Vertical table splitter build

[firebrick43]

http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/splitter-build.209036/
heres a link to my splitter build, most of the pics are gone, but theres some still there near the bottom of the fist page ... no real good ones of the lift, I might take some new ones and throw em on here...
good point if you want it removable, as mine weighs about #300, but it goes almost verticle so its not a problem when towing...

Impressive. I thought I had a SS fetish. Did you weld the tanks? TIG? . Also the punched support for the fuel tank looks good. Typically seen only on aircraft and race cars. Where did you find the pump mount for your engine?? Doesn't appear to but does it have a clutch in there? Very well if not over kill, goes for the whole splitter. Like the lights as well. I am thinking of adding some so just maybe the citidiots won't hit me. (Been hit three times already on a tractor but that was in the county to the east of here).


See a little bit of the log lift pivot peaking out.

My idea for work flow is slightly different. Since the rounds will be vertical small bits will be on the table itself and the log lift would be set off to the side for such work(probably use the Fiskars however). So the lift would have 1 piece at a time but it maybe a 16" long by 40" white oak at maximum.

Well I just calculated the weight of above round and was quite shocked!!! 763 pounds!!! I am going to have to engineer the lift better and think about noodleing those large ones.

 

[Oliver1655]

I like to noodle any thing or 24" in half. Much easier to handle!

 

[nathon918]

Impressive. I thought I had a SS fetish. Did you weld the tanks? TIG? . Also the punched support for the fuel tank looks good. Typically seen only on aircraft and race cars. Where did you find the pump mount for your engine?? Doesn't appear to but does it have a clutch in there? Very well if not over kill, goes for the whole splitter. Like the lights as well. I am thinking of adding some so just maybe the citidiots won't hit me. (Been hit three times already on a tractor but that was in the county to the east of here).


See a little bit of the log lift pivot peaking out.

My idea for work flow is slightly different. Since the rounds will be vertical small bits will be on the table itself and the log lift would be set off to the side for such work(probably use the Fiskars however). So the lift would have 1 piece at a time but it maybe a 16" long by 40" white oak at maximum.

Well I just calculated the weight of above round and was quite shocked!!! 763 pounds!!! I am going to have to engineer the lift better and think about noodleing those large ones.

yup, i welded both tanks, the hydraulic tank is 30 gal. stainless, the gas tank is about 3 1/2 gallon aluminum, both tig welded.
gas tank/control panel support are actually fabricated stainless I beams, the webs were cut on a water jet, and i welded the flanges on, the hydraulic tank is supported by the same beams just cut shorter. they were left over from a job at my work...
pump mount i also made. that Wisconsin's output shaft is only about 1 1/2" long and no one makes a mount short enough to be able to mate the drive components, its a piece of 6" sch 40 pipe , i trued up each end on a lathe, pressed into a 3/4" flange on engine side, 1/2" on pump side, and welded, then theres a 1/4" plate the pump actually mounts to and that plate bolts to the 1/2" flange, i can "clock" my pump every 22.5 degrees which makes for easier suction hose routing. the whole mount is self centering, it centers it self on the engine using a counter bore on the mounting flange over the main bearing end plate, and basically the same on the pump side. total runout is .003 which makes for long coupling life.
also theres not a clutch in there, just a #50 chain coupling, im not a fan of "lovejoy" couplings, as the spider can dry/wear out, or fall apart, and doesnt allow for much misalignment.
a chain coupling allows for upto 2 degrees of misalignment and lasts ALOT longer with basically no maintenance...

heres a pic of the lift mount i found, this was before the cylinder mounts were made...

 

[firebrick43]

Here is some pics of the wedge



So I took a piece of the beam I had left and cut the top flange off with a torch. The cut off flange was cut into two pieces 11" long. The now T shaped piece was cut to 10" long an had a 11" upright. All pieces edges were ground clean and depending what edge beveled for welding. At the start a 1.5# of Hobart 418 (7018-1, this is NOT the cheaper Hobart 7018 rod sold at tsc, it's much nicer) was thrown in the oven at 400 degrees.

Two 11" pieces of 1/4"x 1" were welded to the side to space out the back edge of the wedge in the above pic

 

[firebrick43]

The uprights remaining flange was clamped to a 1 1/8 piece of steel to minimize distortion and the the side plates were tacked on then root passes of 6010 at 95 amps were made. In the above photo I had started to build up the wedge angle with the 7018 at 120 amp reverse polarity. 3 passes at this point. Welder is a miller syncrowave.

 

[firebrick43]

Here multiple stringer beads build up the bevel. Beads are alternated on each side to minimize distortion. Weldment was allowed to cool about half way thru.



Last two passes were a weave across the stringers. This will mostly be ground off.

 

[firebrick43]

Here is the wedge after some grinding. If you did your job welding and slag cleaning between passes one shouldn't find any inclusions.

 

[Rudolf73]

Looking good! opcorn:

 

[firebrick43]

Here I am welding the 7/8" x7/8 bolt plates to the main wedge. Cleaned a section of the main beam and put down .040" of shim stock top and sides of beam flange and clamped every thing together. Shim stock builds in my clearances. Filed beam flange for any burrs, dents and dings. Ground a heavy bevel on the edge of the main wedge assembly(3/4 of thickness). Welded groove up with 1/8 7018 at 120 amps, 2 passes.


Plated the table out a week ago but never took a pic. 1/4 plate beveled and burned in with a pass of 1/8 6010 and capped with 1/8 7014 are 150 amps ac

Did run 1 stringer on bottom side just on the inside edges for extra strength due to proximity of the ram. Probably didn't need it however as there was full penetration nearly around the whole perimeter.

 

[firebrick43]

Boy watching me work!



Start of the head to support the cylinder. 2 parts made in mirror image. 3/4" x 3" x 21" welded to 3/4" x 3/4" x21". The square 3/4" piece is placed a file widths down from the edge of the 3/4" x 3". Doesn't have to be per say but allows for a fillet weld which is stronger. It could be flush if you v both parts. Both parts aligned and clamped to the beam with a .040" shim in the center to bend the pieces to counteract the warping when welding. I allowed both parts to cool to the touch before unclamping to minimize warpage. Only very slight bend could be discerned.



As the parts cooled I started to take the bolts out of the wedge assembly. I realized that I goofed in thinking 1/2" thick threads in 1018 were ok. A higher grade of steel yes but the 1018 was to soft. The threads were deformed and some galled. The four corner bolts had 1" thick thread engagement. No worries. Broke out the trusty Milwaukee drill and chucked up a sharp 26/64" drill and drilled the center 12 holes. Put bolts in those with nuts on the bottom to retain alignment and then removed four corner bolts and drilled them out. Then I used a thin 3/32" rod to weld the inside corner bottom side of the slide and used a new grinding wheel to grind the corner square.

 

[firebrick43]

Notched the main beam with the torch and ground bevels in areas to be welded. Clamped up the rails and used a square then tacked up with some 6010. Welded with a pass of 6010 the a pass of 7018 in easy access able areas and 7014 on back side. There is a reason it's called idiot rod! I can weld with it nearly blind!


Sometimes I don't think. Should of tacked on the top plate before welding. Welds pulled the rails together. Had to use some large fine thread bolt to spread them back apart.

Welded the front plate to the rails. Wife said it was time to quit so that's it.

 

[Oliver1655]

Just for clarification of others, while it is great to have your children watch & learn, I am sure you are not welding when he is around.

 

[ttyR2]

Why not? As long as he wears appropriate safety gear.

 

[firebrick43]

Sorry, it probably did seem he was around during welding but he was not. I was not even aware of him until I saw the pic later. Wife took placed him there and took the pic, then to the garden to play in the dirt. I obviously didn't have my welding jacket, gloves or helmet.

Beware of pets to. Today some neighbor was was shooting and my mountain cur was scared (some hunting dog uh) and wouldn't leave my side. Had to lock her up so she wouldn't get her eyes burned. She is the best dog I have ever had otherwise.

She is 1/4 Berger fiest and 3/4 mountain view cur and has a nose like nothing else. She is a possum killing machine and great on the first squirrel but after the shot not so much. Her personality , demeanor and obedience makes up for her flaws.

 

[Oliver1655]

I agree if the child is of a level where they are responsible enough to keep the PPE in place as appropriate. His child was not & the parents are doing a great job.

Mean while back at the ranch, Keep the splitter build photos coming. Always enjoy watching creative juices in action.

 

[firebrick43]

4 gussets capped to stiffen the rails

 

[Sandhill Crane]

Can you go faster....? I can't wait to see this thing splitting!

 

[firebrick43]

Can you go faster....? I can't wait to see this thing splitting!

Sorry. I have a terminal condition that limits the speed of my projects sometimes. It's called life!

 

[bigbadbob]

Great thread
Have just about acquired all the parts for my own build.
Just need the small pieces of steel.

Keep up the great pics and work!!!
BBB

 

[firebrick43]

Chopped the beam this morning. Cut the flange off the piece I cut off and welded it to the top



57" tall now. With the cylinder in the up position it should be 78"~.