what size hydraulic pump for log splitter free sample

If you plan to replace the hydraulic pump in your log splitter or build your log splitter, you should know the size of the hydraulic pump that fits your log splitter. Log splitters are designed to split logs efficiently.

The machine uses a hydraulic system to power the splitting wedge to split logs efficiently. The hydraulic pump is an integral component of gas and electric splitters to provide the necessary power to do the job properly.

A log splitter is a powerful machine that splits logs of various sizes using hydraulic pressure. All log splitters – whether electric, gas, or manual – use hydraulics to feed the splitting wedge to cut the logs to just about any size you prefer.

The hydraulics system found in a log splitter consists of an engine, a hydraulic cylinder, a valve, an oil pump to create oil pressure, and a tank to hold and feed oil through the system.

Since the log splitter pump is one of the most important components of the machine, choosing the right kind of hydraulic pump for your log splitting machine becomes crucial when you need to replace the pump or plan to build your own log splitter.

Hydraulic pumps work according to the theory of hydraulics. The Principle of hydraulics or Pascal’s law governs how hydraulics work. Pascal’s law states that when you apply pressure to a specific point of a closed or confined fluid, the pressure will transmit to all other fluid points without any losses.

The hydraulic pump converts mechanical energy into hydraulic energy by using flowing water. The hydraulic pump uses flowing water to create a hydraulic system.

Even though the system is quite complicated, the operation is simple. Hydraulics provide force in a specific area. This force is what we call pressure which helps the log splitter perform its job effectively.

Log splitter pumps are two-stage hydraulic pumps. The entire splitting system is dependent on the pump. The pump consists of two pumping sections as well as an internal pressure sensing valve. One section of the pump helps generate the maximum flow rate at a lower pressure, and it is used to draw the piston back for the system to reset after splitting the log.

It takes very little force to draw the piston back into the cylinder after splitting the log. But, it should happen quickly. That is why you need the highest possible flow rate at low pressure.

When pushing the piston into the log, you need the highest possible pressure to generate maximum splitting force to split the logs efficiently. The flow rate is not a big issue here. Hence, the pump will switch to a high-pressure and low-volume stage to split the log.

When the size of the pump increases, it requires more fluid. But when there is more fluid in the cylinder of the pump, the speed & force of the pump decrease. That is why you need to choose the right size pump for your log splitter.

You can split logs more efficiently when opting for the correct size hydraulic pump for your log splitter. There are different sizes of hydraulic pumps in the market today. You should do your homework properly and opt for the right size pump for your log splitter.

The latest hydraulic pumps available in the market are based on GPM (Gallons per minute). The higher the GPM, the smaller the cylinder. The splitting force of the pump depends on the cylinder.

The pump that your log splitter needs will be dependent on the engine size of the machine. For example, a 5.5-6 hp engine can handle an 11 GPM 2-stage hydraulic pump, while an 8 hp or bigger engine can handle a 16 GPM 2-stage pump.

The engine of a log splitter works on hydraulics. While the pump will create the driving force, the hydraulic cylinder will work in unison with the valves, influencing splitting power and speed. If your log splitter has a 6-7 Horsepower engine, you should opt for a two-stage hydraulic pump (about 3000 PSI) with 11 GPM.

To get more speed, the pump either needs more flow (GPM) or a smaller cylinder. Smaller cylinders don’t require more power but will produce less force. More flow comes from a larger hydraulic pump. You will get the same force with a larger pump but supply more horsepower to the new hydraulic pump.

Are you planning to replace the hydraulic pump in your log splitter or build your own log splitter? If so, you should understand the basics of how a hydraulic pump works and what size pump to choose for your log splitter. To achieve automation, efficiency, and effectiveness, all log splitters rely on hydraulics.

Therefore, you should not worry too much as the size of the pump is only one aspect to look at. But the right decision about the size of the hydraulic pump is always useful in usage.

Log splitters are designed with a simple process in mind: to split logs efficiently. To do so, almost all use a hydraulic system to pressurize the driving force of the splitting wedge. When you purchase a log splitter, you don’t have to worry much about the individual parts other than for basic maintenance needs and cleaning purposes.

But if you are interested in building your own log splitter, which is a very realistic option due to the simplicity of the machinery, then you do need to know what parts are best for effective splitting power. Gas and electric splitters utilize a hydraulic pump which is the integral component of hydraulic power. If you were wondering what size hydraulic pump for a log splitter you need, this article explains below its use and what to look for.

Log splitters are powerful machines that provide a splitting pressure to logs of various sizes. Almost all splitters use hydraulics whether it is pressurized via an electric, gas, or manual power source. These hydraulics feed a splitting wedge of your model of choice to make short work of just about any size log you you need to cut down to size.

One of the simplest hydraulic systems you can find in use is a log splitter. The basics of hydraulic pressure utilize an engine, oil pump to create oil pressure, a hydraulic cylinder that works with a valve for splitting power, and tank to hold and feed oil through the system.

If you are serious about making your own backyard log splitter, then you want to have, at a minimum, the following components to provide the right amount of force and power for basic splitting of averaged sized, seasoned logs:

But you may want a bit more force for heavier workloads, which is why I’ve explained below how a pump can help determine your splitter’s speed, and influence the cutting force. Read more about how a log splitter works, how to care for it, and what you need to build your own.

Mentioned multiple times above is the use of a two-stage pump that is most common for a hydraulic log splitter system. This is because it uses two different sets of gears doing the pumping to keep you machine running smoothly and providing the power you need at the speed you desire.

Although a two-stage pump is the best option for your log splitter, you can manipulate the amount of force it exerts through which size cylinder you choose. To calculate your own splitter’s force and speed based on the choices you make, you can use this handy calculator tool.

The entire splitting system is dependent upon the pump that consists of two pumping sections and an internal pressure sensing valve. One of these sections generates the maximum flow rate rated at at lower pressure that is used to draw the piston back for the system to reset after splitting. The other section provides the highest possible pressure to generate maximum splitting force.

Knowing the maximum pressure generated by a pump determines the splitting powerof the pump, and one thing you will notice is that most companies are fairly generous in their tonnage claims and round up more often than not. To figure the tonnage provided by the splitter, simply multiple the maximum pressure of the pump (a two-stage pump applies about 3,000 PSI), by the total surface area of the piston in square inches. The resulting number is the total available pressure.

You also can determine the cycle time of a piston to figure how quickly you can work through a pile of logs. To move a 4 inch piston 24 inches (the common piston length) you need 301 cubic inches of oil. Since a gallon of hydraulic fluid takes up 231 cubic inches, you need to pump, at a minimum, 1.5 gallons of fluid to push the piston in one direction.

The flow rate of the pump is dependent on the size of the engine powering the system. If your engine is capable of providing an 11 gallon per minute rate, then it will take approximately 20 to 30 seconds to cut, and around 10 seconds to reset. Common horsepower minimum requirements for a two-stage pump are:

For a dependable machine, you want to incorporate a two-stage pump to work with whatever size engine and cylinder you decide upon for cutting wood. These keep your splitter working smoothing and efficiently, and allow you to dictate speed and force to handle whatever size job you have in mind. If you have any further questions, or want to add to this information, please do so below. And, as always, please share.

A: To determine which pump to purchase, you will need to know the following: what HP engine will you be powering my log splitter with, what size reservoir capacity do you have available, what type of pump mount you will be using?

A: There are two common types of mounts used on log-splitters. There is a four-bolt mount and a two-bolt mount. The four-bolt mount pumps generally come in 5gpm-16 gpm sizes and have a ½” keyed shaft about 1-1/2” long. The two-bolt mount pumps come in 22gpm and 28gpm sizes and have a 5/8” keyed shaft that can differ in length.

A: If your log-splitter is moving slow but still capable of splitting the wood it always has, it is most likely stuck in its second stage. In the second stage (or low flow/high-pressure stage) the pump produces 25% or less of its rated GPM but it does it at a higher pressure. The transition from the first stage (or high flow/low-pressure) is an automatic process achieved via internal valving with in the pump. If something within that valving has malfunctioned, and it is typically more economical to just replace the whole pump.

1. If the engine bogs down and stalls out, the pump is likely stuck in its first stage. In the first stage (or high flow/low-pressure stage) the pump produces its rated GPM but it does it at about 400-900psi. The transition from the first stage (or high flow/low-pressure) to the second stage (or low flow/high-pressure stage) is an automatic process achieved via internal valving with in the pump. If something within that valving has malfunctioned, and it is typically more economical to just replace the whole pump.

2. If the engine bogs down slightly but fails to stall out, you most likely have a bad seal on the cylinder piston. It is often more cost effective to rebuild a cylinder than to replace it depending on the extent of any internal damage. Consult with your local hydraulics shop.

A: 2-stage log splitter pumps are sized by how many gallons per minute (GPM) they flow in the low-pressure stage. Most 2-stage Log-splitter pumps will safely create 3000 psi regardless of how quickly they transfer the fluid doing it. So, there is not actually a more “powerful” pump, just slower or faster.

A: The size of splitter is typically specified in tons of splitting force. This number is determined by the surface area of the piston multiplied by the pressure applied by the pump. The amount of tonnage that you will need depends predominately on the type and size of wood that you will be splitting. Hardwoods such as oak and hickory take more force to split than most coniferous soft woods like spruce and fir. The Janka rating is the measurement that they use to rate the hardness of wood. The higher the number, the harder the wood. Log diameter size is another important factor in the amount of force required to split the log. One of the most important factors in determining the Tonnage required to split logs is the moisture content. See below for a decent chart for tonnage requirements for seasoned wood. You will need 50-75% more tonnage for splitting green wood.

A: The tonnage rating on your log-splitter is determined by two distinct factors; piston surface area and pounds of force per square inch (psi) supplied by the pump acting upon that surface. To determine the piston surface area, you must take half of the bore diameter, and multiply that number by itself. Then take that number and multiply by pi (approximately 3.14). This will give you the surface area in square inches. Although your hydraulic pump will be rated to a certain maximum pressure rating, typically 3500psi, most log splitter hydraulic systems have a relief valve limiting the amount of pressure supplied to the cylinder and other components. To find the tonnage of your log-splitter you will take the relief valve setting in pounds per square inch multiplied by the surface area of the piston in square inches, then divide that number by 2000 pounds per ton. See example below for a 4-1/2”cylinder at 3000psi:

A: Your valve will have four ports. The IN port is supplied by the hydraulic line coming directly from the pump. The OUT port will return the flow of oil directly to the reservoir. That leaves the two work ports on the valve. The work port closest to the valve handle will be connected to the barrel port (extending) on the cylinder. Attach the other valve port to the rod port (collapsing) side. See the figure below.

A: Typical Log-splitter valves have three positions. Extend – Center – Retract. The extend position directs flow to where the cylinder expands thus forcing the wedge through the log to be split. The handle must be held in this position to maintain cylinder movement. The valve will spring to center from the extend position when the handle is released. The retract position of a log-splitter valve has a feature commonly referred to as a pressure kick-out detent. Pulling the valve into the retract position detent will cause the cylinder to collapse until it is fully pulled in without holding onto the valve handle. Once the pump pressure builds to a pre-set amount, the internal workings of the valve will force the handle back into the center position automatically.

A: The hoses on your log-splitter should have the rating printed or embossed onto the outside sheathing of the line. If it is not visible or readable it is a distinct indicator of weather damage and or rot, and you should look to have them replaced.

Your log-splitter requires multiple hoses and could potentially have three different pressure ratings (see figure below). The suction line shown in green does not see any pressure, on the contrary they usually have some sort of structure to keep the hose from collapsing. The return lines shown in orange do not typically see much for pressure, but they are typically rated to 350 psi. The actual pressure lines shown in red should be rated to at least 3500psi for your typical log-splitter application.

A: Most Hydraulic systems can be safely operated with either ATF (automatic Transmission Fluid) or a standard petroleum based hydraulic oil. Some Log-splitters have a replaceable filter assembly to help clean the oil clean. If your log-splitter does not have a replaceable filter it would be beneficial to use ATF and allow the detergents in the fluid to help keep things clean.

A: There are many manufacturers of log-splitters out there, and just as many if not more manufacturers of cylinders. The only way to know for sure which cylinder that you have is to contact the log-splitter manufacturer with the model and serial number of your unit and ask for a parts breakdown for their part number for the seal kit.

If this is not an option for you for whatever reason, you can disassemble your cylinder and match up the seals by example with your local hydraulics shop. If you do not have a local shop, or they do not offer this type of service, you will need to measure the hard component dimensions of your cylinder. You will then need to match them with the dimensions of available seals with a seal supplier such as Seal Source, Hercules Sealing Products, or any other national seal supplier. Many of them have an online interface to help you make this selection.

A: There are many manufacturers of log-splitters out there, and just as many if not more manufacturers of cylinders. The only way to know for sure which cylinder that you have is to contact the log-splitter manufacturer with the model and serial number of your unit and ask for a parts breakdown for their part number for the cylinder that they used on that specific unit.

A: The first step in selecting a replacement cylinder for your log-splitter is identifying what style of cylinder that you currently have. While many manufacturers utilize common style cylinders, many do not. Please see the figures below for the most readily available styles.

If your cylinder has a welded body and has a short piece of pipe on each end it is a welded-cross tube style cylinder. The cylinder will have different widths on each end. You will want to place close attention to mounting widths and pin hole sizes to insure compatibility.

If your cylinder has a hole drilled through the rod end of the cylinder, this is what is called a pin-eye style cylinder. These cylinders are commonly available with either a clevis mount or a cross-tube on the barrel end. You will want to place close attention to mounting widths and pin hole sizes to insure compatibility.

If your cylinder is mounted on lugs coming out of the side of the cylinder, this is what they would call a trunnion style cylinder. Trunnion mount cylinders are almost entirely exclusive to the log-splitter manufacturer. You will need to get a replacement from the original manufacturer or contact a machine shop to recreate the mounts on a more common cylinder.

Once you have determined the style of cylinder you are looking for, you will need to determine bore size, the mounting pin to pin length (both collapsed and extended), the rod diameter, and pin hole sizes. Drawings are usually available for individual cylinders to insure a proper fit. It might be necessary to have a local shop alter your log-splitter frame to accept the cylinder, or alter the cylinder to fit your machine.

A: 2-stage log splitter pumps are sized by how many gallons per minute (GPM) they flow in the low-pressure stage. While operating below the bypass setting the pump will transfer that number of gallons per minute.

A: Availability of replacement parts for log-splitter valves depends on the manufacturer of the valve. You will first need to identify the manufacturer of the valve. Northern Hydraulics carries replacement handles and brackets for Cross MFG valves and replacement brackets and detents for the Energy MFG log-splitter valves

A:The retract position of a log-splitter valve has a feature commonly referred to as a pressure kick-out detent. Pulling the valve into the retract position detent will cause the cylinder to collapse until it is fully pulled in without holding onto the valve handle. Once the pump pressure builds to a pre-set amount, the internal passages in the valve will force the spool back into the center position automatically.

At CC Hydraulics, we do not build log splitters. In fact, we do not design log splitters or profess to be experts as there are excellent commercial log splitters builders and experts around. But we sell plenty of hydraulic equipment to people who design and build their own log splitters and through doing this well, we have gained a lot of knowledge about what works and what doesn’t. Believe me, there is a huge amount of misinformation out there.

The two areas we are asked the most about, when specifying the hydraulics, are speed and power. The four basics of hydraulics are: 1. flow (which gives the speed); 2. pressure (which contributes to the force); 3. horsepower (which dictates the flow and pressure); and 4. a hydraulic cylinder (most important component). The diameter of this cylinder with the pressure of the system (set by the main relief valve) is what gives us the final force of the log splitter in tonnes, not the size of the pump as so many people will argue. It is wrong to say the biggest pump makes for a super-fast log splitter. The bigger the gear pump, the less pressure it is able to handle. Log splitters are all about force and speed. Force comes from pressure, in combination with the actuator (cylinder) and speed from flow.

This project is not about building the ultimate log splitter but uses the basics of what a log splitter used to be: a beam with a hydraulic cylinder attached to force an axe-head through the log. Splitter gurus will argue about the merits of their different log splitters but I believe the vertical table splitter is the most practical. To build a log splitter, where do you start? Is it for commercial use or just the occasional weekend job? Do you already have a lot of components lying around? Unless you have a large budget, there will always be a need to compromise somewhere.

I decided the cheapest power source was going to be something around the 7 HP pull-start which dictated that the pump would be a 50-ltr hi-low pump (log splitter pumps are specified as total flow at 3600 rpm). These pumps are also rated as 200 bar pressure.

To keep things simple for this project, I will consider using only a positive displacement gear pump. For every single rotation of the pump, a volume of oil will be displaced from the suction side to the outlet side of the pump. This volume is dictated by the physical size and design of the pump and is given as cc/rev. From this, you can see the faster you turn the pump shaft or the bigger the pump, the more oil will flow. All this assumes that pumps are 100 percent efficient. They never are so around 90 percent is normal in calculations. Pumps also have a limited speed range they can work in— the bigger the pump, the slower their maximum speed.

The next decision was oil tank, the most understated part of a hydraulic system. With a 50 ltr hi-low pump I would still like to have around 60 litres of oil, but many customers are using a lot less with no problems. I decided the easiest way was to incorporate the tank in the axle. For this I used a piece of rectangular hollow section (RHS) steel 200 x 200 x 6 mm that was 1100 mm long. The ends were capped off with 183 x 183 x 16 mm plate in which I machined a 3 mm deep recess to locate the wheel stub assemblies I made. I drilled holes and welded black sockets in for a oil drain, oil pickup, filler/breather and oil return (via filter). IMPORTANT tips on oil tank design: • large surface areas are good for heat dispersion; • always have the return oil returning into the oil (notice we have put a dropper pipe inside the tank); • never put the oil pickup in close proximity to the oil return; • as some designers do, you can put baffles between the pickup and return.

I hate to point out the obvious, but you will notice that I have no lid or large inspection plates. Normally, I believe every good oil tank should have some way of getting inside for cleaning and servicing. In a perfect world, there should be no reason to want to get inside, because I kept everything sealed through the whole process and thoroughly cleaned the inside before welding on the end plates. There is also a return filter, so providing everything is kept clean and you use new, good-quality oil, there should be no reason to look inside the tank. An astute reader will have noticed we will only have 38 litres of oil. I am comfortable with this for this particular project. With the axle/oil tank basically completed, it was sealed and put aside.

For the main knife beam, I had some 250 mm Universal Column (UC) steel lying around so this was the obvious choice. I had a piece of 25 mm plate profiled 500 mm x 160 and fully welded this to one end of the UC. I cut two pieces of 150 x 90 x 10 mm angle iron and tack-welded it underneath the top flange to stiffen up the knife-track area. I used a cut-off disc to trim the excess width from the top flange. I then fully welded each end of the angle and stitchwelded down the length. A quick dress-up of the edges of the flange with a flip disc created a smooth edge for the knife gibs.

Because I am building a splitter that works both horizontally and vertically, I needed some more measurements to locate the pivot points accurately. I fully assembled the axle/tank with the wheels, then mounted a 65 x 65 x 5 mm RHS box section two-metres long centrally and at right angles to the tank. For the initial setup, I left an overhang approximately 400 mm wide at the rear and used four tack-welds to temporarily hold it there. Using a 50 mm hole saw, I cut a hole 50 mm in from the back of the drawbar and welded in a boss 75 mm long, with a 50 mm OD and 26 mm inside diameter. This is the rear pivot point.

I then temporarily clamped the front landing leg onto the front of the drawbar and levelled everything up. I fabricated the brackets for the rear prop from 4 mm plate and the prop itself from 50 x 50 mm RHS with a 100 x 100 x 4 mm foot on it. To align everything, I assembled the leg into the brackets then welded the brackets flush with the end of the drawbar. This prop was kept in the down position for the rest of the build for safety reasons. With the drawbar axle-assembly now parallel to the ground and secure, I bolted the two pivot lugs to the drawbar using a one-inch x 140 mm long bolt and nut. I then brought the main beam (standing vertical on the anvil) up to these lugs and put four good tack welds on one lug only. The reason for this will be evident when you bring the beam over to rest parallel onto the drawbar. If by any chance the main beam isn’t sitting at the dead centre of the drawbar because you have tacked only one bracket on, it is not a major to make the necessary adjustments. Another tip is to put two washers between the brackets and the boss in the drawbar; this gives some tolerance for shrinkage after welding. When you are happy with the alignment, tack-weld both brackets.

pin For the hold-down pin, measure along the drawbar 860 mm from the center of the pivot and bore another 50 mm hole and weld in another 75 mm long boss. Place the two brackets either side of the boss with a thin packing washer in between. Rest the main beam on these brackets and tack-weld together. The last thing to do before taking the main beam off is to find a suitable piece of steel to act as a spacer for the beam to sit on so that you don’t have to fight with the weight of the beam when you are trying to get the pin in. I used a piece of 50 x 25 mm RHS welded to the beam. The beam can be removed and all the brackets fully welded. When everything has cooled down, assemble back onto the drawbar.

Next, the knife (refer to the cutting drawing). The actual blade is BIS80 and all other parts mild steel. Before assembling and welding, I drilled and tapped 10 x M12 holes 15 mm in from each side of the 16 mm base plate and drilled 12.5 mm matching holes on the bottom clamps. Set the back plate onto the base plate at right angles and centre. Tack weld. Place the BIS80 plate centre down the length of the base and central to the back and tack weld. Before fully welding, pre-heat the BIS80 enough to take the chill out. When this had cooled down enough to handle, I fitted the two side plates to form the wedge and placed the two top plates in and fully welded them. The two cylinder-mounting lugs were then welded on the centreline of the complete knife assembly which also includes the 6 mm wear pad. The knife assembly can now be set up on the beam.

Sit the wear pad down first and the knife on top. I then used four C-clamps and sandwiched the nylon gibs bottom wearstrip and bottom clamp together. Then through the top I drilled holes through the three plastic strips. Remove the clamps and drill all the holes to 12.5 mm. You can then reassemble using four bolts in each corner. My nylon gibs started out at 25 mm thick and by the time I had the knife assembly at a tight, sliding fit they were 21 mm. Just use a wood thicknesser to machine these. With the knife now sitting in place, mount the hydraulic cylinder’s top eye (shaft end) to the mounting lugs with a suitable pin. Fully extend the cylinder and then move the whole assembly forward until the knife clears the anvil by 5 mm. This now determines where the beam will be cut off and the rear mounts welded to. This measurement relates to the type of cylinder and the amount of stroke you have. In my example we have a 400 mm stroke and using our standard cylinder, this measurement is 1365 mm. To find this measurement exact, I went to the trouble of actually setting the cylinder up with a pin through the rear mounts and clamping the assembly to the beam. It was only then a matter of marking it and cutting. The rearmount plates were then all welded on. I machined up two high-tensile pins, welded them to the fish eyes and we were almost there.

I decided to add some sort of safety guard to protect the operator from getting a hand crushed if a log jammed on the knife on the return stroke. I had some profiles cut out of 10 mm plate to clear around the knife. This was welded on 400 mm from the inside edge of the anvil. A 60 x 10 mm stiffener was then added for extra strength. Two wings 200 mm x 5 mm thick were welded to the guard and anvil . These act like a pair of extra hands when handling some more awkward rings.

To hold the valve, I used a piece of 50 x 50 x 3 RHS, 480 mm long, with the ends cut at approximately 20 degrees. The location is a personal choice because everyone seems to use the splitter a different way. Because I am right-handed and will be using the splitter in the horizontal position most of the time, I decided to mount the valve on the right-hand side (looking forward from the anvil) and 650 mm back. I made up a mounting plate to suit the type of valve I was using and welded this to the top. This completes the main splitter assembly.

For the mudguards, I used mild steel 3 mm x 200 mm x 1040 mm long. The inside piece is 180 mm high x 600 mm long. The diagonal pieces cut from the corners of the back were used for the gussets. You may need different dimensions depending on your wheel and tyre sizes. I have used 13” heavy-duty, low-profile tyres. The two light surrounds were fabricated with some 3 mm off cuts, with the righthand one having a slot in the top for the number plate light to shine through. The plate is mounted vertically on the guard above it.

With the guards on, this just about completes the main fabrication, so I was able to find a good location for the hydraulic power unit and the 7 Hp motor. The motor you are using will dictate exactly what your mounting plate will look like. I have got a 250 x 250 x 6 mm top plate with both sides folded down 180 mm and trimmed off diagonally. This is fully welded to the oil tank and then drilled to suit the motor mounts.

For the towbar coupling I had a piece of 16 mm plate measuring 270 x 95 mm. This was drilled for the coupling and welded onto the drawbar. With the fabrication finished, establishing the final balance for towing and handling is a two-person job. Get someone to hold down the front of the drawbar while you raise the rear prop. I found that the rear was a lot heavier than the front. So after blocking the axle and wheels, I cut through the four drawbar tacks and moved the whole drawbar forward (with main splitting assembly attached) until I had approximately 25 kgs weight on the front. I used a fish springscale to confirm this. I then checked that the assembly was still square and central on the axle and fully welded it on. The fabrication complete, I dismantled everything and went over all the edges and welds with a flap disc to remove sharp edges and spatter. Everything was paint-prepped, primed and final-coated.

With all the assembly finished, the paint dry and the power pack bolted on, it was only a matter of fitting the hydraulic hoses, filling the oil tank up with 46 weight hydraulic oil and trying it out. I always fit a test gauge to the pressure circuit to confirm the relief valve is set correctly and doing its job. In this case, the relief and the kick-out adjustment was set far too high so they were both backed off until everything was operating smoothly.

How are log splitters rated? This is the biggest argument I come across. Commercially built log splitters have all sorts of tonne ratings printed on the cylinder, even up to 55 tonne. But from the size of the cylinder and type of pump, the maths show it is impossible to achieve these figures. The clever marketing people have found a way of figuring out the (theoretical force) at the tip of the knife. This formula uses the length and angle of the knife to find an algebraic solution and then multiply this by the true force of the cylinder. I believe the only true way to rate the force is by going back to basic physics, i.e. area x pressure = force. This way, it comes down to the size of the cylinder and how much pressure is going in.

1. In the text referring to the manufacture of the rear prop, I said that it was the first thing I did before proceeding with the knife etc. This is not true. The rear prop was one of the last things I made (because it was not in my initial design) but I found two things happened without the prop:

2. The other thing is, I made the anvil out of 25 mm mild steel. When I tested the splitter, everything was OK until I decided to test to the extreme and raised the pressure to max and split some 150 x 50 mm wood on its edge at the top of the anvil. It didn’t like it and subsequently bent. Two lines of thought. I was told that this should have been minimum 30 mm high tensile, but one hire centre I spoke to said that he has had the high-tensile plates break off around the welds. To me the obvious thing was then to leave the 25 mm mild steel plate on, and to weld another 25 mm high tensile plate to the back of it. This has worked spot on and I guess only time will tell.

A log splitter is a piece of machinery or equipment used for splitting firewood from softwood or hardwood logs that have been pre-cut into sections (rounds), usually by chainsaw or on a saw bench. Many log splitters consist of a hydraulic pump or electric motor which than powers a hydraulic or electrical rod and piston assembly. Generally these are often rated by the tons of force they can generate. The higher the force rating, the greater the thickness or length of the rounds that can be split. The log splitter consists of all four major hydraulic components.

Most log splitter models for home use have a rating around 10 tons, but professional hydraulic models may exert 30 tons of force or more. There are also manual log splitters, which use mechanical leverage to force logs through a sharpened blade assembly; and screw or "corkscrew" types that are driven directly from an agricultural tractor"s power take-off shaft where the splitter is mounted on the three-point hitch.

A simple log splitter may be powered by an electric motor driving a hydraulic pump or by gasoline or diesel engine with or without a tractor. The non-electric versions can be used remotely where the splitter can be moved to the location of the cut wood source. Split logs can then be loaded into trucks, trailers or bulk bags.

No matter what the power source, a log splitter either uses a hydraulic piston to drive the log through a stationary blade or a rotating cone shaped screw mandrel that pulls the log up over a wedge. Some models have attachments that prevent the split logs from falling to the ground allowing the operator to reposition the logs quickly for a second pass on the log splitter. Some cone or screw splitters are mounted on steel platforms mounted on a three-point hitch that allow the log to be repeatedly split into smaller pieces without putting the wood down and up again.

Although smaller firewood splitters are intended for home, there are now many commercial units available. Some commercial splitters are part of a "firewood processor" that saw logs of timber into lengths, split them, and then carry the wood up an inclined conveyor onto a pile or into a bag, truck or trailer. Specialty producers such as those producing maple syrup use units that split 4 foot lengths. Machines that split and point wood for fence post also exist though they are few in number as it is generally safer and more convenient to saw the posts.

The rising cost of domestic heating gas oil has reawakened a desire for alternative fuel sources and burning wood is carbon neutral. Modern wood-burning stoves are efficient and safe. Many consumers that would not have considered splitting their own logs a few years ago are now burning wood fuel for both ecological and economical reasons.

Although a good log splitter can save the operator hours of labor, it is not possible to make it completely safe. Only trained users should operate a log splitter, since anything caught between the log and the splitting blade will be subjected to a force of at least 10 tons, while most modern wood splitters will produce 25 tons or more.

The behavior of each log cannot be predicted, so a safety zone should be established around the splitter to prevent injury from flying splinters of wood. Helpers can pick up the individual pieces of firewood, but should not stand near the log splitter while it is in operation.

telescopic cylinders have the most area and most force at beginning of stroke, for hard to start loads like dump trucks. but the area drops off as the sections reach extension, thus more speed and less force.

Double acting telescopics will be at least 10x the cost of a simiilar surplus center standard cylinder. Single acting cylinders with gravity return, like said dump truck, are much cheaper, but still much more than a standard cylinder. The reason for use on dump trucks is simply the space for packaging the cylinder inside the frame. If a long cylinder could stick out the bottom, that is what they would use for reasons of cost, reliability, etc. AgressiveHydraulics does most of our cylinders and they have some cool, but expensive and complicated, telescopic designs.

If you had a pressure gauge on a 5 inch cylinder with a 100 gpm pump or a 100 hp engine, no matter. Splitting pine the pressure will be very low. splitting elm, the pressure will be high. Until the pump reaches unloading pressure, or goes across relief, the speed will be constant based on the fixed volume pump flow. Only the pressure and thus load on the engine to turn the pump, changes.

Good pointers there by leaddog. If you are going to go big get electric start. I have a vert/hor. 20 ton with a 4" cylinder and two stage pump and it usually splits what I can get on it or in it. Some times it has to be manipulated to find the right spot. The motor blew on it a couple of years back (it"s a 20 year old splitter) so I now have a 6.5 instead of a 5 horse but the pump is 11gmp/3.5gpm two stage I have replaced the pump twice because I didn"t check the fluid often enough and lost the two pumps to cavitation.

The secret in the splitter world is cylinder size. An 11gpm pump at 2000psi on a 4" cylinder won"t have the power that it would on a 5" cylinder. Two stage pumps run high volume at about 650 psi and when it gets rough they drop down to about 3.5 gpm low volume at the higher pressure. With small bore engines I wouldn"t try a single stage pump. A lot of wood spits without even getting to the higher pressure but some won"t split without it. I have spit around 30" rounds with my splitter with no problem and some times a gnarly knotted chunk not barely 15" will make me back the wedge out and try a different spot. Elm is real good at that.

Winter is here - no doubt about that. If you"re one of the many people who heat their homes with wood stoves, you know that chopping wood, while great exercise and a necessary task, can be pretty strenuous work. Perhaps you"re reading this from the comfort of your favorite chair, having unfortunately wrenched your back using that old axe. There are better ways to do it - you can use a chainsaw, a maul and wedge, or, if you"re feeling particularly angry, a well-placed karate chop - but for convenience, ease of use, and throughput, it"s hard to beat a log splitter. In this guide, your friends at WEN have compiled some helpful tips to make choosing a log splitter easier than ever. Your back - and, for that matter, your no-longer-frozen toes - will thank you.

Log splitters can be broken down into three categories - manual, kinetic, and hydraulic. In this article, we"ll focus mainly on hydraulic log splitters, but we"ll touch on manual and kinetic splitters briefly, for the sake of thoroughness.

A manual log splitter is usually a simple device with no external power source. A maul and wedge is perhaps the simplest version, but essentially, any device that uses unassisted human power to split wood could be considered a manual log splitter. These devices are usually basic and inexpensive, but take a considerable amount of effort to use if you"re splitting any significant amount (a quarter cord or more) of firewood.

A kinetic log splitter uses an external power source (often an electric motor, although gas-engine models exist too) to spin up one or more large flywheels, which store kinetic energy. When you"re ready to split wood, you drop a lever that engages the flywheels with the splitter ram. The ram smashes forward at high speed and splits the wood against the splitting wedge. These splitters are generally middle-of-the-road options, in terms of price, and usually have less power than hydraulic splitters.

A hydraulic log splitter is perhaps the type of splitter that comes to mind first. They use an external power source (usually an electric motor or gasoline engine) to turn a pump. The pump is connected to a hydraulic system, which is connected to a ram. The ram moves forward as the pump turns, slowly and surely pushing against the wood with incredible amounts of force. Hydraulic log splitters are available at a wide range of price points and splitting capacities, and may require a bit more maintenance than other types.

Log splitters are rated by tonnage (for example, you might hear about a 6-ton or a 30-ton log splitter). This is the maximum amount of force that they can exert. The amount of force needed to split a given piece of wood depends on four factors: hardness, age, size, and dryness.

Hardness: this depends on a wood"s species. For example, oak, a reliably tough hardwood, is much harder than white pine, a softwood. Wood hardness is rated on the Janka scale.

To summarize, if you"re able to cover your wood and let it dry out for a while, as well as get it into somewhat-smaller pieces (a chainsaw may come in handy here), you"ll have an easier time splitting it, not to mention getting it onto the splitter. You can also use the handy chart below as a reference for common species.

Find the species of wood you"ll be splitting on the chart. If you don"t know what species you have, there are plenty of resources online that can help you identify it. If you"ll be splitting multiple species, it"s a good idea to use the hardest wood as a reference. If you can"t find your species of wood on the chart, you can look up the Janka rating online. This chart shows Janka hardness ratings.

At the top of the chat, in the Tonnage section, find the hardness range for the species; in ash"s case, it"s the range of 901 - 1500 lbs. Follow this column down.

Estimate the diameter of your largest piece of wood; if it"s between 2 numbers on the chart, use the higher number. Let"s say your largest-diameter piece of ash is about 14 inches across. Use the 18-inches row, so you"ll likely want to choose a log splitter with a rating of at least 26 tons, to ensure you have enough power to reliably split all your workpieces quickly.

Using an undersized log splitter to split very large, hard, green, and/or wet workpieces can be frustrating at best (since multiple passes may be required to split the workpiece, which is time-consuming), and dangerous at worst, since you could damage the log splitter by overloading it. Keep in mind that you may need more power in the future to split larger or harder wood, so if your budget allows, it may be a good idea to buy a splitter with a little more power than what you currently need.

Usually, these hydraulic splitters consist of a small splitting beam, a small hydraulic cylinder, and a way to advance the cylinder, often using a series of pedals and levers that works a lot like the elliptical at your gym. They harness good-old-fashioned sweat equity to slowly advance the hydraulic ram. Although they have lower tonnage ratings than their powered brethren, they"re often relatively inexpensive, extremely portable, and very easy to store.

These splitters use an electric motor (usually an induction motor) as a power source, and as such usually require an extension cord. They"re a good blend of power, portability, and convenience - to a point. That extension cord tethers you to a nearby outlet, whether it"s on your house or generator. However, they"re low-noise, low-maintenance, easy to store, and good all-around options for most homeowners looking to split a few pieces of wood here and there for campfires.

Gas-engine splitters are usually the most powerful options available on the market, with options ranging from 20 - 40 tons. They often include DOT-approved wheels and chassis, as well as trailer hitches, for towing behind a car, truck, or off-road vehicle. Many models can also be used in either the vertical or horizontal position, which makes them extremely versatile. If you"ll be far from an electrical outlet (for example, at a remote cabin), if you need the tonnage, or if you split lots of wood each season (especially if a wood-fired stove is your main heat source), a gas-engine powered splitter is likely best for you. Keep in mind that the gas engine requires more maintenance than an electric motor, these models are generally more expensive than electric or manual models, and they take up a lot of storage space.

Once you have an idea of your budget, the tonnage you need, the type of splitter that will suit you best, and the power source that will work for you, you"re all set. Good luck on your search, and stay warm out there!

Thanks for reading! We hope this has been a helpful guide on your journey to choosing a log splitter. If you have any questions about WEN log splitters, or need help deciding which one is right for you, please give us a call at 1-847-429-9263 (M – F, 8 – 5 CST), or drop us a messagehereto talk to our friendly and knowledgeable technical support team. Now go make some firewood!

No doubt about it, one of the most sustainable forms of heat for your homestead is delivered through careful harvest and processing of trees growing around your place. If you have sufficient acreage devoted to woodlot, woods and hedgerow, you might even be able to cut a little extra and sell the resulting firewood. In any case, one of the keys to producing high-quality fuel wood is to split 4- to 6-inch-diameter billets in half and larger sizes into thirds, quarters or even more — to ensure that the wood will season properly and burn efficiently. But how do you go about splitting, and what is the ideal log splitter?

If you have images of Paul Bunyan employing his double-bitted ax for everything from felling trees to limbing them to bucking and splitting, it’s time to rethink. Under no circumstances should you consider the ax to be a splitting tool, it was designed as a cutting tool. However, if you wish to get the most heat from your firewood, you will definitely get an extra dose of warmth when you split the stuff using hand tools such as a splitting maul, wedges and sledge hammer, or a combination of the three. For those of you not interested in swinging mauls or sledge hammers, but with relatively small firewood needs, you might consider a dedicated hand splitter (such as the WoodEze Smart-Splitter) — essentially a splitting wedge attached to a slide hammer that you raise vertically above the log and slam into it. The wedge follows a guide so your chances of missing the log are minimal. Carry it one step further and you also can choose a hand- or foot-powered hydraulic splitter — you supply the pumping power and the hydraulic ram does the rest.

Some folks hand split a few cords of firewood each season, but when you find yourself short on time or energy, or routinely split several cords, you might find that a powered splitter is an ultra-efficient luxury worth the investment.

When your firewood needs expand to several cords each season, it might be time to graduate to a larger, higher capacity hydraulic splitter. Most hydraulic splitters use a power source such as an internal combustion engine or electric motor to pump hydraulic oil into a hydraulic cylinder (ram) at high pressures, causing the cylinder’s piston to move. The end of the piston is generally attached to a flat plate or anvil (on models with a stationary wedge) or a splitting wedge (on models with a stationary anvil) and is positioned on a track such that when it moves, a log placed on the track will get squeezed between the wedge and the plate until it splits. Some wedges feature a crossed design and cause the billet to split into fourths, but most just split the pieces of wood in half.

Hydraulic splitters are typically rated by their maximal hydraulic force, measured in tons. Some so-called dual-action hydraulic splitters use an anvil at either end of the track with a wedge that can split in either direction because it attaches to the upper surface of the piston (located beneath the track) instead of directly to the front of the piston. These models can increase your hourly output considerably because you don’t need to bring the wedge back to the start position before loading another log.

At the smaller end of the hydraulic splitter range, many lightweight horizontal bench-top or roll-around models exist in the 4- to 8-ton range. These machines are usually powered with electric motors, so they are quiet, and you can operate them indoors safely if desired. I’ve used 6-ton models that were quite capable of splitting 18-inch-long billets up to about 18 inches in diameter. Though ideal for splitting dry wood, these little powerhouses can be used effectively with wet wood up to around 12 inches in diameter, assuming it isn’t one of the more difficult-to-split species. If you have a few cords of relatively small stuff to split each year, and/or you like to work indoors, these comparatively inexpensive units make perfect sense. If you routinely have more wood to split and handle larger rounds, you will want to upgrade.

For folks who will regularly need to split green or dry rounds up to 24 inches long in the 12-inch-diameter or greater size, I would recommend you choose a splitter with at least 12 tons of power — 16 tons or more would be better. If you can, choose a machine that will operate in both vertical and horizontal configurations. The horizontal configuration makes it easy to load from the back of a pickup or off the top of a pile, and positioning the log for precision splitting is a snap. If your wood is located closer to the ground, it’s usually easier to work large and heavy pieces into position using the vertical mode (unless you opted for a high-end horizontal unit with a hydraulic log loader).

Whether powered with an electric motor or internal combustion engine, these machines will be heavy, and most are mounted on an undercarriage that makes moving them around pretty easy. One advantage to an internal combustion engine powered splitter is that you can take it to the woodlot or woodpile. The electric models in this range will likely require a 220-volt electrical source — certainly you can use them remotely if you have a portable generator of sufficient capacity. If you already have a tractor with a three-point hitch and hydraulic system (or a PTO and matched hydraulic pump), or a skid-steer loader, you can sometimes save money on the same capacity splitter by choosing the tractor or skid-steer mount option. The tractor will serve to power and position the splitter.

When the plan includes splitting plenty of stuff in the 24-inch-plus-diameter range, and/or particularly tough species like American elm, then by all means consider a model with 20 tons of capacity or more. I’ve had excellent luck with a 20-ton gasoline-powered unit and have successfully split dry and green red oak crotches, elm and Osage Orange up to 22 inches in diameter. In general, if your firewood plans call for a number of cords each season, the larger models will serve you well — and they can handle smaller billets, too.

Relatively new on the scene for homestead-relevant log splitters are the so-called high-speed units that rely only on mechanical advantage and inertia to split logs with a cycle time that’s significantly lower than that found on most hydraulic splitters. Currently available in rating equivalents up to about 35 tons, these machines use a movable anvil attached to the end of a rack (linear gear) bar that when forced to engage a spinning pinion gear (motivated by an engine or motor and a heavy flywheel) drives the log into the wedge, which splits it. These machines take a little getting used to if you have experience with hydraulic splitters, but once you get the hang of them, they will motor through a pile of firewood in a hurry. They include the DR Power RapidFire, SpeeCo Kinetic, and the Super Split. I’ve used a SpeeCo model to good result, although it was a pre-production version.

A couple of other powered log splitter options are out there. One looks very much like a hydraulic splitter, but the wedge is attached to a large diameter acme screw, which is turned by a motor through a transmission. While you might only find this style on the used market, if you are mechanically inclined, check it out and see if you can purchase it for short money. Some of the best, most robust examples of these include the Gilson Power-Bolt series, now long out of production. Turn the screw one direction to split the log and turn it the other direction to reset.

No discussion of homestead splitting tools would be complete without mention of another screw-type design — the Stickler. This large cone-shaped woodscrew can be powered by bolting it to a car, truck or tractor axle or coupling it to a tractor’s PTO, stationary engine, you name it. Harking to the 1970s, this conical screw design is still with us and works as follows. Set the screw to spinning, stab a log onto the screw (near the end of the log) and keep the log from spinning. As the ever-widening screw pulls its way into the log, it eventually splits. Good for logs up to 3 feet long and 40 inches in diameter, this may well be the least expensive and most versatile option, not including wedge and sledge. The Stickler is not complicated or burdened with all manner of safety equipment. Like all log splitters, it requires an attentive operator, but it is capable of serious production. As the first log splitter I ever operated, the Stickler made large-scale firewood making accessible on my non-existent student budget.

When it comes to splitting firewood, finding the right tools and learning how to make the best and safest use of them will have you well on your way to reducing your heating bills to almost nothing in no time. Keep track of your efforts, and I think you will discover that heating with wood warms you many more times than twice.

Read more:Learn how to save your back with DIY table grate instructions in this article from a GRIT blogger, Log Splitter Table Grate: A Little Ingenuity Saves Lots of Money.

Hydraulic log splittersare becoming more popular all the time. Firewood and natural heating options are an extremely cost-effective way of heating your home. Amongst our diverse range of log-splitting kits, you will find extremely high-quality machines and components to ensure that you receive many years of trouble-free operation.

Log-splitters which make use of hydraulic systems are extremely reliable, powerful and reliable, making them an ideal option for both domestic and industrial situations.

Here at Flowfit, you’ll be sure to find the ideal log-splitter kit or components for your needs. Along with our own high-powered, reliable range, we are also able to provide splitters from other brands such as Loncin and Honda.

Inside each one of our comprehensive kits, you’ll find a variety of components to suit your needs. Not only can our kits work alongside portable petrol motors, but they can also operate with tractor PTO set ups as well. One of the important additions to this kit include the Flowfit-branded High-Low pump, which has been intelligently designed to make the most out of all available horsepower in the most efficient manner possible.

Amongst our diverse range of valves, complete kits and parts you’ll be able to find models of a variety of sizes and powers which are suitable for different circumstances. For example, some of our models might not be strong even for heavy industrial use, but are absolutely ideal for domestic usage.

All hydraulic log splitters and any components that you purchase from the professional team at Flowfit are guaranteed for an entire year. If you encounter any issues affecting their performance, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our professional team today.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact our specialists today and we’ll be sure to help you find the ideal log-splitter for your needs.