Making a log splitter - how many amps do I need?

[njc110381]

Hey guys. I've just got hold of a ten ton ram and some heavy box section to build a log splitter. I'm running .8mm wire through my mig and I've got 250 amps if I crank it right up. The box is 6mm wall, so going by a vague tutorial that I found on Youtube - an amp per thou and 2 inch/minute on the wire I'm going to need roughly 230 amps? Does that sound about right?

I also have the option of stick welding with my unit, again up to 250 amps. Would that be a better way to do it?

Sorry about the obvious questions. I'm a bit new to this and still learning, and I don't want to bodge it!

 

[windingroads]

Hi, either will be fine, as long as you can weld, 500 amps could still let you down
if the welds themselves are not done right.

I used to make these log splitters, upright versions, with a table about 3 foot wide
and 2 foot deep chequer plate, the reason for the wide table was to stack logs on, you would then
split that stack and put another pile on the table.

It is better to use a short thick ram with a good bit of volume, that way the pressure builds up nicely.
I put the three point linkage on the back side of them so they could work on the tractor, I welded a ball
hitch on the working side about 13 / 14 inches from the bottom so you could take a small trailer with you
split in the field and bring all home.

Keep the lever out of reach so no small people grab it and cut something off, some people use
foot lever, I would never do this even though I was asked to.

Regards, john

 

[Sarto]

To @windingroads (and any good willing inhabitant of the forum) :

What are the negative points about the foot lever operated splitters? Safety maybe?
Did you use "all manual" valves, or did you put in some automatism? Especially on the return stroke.

In your opinion, what are the advantages of the vertical splitters versus the horizontal ones?
What are the easiest to make, and use?

On the horizontal version, is it better to fix the blade on the ram, or on the frame?

Sorry for the tons of question, but I'm interested in a log splitter too.

Thanks, SARTo

 

[njc110381]

Cheers John. The hitch idea is a good one if using a little tractor. Mine's going on my Unimog, so I have a tipper bed on the back that I can lob the logs in and side tip to save taking the splitter on and off all the time.

I have three lengths of RSJ to weld together to make the base, which should give me about 18"x24". Maybe I'll add a plate base on top of that to make it a little bigger if it needs to be? I've got plenty here. The ram should I think build enough pressure for what I need. I don't do much in the way of big logs, it's just for personal use and to save swinging the axe all the time. It also gives me an excuse to run the mog for something other than a hobby!

I'd say the safety aspect of a foot pedal would be the most offputting thing. You don't want anything that can be touched accidentally whilst putting a log on the table. I think UK health and safety at work requires the lever to need both hands on it to move the ram now, so you can't hold the log and split it. I won't be doing that. Common sense should cover me in that respect!

As for auto return etc, that would also interest me. I'm stuck between auto return which takes the ram right back up to the top of the stroke or operator return so you only raise it enough to get another log in. Both have their advantages and disadvantages

 

[armalites]

It seems common to have the blade moving on a vertical one and fixed on horizontal. I made a vertical one for the tractor but I now mostly use strapped to an upright in the barn and run by a petrol powered hydraulic unit.

Mine was built using a Migatronic Rally Mig 160 so you shouldn't have any issues. I've never broken anything on mine.

There are rules and regs for commercially built ones, two handed operation so no holding the log with your hand and operating the lever.

I set mine up so that I have to push the lever to operate it as it's harder to do than pulling, also based on the theory if you stumble and pull the lever you won't be pulling on yourself, granted you could argue you fall into to it.

Make sure you put safety sheath on the high pressure lines especially as your body and face could be very near to them.

It's worth spending the extra on an auto knockout return assuming you don't have too much travel on the ram, if you do you will waste a lot of time get back to the start point.

Don't build so the blade almost touches the platform/end stop you need to allow an bit of space partly for safety.

When you have built it be very wary of lending it out, they can be very dangerous things in the wrong hands. Just like using an axe there is still a skill to using them, you still sometimes get a log that doesn't go first time, you move it slightly and then it split perfectly.

 

[outofthefire]

I've no idea how many amps my welder is set at ever, my home welder doesn't tell me and my welder at work only displays anything while i'm welding. Personally if I don't know the welder I turn it up hot and do some test runs, if it burns through I turn it down a bit until it doesn't, then I watch out to see if the welds undercutting the steel if it is I turn it down a bit more.

 

[armalites]

Even with auto knock out you can still stop it before it gets to the top

 

[Arclikeharrypotter]

I'd stick it personally. But that's just me!!

 

[njc110381]

Even with auto knock out you can still stop it before it gets to the top

How's that then? I did wonder, but I have no idea how it works!

 

[armalites]

The return has a detent so holds until the ram stops and causes the pressure to rise, once the pressure reaches a set point the detent will drop out. All you need to do is pull or push the lever to centre point to cancel. So you can set it to return, grab you next log then stop it before it goes full travel. This is obviously dependant on flow rate, if your flow rate it high then it may return really quickly but if does then it will be quick in the other direction as well so nothing to worry about.

 

[njc110381]

Ah right, thanks. So I could in theory make a little sleeve clamp to go on the ram guide that I could lock off at whatever height I want the ram to stop at? That sounds simple enough. Or just a series of pin holes would do, although that may weaken the structure too much? I'll try a clamp first.

I got all my materials from the scrap yard for £20, so it's not like I can't have more than one go at it. The only expensive bit was the ram.

 

[windingroads]

Cheers John. The hitch idea is a good one if using a little tractor. Mine's going on my Unimog, so I have a tipper bed on the back that I can lob the logs in and side tip to save taking the splitter on and off all the time.

I have three lengths of RSJ to weld together to make the base, which should give me about 18"x24". Maybe I'll add a plate base on top of that to make it a little bigger if it needs to be? I've got plenty here. The ram should I think build enough pressure for what I need. I don't do much in the way of big logs, it's just for personal use and to save swinging the axe all the time. It also gives me an excuse to run the mog for something other than a hobby!

I'd say the safety aspect of a foot pedal would be the most offputting thing. You don't want anything that can be touched accidentally whilst putting a log on the table. I think UK health and safety at work requires the lever to need both hands on it to move the ram now, so you can't hold the log and split it. I won't be doing that. Common sense should cover me in that respect!

As for auto return etc, that would also interest me. I'm stuck between auto return which takes the ram right back up to the top of the stroke or operator return so you only raise it enough to get another log in. Both have their advantages and disadvantages

The lever should be one that requires both hands on to work, that way you won't be catching one hand while using the other to
cut it off.
I avoid foot levers because of the safety aspects, especially on farms as there are children around.
Automation of the lever in the upward direction can be done, just use a piece of pivoting steel that will latch onto the
lever when up push it in the upward position, there then needs to be an arm with either a slope or a cam to push
this latch to one side so the lever is released at the correct height, use threaded bolts or bar so you
can adjust for proper fitting and wear.
As regards having a solid plate base, its better not to, as finding a level spot to rest it on in a field or forest may not be easy.
As the base is only about 2 foot by 2 foot six I just used four inch channel to form a rectangle, you can see the ground
underneath this and split a piece of wood or add a stone to keep it level, though most people have them tractor mounted anyway.
I just prefer upright as they store easier, up against a wall with a bit of chain to ensure it is safe.
I also like the working height, and you can hinge a plate on both side if need be to give you more table top storage so you can load
up, split, and repeat,
It is also more feasible to add an eye for towing a small well balanced trailer to an upright splitter as it will be mounted closer to the
vehicle / tractor, thus the trailer won't tip the whole thing up in the front.
As regards mounting the ram, I used to put the ram vertical, weld two eyes at the tip top of the splitter allowing the ram to push
vertically down on top of the wedge that does the splitting.
I used 7 8 or 9 inch x 3 inch x 8 mm box section for the upright pillar, I then formed a box from 1/2 or 5/8 inch plate that slid down
the pillar and sat on the table top, when I say a box I mean, if I used 8 inch x 3 inch channel, I would cut two plates 13 1/2 inches long, then
add one of the three inch plates to close the back, and put the other in the gap in a position to enclose the 8 inch x 3 inch box.
Of course you leave it loose fitting so as it will slide up and down, using box for the pillar allows you to weld the inside of the box you just made
as the corners are round thus leaving room for the weld, you can add what ever you like to the front of the sliding box to form you cutter / splitter, I made my
sliding boxes at least 8 inches high so they would not wobble or wear.
I used cutting edges for digger buckets, as they come with an angle on one edge, which you can then cut an angle in the opposite direction to form an edge that is near or in the middle of the cutting edge, you only need six or seven inches of the stuff and weld it onto the front of the
box you made that slides up and down, 6 or 7 inches deep will ensure enough weld and grip on the box to enable you to split a fair lump of wood, you can also strengthen this cutting piece by adding a plate at an acute angle to each side of the cutter, you will have to angle the cuts so they form a wedge like a triangle shaped cutter when you weld them to the cutting edge and the box.
All this takes very little time as I had the plates cut before leaving the metal suppliers, you can then clamp them around your pillar with a spacer between the pillar and the plate to leave room for it to slide, I cut the bottom of a biscuit tin for my spacer, one on the long and short side of the box so it will move freely when the spacers are taken out.

There is no end to what material and approaches you can use, just use the pieces you have and buy the bits you need to tie it all up.

Regards, john

 

[njc110381]

Sounds like I may need some bigger box section! I got 100x100x6mm for the pillar...

I need to sit and read through your post a couple more times to clarify a couple of parts, but all that info is fantastic. Thanks!

 

[windingroads]

People use all sorts of different size material, I made them for sale so they had to be dependable.
Iv'e seen home made ones made from 10 inch channel, but they sprung a bit every time
the pressure was put on them, I would always advise not splitting the ones that have lots of knots
in them, they could do damage to a smaller splitter, just cut them with a chainsaw.
I forget now but I think I used 7 foot pillar, the rest can be made of your 4 inch box because you can
brace it from the bottom of the frame that sits on or near the ground, put a piece of steel in the centre
directly where the hatchet comes down to take the pressure and brace it to the bottom of the pillar.
Only the section that the log sits on needs to take the pressure, the rest is basically a table to stack logs
for splitting and can be lighter.