What is your opinion of this splitter

[SawdustSA]

I noticed this splitter advertised here in South Africa. The layout is very different to what I've seen before. The trailer it is mounted on does not look very practical and the wheels might be in the way. How do they work out the strength rating in any case? Is it just a guess? Anyway, what is your opinion? I suppose one could change the layout a bit to make it more use friendly?

Original advertisement:

20 Ton wood splitter
14" stroke
8 seconds cycle time
15 hp petrol engine
30 lit hydraulic tank
can be towed at any speed

 

[Jags]

Well...the dude was at least smart enough to run a jack shaft to the pump. Two stage splitter pumps can't handle side loads (pulleys/belts). Wheel placement is horrible for operator comfort and 16" stroke is pretty short.

For this particular splitter, I would be tempted to move things around a bit and have the ram go left/right on the back of the splitter (in the same plane as the axle).

Edit: He boxed in two "C" channels and added a top plate to make the beam. I don't really see a problem with it, just pointing it out.

 

[SawdustSA]

That is a good idea. Maybe fit the oil tank in the front then to add some weight to the nose then.

 

[Jags]

That is a good idea. Maybe fit the oil tank in the front then to add some weight to the nose then.

Yep - zactly what I was thinking. See my edit above about the beam.
It also appears that the pulley on the engine is very small, I can't see the one on the pump side. The only reason I can see this being used is one of two things. Either he is using a smaller than normal HP engine for the pump and needs the pulley config to "gear it down", or he used this config to eliminate an engine mount pump.

 

[Jags]

The face of the push plate is gonna get abused. In my opinion it is under built. I know that he has the corners braced, but the compression strength of those bars he used ain't gonna do a whole lot. That wouldn't stop me because rebuilding something stronger wouldn't be a big deal.

 

[Jags]

Looking closer at the pics, the jack shaft DOES have a larger pulley than the engine, so in effect he is gearing the engine down (which is also slowing the pump rotation when compared to engine speed).

 

[Fifelaker]

(broken link removed to http://www.surpluscenter.com/Tech-Help/Hydraulics/Calculators/Force-Speed/) This will tell you the tonnage.

 

[mike van]

The 14" stroke is way to short, the frame & wheels are in the way, I wouldn't buy it.

 

[bmblank]

That's a really high table too.

 

[SawdustSA]

Thanks for the feedback. I've decided to give this one a skip. It is a long distance from me, so proper testing might be a problem and the trailer is not licenced, so getting it home will also be a problem.

For now my Stihl maul will have to keep me company.

 

[Jags]

I think you made a wise decision. Not that the splitter wouldn't split wood, but there was just a handful of goofy things going on with it.