# Scratch build log splitter, beginnings and suggestions!



## WeldrDave (Aug 19, 2013)

Hi all, 

I started this project this past weekend,  as some of you know I'm an engineer and a welder by trade, but I "ALWAYS" can learn from all of you.   Here's what I got;  so far 1 honda power washer motor, $75 on craigslist, bought the beam from local steel supply $50,  found the tires in the local dump/recycle center "free", had all the other steel laying around and started welding.   

So far things worked out well with placement, exhaust from motor goes back, gas and pull start easy access, pump will be protected under beam, now to build up the ram assembly. 
Whattya all think?


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## bogydave (Aug 19, 2013)

Good scrounging.
Looks good to me & the cost is really good 

Got the ram already & what size pump ?


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## hobbyheater (Aug 19, 2013)

Looks really good !


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## Auzzie Gumtree (Aug 19, 2013)

sweet


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## WeldrDave (Aug 19, 2013)

bogydave said:


> Looks good to me & the cost is really good


Not yet Dave, got a good idea what I'm gonna buy but I'm always up for suggestions.  I've been hittin the web places pretty hard and getting prices together, I'm guessing I can build it for about $600 said and done.  I also just enjoy the challange


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## WellSeasoned (Aug 19, 2013)

Nice work so far. Can't wait till the finished product is here. Custom paint, custom letters, the sky is the limit


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## f3cbboy (Aug 19, 2013)

looks real good..comin out great!


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## WeldrDave (Aug 19, 2013)

WellSeasoned said:


> Nice work so far. Can't wait till the finished product is here. Custom paint, custom letters, the sky is the limit


My painting, flat out S#CKS... but I'll do the best I can! I think I can get it to look as good as the commercial brands.... Ha! I'll post it.


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## ScotO (Aug 19, 2013)

Looking good, brother!  I love a good project!  Maybe look around some local equipment scrapyards and possibly ask some local excavators if they have any old rams and/or pumps laying around.

I'd stick with a 3-4" ram, and a 22gpm or smaller pump so your engine can keep up.....

Speaking of projects, we dug out my 1860-1880 era Farriers forge this evening, put it all back together (I tore it apart 8 years ago and it has sat since), repacked new fire clay in the pan and rebuilt the ratchet pump.......gonna start tinkering without iron again.....

Have to get the Amish tack shop to make me a new leather drive belt for it and she'll be ready to fire!!


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## WeldrDave (Aug 19, 2013)

Scotty Overkill said:


> I'd stick with a 3-4" ram,


There's a place on the web that had a 2" x 24" for $159.  Do you think I need to go bigger Scotty, This is my first time at this rodeo!  The "biggest" I think I'll ever split is maybe 24" round.  That's why I ask......


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## BobUrban (Aug 19, 2013)

Nice looking welds - this will be fun to watch.  I have access to all the parts to make one but have not been ready to pull the trigger with having a TSC model available any time I need. 

Scotty - you know I love the forge!!  Heat it and beat it - working steel is a bit of an obsession of mine!!


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## WeldrDave (Aug 19, 2013)

Scotty Overkill said:


> I'd stick with a 3-4" ram, and a 22gpm or smaller pump so your engine can keep up.....


Whats funny is,  I can do the math and figure it out, It's just a pain in the A$$..... I have more fun here anyway asking and getting suggestions.  It's nice to here what works and what don't  you can scribble on paper all day but it's not as good sometimes as hearing it from all the folks


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## WeldrDave (Aug 19, 2013)

BobUrban said:


> Nice looking welds - this will be fun to watch.


Thank you Bob,  I'll keep everyone posted.  That was my problem, I just had to pull my head out of my A$$ and start it!   But no turning back now, besides, at 50+ years old, splittin isn't as much fun as it used to be


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## ScotO (Aug 19, 2013)

Dave USCG said:


> There's a place on the web that had a 2" x 24" for $159. Do you think I need to go bigger Scotty, This is my first time at this rodeo! The "biggest" I think I'll ever split is maybe 24" round. That's why I ask......


I'd definitely not use a ram smaller than 3".....I'd be looking more at a 4" ram.

PM Jags.....he's built several splitters and he's a wealth of info on them...


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## WeldrDave (Aug 19, 2013)

Scotty Overkill said:


> PM Jags.....he's built several splitters and he's a wealth of info on them


Thanks, will do....


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## ScotO (Aug 19, 2013)

BobUrban said:


> Scotty - you know I love the forge!! Heat it and beat it - working steel is a bit of an obsession of mine!!


Yes I do, Bob....was wondering what you've been up to as we were putting the clay in this ol' girl this evening....


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## NortheastAl (Aug 20, 2013)

That splitter is coming together really well. Nice welding job. You'll have a killer splitter for half the price of a new factory job.


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## NortheastAl (Aug 20, 2013)

Scott, that is one kick azz forge! Can't wait to see what you turn out with it.


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## WeldrDave (Aug 20, 2013)

Scotty Overkill said:


> we dug out my 1860-1880 era Farriers forge this evening,


I meant to ask ya, That is SWEET!, where didi you find that old girl?


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## ScotO (Aug 20, 2013)

Dave USCG said:


> I meant to ask ya, That is SWEET!, where didi you find that old girl?


Up in the Catskills in NY.  Found it on the internet, guy I bought it off of found it in an old barn where it sat for decades, it was pretty much a big clump of rust when I bought it.  A few hours of sandblasting (mainly the blower fan/tuyere), some new bolts and she's almost ready to rock.  Plan on making some hooks and hangers to use on my big mantle for the stone fireplace first, then tinker around with some other smalls for an upcoming fall festival....


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## swagler85 (Aug 20, 2013)

Nice splitter! You going to add a tray to the sides or maybe one side? That's a nice feature for splitting on a horizontal splitter. That way you don't have to keep lifting those pieces bake up to the beam after you split in half.


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## Jags (Aug 20, 2013)

Slid this over to the gear forum.

Now - about that cylinder... Don't go less than a 3.5" cylinder. Trust me on this. The little splitter I built (the link is in my signature) is using a 3.5" and I simply would not go any less or your frustration level will increase accordingly. A 3.5 and a 16 gpm pump makes for one dandy of a fast cycle time. To be honest, if this was my "only" splitter, I would work with a 4" cylinder. A 16 gpm pump will still yield a nice cycle time on 4". Any idea what HP that washer motor is? Also - have you taken a good look at the shaft on that motor - many were tapered for that specific application.

Ask away - I have a few splitter builds under my belt.


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## basod (Aug 20, 2013)

Jags looks like a 5.0 Honda OHV, nearly identical to the engine on my Cub tiller.

Curious what the plans are for a hydraulic tank?
You might want to beef up the wheel brackets, when you start dropping logs on that thing they'll start bending.
That is an ingenious tongue support though


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## Jags (Aug 20, 2013)

basod said:


> Jags looks like a 5.0 Honda OHV, nearly identical to the engine on my Cub tiller.


 
I see that from the pics now. 
A 5HP engine will max out at 11 GPM (2 stage). And that is even pushing it a bit.  No way will it pull a 16 gpm.

As far as build goes - I also see one other area of concern. The wings on the wedge. Fill the void with something (I used rods of various sizes pounded in place). You will be amazed at how fast you can squish that angle iron.


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## WeldrDave (Aug 20, 2013)

basod said:


> You might want to beef up the wheel brackets, when you start dropping logs on that thing they'll start bending. That is an ingenious tongue support though​


 Glad you like the tongue support, although I may change that to something more stylish... As far as the wheel brackets, that is 4"x 4" square 1/4" wall.  the material came from an old 3 ton gantry, If I bend that It will take a backhoe to get the log up on the splitter.
I usually don't do anything more than 20" round.


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## WeldrDave (Aug 20, 2013)

Jags said:


> Ask away - I have a few splitter builds under my belt.​


 Thanks Jags, Yes it's a 5hp, 3/4 straight shaft.  I looked at the husky at TSC, they had the exact motor on the 22 and the 27 ton spillters.  I initially looked at an older 7hp honda, it ran,looked pretty rough, and the guy wanted $150 so I passed.  With what I have, what would be your suggestions please  Thanks!


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## Jags (Aug 20, 2013)

Dave USCG said:


> With what I have, what would be your suggestions please Thanks!


 
You are limited to a 11gpm pump with that engine.  11 gmp on a 3.5" cylinder will be okay.  On a 4" it will be slow (probably around 18 sec cycle time).


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## WeldrDave (Aug 20, 2013)

swagler85 said:


> You going to add a tray to the sides or maybe one side?​


 I'm kicking that around swagler I've had three back ops in the past and thats why I'm doing this project, I can't take the hand splitting much more, although I enjoy the exercise it gives me.


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## WeldrDave (Aug 20, 2013)

Jags said:


> You are limited to a 11gpm pump with that engine. 11 gmp on a 3.5" cylinder will be okay. On a 4" it will be slow (probably around 18 sec cycle time).​


 Thanks! I'll start doing the search on parts!, Thanks also for the heads up on the wedge wings, I did think of that, they are only 3/16", If I crush them I'm just gonna burn them off.... I thought it may have been a good idea, but after I welded them on, I thought it was "really" not needed.


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## WeldrDave (Aug 20, 2013)

basod said:


> Curious what the plans are for a hydraulic tank?​


 Oh, If I can find one, I may do a stainless Beer keg


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## Jags (Aug 20, 2013)

Dave USCG said:


> I did think of that, they are only 3/16"


 
I saw that, hence the suggestion.  Even a hunk of bar stock welded in the middle of the spread would help a whole bunch.  I like my wedge - it is very efficient at splitting open the tough ones.


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## BobUrban (Aug 20, 2013)

If you have any more of that plate you made your wedge from you could cut it on a bias and build your wedge wings from that.  They would lay up nice and allow for a 100% pass on the back side and bottom.  Could also add some support up top to finish??  Just an idea.  I really like the way they help with tough splits and also pop the easy ones quicker so you do not need to go full stroke. 

Scotty - I have not been forging much this summer.  Busy with my day job and building a dual axle trailer for wood and ORV hauling.  All the steel work is done but it needs sand blast, paint and deck before I take pics.


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## WeldrDave (Aug 20, 2013)

Jags said:


> Even a hunk of bar stock welded in the middle of the spread​


Good point, I'll see what I have laying around..... I could fill it with lead, also sweet splitter Jags!!


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## Jags (Aug 20, 2013)

Dave USCG said:


> also sweet splitter Jags!!


 
Thanks.  It was designed for dealing with the big stuff.  All but unstoppable and I don't have to worry how I put the log in or read the grain.  Set it on the beam and pull the handle.


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## WeldrDave (Aug 20, 2013)

Jags, I found a few places on the web dealing with splitter parts and pumps, etc..... do you have a preferance or favorite to deal with?


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## Jags (Aug 20, 2013)

Northern tool is a good one stop shop.  There are also several hydraulic warehouse type places.  Shop around but at the end of the day Northern will probably be within a couple of bean pods of the rest.


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## WeldrDave (Aug 20, 2013)

Jags said:


> Northern tool is a good one stop shop.​


 Yea, I figured as much, I didn't know if there was a super secret place only loggers and arborists go!
I'm just a home owner, I was cringing at the thought of spending $1500 + for a splitter. But then I thought of the month's I layed in pain with my back "SCREWED" up, hence this project


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## Jags (Aug 20, 2013)

Fleebay is also a good spot to look for pumps and valves.  Good prices, just watch shipping.


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## WeldrDave (Aug 20, 2013)

swagler85 said:


> Nice splitter! You going to add a tray to the sides or maybe one side? That's a nice feature for splitting on a horizontal splitter.


Swagler, I was scrounging around today at work, got thinking of bending over 1000 times in a hour or two, so I think were gonna see a catch tray, and possibly Jags style lift mechanisum It'll look like something from a transformer movie


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