Wife'nHubby
Addicted to ArboristSite
Here's a spec sheet on Didier's - hope you can read it.
Shari
Shari
Didier splitters
- Thread starter Wife'nHubby
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Rookie1
Addicted to ArboristSite
Nice job Shari. You are the Didier go-to woman! :yourock:
05mxdiesel
ArboristSite Lurker
Look for a model number tag on it down by pump and hydraulic reservoir. Thanks for that spec sheet wife'nhubby. The house I recently bought had a unmaintained didier left with it. I got it running, used and abused it, and the motor finally gave up. I am currently redoing the whole thing like some others have on here. It has split almost 20 cords for me with no problems, the only thing that gave me problems was some really large locust but after working it a little, it all split up. That price seems a little steep but with a new motor, it doesn't seem too bad. These machines need nothing except normal yearly maintenance and gas.
Wife'nHubby
Addicted to ArboristSite
Hey, don't compliment me - all the compliments go to members on this list who helped me put ours back together last year (a woman who never even changed oil on a car!)
There's a whole sub-group of Didier owners here on the list. A lot of owners have remodeled their Did's basically to raise the height. The tires are small so it sits low to the ground but I am short so Did's height doesn't bother me too much.
Attached is a pic of ours in process of being put back together. I was originally a bit embarrassed that good ol' "Did" is so greasy so I was going to clean it off but thought better of it as it sits outside all the time with just a tarp on it.
"Did" has new hoses now, routed a bit different than shown in the photo. He hasn't let me down yet!
By the way, vintage is in the 1970's somewhere.
Shari
There's a whole sub-group of Didier owners here on the list. A lot of owners have remodeled their Did's basically to raise the height. The tires are small so it sits low to the ground but I am short so Did's height doesn't bother me too much.
Attached is a pic of ours in process of being put back together. I was originally a bit embarrassed that good ol' "Did" is so greasy so I was going to clean it off but thought better of it as it sits outside all the time with just a tarp on it.
"Did" has new hoses now, routed a bit different than shown in the photo. He hasn't let me down yet!
By the way, vintage is in the 1970's somewhere.
Shari
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05mxdiesel
ArboristSite Lurker
Here is a crappy pic of mine sitting on ghetto blocks to get it up to a good working height. The old briggs finally locked up a couple of weeks ago.
Wife'nHubby
Addicted to ArboristSite
Forgot to add: We paid around $150US for it about 8 yrs. ago with an iffy engine and leaky cylinder. Ran it that way the first year then put a new (5.5hp?) BS engine on it at a cost of around $185. Last year rebuilt the seals on the cylinder ($70) and in spring of this year replaced 2 hyd. hoses & spyder ($25). Total investment around $430US with repairs/replacements done but it has been in use those 8 yrs. also running around 12-15 cord of wood through it.
I looked at the repair costs as minimal considering the cost of a new splitter.
Would I sell it for $430US? To each his own but it is worth more than that to me.
Shari
I looked at the repair costs as minimal considering the cost of a new splitter.
Would I sell it for $430US? To each his own but it is worth more than that to me.
Shari
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Wife'nHubby
Addicted to ArboristSite
Looking good there, mxd. I could raise ours that way also but then I'd probably be too short to pull the recoil to start the engine unless I used a step stool!
Shari
Looks alot like a JD 5 splitter they had in the early 80's. Wonder if Didier made it for them?Hey, don't compliment me - all the compliments go to members on this list who helped me put ours back together last year (a woman who never even changed oil on a car!)
There's a whole sub-group of Didier owners here on the list. A lot of owners have remodeled their Did's basically to raise the height. The tires are small so it sits low to the ground but I am short so Did's height doesn't bother me too much.
Attached is a pic of ours in precess of being put back together. I was originally a bit embarrassed that good ol' "Did" is so greasy so I was going to clean it off but thought better of it as it sits outside all the time with just a tarp on it.
"Did" has new hoses now, routed a bit different than shown in the photo. He hasn't let me down yet!
By the way, vintage is in the 1970's somewhere.
Shari
Wife'nHubby
Addicted to ArboristSite
Didier was sold under the following names:
Sears (Craftsmans)
Agway
John Deere
Poulan
Panther
Savage
Hydra-Splitter
Farnam
Montgomery Ward
Foster Mfg. was the manufacturer.
There is a small parts list here: http://web.archive.org/web/20051218201319/www.fostermfgcorp.com/forester/Didier+parts.html
History of Didier:
"A very appropriate name for a "Log Splitter" that was designed to handle and manage any of the trees found in the forest. A bold statement, it certainly is, but it is being made by a company's management that introduced log splitters to the mass markets in the mid-1970's.
The management team of Foster Mfg. Corp. started building log splitters under the company name of Didier Mfg. Very quickly our log splitters were being built under such brand names as Hydra-Splitter, Panther, Savage as well as John Deere, Poulan, Sears and many others.
The company known as Didier Mfg. was sold in 1979, the management team started Foster Mfg. Corp. Over the past twenty years, many products with identities to various industries have been developed and manufactured by Foster Mfg. Corp. Many of our products have evolved around our strong hydraulic experience.
After many years of not being able to re-enter the log splitter market because of restraints stemming from the sale of Didier, we now find it possible to re-enter the market and do so with a "Good Splitter" and a "Strong Conviction". The log splitter offered by Foster Mfg. Corp. offers a quality splitter at an unmatched value. The Foster Log Splitter is backed by a strong "Service Oriented" company with many years of manufacturing experience."
Shari
Sears (Craftsmans)
Agway
John Deere
Poulan
Panther
Savage
Hydra-Splitter
Farnam
Montgomery Ward
Foster Mfg. was the manufacturer.
There is a small parts list here: http://web.archive.org/web/20051218201319/www.fostermfgcorp.com/forester/Didier+parts.html
History of Didier:
"A very appropriate name for a "Log Splitter" that was designed to handle and manage any of the trees found in the forest. A bold statement, it certainly is, but it is being made by a company's management that introduced log splitters to the mass markets in the mid-1970's.
The management team of Foster Mfg. Corp. started building log splitters under the company name of Didier Mfg. Very quickly our log splitters were being built under such brand names as Hydra-Splitter, Panther, Savage as well as John Deere, Poulan, Sears and many others.
The company known as Didier Mfg. was sold in 1979, the management team started Foster Mfg. Corp. Over the past twenty years, many products with identities to various industries have been developed and manufactured by Foster Mfg. Corp. Many of our products have evolved around our strong hydraulic experience.
After many years of not being able to re-enter the log splitter market because of restraints stemming from the sale of Didier, we now find it possible to re-enter the market and do so with a "Good Splitter" and a "Strong Conviction". The log splitter offered by Foster Mfg. Corp. offers a quality splitter at an unmatched value. The Foster Log Splitter is backed by a strong "Service Oriented" company with many years of manufacturing experience."
Shari
specter
ArboristSite Lurker
Just given a didier splitter
I was just given a didier log splitter sure looks similiar to the one that you have posted. Do you have a contact for parts & info on these splitters. I have searched online for days and only found out company was bought by Foster MFG in 1979!
The splitter I was given does actually work but leaks out the cylinder end cap and where the piston rod comes out of the end cap. I have tried to take off the end cap but it only seems spin around like maybe it is stripped. Is there some trick to getting this end cap off the cylinder??? The label says its a model 7 I
Thanks for any info
Tom
I was just given a didier log splitter sure looks similiar to the one that you have posted. Do you have a contact for parts & info on these splitters. I have searched online for days and only found out company was bought by Foster MFG in 1979!
The splitter I was given does actually work but leaks out the cylinder end cap and where the piston rod comes out of the end cap. I have tried to take off the end cap but it only seems spin around like maybe it is stripped. Is there some trick to getting this end cap off the cylinder??? The label says its a model 7 I
Thanks for any info
Tom
specter
ArboristSite Lurker
Found clip channel
I found what appears to be a retaining pin/clip channel about 1" behind the cylinder end cap! One half of the pin is missing in what appears that the pin/clip might have been broken off. About 1/4 - 1/2" of the pin/clip remains deep in the channel. Not enough of the pin/clip there to grab on to pull it out. Found what I can see it appears if the pin/clip could be removed the end cap would come off the end of the cylinder.
I am trying to hack saw the top of the cylinder right above the cylinder where the remaining portion of the pin/clip remains. But that pin/clip is playing hard to get out. I may end up removing the cylinder off of the log splitter so I can get my air cutter to get a better angle at the cut above the channel. I figure once I get the remaining pin/clip out and end cap off I will removed the cylinder piston clean up the cylinder and weld the cut area of the cylinder back! Then grind and polish the area rebuild the piston, cylinder etc and put it back together.
Way I figure !! If I can fix it fine!! If not well time for a new cylinder.
:deadhorse: Hopefully this splitter is not dead yet
I found what appears to be a retaining pin/clip channel about 1" behind the cylinder end cap! One half of the pin is missing in what appears that the pin/clip might have been broken off. About 1/4 - 1/2" of the pin/clip remains deep in the channel. Not enough of the pin/clip there to grab on to pull it out. Found what I can see it appears if the pin/clip could be removed the end cap would come off the end of the cylinder.
I am trying to hack saw the top of the cylinder right above the cylinder where the remaining portion of the pin/clip remains. But that pin/clip is playing hard to get out. I may end up removing the cylinder off of the log splitter so I can get my air cutter to get a better angle at the cut above the channel. I figure once I get the remaining pin/clip out and end cap off I will removed the cylinder piston clean up the cylinder and weld the cut area of the cylinder back! Then grind and polish the area rebuild the piston, cylinder etc and put it back together.
Way I figure !! If I can fix it fine!! If not well time for a new cylinder.
:deadhorse: Hopefully this splitter is not dead yet
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Wife'nHubby
Addicted to ArboristSite
specter,
Welcome to the "Didier Group"! By the way in the picture you posted the engine is not original but then again mine is not either. Best of luck with the repair - it is worth doing. Check out the #8 bolts by the ram carriage as they do tend to come loose every now and then.
By the way, your splitter should work out to be 12.5 ton - I've only had a very few rounds that I can't split & then I just nibble around the outside edges until it splits.
Shari
Welcome to the "Didier Group"! By the way in the picture you posted the engine is not original but then again mine is not either. Best of luck with the repair - it is worth doing. Check out the #8 bolts by the ram carriage as they do tend to come loose every now and then.
By the way, your splitter should work out to be 12.5 ton - I've only had a very few rounds that I can't split & then I just nibble around the outside edges until it splits.
Shari
specter
ArboristSite Lurker
Thanks for the reply. I am still working on getting that pin/clip out of that channel.
wigglesworth
Booned
I beg to differ. My Didier, sold my Montgomery Wards, has the same Gold 5hp briggs on it. Still runs like a top.
Wife'nHubby
Addicted to ArboristSite
Well, then, I stand corrected. We replaced the motor on ours years ago and I recall the engine we removed was not 'gold' so our splitter is probably on it's 3rd engine.
Shari
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Hey, don't compliment me - all the compliments go to members on this list who helped me put ours back together last year (a woman who never even changed oil on a car!)
There's a whole sub-group of Didier owners here on the list. A lot of owners have remodeled their Did's basically to raise the height. The tires are small so it sits low to the ground but I am short so Did's height doesn't bother me too much.
Attached is a pic of ours in process of being put back together. I was originally a bit embarrassed that good ol' "Did" is so greasy so I was going to clean it off but thought better of it as it sits outside all the time with just a tarp on it.
"Did" has new hoses now, routed a bit different than shown in the photo. He hasn't let me down yet!
By the way, vintage is in the 1970's somewhere.
Shari
I had one that looked just like yours except it was three point tractor mounted made with a JD label on it. It had not been used much before I bought it for $200.00 and used it for years and split a lot of wood with it never had any problems with it so I never knew the model number of it. About 8 years ago we quiet selling and burning wood for a few years so I sold it for $600.00. Sure wish I wouldn't have sold it as now I could use it as we are back burning wood .It was a nice little splitter.
Wife'nHubby
Addicted to ArboristSite
My splitter looks much nicer now. It has all new hoses and has been cleaned up quite a bit since this thread was started. Since the repair it has split around 10 cord of wood. Sweet!
Shari
It has all new hoses and has been cleaned up quite a bit since this thread was started. Since the repair it has split around 10 cord of wood. Sweet!Shari
songofthewood
ArboristSite Operative
Shari...any pics of the splitter after new motor and hoses?
Wife'nHubby
Addicted to ArboristSite
The motor is the same as in the photo so no change there but no I don't have any newer photos. I'll see if I can get some.
Shari
Shari
specter
ArboristSite Lurker
Many THANKS to Shari
Many THANKS
go out to Shari for emailing me a copy of the original owners manual and sale brochure! That sure helped me figure this splitter out.
I only have about 1/4" of the pin still stuck in the channel to remove. I already found a place that can sell me all the seals I need to rebuild the cylinder.
TOM
Many THANKS
go out to Shari for emailing me a copy of the original owners manual and sale brochure! That sure helped me figure this splitter out.I only have about 1/4" of the pin still stuck in the channel to remove. I already found a place that can sell me all the seals I need to rebuild the cylinder.
TOM
