Wood Splitter Hydraulic Conveyer & Propulsion Systems

[ProfessorGT]

I'm in the process of planning a wood splitter build, and will most likely be modeling a conglomeration of these two designs:

Firewood Splitter Videos

(broken link removed to http://www.superaxe.com.au/whitlands-ws-300-400-450.html)

I originally planned a horizontal machine, but after seeing these models I'm convinced that a properly designed VERTICAL machine is the way to go.

(Dennis the Backwoods Savage will be happy he has earned one convert!) :coolsmile:

The log lift, comfortable working height/position inherent to standing at a table, conveyor, and possibly the addition of a self-propelling system all are very attracitve to me.

So, in planning this machine, my question is can anyone out there help me with the hydraulics to power the conveyor, and a drive axle. I've thought about using a hydraulic motor to drive the pinion of an automotive rear axle assembly (Ford 9") for propelling the unit.

I've got the splitting cylinder, lift cylinder, pump & valves handled, but I don't know anything about how to properly spec out a hydraulic motor, and how it will effect the existing hydraulic system. Will I need to go with a larger pump? Should I use a selector valve to turn the drive unit on and off? How do I reverse the drive motor on the axle? How will the pump for the conveyor effect the splitter system flow, and so on?

I currently have a 4 X 24 X 2 splitting cylinder, a Prince 3000-1 valve, a second valve for the log lift and am planning on using a 2-stage 16gpm pump.

Please if anyone can point me in the right direction to get this all figured out I would very much appreciate it.

 

[oldspark]

"I originally planned a horizontal machine, but after seeing these models I’m convinced that a properly designed horizontal machine is the way to go"
Sounds like something I would say. :lol:

 

[Dune]

You use a direction valve for a motor, especialy one you want to reverse. You could power the direction vavle with a selector valve, especialy since you already have your other valves, the perfect solution though, would be a multi-spool valve body, three spools total. Oops, sorry, ignored the conveyor belt. Same idea.

Shouldn't need a larger pump, since you should only be running one component at a time.

As to sizing your drive motor, how fast do you want your woodsplitter to go?

 

[ProfessorGT]

"I originally planned a horizontal machine, but after seeing these models I’m convinced that a properly designed horizontal machine is the way to go"
Sounds like something I would say. :lol:

Oldspark,

Thanks for catching that! Brain Fart I guess. :red: I've edited my original post to reflect that I meant to say VERTICAL is the way to go!

 

[oldspark]

I was going to buy a hortizontal splitter but decided the having the option of vertical was well worth it.

 

[ProfessorGT]

You use a direction valve for a motor, especialy one you want to reverse. You could power the direction vavle with a selector valve, especialy since you already have your other valves, the perfect solution though, would be a multi-spool valve body, three spools total. Oops, sorry, ignored the conveyor belt. Same idea.

Shouldn't need a larger pump, since you should only be running one component at a time.

As to sizing your drive motor, how fast do you want your woodsplitter to go?

Dune,

The conveyer would be running while the splitter is operating, so if when splitting the conveyer speed is effected that's not that big a deal. What I don't want to happen is for the conveyer to sap power away from the splitting operation.

Yes, I would use a selector valve to change over to propulsion from the conveyer circuit. That is my plan anyway. so what I need to figure out is:

> for about a 20 foot (foldable) conveyer what size motor would be appropriate

> for driving the rear axle (mount the hydraulic motor on the pinion housing of a Ford 9" rear end to direct drive the pinion) what size motor would give me the appropriate torque and rpm to drive the machine at a low speed similar to that of a lawn tractor. I've thought also about using a multi-speed lawn tractor transmission (the type that are belt driven from a vertical shaft engine), but I'm thinking that the hydraulic motor on the rear axle pinion would be a cleaner system. A bit more expensive to implement, but much better overall.

> The proper hydraulics to accomplish all this.

The basic splitter and log lift is no big deal, but adding on these two additional systems is where hydraulically it gets challengine for me. I'm pretty fussy about getting things done right the first time, and creating quality work, so I don't want, nor can I afford, to waste a lot of development time and money on an ill-concieved hydraulic mess. Hence, my reaching out to the community for help getting this thing planned out as accurately as I can. :coolsmile:

 

[Backwoods Savage]

One wise professor we have here. He learns quickly. lol

 

[Dune]

All you need is Char-lynn S series motors. I would use the largest displacement motors available. The circuit could be aranged somewhat as follows. Pump-adjustable flow controll valve, flow control valve out a to motor direction valve, direction valve work ports to double acting selector valve to conveyor motor, drive motor. Flow controll excess or port b to single acting selecter valve to piston valves, since you will not be splitting and lifting at the same time. It is important that the conveyor get priority flow or it will stall constantly. The flow controll will set the conveyor speed and or adjust vehicle speed. I can put this in paint later if it was too hard to follow. The Char-lynn S wants about eight gallons per minute at 1500 IIRC. This could be done with less valve bodies, if you were starting from scratch, but this is a good proven circuit if you are involving a full time conveyor. One good way to save some money and future maintainence is to do as much inter-valve piping as possible with sched. 80 nipples instead of hoses.