Hint for you HOMEMADE woodsplitter builders

[cuttinscott]

Heres a hint from someone that has seen my share of splitters. I see alot of post of late showing your homemade creations some good some ok..... The thing you need to realize is HEAT is the biggest killer of hydraulics!! I see alot of small lines from pumps 1/2" instead of 3/4" and I see alot of pressure gauges at the valve inlet????? if you want to use a gauge make it just when you test it, when you leave it on it WILL get a block of wood hitting it and break and than hot fluid spraying the operator. Also I see alot of 90* fittings on the hi pressure sides every 90* fitting makes HEAT try to use straight fittings when possible.


Just my .02 hope it helps


Scott

 

[mga]

Heres a hint from someone that has seen my share of splitters. I see alot of post of late showing your homemade creations some good some ok..... The thing you need to realize is HEAT is the biggest killer of hydraulics!! I see alot of small lines from pumps 1/2" instead of 3/4" and I see alot of pressure gauges at the valve inlet????? if you want to use a gauge make it just when you test it, when you leave it on it WILL get a block of wood hitting it and break and than hot fluid spraying the operator. Also I see alot of 90* fittings on the hi pressure sides every 90* fitting makes HEAT try to use straight fittings when possible.


Just my .02 hope it helps


Scott

good advice, scott, but it reads as if you're questioning the location of the pressure gauge(?)

 

[Zodiac45]

+1 Scott, That and try too be sure too build a big enough reservour for the fluid. This can offset and will help the heat issue quite a bit. 5 gal or more on a 4"cyl, 11gpm pump is great and will prob never overheat.

 

[Bowtie]

I do have some 90 degree fittings on my homemade splitter. The reason I did this was to save money. (I had the fittings) No argument about the heat issue, except that I split all my wood when its cold outside. My pump, reservoir, and lines never have gotten above warm to the touch, with a 13.6 gpm pump, 3/4 lines and a 5 gallon reservoir. In time I plan to update the fittings and maybe the pump. For now it just has to work the way it is. I would think straighter fittings would also help with fluid flow and cycle times?

 

[gink595]

How big should a resivior be with a 16GPM pump? I was wondering this a while ago and after looking at some of the store bought units mine would do?? I have a tank measuring 12"x12"x17" which makes 10.6 gal. I was planning on 3/4" from the pump to valve and 1/2" from valve to cylinder should I be using something different in that mix?

 

[mga]

How big should a resivior be with a 16GPM pump? I was wondering this a while ago and after looking at some of the store bought units mine would do?? I have a tank measuring 12"x12"x17" which makes 10.6 gal. I was planning on 3/4" from the pump to valve and 1/2" from valve to cylinder should I be using something different in that mix?

size your pipes/lines according to the pump ports and the valve ports.

the tank seems large enough for a splitter.

 

[husky455rancher]

gink i say keep goin the way your goin man. use a 55gallon drum on that baby. no you dont need that much but hell why not actually weld your own 55 gallon drum outta 1" plate steel :hmm3grin2orange: your splitter is unbreakable!

 

[Jkebxjunke]

why not add a oil cooler and fan ?? :hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[gink595]

gink i say keep goin the way your goin man. use a 55gallon drum on that baby. no you dont need that much but hell why not actually weld your own 55 gallon drum outta 1" plate steel :hmm3grin2orange: your splitter is unbreakable!

I'm out of 1" stuff man! it's either 3/4 or 5/8 or the 12" sq.tube x22" long (remeasured)1/2 thick, for the tank:hmm3grin2orange: Seriously, If I would have had to buy the mat'l at full price it would have been a lot lighter, but when your dumpster diving for .11 cents a #, and it was packed you grab what you can get that might work, unfortunately it's all structural metal so that means very little smaller stuff. But I'm okay with it, it should last and I do have a 1 ton to pull it with

 

[gink595]

why not add a oil cooler and fan ?? :hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange:

Don't temp me, I have one off a cement truck:biggrinbounce2:

 

[husky455rancher]

minbes a little baby i move it around by had most of the time. i can even fit it throigh my cellar door its real tight but it will fit.i left it outside time to time under the deck but i was nervous. so i narrowed it a bit oiver the winter to get it through the door.

 

[Jkebxjunke]

Don't temp me, I have one off a cement truck:biggrinbounce2:

shoot why not go for broke ... put a diesel engine on that puppy.....

 

[Wood Doctor]

Another Hint.

Here's another hint/tip. If you attach the wedge to the cylinder and weld a good sized stationary flat base plate (say 12" x 14"), you can then build it to swivel up and down and operate in either a vertical or horizontal position.

In the vertical position, you can more easily split up enormous logs (over 20" dia.) by yourself that you cannot lift to the horizontal beam. And, don't skimp on the thickness of that flat plate.

 

[blackdoggy]

If any one wants a serious push plate I have some 2 inch thick stock here for sale. I happened to have made my push plate 1.5 inches thick with a one inch thick twelve inch tall wedge on the other end of my splitting deck. I am going to have access soon to a entire scrap yard so needless to say there might be a massive splitter rolling out of the barn door soon that can lift 36 or 40 inch logs and bust them with out even spooling up the engine :biggrinbounce2:

 

[triptester]

When building a reservoir for the hydraulic fluid a tall and narrow tank when possible is best. Use thin metal for tank construction as it retains less heat then thicker metal and provides better cooling.