Ideas to shorten stroke on new splitter?

[wahoowad]

I recently bought this Ramsplitter. I cut my wood to 16" to 18" but the stroke on this splitter is around 26". I'd like to use some kind of temporary fixture to get the stroke down to 20". I have very solid 6x6" block of wood I have been using but it isn't attached to the pusher plate so I have to manually reset it every time.

Ideas I've thought about:

I can slip a piece of heavy wall PVC over the pushrod such that it stops the pusher at 20" on the return stroke. I did this with my smaller electric splitter but did not know if it was a good idea with this splitter. Will the control valve still reset after the pusher retracts?

I can somehow affix the 6x6" wood block to the pusher although worried an angled piece of wood could cause this to violently kick out under heavy pressure.

I could weld up some type of slip-on extension that slips over or attaches to the existing pusher. See pic. I'd be interested in seeing pics of other similar slip-on extensions if you know of a good design.

Thanks!

 

[bugman31964]

I don't know how handy you are but have you considered the modifying the splitting end? I have seen and used several splitters that had a horizontal splitting attachment that dropped on and over the end mounted wedge. This would achieve a couple of things. First it would shorten the length of stroke and secondly provide a 4 way split lessoning the number of times you would need to actually run the ram and turn the rounds to get them split.

 

[Butcher]

Well you could spend money on a set of these (broken link removed to http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/HSP7436-Hydraulic-Ram-Stroke-Limiting-Collar-Set-4-Spacers-suit-35-38mm-Shaft-/390866975132?pt=AU_HeavyMachineryParts&hash=item5b017cb99c) or you could drill a hole thru that 6x6 sittin on the floor over there. Drill the hole slightly larger than the diameter of the ram on the cylinder, cut the 6x6 in half, place it over the ram and screw the 6x6 back together.

 

[mark cline]

I don't know how handy you are but have you considered the modifying the splitting end? I have seen and used several splitters that had a horizontal splitting attachment that dropped on and over the end mounted wedge. This would achieve a couple of things. First it would shorten the length of stroke and secondly provide a 4 way split lessoning the number of times you would need to actually run the ram and turn the rounds to get them split.

My son made this for our splitter. We generally only half 12 rounds but for bigger rounds, that wedge can be removed . It just slips on.

 

[wahoowad]

Bugman/Butcher - so there is no mechanical issue with not allowing the ram to fully retract? Any idea how much force is used on the return stroke?

 

[TreePointer]

My understanding of the auto-return valve used in these splitters is that the return stroke stops when a certain pressure is reached as a result of meeting resistance. Using stroke limiters introduces that resistance sooner.

My TSC keeps these in stock:
SpeeCo Stroke Control, 1-1/8 in. to 1-1/2 in.

 

[wahoowad]

Thanks guys. I went low-tech for now and and reused a short section of SCH80 pipe. The inner dia was close enough and no issues with galling expected. I put a backplate of white HDPE to spread the load across the front of the ram. I can swap it out in 60 seconds should I ever need to split something over 20"