Building your own splitter ideals

[ponyexpress976]

Ideally, I'd love to have one that was self propelled. Just seems silly to me to need yet another piece of equipment to move the splitter around. I mean, the power and hydraulics are more than enough to turn a couple wheel motors. I could then keep the large bucket on the mini skid for moving the splits and let the splitter move itself up and down the log pile. All I need now is for the right zero turn mower to cut apart! A tall and skinny disappearing 4 way would replace the ridiculously fat wedge I have now.

 

[muddstopper]

Maybe Sam-tip will be along with his build. it should be a doozey when he gets it finished.

 

[cantoo]

Got lots done today but need to make a few refinements again. Valve still works but broke a few welds. Put some pressure on the cylinder but only scratched the paint. Now I wish I never made the table so long and wide on the operator side. Didn't want to get my leg or hip stuck in there so made it wide. Instead of moving a block that was in the way I decided to set it on the operator side table, block caught the push plate on the return stroke and when it went back it hit the lever and stopped the lever from kicking off. I had my radio headphones on but heard the groaning motor pretty quick. And I decided I need to install a kill button or tether cord where I can reach it instead of having to run around the equipment to shut the key off. That's the trouble with home made stuff, the safety features come just a little too late. And the steel mesh has to go too, just too grippy to pull stuff across. And I broke the point off my TSC hookaroon. Of course I forgot I have a real nice one around here somewhere, just gotta find it.

 

[muddstopper]

If everything is going well, then obviously you dont know what the heck is going on. its Murphy's law 101

 

[olympyk_999]

Got lots done today but need to make a few refinements again. Valve still works but broke a few welds. Put some pressure on the cylinder but only scratched the paint. Now I wish I never made the table so long and wide on the operator side. Didn't want to get my leg or hip stuck in there so made it wide. Instead of moving a block that was in the way I decided to set it on the operator side table, block caught the push plate on the return stroke and when it went back it hit the lever and stopped the lever from kicking off. I had my radio headphones on but heard the groaning motor pretty quick. And I decided I need to install a kill button or tether cord where I can reach it instead of having to run around the equipment to shut the key off. That's the trouble with home made stuff, the safety features come just a little too late. And the steel mesh has to go too, just too grippy to pull stuff across. And I broke the point off my TSC hookaroon. Of course I forgot I have a real nice one around here somewhere, just gotta find it.
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nice tongue weights you have...

 

[Del_]

Nice looking splitter!

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Yeah. Do you use it to power other things too, is that what the quick connects for are?

 

[triptester]

Here is a self propelled with conveyor and log lift.

http://www.powersplit.com/single-vertical-splitter.html

 

[ponyexpress976]

Here is a self propelled with conveyor and log lift.

http://www.powersplit.com/single-vertical-splitter.html

That's the one I got the idea from.

 

[cantoo]

I put quick connects on most everything that way I always have a "portable" power source. One set is for the adjustable wedge and the other will power the future log lifter, the conveyor and a hydraulic deck table for the rounds. I'm going to put quick connect on the splitter vale yet too. Figured I might hook it up to my Speeco to speed things up when I want. I also have a 3 pth splitter so this will power it too. I have to put the detent on the valve yet. I have a 12 volt pump I might put on it yet too. More weight up front would help and free up those 3 rounds on the toolbox tray. The toolbox goes there but I have to rework the exhaust yet. Work in progress for sure.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

You able to find those fittings cheap? Around here they are about $125 a pair for the couplers.

 

[cantoo]

1/2" Pioneer sets were on sale at Princess Auto for $18.99 last week. I got a few. I also buy lots of stuff at auction. I buy broken equipment for scrap price that has lots of hoses and fittings on them worth $100's. Hydraulic motors etc on broken municipal equipment. I strip the parts off I need and scrap the rest. I'm a hoarder. I use Pioneer for everything, flatface are too expensive.
Big online sale this week but nothing I really need.
http://www.bryansfarm.com/

 

[Mives4510]

I have been building a log splitter for about a year now. Unlike all you professional fellas mine is not very pretty. I built it from the ground up with torches, a cheap welder, and lots of junk steel ( including cutting down my basketball hoop for the 4x4 tubing). My idea the whole time was to base it off that green one above, 4 way wedge, log lift ect.... Once I got it to split wood I stopped building for the year and focused on splitting. I recently got a few loads of huge maple rounds, so that got me back on the log lift kick the past few days. I made many mistakes but the few concerning the 4 way where.... When it's just a 2 way wedge it doesn't sir high enough. It's an 18 inch blade and I welded the 4 way part of it at 9 inches. So when I'm splitting big rounds it doesn't cut all the way through. Also I got a bargain beam that wasn't long enough so as you can see in the picture the blade is at the end of the beam. This lead to the first time I used the 4 way wedge it pushed the blade off the beam and bent everything... So I added more different size bean to the end and have not had a problem since.here you can kind of see the beam I added after the blade. Also a long low hitch so I can tow it around with my 4 wheeler.
I'm using a 8.5 hp Briggs I think, off of a yard bug. 16 gpm pump with super custom pump to motor mount.... That has worked flawlessly this far I have a 4x24 cylinder because that was all I could afford. I got that cylinder, a 2x6 for the wedge, and a 2x10 for the log lift from international hydraulics. I got the dual valve, axle stubs, bearings, Hubs, and all tank hardware from splitez. I also called the owner of splitez and asked him some hydraulic questions and he was very helpful and very nice.

 

[Mives4510]

Here is the log lift I have been working on the past few days I'm on my way out rite now to get the hoses and see if she works. Also hoping to get a log table on today .
Something o haven't noticed on any splitters is lights. I bought a 14 inch led bar for an atv off amazon I plan on installing today also. I'm tired of running my truck just for lights. If I got my buddy's over splitting wood and it starts getting dark I don't want to stop.

 

[cantoo]

Mives4510, I have 2 pieces of 1" tubing 4' long on my splitter. I mount magnetic lights on the top and power off my battery. Haven't run it at night but I could if I wanted to.

 

[olympyk_999]

kevin's got a light pole on his... I'm planning some lights for mine if I ever get to it...

 

[cantoo]

Found a pic of one of the lights. I have one for each end. Figured I would use them when towing at night on the highway if needed.

 

[Mives4510]

Got the light on

 

[EXCALIBER]

Here is a thought I had, why is the log lift always the opposite side of the splitter? Then you have to walk around the splitter to roll another round on the lift then walk back to the other side to operate the levers? That's too much walking for me. I have been toying with the idea of putting some sort of hydraulic powered horizontal treadmill on the side of the splitter. That way you could load up 10-12 pieces at a time and when you drop your log lift the treadmill will push the next piece right onto the lift. Less time wasted what do you guys think?

 

[CUCV]

I've been messing around with flywheel splitters for year but have had some interest in trying to build a hydraulic splitter that will give my flywheel splitters a run for their money.

I currently own a TW5 but feel it lacks in many areas. The wedge design sucks! Due to the wedge design I feel it need a cylinder larger than the 5" cylinder. The production table is only good to feed into a conveyor and is not the best to resplit wood. The cycle time is to slow due mostly to the rod diameter of the cylinder.

I'd like to build a splitter with a disappearing 4 way wedge.
I'd plan to use a 5" bore, 3.5-4" rod and 32-36" stroke cylinder. I sell 16" wood but use longer wood in my OWB. I'd like to try running back to back 16" logs thru the splitter at once.
I would set it up with a moveable return stop so if I'm running 16" wood it would not return the full stroke.
The top of the beam would sit the same height as my SS.
I'd like to have log lifts on both sides but would like the logs lifts to allow me to stand tight up to the beam when they are down.
The log lifts would integrate into a large production table, large enough that the two halves of a 500lb log would not fall off.
I like the idea of a moving production table but haven't yet figured out how to integrate that with the log lift.
I really like the autocycle valve on the TW5 but they are limited on GPM, I hope the large cylinder rod and return stop will keep me happy with the GPM limitation of the autocyle valve.
I haven't figured out what pump/pumps I would like to run. I may just start up with a standard multi stage pump that max's out the autocycle valve and go from there.

Muddstopper, what can you tell me about your disappearing wedge design? What width is it? How tall is it retracted? How tall is it extended? How far does it extend below your beam when retracted?