My log splitter

Here are some pics of my splitter and elevator. I got tired of running a tractor burning diesel fuel and the hyd weren't quite strong enough, so I added a Chinese diesel 10hp and pump to it. then put on the homemade winch for loading the HEAVY pieces. We was working in one spot for a while so added a hyd motor to an elevator. Sure made loading the wagon easier.

You will notice the engine changed color. I took the yellow one and put into a golf cart.

So as I understand it the elevator pump is run from the splitter engine. That is a neat idea. Paul

Yep It was ran by the return oil until I added a second 2 spool valve to the power beyond port of the first valve. The first valve is a auto-return from Surplus Center

Very nice.
Under full load when splitting, do you have a priority valve to keep flow on the splitter vs the hyd. motor>

Rick

The hydraulic motor on the elevator is a neat idea. Those old Little Giant Elevators with their open shafts were very dangerous if a person wasn't careful and go too close with their pants legs.

Good idea on the hydraulic drive on the elevator,we have a Little Giant elevator and it always ran too fast with the PTO on the tractor.

No priority valve, flow goes directly to the splitter valve. The splitter valve when splitting uses all the oil. When not splitting the flow goes out the power beyond to the second valve allowing for the elevator to run. The elevator does stop when splitting but that's okay. If we are splitting we aren't loading the elevator.

That is the same way I run mine. The elevator was faster than I wanted, so I ran the oil from the valve running the elevator to a flow divider and then to the elevator. The flow divider is adjustable, so I can speed up or slow down the elevator as needed.

no flow control on mine. My hyd motor has about the right speed and power. It might be a bit worn out. I had it directly on the lower shaft but it ran the elevator too fast and if fully loaded would stall. So I put it on the jack shaft and it ran a nice speed and had enough power to run it loaded.

I drive my elevator with a hyd motor also. It is hooked the way you first had yours, into the splitter curcuit. The only thing that I did was to put a ONEWAY flow check into the line going to the power stroke of the splitting cyl., so the motor didn't run backwards when a block was being split. The elevator only runs when the splitting cyl. is fully retracted and I hold the lever in the retract position. Cuts down on the ware and noise factor.
I do have some tips for you from an old geaser, (me) that has cut wood and built machines to make wood cutting easier,since I was big enough to help cut wood.
You are off to a good start with your splitter, (push block on cyl./wedge on end of bed, gin pole to to drag logs and limbs to splitter and lift the heavy blocks). however here are a couple of sugestions for you. (1)cut the toung off, and weld it on the other end, or discard it and make a 3pt. A frame on the motor end. That will allow the elevator to slide under the splitting bed. The 3pt setup makes transport and splitting heidth very easy. (2) weld on some trays each side of the wedge so blocks don't fall on the ground when split. Picking blocks off the ground ONCE is enough!!! HeHe,
The trays allow you to run the big blocks through again if too big, without picking them up of the ground again, and the proper sized ones just slide of end of trays and fall into elevator.

The I-beam is from an old bridge. the wedge is chopper knives from a NH717 welded back to back and backed up with inch thick plate. The pusher is inch thick.

I thought about putting the tongue on the other end, but just can't balance it out. I might just lengthen the tongue out more. I do want to add a table to it, just haven't done it yet.

The first splitter that I built was also constructed using an old bridge beam. I built it to split 36" blocks for the evaporators up in the sugarbush. We used it for years until the beam and wedge rails wore out. It was mounted vertically on on the 3pt. of several tractors over the years. We replaced it with a second hand comercially built unit, 3 years ago. It is also a vertical 3pt. unit, but I just converted it to mount and operate on my trackhoe. No more lifting, bending over, or working on our knees to split the long blocks for the evaporators. I just set in the seat and pluck blocks from the pile, swing to the splitwood pile, and split blocks atop that pile.
I don't know your situation or how much wood you split anually, but perhaps you might think more about the 3pt A frame on the motor end and put some smaller wheel barrow wheels with a narrow axle on it that is not extending into your work area, so when not in use you can move it for storage or even simpler just some legs to set it on when not in use.
Just sugestions, not being critical. Necessity is the mother of inovation. Old age makes inovation a necessity.
Loren

I like my trailer type. I can put it on any tractor available. I put a hitch on the back end to pull the wagon behind. I reinvent or modify as I see the need. Sometimes a vertical would be good. But most of the time I like the horizontal. Only real big improvement I'd like is the table and maybe a longer hitch to make room for the wood coming off the wedge. Most of the time I pull it to the tree unhitch and block it up level.

I do look at others for ideas all the time. Eventually I can see the need for a new heavier I-beam. The old one is getting worn out and never was very strong.

Id like to step up to something like that. But what I split the wheelbarrow handles just fine. Have most of the stuff to do it too.

Looks like firewood ain't that cheap seeing the amount of machinery displayed.:shock:

All i use is a chain saw to fell dead standing trees and block them up and a 3/4 truck to get it home.
Splitting i do with a splitting maul daily as needed for the wood stove.
I heat the house with wood (spruce and jack pine only) and go trough 7-8 cords per winter.

What money? My splitter is 30+ years old and the latest mods cost less than it would cost in propane for one year. Saws are 20years old. That one hurts because it seems not that long ago they were new. Already have elevator, tractor, wagons, trees...

Need the splitter when dealing with twisted up elm and solid 100 year old oak. I do wish I had some pine to mix in some.