Home made log splitter, suggestions for specs.

[bfunk13]

After looking around for a log splitter, i think i could save a few bucks if i build it myself.
From what i have figured it will cost about $1000 not including steel.
My Dad has a good amount of steel and can probably scrounge whatever i need.
Like i said in another post all we have here in Wyoming is pine, so the splitter does not need to be a monster.
But i would like it at least a 20-25 ton with a quick cycle time. I would appreciate any suggestions on motor size, pump gpm,
valve type and size, tank and cylinder size. For those who have built their own, is there anything you would have done differently,
or improvements you would make? Did you save any money? Thanks!

 

[bogydave]

Save $$?
I thought the same thing. After some research, I bought one.
A used or broken one for a good price & fix it up to good condition might be cheaper.
I was going to build, but after parts, shipping, labor & making do with what I forgot about.
It was cheaper to buy a "re-furbished", "on sale" at a local hardware store.
Ready to go, & was splitting wood that evening. (good paint job, all fluids, warrantee, features I liked)
In lower 48, you should be able to find one, used & fairly reasonable $$, or new with free shipping there.
I've heard of $900 +/- for a New 22 ton being bought every now & then.

But making your own is a fun project, if your hobby is welding, I say give it a go.
Just don't expect to save much $$.
Unless you can scrounge a bunch of parts, like pumps, engines & a good hyd ram, & not make do, get the sizes you need to have a good splitter.
I have buddies who built theirs, always tinkering with them cause they "made do" with what they could scrounge or had laying around.
But they spilt wood

All IMO

 

[triptester]

For a basic splitter in the range you are considering a 4" bore with 2" rod and 24" stroke cylinder with a 8 hp. engine and a 16 gpm 2-stage pump would give what is considered a 20-22 ton machine. Actual tonnage at 3000 psi would be 18.8 tons, cycle time 8.6 seconds. A properly built 10 gallon tank would be adequate.

For added tonnage a 4.5 bore cylinder would give you 23.8 tons at 3000 psi. With the same engine and pump the cycle time you would get 11.2 seconds.

For faster cycle times you would have to increase the engine to a 11 hp. min. with a 22 gpm pump and a 15 gallon tank. Cycle times would decrease to 6.3 seconds for a 4x2x 24 cylinder and 8.1 seconds for a 4.5x2x 24 cylinder.

 

[Jags]

Triptester is on the money. With your wood, stick with a 4" ram and 16 or 22 gpm pump. The 16 would be good and the 22 real good.

I built mine with a $600 outlay, but I got lucky on several parts. The beam and some of the thick steel cost me 2 cases of beer (at my discretion), and I already had much of the hoses, engine, axle, steel, etc. The money was spent on ram (I went with a 5" because of the stuff I split), the HF electric winch for the log lifter, the valve and pump.

 

[PJF1313]

Jags -

Do you have a pic of it somewhere here?

I'm still at the scrounging stage; have the pump, valves, motor; can cob up a tank out of old 20# tanks; will be making a wedge and push block out of old loader blade edges; have a contact for hoses; wheel assy's and "I"/"H" beam are on my local scrap dealers "look out" list as is a descent piston. The piston is my Acealys' Heel - looking for a 2" rod and a 4 or 4 1/2" cylinder, at least 20" long but not longer than 36", end eye mounts. I guess I might have better luck in the spring after they start scrapping old highway plow wings.



bfunk13 -

If you have the time and patience and luck, you MAY be able to build one cheaper. I've been scrounging/hording for atleast 5 years, but not complete yet. If you "need it/want it" now, watch your local TS/HD/Lowes in the next few weeks/month. They may have a close-out/refurbished unit at a good price.

 

[djblech]

Where in Wyoming? I just got off the phone with my daughter, she lives in Green River Wyoming. Look at Northern Tool, they have all the parts for build it yourselfers. I just figured it would be cheaper to by a smaller one. I've been looking for a used one for 2yrs with no luck.
Doug

 

[bfunk13]

Thanks for the replies!
The more i research it i agree with not saving much if any money.
Does seem you could build a bigger better one for the cost of a middle of the road splitter.
I work with an old guy i will talk with tomorrow, he works part time at the local dump and finds the best "junk".
He got a Honda gx model engine that had been totally flooded out, pistons and supply completely full of gas. The guy said it would never run.
A couple hours it was good as new. He may have some parts i could get at a good price. The steel is no problem and i could make my own tank.
It would be a fun project, i just thought there would be a bit more savings to doing it yourself.

I checked northern and they want $400 for shipping. They do sell some nice splitters, i did find one website with free shipping.
Suppose i will see if i can scrounge some good parts and do the math again to see if its worth it.

 

[ccwhite]

I got a lot of what I needed for free or dirt cheap. Gave $20 for a house trailer axle with wheels and tires, shortened it down to 5' long. Used a 20lb propane tank for my hydraulic tank it holds 5 gallon plus what the filter (from surplus center) hoses pump and cylinder hold. Got a junk riding mower with good 16hp motor for free (used the motor, hood, frame and fuel tank). Got my cylinder with prince detent valve on it at a local farm machinery auction cheap (I think it was $120). Paid full price for 16gpm 2 stage pump at TSC, $170. I-beam was free, scrap from local steel mill. Probably another $150 - $200 in trailer coupler, Tongue jack, Love-Joy connector, Hoses, hydraulic filter, breather cap, & other various lil tidbits. Probably didn't save an awful lot of money since I coulda bought one at TSC for $1000 but I love the one I got. Thought about building another one just because of how much I like this one and all the comments I get on it. Nice to have the pride in building something yourself that is tougher than what you coulda bought.

Good source for parts you'll need https://www.surpluscenter.com/home.asp
and of course northern tool and TSC

 

[SolarAndWood]

It would be a fun project, i just thought there would be a bit more savings to doing it yourself.

If you scrounge all the parts and built it yourself, the cost is your time and consumables for the welder. If you go out and buy all the steel and sub components, it would cost a lot more than a grand to build something similar to the mass produced machines. I like having a heavy built machine and my FIL built it all from scrounged parts. The only thing on the splitter that was purchased is the 16 gpm 2 stage pump that was put on after the performance with the original bulldozer pump was deemed unsafe even by him (his idea of a chimney cleaning was a 'controlled' chimney fire).

If you enjoy the work and have access to the stuff, I say go for it. If my FIL was still around or I had any fab skills, my splitter would have a log lift and a multiway wedge on it and I would be spending less time and effort splitting. Buying a heavy machine with those kinds of features is a lot more expensive than $1000.

 

[Jags]

Jags -

Do you have a pic of it somewhere here?