Water-cooled Homemade 19-ton Logsplitter

[pipefitter_splitter]

Finally got around to taking some photos to post on here of my homemade logsplitter I built last year. Searched around the internet for any logsplitters with water-cooled hyrdaulics and couldn't find any. So here is the (known) first. Professionally, I am a Pipefitter/Welder.

-Approx. 19 ton capacity
-6.5 second cycle time @ full throttle
-Water-cooled hydraulics via plate heat exchanger
-Stationary single razor wedge design. 12" tall
-Honda GX390 engine
-28gpm 2-stage hydraulic pump (Northern Tool)
-4"x24" hydraulic cylinder
-Frame, reservoir, structural, axle, piping, fittings, hoses free from workplace surplus
-Total cost approx. $1300

Open to questions, comments, etc.
Can take measurements and close up photos for those wanting to build their own.

 

[begreen]

It looks nicely done. I can't recall our splitter ever overheating, even when splitting for about 6 hrs. Is this a common issue?

 

[pipefitter_splitter]

It looks nicely done. I can't recall our splitter ever overheating, even when splitting for about 6 hrs. Is this a common issue?

Thank you. I added the water-cooling side of it after running it without for a little while. Hydraulic fluid crosses into overheating territory after 140F. Without the water-cooling I was spiking the reservoir temperature well above into the 160Fs+. Ideal hydraulic fluid temperatures are between 110F and 140F for maximum component life. Construction equipment and air-cooled logsplitters solve the problem with active cooling.
I can't speak to how your machine does heat-wise. A lot of factors at play. Ambient temperature, throttle speed, work speed, cylinder port and hose sizes (smaller adds friction), etc.
Without the water-cooling, I could throttle down and keep the temperatures within range, but who has time for that?

 

[Whitenuckler]

Finally got around to taking some photos to post on here of my homemade logsplitter I built last year. Searched around the internet for any logsplitters with water-cooled hyrdaulics and couldn't find any. So here is the (known) first. Professionally, I am a Pipefitter/Welder.

-Approx. 19 ton capacity
-6.5 second cycle time @ full throttle
-Water-cooled hydraulics via plate heat exchanger
-Stationary single razor wedge design. 12" tall
-Honda GX390 engine
-28gpm 2-stage hydraulic pump (Northern Tool)
-4"x24" hydraulic cylinder
-Frame, reservoir, structural, axle, piping, fittings, hoses free from workplace surplus
-Total cost approx. $1300

Open to questions, comments, etc.
Can take measurements and close up photos for those wanting to build their own.

Very good work. Great project!