New project, splitter (working)

[Mith]

Been meaning to make a splitter for a while now. My old man asked for one for his birthday this year. While I'm quite happy to swing an axe all weekend I think he is over that and would prefer to just pull a lever.

So I bought him the ram and gave it to him today. I think he liked it, particularly when I told him that it was the largest standard ram my supplier could get me. Its 100mm bore, 50mm rod, 700mm stroke.

My 12x6" H girder is looking a bit small now. I've got a pile of 10mm plate and some 3x5" I girder for most the structure. And some 1" plate for the 'dangerous end'.
Plan is to fit the wedge to the end of the beam. Probably bolted on so I can change from a single wedge to a T wedge, or maybe even a cross.
Got a 10HP and a 12HP engine, leaning towards the 10HP right now to save on fuel. For the time being though I can just run it off the tractor to test it.
Just a plain splitter for now, but a hydraulic boom might be planned later on to crane the logs onto the splitter.

 

[Doc]

Kewl Mith. You can still swing an ax all weekend? I'm impressed. I might split a few for fun then I'd go to the splitter.
Good project. I look forward to watching it progress.

 

[Mith]

I quite enjoy it actually Doc, very satisfying. Stress relief
I'll probably not use the splitter much, it'll never split as fast as I can with an axe.

Only spent a couple of hours on it today. I do however now have the plan all worked out in my head.
Cut and drilled parts for the wedge, slider and ram mount. Hopefully once all the bits are cut it'll come together very quickly. There is a whole load of big steel that takes a long time to cut on the bandsaw. I reckon it'll probably weigh over half ton when its done.
I can hook it up to the tractor aux to test before I do the onboard hydraulics.

 

[Mith]

Found a hour this evening to do a little bit of work on the splitter. Started welding on the wedge end, and started the pusher plate.
I do quite like working with thicker steel. Most this steel is in the 10mm to 1/2" range. Nice being able to give the welder a good workout. I've not managed to hit the thermal cutout, but it is supposed to be 90% duty cycle and I cant change rods that fast!

 

[Mith]

Got quite carried away this evening. Got home at 6, and by 9pm I was ready to fire it up.

I can tell I'm going to enjoy using this I kicked off with a bit of pine (in the pics) with a few knots. Didnt even register the pressure, maybe 100-200psi.
Then we stuck a lump of old oak I think it was, real gnarly old bit of wood. That burst apart at about 500psi

I've still got stacks of bracing to add, and make its own power source. Not bad for maybe 10 hours fiddling though.

 

[Erik]

looks good so far! are you going to smooth down the top of the beam, or just let time and friction do it for you?

 

[Mith]

Thanks Erik.
Used it for maybe 30 mins today, the top of the beam is nicely smoothed now

I tell you, these splitters are a good tool. I've worked my way through the logs that I couldn't chop with an axe. Nothing in there that it wouldn't split.
Shearing a lump of oak across the grain only put 1500psi on the guage
There are some scratches on the ram that would suggest that the beam is deflecting about 1/4" along its length, which doesnt seem bad to me considering it isnt braced yet, and I haven't even finished welding it together.

I can see that I am going to get quite attached to this tool.
Must get the engine and drive sorted for it though, running the tractor is costing me a fortune, it drinks fuel.

 

[Erik]

looks good - and i know what you mean, I used to go help a friend a couple times a year splitting wood with an 8 pound maul - had done some splitting with an axe, as well, but the maul makes it that much easier between doubling the weight of the head and the much steeper angle between the faces.

 

[Mith]

Erik, by axe I meant a maul. I dont think I would bother trying to chop logs with a normal felling axe, you wouldn't do much more than wear yourself out on oak. Gotta have a nice long hickory handle too.


Well, the splitter is starting to look more like a splitter. Slowly but steadily.
The sun has been out last week, which makes things quite busy, found a little time though.
Thats my plan on the board on the wall behind, highly scientific as you can see. Lost my calculator too, hence the numbers.

 

[Mith]

Been doing lots of splitting. I havent got around to fitting the hydrualics onto the splitter, so its still running off the tractor. The tractor is piling on the hours, but the splitting is pretty moreish!

I think pretty much everything is bent now except the beam and the ram. Even the wedge, made from 1" steel and a lump of H section, has a slight kink in it.

These 2 lumps of wood were the biggest I could roll onto the splitter. Later my old man came back and we did the bigger ones. Not found anything it wont do yet.

 

[Mith]

Splitter is complete, painted and everything (yeah, its only primer, but it'll do ).

Works peach. The table round the wedge is great too, I reckon it doubles the speed that I can work at. And no bending over. Especially with big logs you can keep all the parts on the table instead of them dropping off onto the floor when you cut a bit off.

Need to adjust the relief though, it'll stall the engine if you bottom the ram out. (Atleast its got electric start )

 

[justneedit]

Mith, Nice job! I suspect you'll soon decide you don't much like any splitter which doesn't have a motor. Same thing happens with shovels after yoy get a backhoe!
Jim