I've received a B & S 14.5 hp vertical shaft motor in good shape. Any ideas what's going to be involved in mounting a 2 stage pump to it? The mounting coupler brackets I've found are all for much smaller engines. Should I abandon this engine due to mounting issues? Given the HP, I was thinking 16 gpm pump. Thanks for your input.
Splitter project
- Thread starter Stephen in SoKY
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That has occured to me as well. Free isn't always cheap. Cheap isn't always thrifty. Yet, it seems a shame not to use a low hour engine like this one. I'll admit the electric start feature has great appeal as well. Keep the ideas/opinions coming, I appreciate each & every one.
i say go for it.....you'll have a 6 second cycle time machine if built rite. and that's as good as it gets with hydraulic 
Think of the push behind mower that 14hp would create! Thick wet grass that hasn't been mowed all year? What bogging?
Matt
Matt
A 14.5 hp engine with electric start makes for a good splitter . The only problem is that vertical shaft engines are designed for belt drive. In order to direct couple a pump to the engine you have to design and build your own pump adapter. Just takes a little more skill and patience.
Triptester, any ideas on where to begin? I'm thiking plate steel to mount engine with coupler mounted to the same?
sweet engine package. make sure the rotation direction is right.
make your own bracket mount and use as large a pump as you can find.
16 gpm two stage needs at least 8 hp. 22 gpm pump at least 12 hp. You could run a 22 gpm pump, but the price increases a lot between 16 gpm and 22 ( sheer manufacturing volume of numbers, and also the 22/28 are in a larger casting housing). My preference would be the 22, but if you find a 16 cheap enough I would go there.
Sure, the bigger pump = bigger hoses and filters and valves, which increases costs, but you get a much better machine in the long run. Speed = time saved for the next 20 years.
Since you have the motor I would use it. Why use 5 hp when you can run a much faster machine.
k
make your own bracket mount and use as large a pump as you can find.
16 gpm two stage needs at least 8 hp. 22 gpm pump at least 12 hp. You could run a 22 gpm pump, but the price increases a lot between 16 gpm and 22 ( sheer manufacturing volume of numbers, and also the 22/28 are in a larger casting housing). My preference would be the 22, but if you find a 16 cheap enough I would go there.
Sure, the bigger pump = bigger hoses and filters and valves, which increases costs, but you get a much better machine in the long run. Speed = time saved for the next 20 years.
Since you have the motor I would use it. Why use 5 hp when you can run a much faster machine.
k
An 8hp is all it takes to drive a 16gpm pump at full speed, you won't really gain anything by upping the horsepower, other than possibly the ability to run the engine at lower throttle (but that will INCREASE your cycle times as the gpm rating is determined at a specified throttle - on the standard splitter pumps, 3600rpm...
If you want to make a fast splitter using that engine, you need to go for the 22gpm pump, otherwise you'll get the same speeds you'd have with an 8-9hp... (
I have seen vertical mount engines used on commercial splitters, but I didn't really look in detail at how they did the mounts. I'd think if all else failed, a stout hunk of plate with the motor bolted to one side and a standard horizontal pump mount bracket on the other would work...
Gooserider
If you want to make a fast splitter using that engine, you need to go for the 22gpm pump, otherwise you'll get the same speeds you'd have with an 8-9hp... (
I have seen vertical mount engines used on commercial splitters, but I didn't really look in detail at how they did the mounts. I'd think if all else failed, a stout hunk of plate with the motor bolted to one side and a standard horizontal pump mount bracket on the other would work...
Gooserider
check out www.northerntool.com . they have everything you need for building a wood spliter. I used a 8 hp kohler with a 16gpm barnes pump. sweetheat
I would use that engine and attach a pump that is bigger than 16gpm. I have a 14hp Intek horiziontal shaft V-Twin with electric start and pressurized lubrication that I will be using on my project. I plan on getting a big boy pump for it. Try searching on ebay for "gear pump"
OK kenny and fyrwoodguy etc. How about a high GMP, high force system, that drives one of those excellent 6,8,10,12 way splitter heads like in fyr's photo? Does anyone have any links to the building of a monster like that? Cripes, if you have a big enough engine and can source a big enough beam, cylinder, etc. why not go for a splitter with fast cycle time and a multi-way splitter head?
I've been checking out the gear drive pumps. The more I look at this, the more enthused I am. My current splitter is 3 pt & occasionally the tractor is being used for other things when I'd like to split. I'm leaning towards using my existing splitter & merely putting disconnects on the "new" power source so all I have to do is hook up the splitter on the rear of the trailer, plug in 2 lines and go. What do you think?????
Problem will be that your tractor's sump was the old reservoir for hydro fluid and a simple engine and pump won't have the sump, or filter. If your "power pack" includes a sump and filter then you'd be all set to use the 3pt splitter without a tractor. Be sure that your hydro fluids are all the same or compatible UTF since you'll be mixing the tractor's oil with the power pack's oil.
The filter & reservoir won't be a problem. As to fluid, JD Hygard all the way. Also, I assume i'll have to address the open/closed center issue with valves as my tractor is closed center. Are all gear pumps and 2 stage pumps open center?
I have a 35ton splitter that has a 12.5hp engine. It works great and will split anything. The only trouble is when it is cold it won't start. I only has the manual pull start and when the oil is cold you can't pull it fast enough to get it to kick and when it does kick it will kick back. I wouldn't have any splitter motor over 8hp unless it has elect start. I wanted to put a elect start on mine but it don't have the fly wheel with gear so now I'm watching for a scrap model with fly wheel and change it over. It will start with one pull if it is over 40*
Also the bigger motor will take alot more gas.
leaddog
Also the bigger motor will take alot more gas.
leaddog
Stephen in SoKY said:
The pump does not determine open or closed center. The control valve does. For a log splitter you will need an open center valve. Stay away from the single stage gear pumps. You don't have nearly enough HP to run a big enough single stage to perform well.
As said above, a 2 stage 22 gpm pump is the ideal size for your HP. Match that with a 5" ram and a 4 way splitting head, and you could have some pretty good production.
I am using a 8hp vertical electric start. To build the pump mount it goes like this:
Use a steel plate to mount the engine to, with the shaft protruding below the mounting plate. You could choose to build or buy a pump mount, then weld it to the bottom of the steel plate. Alignment is crucial. Make sure the engine shaft and shaft of the pump is near perfect. Use a lovejoy (sp?) connection between the two.
Note: connect one end of the lovejoy to the engine, the other to the pump. Cut a 2" x ~4" piece of sheet metal to wrap around both pieces of the lovejoy and secure with a hose clamp. This will "align" the two pieces.
Help: open vs. closed center hydraulics: My tractor is one of the apparently odd units with closed center hydraulics, an early JD 2240. It left the factory set at 2250 psi. In order to to use a valve on the mounted on the splitter rather than the valve mounted on the tractor, I had to purchase a "Closed center valve" or a convertible valve & insert a plug at the appropriate location on the valve making it closed center. Are you saying the 22 gpm 2 stage pumps readily available will operate correctly with the valve I already have?
Thanks for eveyones help & input!
Thanks for eveyones help & input!
Stephen in SoKY said:
This is a bit confusing - so instead of trying to "speculate" about what you have, I will say this: Your splitter will require a pressured hose as its input. The open center valve of the splitter will allow fluid to bypass (to the tank under low pressure) when the valve is not in a forward/reverse motion. If your setup currently provides a pressurized hose to the input of your splitter valve, and the splitter valve is open center, you will be good.
Actually, you've confirmed my suspicions, and thanks for doing so. My current splitter valve is closed center, no fluid moves unless the cylinder is extending or retracting. I was operating on the assumption that I'd need a new valve that was open center when using my stand alone power source. Certainly not insurmountable, just requires extra planning.
fyrwoodguy said:i say go for it.....you'll have a 6 second cycle time machine if built rite. and that's as good as it gets with hydraulic
plus i would go with a tall 24" or so knife on the beam,keep it a two way split-that way you size the wood....some want big,some want small. you size it.
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