Log Splitter (Home Made)

[GuglioLS]

Here's a home made log splitter I put together with scrap metal.
I burn wood to heat my 3000 sq ft home, doing this saves quite a bit in fuel costs. It also helps to thin out our overgrown forest in the back. There is enough dead down wood up there to last a lifetime.

A while back I did some tractor work for a friend (blade leveling) in trade for his mobile home tongue. It was two 10 foot I beams 3" wide x 12" tall x 3/16" thick. It sat around in my "inventory" pile until I figured out what I wanted to do with it. It came to me one day while I was TRYING to split some big ass logs with my Axe, then maul, then wedge with sledge hammer. No luck. SO I decided enough is enough, I need a log splitter.

I took those I beams apart as they were welded together to make the V for the tongue.

Because the I beams were so narrow (3") I welded them together side by side to make a 6" x 12" super I beam.

The 6" width was perfect as I had a bunch of 1" x 6" flat cold rolled steel to make the ram push plate.

I purchased a 4-1/2" x 30" stroke hydraulic cylinder on e-bay. It has a 1-1/2" push rod and ~ 25 tons of force. I then got a prince log splitter auto return detent valve from Northern Tool along with all the hoses & fittings.

Here is the result:



I put the whole thing on wheels and tow it around with either my ATV or the tractor. I use the tractor hydraulics to power it from either my Jinma or my 1953 Ford, depending on which tractor needs the workout.



Larry

[GuglioLS]

All the push ram parts are 1" thick x 6" wide steel - my bandsaw and drill press got a workout.



I mounted the valve "directly" to the cylinder with a fabricated piece of angle iron this located the valve in a very handy spot.

Larry

[GuglioLS]

Here is a close up of the detail on how the push ram is constructed so that it follows the I beam without binding and pushes the log into the wedge located at the other end.



Here is the wedge that was fabricated out of 1"x6" cold rolled.
The two 45* wedge angels were cut on the bandsaw. I took my time setting up the saw & work piece to get a good straight cut. (Really I was just lucky)




Larry

[GuglioLS]

Here is a video of it in action:

Notice at the end of the split the valve "detents" in the return position. Then, when the cylinder reaches the end of it's travel the build-up of pressure causes the valve to automatically return to the neutral or off center position. The convenience of that feature is so that you can go get ready for the next log while the ram is retracting "all by itself"



Larry

[GuglioLS]

Here is a REAL good example of how not to split a log




I had a log that was not cut "square" on the ends and I just carelessly place it in there. I have since learned my lesson and when I have logs that are not "true" I load them so this "never happens"

Larry

[ezgile]

weld knobs on the ram side where the log rests so it wont push out so easily

[GuglioLS]

ezgile said:

weld knobs on the ram side where the log rests so it wont push out so easily

Thanks ezgile, thats a great idea, How about a chunk of heavy duty expanded metal? I got some of that I could weld on there. Do you think that would work? maybe even better?

Larry

[psj12]

I am thinking about making one but I think I will opt for a TPH mount that will allow me to set the beam on the ground and not have to lift the logs so high.

[GuglioLS]

Parry,

Check out Matthew's TPH log splitter, his is really cool too. Maybe a blend between his design and the one I slapped together to create a hybrid horizontal / vertical TPH log splitter.

Click Here for Matthews Log Splitter

Larry