# log lift bought or homemade!!



## dahmower (Oct 19, 2008)

I'm needing some pics of hydraulic log lifts either homemade or store bought please!!


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## abohac (Oct 19, 2008)

*Tw6*

Here are pictures of my splitter. Don't know if it will help or not.


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## dahmower (Oct 19, 2008)

do you cut wood for profit or just yourself? Does the lift make life that much easier or is it overpriced and overrated?


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## abohac (Oct 19, 2008)

*A little of both*



dahmower said:


> do you cut wood for profit or just yourself? Does the lift make life that much easier or is it overpriced and overrated?



I just cut wood for myself and my dad and I sell a little. Bought the TW6 most because of the loglift and because it was supposed to split anything. I'm a touch disappointed because occasionally I can stick one but it's pretty rare. I also end up splitting a bunch of really large stuff and got tired of ripping or setting a big chunk an the splitter with tongs (really dangerous). And yes it does make life that much easier. Make one or buy one.


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## SWI Don (Oct 19, 2008)

Here are some pics of my home made one.

It's pretty much made up of 3" channel. It is what I had laying around or actually what the scrap guy had laying around. It has oilite bushings pressed into some slugs that I welded into the channels. 

If you notice on the Timberwolf there are restrictors on the inlet and oulets of that cylinder. You should consider them. Mine does not yet and it will launch that monster log clear over the splitter if you aren't carefull. On a 28 gpm pump a 3" cylinder is very fast.

As far as does it make life easier. Yes, the monsters that you would have to cut 4 ways for 2 guys to load can be loaded and split with little effort. I worked up a 20" dbh ash tree the weekend before last and used the lift for the bottom 10-12 peices or so. Except for the bottom 3, I would load up 2-3 of the chunks on the lift and lift into place. Roll one - lift 2. 

For smaller chunks you can load up the log lift with rounds and rapidfire through the batch and then go to the pile and load again. Or your helper can stage them on the lift and you do not have to stop. 

Don.


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## cityevader (Oct 19, 2008)

Not to hijack...but I'm also debating on a loglift, as I'm reconsidering my preference for vertically splitting the big stuff....How are the hydraulics connected?
Is there a separate valve in parallel with the original? Or a new valve with all functions in one?


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## SWI Don (Oct 19, 2008)

Cityvader, it is all part of getting a log lift so here is some info.

There are a few options. 

One - Prince makes a two spool valve just for log splitters with a lift. Look on Surplus Center or your favorite hydraulics shop to get one. 

Two - add a valve to your existing system. You will want a valve that you can have a power beyond port on. Depending on your make and model, you will most likely have to add it into your system ahead of your main splitting valve. Pump -> new valve> power beyond port > existing valve You will also have to T in a return line from the new valve to the existing return line. My set up is something like this and the Timberwolf above I believe is the same. I have an auto cycle valve and a hydraulic adjustable 4 way wedge which is why I have an extra 2 levers.

Three - add a selector valve between your directional control valve and your splitting cylinder. You would in effect be T'ing your hoses that go to the cylinder. I personally would think this might be a bit cumbersome but to each his own.

Running the valves in parallel does't work with open center hydraulics. The oil would just go to tank through the other valve instead of doing work.

Don


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## Mike Van (Oct 20, 2008)

You can add a valve in series [how I did it] One thing to watch out for is the ram speed, I used a 2" bore clyinder, with the 11 gpm pump you can launch a pretty heavy block right over the splitter if you don't feather the valve. A flow limiter would help this - When you buck up a log, the rounds are laying the way they roll, easy to roll with a foot right onto the tray without bending over. I wouldn't trade my log lift for an extra man.


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## Blazin (Oct 20, 2008)

Here's mine.....





















I opted to go with a 2 spool prince splitter/lift valve. I used a straight brass fitting on the extend port on the lift cylinder, brazed it shut, and then drilled a 3/32 hole in it for a restricter. Works perfect, no need to feather the lift valve for fear of launching wood!


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## chainsaw1 (Oct 20, 2008)

Great thread: Just what i was looking for also.


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## abohac (Oct 20, 2008)

Blazin said:


> Here's mine.....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That's a nice looking log splitter. I really like your wedge. Built for stuff that needs splitting.


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## Blazin (Oct 21, 2008)

Thanks! She does the business to whatever you put to it, I've run bout 20 cord thru it since adding the lift, 4 way, and table last year. I don't know how I went so long without a lift, A must have for anyone with big wood!


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## abohac (Oct 21, 2008)

Blazin said:


> Thanks! She does the business to whatever you put to it, I've run bout 20 cord thru it since adding the lift, 4 way, and table last year. I don't know how I went so long without a lift, A must have for anyone with big wood!



I gotta agree.


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## cityevader (Oct 21, 2008)

Wow, I'm really really reconsidering my preference for horizontal/vertical and fixed wedge/sliding wedge after seeing your log lift + four-way + extension table.....

Why did you have to go and get inside my head like that?


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## Hedge (Oct 21, 2008)

Here is how I did mine. http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=60070&highlight=splitter


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## cityevader (Oct 21, 2008)

Hedge said:


> Here is how I did mine. http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=60070&highlight=splitter



You are officially my new logsplitter hero!!!!!

THAT is what i'm looking for, and my current experience with retail splitter makes me want to come knocking on your door!...wait...ignore that...

I'll trade you one hardly used harbor Freight 9hp 30 ton for your little bitty poorly laid out and under powered and soon to fail splitter.

I'm doing you a favor here. What kind of unknowns are you dealing with? A splitter from a huge supplier is what you need and I'll take that dangerous contraption off your hands before you kill someone or yourself with it.


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## johncinco (Oct 22, 2008)

That is a really nice outfit. You worked some great features into it. I just printed out a picture and am taking it over to the welding shop, maybe I can get him to add a table and extension like that onto mine.


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## Hedge (Oct 22, 2008)

cityevader wrote.



> You are officially my new logsplitter hero!!!!!
> 
> THAT is what i'm looking for, and my current experience with retail splitter makes me want to come knocking on your door!...wait...ignore that...
> 
> ...





> johncinco wrote.
> That is a really nice outfit. You worked some great features into it. I just printed out a picture and am taking it over to the welding shop, maybe I can get him to add a table and extension like that onto mine.



While I am glad you like my little splitter but I promised the Mrs I would only build one splitter and it would be the one I would use for the rest of my life.. Seriously I hope it gives you an idea to make your splitter work better and I do appreciate the offer but that is my story and I am sticking to it...


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## Farmall Guy (Oct 22, 2008)

Those are some nice looking splitters you fellers got there, I'm making notes for the modification of the one we have. I like the table beyond the wedge that would be nice to use with a elevator of sorts, place the hopper under the table and it gets the wood away from your feet even if the round splits early 

I too am planing a lift and entry side table, I was considering using a motor and gear box for the lift, this set up would allow the lift to fold over the beam and would reduce the chances of dameging a cyl. We use 2 small hyd motors on the rotators on our fork trucks at work, they are connected to a gear box and rotate the forks 360 degrees to dump 15,000 pound dross pans so lifing a piece of fire would should be a piece of cake.

Another idea I've been kicking around is building a 4 way that slides over the single blade with a small cyl connected to it on the back side (prorley gaurded of corse) The cyl would be used to raise the 4 way up and out of the way when splitting small stuff then allow the operator to drop it back down for the biger stuff. I'd also build it to be removeable so the real nasty pieces could be split with the 2 way. One of the guys I work with was doing this, he said he'd used a splitter set up that way and it worked good but I dont know how far he's gotten.


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## kevin j (Oct 22, 2008)

Is it timberwolf that lowers the wings down for two way, raises tehm up for 4 way. pretty simple layout, cylinder below the beam on one side of the raising and lowering flat bar.


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## Mike Van (Oct 23, 2008)

Farmall Guy - The table/catcher after the wedge was the cheapest, simplest, most labor saving thing I ever did to mine. All those pieces that need to be resplit, etc, they're right there. It saves hundreds of 'bendovers' a day -


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## dahmower (Jan 8, 2009)

How long of stroke does the log lift cylinder have??


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## Mike Van (Jan 8, 2009)

Mines 8 inch. Thats about as short as you can use.


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## Damraider (Jan 8, 2009)

> Running the valves in parallel does't work with open center hydraulics. The oil would just go to tank through the other valve instead of doing work.


 I have a question, what if you run the tank return side of the first valve to the intake side of the second valve ? Would that work ?

GREAT site BTW !!!


Thanks, 

Steve


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## jcappe (Jan 8, 2009)

Great post! Yesterday when I was splitting wood I was thinking to myself, I need to build a log lift. Get on here today and there is a log lift thread.......it's almost like it was meant to be.


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## Mike Van (Jan 8, 2009)

Damraider said:


> I have a question, what if you run the tank return side of the first valve to the intake side of the second valve ? Would that work ?
> 
> GREAT site BTW !!!
> 
> ...



Steve, that would be putting them in series. Yes, it will work, I did mine that way. However, the mfgs. recomend that the first valve have a power beyond port. This port just flows oil back to the tank if it has to. With valves in series, there's a chance of pressure building above what it should. The power beyond valve is supposed to stop this, or give the pressure a place to go.


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## wkpoor (Jan 8, 2009)

I would like to ask a question and share my point of view.
First what do you do if the monster round you lifted up to the table doesn't split all the way through? I suspect roll it off to reposition and then lift it back up to try again. For a year now I've discovered its much easier for me to simply quarter up those monsters first on the ground into easy to lift pieces and then split them normally. Maybe the log lift work ok up to 24" but I can't see it on 30" and above diameter stuff. This is why I don't do vertical any longer either.


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## Mike Van (Jan 8, 2009)

wk - I do that too, 24" and up probably isn't going to split clean unless you have a wedge with HUGE wings on it. The straight grain big stuff, I'll split into quarters with a couple of wedges [unless it's a good sawlog, then it wouldn't be in my woodpile] The snotty big crotch pieces, I'll quarter with a chainsaw, then load the quarters. Some guys love to run their saws, but me, when I look at those huge piles of 'noodles', all I see is wasted wood.


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## WidowMaker (Jan 8, 2009)

Mike Van said:


> Steve, that would be putting them in series. Yes, it will work, I did mine that way. However, the mfgs. recomend that the first valve have a power beyond port. This port just flows oil back to the tank if it has to. With valves in series, there's a chance of pressure building above what it should. The power beyond valve is supposed to stop this, or give the pressure a place to go.




====

So I've heard, but how is pressure going to build above relief valve setting??


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## Mike Van (Jan 8, 2009)

WidowMaker - That I don't know - I have 2 setups running for years with no power beyond. One on my splitter [3 valves] and on on my sawmill [5 valves] I would guess it's happened, somewhere ? I do know a system with NO relief valve is not good, as I found out years ago when I split a pump in half. The learning curve, you know?


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## WidowMaker (Jan 8, 2009)

Mike Van said:


> WidowMaker - That I don't know - I have 2 setups running for years with no power beyond. One on my splitter [3 valves] and on on my sawmill [5 valves] I would guess it's happened, somewhere ? I do know a system with NO relief valve is not good, as I found out years ago when I split a pump in half. The learning curve, you know?



===

Mike that's a definite NO..NO, I too have run multi valve systems with not Power beyond with no problems...


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## wkpoor (Jan 8, 2009)

> Some guys love to run their saws, but me, when I look at those huge piles of 'noodles', all I see is wasted wood.


Thats me...love to run my saw plus the noodles make great bedding for my chickens and fire starter for my stove. Mostly though its convenience. When I go after a tree with a large trunk I can do it with just my saws and dump trailer. When I get home its all ready to split easily. I have a tractor grapple but try to avoid long hauls with it because its heavy.


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## skid row (Jan 8, 2009)

wkpoor said:


> I would like to ask a question and share my point of view.
> First what do you do if the monster round you lifted up to the table doesn't split all the way through? I suspect roll it off to reposition and then lift it back up to try again. For a year now I've discovered its much easier for me to simply quarter up those monsters first on the ground into easy to lift pieces and then split them normally. Maybe the log lift work ok up to 24" but I can't see it on 30" and above diameter stuff. This is why I don't do vertical any longer either.



Surprisingly the BIG rounds split ok. Maybe cause they are so heavy or straight grained or something. Every once in a while a biggie will go through twice. As for the big crotches, yep time to make noodles.


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## SWI Don (Jan 8, 2009)

We split some elm that was 30" x 5' and it split fine. My compound wedge probably spreads the log out 4-5". We had a couple of guys so we would direct one chunk back on the log lift and then work up the other chunk.

Don


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## VirginiaIron (Feb 26, 2019)

WidowMaker said:


> ====
> 
> So I've heard, but how is pressure going to build above relief valve setting??



A 10 yo thread and the door is still open, smile.
I finally made a lift and I wonder how I did without it for so long- I will never again be without one. Many valves will safely work up to a certain pressure on the return side. So, you could use a splitter valve with 500 psi max return pressure operating the wedge and it is piped directly into the lift valve, rated at 50 psi return, which is then piped to the return. The spec's vary according by manufacturer and some valves will tolerate only low pressure and will work safely so long as you do not exceed the stated pressure. If you exceed the return pressure on the valve, that circuits' piston will start to operate and you can damage the seals, valve, become injured, etc. The safe and proper way is to use a valve with a power beyond port or a multi-valve monoblock so you know you have access to the full psi and no other circuits will operate unintentionally and cause damage or injury. 

What did the OP end up doing?


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