I bought a wood splitter for my tractor on a farm sale 15 years ago. It was rebuilt twice and it's aging again. It is and was operated off of the tractor's hydraulics which need 1500+ rpm to function with proper flow and pressure.
Problem 1: My source of wood is BIG A@# trees, minimum 18" but normally 30" plus diameter. Cottonwood, Chinese Elm (yes it is Chinese Elm) and Ash (not that big, but can be tough). I also get a lot of older fallen trees in the BIG category. Mostly elm and cottonwood and big and often crotchy. Tough splitting. I try to keep my sawcuts about 17-19 inches to max out my stove's firebox.
Problem 2: The tractor. I have five powerplants sitting around in the winter. 70-180 horsepower. Powerwise I don't NEED to run any of the tractors at more than 1000 engine rpm, but to get the hydraulic fluid from the tractor cooperating with the cylinder I need at least 1500 engine rpm on every machine but the 180hp tractor. That one has the flow and pressure and closed center hydraulics to run near idle. Nonetheless rapping up the tractor burns fuel, creates noise and it's hard to manage my crew of three tots. Don't get me wrong, there is some Tim (the toolman) Taylor in me, but the diesel fuel is just wasted when 1000 rpm or less will do. Free heat isn't free by my rule when fuel is wasted, my ears are ringing and the rest of my body is buzzing and my tots are tired of my lack of patience, which results from all three.
Problem 3: The wood. Refer to problem 1 and multiply because it's normally wet. Wet as in I'm soaked from the saw splash after cutting down the rounds all day. It's wet after YEARS of sitting, its stringy, its crotchy, its big and .... it's what I have available.
SO... I can either b*&ch; about the problem or I can be the solution. I want to build the next generation of my splitter to be a solution. I'd like to run at least a double split (crosshair type) wedge on my machine. MY question... I need a pump off the PTO, how much flow/psi should I look for? All pto pumps I've found operate at 2000 psi. 3000+ psi would be a bonus. My current ram is a 4" diameter and I'll use it till it breaks down. At which time I'll find a 5 or 6 inch.
My current setup is about a 15 ton splitter by calculation. This is the minimum I need and it doesn't quite get me by with a single split wedge.
Now if someone can point me in the right direction for a factory built model for $1500 or so, it's sold! But my guess is not. And my smiling bride would rather I spend time in the shop than in the house when the sun shines during the winter. So I need a project. We have a good marriage and I prefer to assist than desist.
So I'd welcome any suggestions.
Problem 1: My source of wood is BIG A@# trees, minimum 18" but normally 30" plus diameter. Cottonwood, Chinese Elm (yes it is Chinese Elm) and Ash (not that big, but can be tough). I also get a lot of older fallen trees in the BIG category. Mostly elm and cottonwood and big and often crotchy. Tough splitting. I try to keep my sawcuts about 17-19 inches to max out my stove's firebox.
Problem 2: The tractor. I have five powerplants sitting around in the winter. 70-180 horsepower. Powerwise I don't NEED to run any of the tractors at more than 1000 engine rpm, but to get the hydraulic fluid from the tractor cooperating with the cylinder I need at least 1500 engine rpm on every machine but the 180hp tractor. That one has the flow and pressure and closed center hydraulics to run near idle. Nonetheless rapping up the tractor burns fuel, creates noise and it's hard to manage my crew of three tots. Don't get me wrong, there is some Tim (the toolman) Taylor in me, but the diesel fuel is just wasted when 1000 rpm or less will do. Free heat isn't free by my rule when fuel is wasted, my ears are ringing and the rest of my body is buzzing and my tots are tired of my lack of patience, which results from all three.
Problem 3: The wood. Refer to problem 1 and multiply because it's normally wet. Wet as in I'm soaked from the saw splash after cutting down the rounds all day. It's wet after YEARS of sitting, its stringy, its crotchy, its big and .... it's what I have available.
SO... I can either b*&ch; about the problem or I can be the solution. I want to build the next generation of my splitter to be a solution. I'd like to run at least a double split (crosshair type) wedge on my machine. MY question... I need a pump off the PTO, how much flow/psi should I look for? All pto pumps I've found operate at 2000 psi. 3000+ psi would be a bonus. My current ram is a 4" diameter and I'll use it till it breaks down. At which time I'll find a 5 or 6 inch.
My current setup is about a 15 ton splitter by calculation. This is the minimum I need and it doesn't quite get me by with a single split wedge.
Now if someone can point me in the right direction for a factory built model for $1500 or so, it's sold! But my guess is not. And my smiling bride would rather I spend time in the shop than in the house when the sun shines during the winter. So I need a project. We have a good marriage and I prefer to assist than desist.
So I'd welcome any suggestions.