than this one(probably 30-32T):
http://www.woodlanddirect.com/Outdo...cal-Log-Splitter-with-32-Log-Capacity-25-Tons
I think you scored for $400
I think i screwed up on my earlier post about your cylinder fluid capacity a 5" cylinder should be about 2.3gal

Did that thing grow a set of front wheels or are my eyes tricking me?

I'm toying with the idea of mounting a ball hitch to those wheels to roll the splitter around more easily. Its too heavy to move it without wheels. I see why the rental company gave up on it.

You could mount it to the front so that it pivots and then mount a tongue and hitch to that, that would be a sweet set up. Sort of like a dolly for the front that pivots.

I also thought of that. I am now thinking I am going to offer this to rent locally. I think the wheels will help with anyone using it. But it will also make it much easier to steal. I think I will make them easily removable (ball hitch). The ball hitch will also make it easy to steer.

You could mount a std tongue jack to it with a single pneumatic caster.... Swings right up out of the way when not needed.

Problem with those is they tend to dig into the ground (dirt) and I don't have one!. I'll have a picture tonight of my cobbled together solution.

Nice project, Man.
Awesome find.
That big foot will come in real handy when splitting vertically.
Plumb a hydraulic motor to the wheels and drive it around the yard.
Kenny

In my yard, I won't have a problem. I have a 3 point with a ball hitch on my 420GT. Makes trailering very easy. I intend to rent this. In a rental situation, the front wheels will save every ones back and make it more versatile.

Here is the wheeled hitch I put together. Unfortunately I don't weld, so I had to do the next best thing. Seems to work fine.
I had the wheels left over from an old leaf blower. The handle is black pipe.
Very easy to move around now.

Me thinks that could be a handy tool to move more than just the splitter!

Maybe but its not very heavy duty. Couple of u-clamps and a small axle. Just the perfect size for the splitter.