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One wise parable says that if you don’t sharpen a tool, you will have to put in more effort to get the job done. This applies to many areas of production. But there is one that takes a lot of effort and time - firewood preparation. Those who use stove heating or solid fuel boilers know how tedious it is. To make the situation easier for themselves, many have decided to purchase a hydraulic wood splitter. This device is ready to do almost all the work for you. There are a large number of models on sale, and you can also assemble it yourself. How to make the right choice when purchasing and diagrams for assembly will be discussed in this article.
Wood splitter device
Those who already have a wood splitter in their arsenal were able to verify its effectiveness. To put it simply, a hydraulic wood splitter is assembled on three main components:
- wood splitter frame;
- engine;
- hydraulic unit;
- cleaver
Based on the type of fuel used for the engines of a hydraulic wood splitter, electric and gasoline units are distinguished. Electric - most often used in everyday life. The power of such products is within 3 kW. Their advantage is the absence of harmful emissions and low sound pressure during operation. It also does not require specific maintenance.If desired, an electric hydraulic wood splitter can be used on the road, but you will have to acquire a generator with sufficient power. Professional models of hydraulic wood splitters are equipped with gasoline engines. They are more mobile, so they are easy to take with you directly into the forest or forest belt for harvesting work.
The bed is the basis of the entire design of a hydraulic wood splitter. It is made of steel with sufficient thickness. Wheels are often attached to it for ease of movement. It also contains a hydraulic unit. It is a small device that converts rotational movements into translational ones. Its part is a gearbox and an oil pump. It is designed to reduce the number of revolutions to the required one. Increased force is transmitted to the splitter of the hydraulic wood splitter. This is a metal plate with a conical tip, which grinds the logs.
Types of wood splitters
In addition to differences in engines, wood splitters also have several ways of implementing the frame design. Among them are:
- horizontal;
- vertical;
- variable.
The horizontal log splitter bed is the most used. Most often, in such a wood splitter, it is not the cleaver that moves towards the log, but, on the contrary, the feed mechanism pushes the workpiece until it is completely split. Hydraulic wood splitters with a vertical frame are somewhat more convenient than horizontal ones, because...you don’t have to lift the workpiece to any height, but simply place it on a stand. The knife here moves from top to bottom. This type of wood splitter requires more scrupulous compliance with safety measures. Wood splitters with a variable bed are the most versatile. They have the least restrictions on the length and width of the log, since the workpiece can be processed in several planes at once. Such a unit is not suitable for home use, since it is often designed for industrial use.
What to look for when choosing
Hydraulic log splitters are safer and more reliable than their direct drive counterparts. The difference lies in the way they respond to unyielding logs. If in a device with a direct drive, when the cleaver jams, the motor continues to rotate, this will inevitably lead to failure of not only the windings, but also the gearbox. In hydraulic devices the situation is different. As soon as the force exceeds the permissible limit, it stops without causing damage to the central unit. Before purchasing a device, you should think about exactly what purposes it will be used. There is no point in overpaying for an industrial design if it will be used for harvesting at home. When purchasing, you should pay attention to:
- engine type and power;
- frame material;
- frame metal thickness;
- quality of welds;
- maximum effort mass;
- parameters of processed logs;
- cylinder stroke length;
- length of the hydraulic wood splitter knife;
- rod movement speed.
Performance will directly depend on the engine power of a hydraulic wood splitter and its power source. If you expect good performance, then there is no point in buying a device with a power of less than 2 kW.Pay attention to the assembly of the motor itself and ask the seller what the windings are made of. Copper is considered a high-quality option. Before purchasing, carefully inspect the frame. It is better if it is made of a channel or angle with a metal thickness of at least 3 mm. Pay attention to the quality of the welds, if any. They should not have chips or cracks. Otherwise, it may result in injury.
The more pressure a log splitter's hydraulic system can exert, the greater the force, which means that hard woods and those with a large number of knots will not create any particular problems. It is worth taking a device that has a good power reserve and also adjusts the height of the knife. It will give you the opportunity not to limit yourself in choice, and also not to bother with finer cutting of trunks. The speed of the rod is often referred to as the cycle time. The shorter the time, the faster it will be possible to cope with a mountain of firewood.
Self-assembly
Purchasing a ready-made hydraulic wood splitter will cost the future owner from 15 thousand rubles. Not everyone is ready to pay that amount for a device that will be needed once a year. Therefore, if desired, you can assemble it yourself using ready-made drawings, while a hydraulic wood splitter will cost half as much. But for this you will need skill in working with power tools and a welding machine. For the whole process you will need:
- Bulgarian;
- welding machine;
- roulette;
- drill with high torque.
The first step is to assemble the frame for the hydraulic wood splitter. An I-beam channel with a side width of 40 mm is suitable as a basis for a hydraulic wood splitter.The length of the hydraulic log splitter can be adjusted to suit your needs. Using a welding machine, a wheel pair is welded to the channel. To do this, a metal pipe is used, in which an axle is placed for attaching the wheels. It is held in place by spacers made from a square measuring 20×10 mm. A better design of a hydraulic wood splitter can be seen in the photo. All seams are well welded to withstand the load.
A hydraulic wood splitter cannot do without a special cylinder that will act as a pusher. It can be purchased by disassembling an old tractor. One that is used in a bucket design or for a trailed system is suitable.
To secure it to the frame of a hydraulic wood splitter, two squares are cut out of sheet metal. Their height should be 8 cm greater than the height of the hydraulic cylinder. A hole is drilled in the center of each workpiece. Its diameter must match that in the body of the cylinder. The strips are welded into place and the cylinder is secured with a sleeve. You can see more details in the photo.
The module of the hydraulic wood splitter, which will move the log, is made according to a similar model, but guides are made in the bottom bar so that it moves only along the frame of the hydraulic wood splitter and does not skewer under great force. Pay attention to this node in the photo.
As an option, the design of a hydraulic wood splitter will use an electric motor with a power of 7.5 kW for three phases. In the following photos you can see the connection point to the pump, and the method of attaching the pump itself to the frame.
The hydraulic converter can be used from a mini-tractor, which was originally designed for the use of heavy implements.All components are connected to each other using high-pressure hoses.
To ensure there is enough oil in the system, you will need a tank. You can use it ready-made or make it yourself, as in this case. Capacity volume 66 liters. The dimensions of its walls are 60x50x22 cm. The seams are well welded.
A ½" hole is made at the top for an automatic relief valve, at the side for filling oil, and at the bottom there is an outlet to the hydraulic system with a diameter of ½" where the valve is mounted. After this, it can be installed in the wood splitter and connected to the hydraulic pump.
Next, the electrical part is wired through the starter, since the motor is designed for 3 phases. All wires are selected to the required cross-section.
Two perpendicularly welded and sharpened plates are used as a cleaver. Good metal in plowshares from a tractor hitch. This product will last as long as possible. Alternatively, you can make 8 knives for greater chopping. The result is in the photo below.
To prevent the log from rolling off the log splitter, additional holders can be made on the sides of the frame. They are welded onto the corners at an angle. They can be seen in the photo with a general view of the finished version.
The assembly diagram is provided as a general guide. In each individual case, you can use those components that are easiest to find in your area. Instead of an electric motor through a gearbox, it is easy to use a gasoline one. The automatic firewood supply unit can be eliminated to simplify the entire design and reduce costs. It is also possible to assemble a manual hydraulic wood splitter. A regular 10 ton jack is suitable for this. A detailed diagram will be given below.
The video shows the operation of a wood splitter with an engine that was manufactured according to the instructions.This device allows you to save time, which you can then spend with your family and loved ones.
Conclusion
The main thing is to understand the principle of its operation when assembling a hydraulic log splitter. With the right approach, what may have seemed unnecessary can be used as a future stand or part for a wood splitter. The main thing is to use imagination and logical thinking.
