Help needed for dissertation!

[Tractor Dave]

Hi all,
I'm building a log splitter for my dissertation at uni, I have managed to get the hydraulics needed, but I am having trouble finding any cheap steel, has anyone got any suggestions (in the Newcastle-under-Lyme area)?
Any improvements on the design would be appreciated.
View attachment splitter.bmp

Cheers Dave.

 

[Debs.]

I`ve got a splitter project underway here; just 'eyeball engineering'

I like your design (especially the 3 point linkage mount) and would love to see your force-vector calculations and a larger view of the CAD drwgs. if possible; just so I can feel I`m on the right track.

I went down to a local-scrapyard (the general-metals type, not a car yard) and made a nuisance of myself; eventually they gave-in an cut me off an RSJ (4" x 6" x 7ft.) and a bit of assorted thick plate......sometimes begging pays off.

 

[Bigjoe]

Good action shot Debs! No sleeves on though , always good for a suntan.

Joe

 

[Luke]

Picture doesn't work, but A. D. Hall near Tunstall are a helpful family company who will deliver.

 

[Tractor Dave]

Thanks for the info luke, i'll go down and ask! I'll put some more cad drawings on tomorrow! I was quoted from parker steel: £320 for steel, £130 VAT and £550 for delivery which is way out of my price range!
Dave.

 

[Debs.]

Thanks for the info luke, i'll go down and ask! I'll put some more cad drawings on tomorrow! I was quoted from parker steel: £320 for steel, £130 VAT and £550 for delivery which is way out of my price range!
Dave.

Yikes!.....does it have to be new steel?

There are still scrapyard 'bargains' to be had......you also (perhaps) could introduce an economics and recycling aspect to your design/construction assignment.

 

[Tractor Dave]

I was always going to try to find all the metal as cheap ie from scrap anyway (even more reason to now!), but I needed to have some quotes for my report!
I'll be going round the local scrapyards tomorrow, hope theres some steel
Heres some more pics for you debs, i'm still working on the calcs, but i'm confident it'll stand anything i can throw at it!

 

[Paul.]

I was quoted from parker steel: £320 for steel, £130 VAT and £550 for delivery which is way out of my price range!
Dave.

There must be a mistake somewhere there Dave, £320 would buy you about 700kg of black steel even at diy rates, and 15% Vat on £320 would only be £48.00
Most firms charge for delivery about £25 or so, I wonder If you have read the quote correctly and are reading the Tonne rate for the steel.
If not go back to them and ask them to check it, Parkers are normally pretty competitive.

 

[ghound]

I had a vertical splitter but found them quite slow, fine for home use though. Have a look at this one i made.
What ever your calculations are for strength, from experience i would go 25% over if you want a durable machine.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71l9W_TBoVo

 

[Luke]

Yes Dave, your numbers aren't making much sense.

your drawings look like that's mostly one size of box, and a few bits of plate. A.D. Hall will happily sell you offcuts rather than whole sheets but still, the prices above seem way OTT. 40% VAT isn't right!!

What did you get a quote for?

 

[Tractor Dave]

Hi,
The quote is for all the steel: 100x100x6 length 3350 (box)
300x100x44.4(kg) length 700 (channel)
32 dia round bar, length 360
20 dia round bar, length 535
circular hollow section 42.4 x 4 length 200
Plate 1000x1000x10
Goods value £323.52, Pack and carrage £550, Total VAT 131.03, Total value £1004.55
I'm off round the local scrapyards to see what I can find, hopefully i'll find something!

 

[Luke]

Good lord!!!

That's taking the mickey. How far is it to deliver?

I see you've ordered cut lengths, so you're being charged huge cutting fees.

I wouldn't bother so much about finding a scrap yard, just a steel stock holder that charges decent prices. Have you rung A.D. Hall?

Just to give you an idea of the scale of pricing, off the top of my head;

160x80x5 x ~7m - £130 ex vat
70x70x5 x ~7m - £70 ex vat

Recently I've been quoted about 100-and-something quid for a 2000x1000 sheet of 10mm.

 

[astro_al]

Hi, there is something very wrong somewhere. I just put your order into Parkers website - without even logging in, so this is general public type rates. Ok, I haven't put in the channel, but everything else comes to 200 quid. And that is FULL LENGTHS - a lot more steel than in your order, plus 2 sq metres of plate.

See pic.

Add vat to that, and they usually charge about 15 to 20 quid for delivery. Are you in the Shetland Islands or something? That should be it, so about 250 all in. Borrow a chop saw to get it cut, don't order cut pieces.

There is something erroneous about your £1000 quote. Just copy my order, add the channel and voila.

Al.

 

[Tractor Dave]

Cheers astro al, I knew it didnt look right, emailed them the materials I wanted and they emailed me the quote, maybe thats where a mistake was made!
My next stop is A.D.Hall and hamptons scrapyard, I managed to get a 1000X1000x10 cheque plate and 20mm dia 1500 long rod for a great price of £20 (from a scrapyard).
Thanks for the help, its appreciated!
Dave.

 

[Debs.]

Those stockholder prices are shocking!

I`ve been to McCoy`s scrapyard in Rock Ferry (Wirral) today:`bought 1000mm. x 500mm. x 15mm. plate (as new), various lengths of 40/50 mm. dia. bar, 20 mm. thick of various plate and angle off cuts and a 1ft. length of railway line (new steel) : £10. the lot !!!!!!

The mountain of heavy gauge steel scrap stock there is staggering.....and the guys were very helpful (allowing me freedom to go 'steel mountaineering' looking for what I wanted).

 

[Bobtail4x4]

are they reading your mm as metres?