nparch726
ArboristSite Operative
I know, I know, I shoulda got a picture! But anyway this afternoon a friend and I stopped at a fella's house to BS for a while. Over a couple beers we got to discussing wood cutting and splitting, we all use OWB's so we all do our fair share of that.
Anyway, he's got this old LaFont log splitter, says the guy he got it from got it new around 1978. It's kinda a pale green color, and I think the tag said it was built in Prentice, WI. I've been throwing around ideas for building a new one for a while, and I got a few more ideas from this one. He didn't think the engine is original, but the one in it now is a 24 HP Onan. I looked all over the pump, it's a Borg Warner, but other than that I couldn't find much info on it. He said it's a single stage pump, but he doesn't know the GPM rating on it, but he say he's timed it several times and it cycles in 8 seconds. It has a 5" X 28" cylinder with a 3" rod, and a fixed 4-way wedge with an adjustable table on either side of the beam that doesn't interfere with the push block.
The hose routing on it had me a bit confused til he told me it cycles automatically. Basically, just hit the valve to start the cycle and when it gets to the end of the stroke a pressure relief kicks it back the other way and it stops when retracted. The guy I was there with says it'll work the snot out of you, he said last year they were splitting with 3 guys and couldn't get wood to it fast enough to keep up.
Anybody else seen one of these or know anything about Lafont splitters?
Anyway, he's got this old LaFont log splitter, says the guy he got it from got it new around 1978. It's kinda a pale green color, and I think the tag said it was built in Prentice, WI. I've been throwing around ideas for building a new one for a while, and I got a few more ideas from this one. He didn't think the engine is original, but the one in it now is a 24 HP Onan. I looked all over the pump, it's a Borg Warner, but other than that I couldn't find much info on it. He said it's a single stage pump, but he doesn't know the GPM rating on it, but he say he's timed it several times and it cycles in 8 seconds. It has a 5" X 28" cylinder with a 3" rod, and a fixed 4-way wedge with an adjustable table on either side of the beam that doesn't interfere with the push block.
The hose routing on it had me a bit confused til he told me it cycles automatically. Basically, just hit the valve to start the cycle and when it gets to the end of the stroke a pressure relief kicks it back the other way and it stops when retracted. The guy I was there with says it'll work the snot out of you, he said last year they were splitting with 3 guys and couldn't get wood to it fast enough to keep up.
Anybody else seen one of these or know anything about Lafont splitters?
