Flowtron Screw driven electric wood splitter. Anybody used one ?

[digitish]

i know i am very late on this thread, but i have what appears to be the same splitter but Craftsman branded. If anyone has a manual i would love to see it. My problem is that the ram is only moving in one direction & will not go back the other way. its so back that it bent through some of the metal guides welded to the beam. I think its the switch, but trying to find the right replacement...i am hoping the manual will have the specs for the switch.

thanks!

 

[CountryBoy19]

Give the guy a break, he has a point.

Hydraulics are extremely, terribly inefficient. You're not getting even remotely close to your engines power rating at the ram on a hydraulic splitter. Without doing any calculations or anything I would take a guess that you're getting less than half the power. Also, with gas engines, you don't get a whole lot of torque rise as it "bogs down", and at a certain point, the torque begins dropping again and the engine dies.

With an electric motor, the torque continuously rises until the motor stalls completely. Torque is what it really doing the work (HP is just a combination of torque and rpms), so with the torque-rise of an electric motor, combine with a gear & screw mechanism (much more efficient than hydraulics) you're getting a lot more of your power at the ram.

Would this splitter compare to a 35 ton hydraulic? Probably not, but I'll bet it could do a pretty good job of keeping pace with a 15 or 20 ton, especially since it splits both ways. Just gotta get somebody that knows what they're doing running a two-way splitter (unlike the person in the video above).

 

[nomak]

only way youre gonna get a good electric splitter with some kind of speed and torque behind it as well is to have one of those 480 volt motors that are as big around as a tire and 2 or 3 feet in length attached to it somehow then you might have a good electric splitter with all your gear reductions and screws thread tinsle strength and what not..but its not gonna be something for the back yard firewood splitter..lol.. I say send in a request to mythbusters to make a electric splitter that can work as well or out perform a 30 ton hydraulic splitter..see what they can come up with...

 

[leecopland]

I just bought a used Flowtron electric wood splitter. The ram is driven back on forth on a threaded screw. The screw is driven by a small electric gear-motor. It is rated at 10 ton, I think, but it seems to lack power and it often kicks out the built in breaker. Any body used one of these before ? Is the lack of power to be expected ?

Thanks for any help,

Brian

I've had an 8 ton flotron for a few years and it served me very well. It splits in both directions which saves time. Sadly mine died last year. They have been out of production for 25 years. It is at the cottage which is water access only so a pain in the asp to bring out. Even then I'm not sure anyone would want to work on it or wether parts would be available.

I just bought a 5 ton electric one based on my experience of the the older one but not had a chance to try it yet.

Regards

Lee

 

[scott17818]

I just brought mine out. My parents had it since new. My grandfather had it & fixed the switch on it. However after using it for 2 hours. Splitting some 12"+ log sections the screw end of the motor side. The lockout nut keeps backing out. Going to try and put a few spot welds or braze it with brass rod.

 

[leecopland]

I've had an 8 ton flotron for a few years and it served me very well. It splits in both directions which saves time. Sadly mine died last year. They have been out of production for 25 years. It is at the cottage which is water access only so a pain in the asp to bring out. Even then I'm not sure anyone would want to work on it or wether parts would be available.

I just bought a 5 ton electric one based on my experience of the the older one but not had a chance to try it yet.

Regards

Lee

This is really an edit or update.

So the new electric splitter works better than I thought would for a 5ton unit. My old Flotron was/is 8 ton. Having a little time one day I decided to dig into the Flotron before I totally gave up on it as it had just quit right in the middle of a run. So taking the casing off I noticed a loose wire and you guessed it, reconnected and away she went. So I have two working log splitters now. Happy after all.

 

[CRThomas]

Thanks for the input. You must understand how gear-motors work. there is about 100:1 reduction ratio. That results in a signifacant torque increase. Also the motor is not being used to drive a hydrualic pump. You really can't accuratlly compare this type of splitter with hydrualic piston type splitters. Think of an old south-bend lathe and how the carriage feeds back and fourth on the lead screw. Anyways I geuss this must be a rare type of splitter nobody seems to know much about them.

The screw type splitter do not need much hp. Otis a different approach to splitting wood my normal electric splitter is a 5 hp 220 electric motor with a three stage pump and it will split right with my 30 hp tractor running a 26 gpm prices pump power take off. Electric hp is classed different than gas hp ASIs diesel.

 

[CRThomas]

Menards has 5 hp electric splitters on sale for $199.00 I bought three. Put them away I am going to try some thing new turn oneupside down and try to do some splitting with if it don't work I got a good deal they were at one time $445.00. Later

 

[beaner]

Flowrtron Electric log slitter

I know I'm a year late for replying, but I just got mine back from a friend who's been using it for the past few years...we both love it, I'm guessing that the motor needed brishes. I have a copy of the manual,if you need it, perhaps I can send one to you.

Squire104

Do you still have a manual? I am looking for brushes as mine burned up and am not having any luck. Any chance you know what size the brushes are or still have the manual?

 

[leecopland]

I just bought a used Flowtron electric wood splitter. The ram is driven back on forth on a threaded screw. The screw is driven by a small electric gear-motor. It is rated at 10 ton, I think, but it seems to lack power and it often kicks out the built in breaker. Any body used one of these before ? Is the lack of power to be expected ?

Thanks for any help,

Brian

I have an 8 ton Flowtron and am very happy with it. It splits both way so cuts the cycle time down considerably. No parts available as they stopped production 20 years ago
Perhaps yours needs some lube on the screw or gearbox.
PS I do have a manual with ipl.

 

[beaner]

I have an 8 ton Flowtron and am very happy with it. It splits both way so cuts the cycle time down considerably. No parts available as they stopped production 20 years ago
Perhaps yours needs some lube on the screw or gearbox.
PS I do have a manual with ipl.

Do you know the brush size?

 

[svk]

Do you know the brush size?

If you are unsuccessful on the internet try a local electric motor repair store. They were able to help me when internet searches failed to produce results for the motor I was rebuilding.