This time I'm gonna research before I start a project. I really want a log splitter, but all of the ones I have seen look a little wimpy to me. I would love to see some ideas or even plans that anyone here has. Thanks a lot

 

I just saw an ad in the Heavy Equipment Trader here (Southern Ontario, Canada) for a 100 ton log splitter. Claimed it would split a 6 foot diameter log. That heavy enough?

I have neither built nor used a log splitter since I really don't have use for one (yet), but I think they are way cool. One of my favorite tool & shop equipment stores here sells both log splitters and the individual parts to build them. I've been catalog shopping these things for a while.

Here are some features to look for:
Kick-off valve so the ram retracts automatically when the log splits. Two speed pump so the ram advances fast until it contacts the log, then bears down and applies high pressure. Low oil shotdown on the motor so you don't seize the engine if you haven't checked it for a while. Trailer suitable for on-road towing - most of the ones I have seen advertised are "for off-road / low speed towing only". You can always throw (?) it in the back of a truck or load it on a better trailer if you have to move it any distance, but it'd be better to just hook it up & go. Make sure it's filled with all-season hydraulic oil so it performs well in cold temps.

Cheers,
Eric

 

Harbor Freight sells a 50 or 100 ton, two speed ram. Think it's about 100 bucks

 

Screw the speed bit. Get an accumulator. Build up pressure and when you hit the go buttom WHAM! Log in 2. Not friendly to humans though.

 

I have searched the net some but came up with little. I wouldn't mind see anything anyone has as well......

 

Krump's brother:

You might want to check out NorthernTool at:

http://www.northerntool.com/

They sell several different sizes and styles of log splitter and the individual parts if you want to build your own. They're a pretty good outfit to deal with. I've been buying various things from them for over 20 years and had little or no problems and the few times there was Northern corrected the problem satisfactorily.
Have fun and good luck with building your splitter.

RussA

 

Yeah, I get Northern's catalog, just the shipping gets outrageous in this corner of the country. I did find out about Timberwolf(I think) in Vermont, but am awaiting their reply. They apparently make some really gruntworthy machines...

 

My log splitter is a 25 ton with a two speed pump. it has split everythig that I have asked. If I had to change anything, it would be to quiet the engine a lot. It is towable on road. The largest stump I have split was about 30" in dia. and it was green oak, not seasoned.

 

My uncle built one many years ago, it is a bit old now but still does a great job. If my web provider would work I could post some pictures of it, otherwise I could email you some?

Here are the specs on it:
Engine is a V4 air cooled Wisconsin (hand crank-ugh)
Two very large pumps. Both go into the ram under most conditions and as others have mentioned when the ram hits something tough only one pump continues, the other dumps to tank, putting it into "low gear"
Other hydraulics are run off one of the pumps. There are two side tables by where the wood gets split that move almost vertical to horizontal to vertical the other way (180°) to help shove the wood around on the work surface
Large ice tong like attachment with boom and winch for dragging and picking up the rounds
Outriggers to stabilize it much like backhoe outriggers.

It is quite heavy and the wheels are the front axle of a 3/4 ton pickup, and it is on a pintle hitch.

The ram valve is a detent and it auto reverses when it reaches the end and stops at an adjustable position when it returns. (It would be annoying and slow to have the ram return all the way when you are splitting 16" wood, but you still want to be able to go further back if the sawyer was not paying attention)

It was built by him one feature at a time with the money he made by selling the wood, with a buzz box welder. All the hydraulics are off the shelf.

It is a very fast production machine but mostly it just sets around now, the woodcutting business is swamped with dirtbags who work for nothing and poach so there is not much money in it now. But it earned its keep in years gone by.

Birken

 

Thanks for the info, Birken. Send those pics whenever you get the chance. My plans are to do my own wood and my other family members as well, and if all goes smoothly, hire myself out to others on the weekends. Now that I finally have a truck that isn't a project, I am getting log lengths instead of cut and split. I always need to split it again anyway, since I have a woodstove.

Ggg6, I want to be able to tow mine also, any idea on which junkyard axle to look for?

 

My splitter uses the hyd. tank as the "axle". It is a 4"X8"X48"X 0.3125 wall piece of rectangle tubing I found at a scrap yard. I welded a piece of 60"long 1"dia rod under it and put the wheels/spindles on the rod. My ram beam pivots from horizontal for towing, to vertical for splitting. That way I do not have to lift any logs. I more or less copied the splitters found at home depot type stores. But I made improvements as I saw fit. Such as I used a longue for a 2 5/16 ball because everything I tow uses that size ball. I also mounted a orange bicycle flag to it so I can see it when backing it up. If you are looking for a axle I would think a small boat trailer axle would do nicely. I do not think you need the suspension. Three guys can lift my splitter into a p/u truck, so its not real heavy. Depending on State laws my splitter does not need a license plate, because it is narrow enough to see my truck lights and it is no more that 5' long. Ironicly I just got rear ended and my tongue on the splitter is bent up. But I was hit not due to someone not seeing the splitter, but the person behind me was rear ended and pushed into me. Boy did the beam do a number on the persons engine though.

 

Around 10 or so years back, my dad and a friend(welder) made one up. Large I-beam for the cylinder/wedge. It's also the shoot off for the engine/pump stand, hydraulic tank and axle mount.

What I know off hand, is that the splitter has a 6hp honda (that's 2 years old now, very nice engine and pretty darn quiet.. great engines) 2 stage pump using a spider coupler to connect to the engine (engine/pump mounted on something like a 24x24" piece of 1/4 inch stock) 4 or 5 gallon hydraulic tank, on/off/on valve that's nicely mounted 5 feet from the ground; makes it very nice to work with, no hunching over. A cement mixer donated the suspension; axle tube, between 13-15" rims with tires and leaf springs. Not sure on what size/type cylinder is on it. Wedge is about 12" high, that was bought and then welded on. That's about all I remember off hand, there probably isnt' too much more on it. It does have a trailer hitch off the front Ibeam, think it's just bolted to a piece of square tube stock, that's welded to the bottom/front of the Ibeam.

I've never managed to get a piece of wood stuck on this, the only time is when it's an odd shape or has a huge knot in it and pushes part way up wedge. Wedge is 12", "ram" off of the cylinder is only about 5" (that was home made from thick steel stock). The 2 stage pump kicks down and starts barely moving the cylinder but it just pushes though anything. We've split a lot of wood and many very large pieces, that pump doesn't kick into lower gear very often at all. That honda is just great too, let it sit for 6 months and it starts up in a few pulls in the middle of winter if ya need it too.

We've towed it all over and that's fine. Even though it is pretty heavy, it's still a bit light for that suspsension so it seems a bit "bouncy" towing it around, but nothing that's a problem. One thing we would have liked to put on and probably still will are the valve boxes that go lock in the back position. Bare with me.. Our friend had one on his, fwd/neutral/back. Hold to go forward with the ram, push it into the back position and let go. Cylinder goes all the way back hands free. This isn't my department, so I'm not sure on names, but it was a great feature. I find my arm's getting tired after a few hours out there and it's a chore to push the thing back withought concentrating on it.

I just need to learn how to weld and we'd like to tackle putting a hydraulic lift onto the side of it. Roll the log onto the platform, guide it as it's lifted up, split and repeat. They have these on some splitters I've seen. Anyways, I can try and get my sister to bring her digital camera over this week so I could take a picture if anyone needs it. We both like ours better then any we've seen for sale too.. set it up the way you want

Gluck

 

I wish I had someplace to post pictures, I'd show my uncles...rather than a lift platform it has an ice tong like thing on a winch cable from a rotating boom. This way all you have to do is keep one hand on it to orient it properly and drop it on the beam right in front of the wedge. The manuvering during splitting is done by two side tables on the sides of the beam that work like "wings" in that they rotate from almost vertical with the end touching the ground to almost vertical with the end in the air and the pivot is right up against the beam. They can be used to lift small rounds from the ground as well but usually we split so fast that noting is very close to the machine. It takes less than an hour to do a cord but it is still hard work

Birken

 

my grandpa built one years ago usiing a junk gm 10 bolt axle then building a square tube frame and bolting it to the axle. A hydraulic oil resivior from a international combine along with a hydraulic pump from an international 1 ton flatbed and remotes from a wrecked tractor loaderall went onto it with a continental 4cylinder engine powering it, until last year when it was removed and a pto was set in place for more power.

 

I did a lot of hydraulic work in the oil field in the 80’s. When I was laid off the first time I took a short course in hydraulics at a trade school. The instructor had a log splitter as a demonstration project. The first thing he did was extend the ram all the way to demonstrate the relief valve. He had built this thing with some cast pipe fittings, big no no, can be a little grenade. The only thing I learned from that class is to inspect equipment for inadequate components before operating, you can never tell who “repaired” it. Accumulators and blind ends that can trap air store energy that when rapidly released in case of failure can be very dangerous. Always use fittings, pipe, hoses and other components that are rated for your application and in good condition, especially when using accumulators.