Building a splitter.

[drmiller100]

whatever.
yeah, you can weld it if you use the right stuff.

the thing broke off 10 inches from the nearest weld, with no hints of stress risers or anything else.

the banging of the wood cracking eventually fatigued the metal.

mild is better in this application.

 

[Patrick62]

Oh yea?

grader blade cutting edges make really reallly poor materials for a splitter.

i used one on my splitter. the stuff is impossible to weld with a wirefeed, and hard to weld with a stick welder.

then the blade broke in half after about 5 cords of wood due to it being too hard and brittle, and the bang when teh wood split broke it.

Low hydrogen, reverse polarity. Works just fine. It is actually way more fun to CUT the stuff than to weld it!

I am gonna build my 4 way with curved blades now!

-Pat

 

[turnkey4099]

whatever.
yeah, you can weld it if you use the right stuff.

<snip>

mild is better in this application.

Agree. Mine is 9" high with "wings" from mild steel. Has eaten 6 or more cord every year for 20 years. Sharped it last fall for the first time and it really didn't event need it then. Hard steel is, IMO, just another "guilding the lily".

Harry K

 

[arborterra]

These are pics of a splitter that I built. Everything but the hydraulics was scrap material laying around the shop. Mods have since been made. The wedge is made of mild steel and works well. I have another made of hardened steel that has been in use for over twenty years and has not broken. The 8" beam was not strong enough and switched to a 1" thick one. An operator needs to use a little judgement when splitting because nothing will stop it. The six way is detachable for large or odd pieces.

 

[g.moore]

Nice work Arborterra, most of the home builts are hack jobs. You got some skills man.

 

[Lairry]

These are pics of a splitter that I built. Everything but the hydraulics was scrap material laying around the shop. Mods have since been made. The wedge is made of mild steel and works well. I have another made of hardened steel that has been in use for over twenty years and has not broken. The 8" beam was not strong enough and switched to a 1" thick one. An operator needs to use a little judgement when splitting because nothing will stop it. The six way is detachable for large or odd pieces.

Did you box in your beam and use it for the reservoir? I don't see one. If you did that's a good idea.

 

[starter]

One nice piece of ...

work, real nice job arboterra!

All that's missing is the JD logo, just jokes, it might be tough to see that one coming in the woods, though. Reminds me of a neighbour, everything gets the Deere green paint when he's done.

I like the pics, thinking of building one myself.. one day... I really liked the one posted a while back that was built one an old yard tractor frame. Just add a hyd motor and drive it around the yard!!!

 

[arborterra]

Thanks all for the compliments. This is farm country and I paint all my toys John Deere Green. Yes, the I beam is boxed in with 8" c-channel below the cyclinder to make the hydraulic tank. It holds about fifteen gallons. The pump is 28 gpm two stage. The hoses are 3/4" with a 50 gpm control valve & filter. The cycle time is ok, about eight to ten seconds each way. I never really timed it, just a good guess. My objective was not to go really fast but to get something done when it got there and have enough power to do it. The motor is a fifteen horse Briggs and does a great job but the hydraulics experts told me I would need at least twenty horse to develope full power and more than that to do it consistantly. I have never needed full power.

 

[Patrick62]

Excellent work.

Nice clean design. My only beef is that it is too low to the ground to suit me.
My back would scream after a few minutes....

-Pat

 

[Lairry]

Nice clean design. My only beef is that it is too low to the ground to suit me.
My back would scream after a few minutes....

-Pat

+1

 

[yooperman]

Hello Patrick62. Your wedge is almost exactly like the one I want to put on my splitter but 4way. I like the point in front and the swept-forward wings. Definately post a pic of your 4-way when you get it done. I built my 4way on top of an old short single. It works good but I think something like your type would be better. Also what is the material bolted to the front of your ram? I considered something like hard rubber matting to put on mine and have it just touch the point of the wedge to push the wood far enough through for the next piece to fit in.(I want to keep the stroke fairly short). I don't know if this will help you or not as your blocks look fairly large, but I have a low splitter now and use a hookaroon. Stand upright one hand on lever one hand feeding blocks to splitter with the hookaroon. Keeps fingers out of the way also.

 

[yooperman]

Right now I'm just collecting parts for a splitter. Have a massive chunk of I-beam, possible engine to use, various pieces of steel and hose. I'm not to concerned about the final cost or if its oversized (and it will be!). Some guys spend money of corvettes, booze, or asian hookers and have nothing to show for it but payments, bad livers, and STD's.