Needing a log splitter guru

[Deets066]

Something similar in size

 

[Deets066]

Oh, and turn your welder up a bit. Doesn’t look like much penetration

 

[Grimmy]

They were pretty long my concern with only 8" long wings is that if I put a 30-36" round into it I do not want the entire round to get stuck on the wedge. As for not angling the back up, I've always read that keeping it flat creates too much friction and causes the splitter to work harder. Do you disagree? This is my first 4 way wedge so I have no first hand knowledge.

If and when you put that big of a round on, you aren't going to want to run it through your 4 way. I've ran plenty of big rounds thought mine, I always get it down to at least quarters before I start using the 4 way. While I can't say I've had a round get stuck in the 4 way before, if it doesn't get pushed all the way through, I just put another piece on, and it will put it through the 4 way. My 4 way isn't really close to the main wedge, so it's usually split in half before it touches the 4 way.

Keeping the wings flat and friction, well it might cause some, but nothing your hydraulics will grunt about. Being that it's a slip on, it will just rise up a little till you push it through. Mine is not a slip on, but every once in a while to clear a push out I need to raise the 4 way.....usually if I only if the next piece I need to hide the 4 way, that that happens.

Also watch the angle you put on the 4 way. Too steep of an angle and not hard enough steel and it will cause it to roll and after an hour will be complete junk. Deets has some good pics. I think the angle of mine is steeper than that, but it works great.

 

[Deets066]

I did a single bevel on my horizontal, obviously the flat side on the bottom

 

[Deets066]

I used mild steel for all my wedges. Work fine if built correctly

 

[jehinten]

Oh, and turn your welder up a bit. Doesn’t look like much penetration

Your wedge looks really nice, looks like a lot of thought went into it.

Your right about the penetration on the weld, I was not happy with it but I was also burning through the steel in a couple of other places so I had turned it down a little. I just kind of assumed that I wasn't happy with how the welds looked due to it being old steel that had a layer or rust that needed to grinded off before I could use it.

I'll be buying some new steel for the new wings, I'm leaning towards 1 inch thick as the thickness should help carry the split across the round and I think I'll go with 14" (total length, 7" each side) for the horizontal. I tend to do ok welding heavier steel so I'll give it a shot again, if I rip it apart again I will send it off to a welding shop.

 

[Deets066]

Your wedge looks really nice, looks like a lot of thought went into it.

Your right about the penetration on the weld, I was not happy with it but I was also burning through the steel in a couple of other places so I had turned it down a little. I just kind of assumed that I wasn't happy with how the welds looked due to it being old steel that had a layer or rust that needed to grinded off before I could use it.

I'll be buying some new steel for the new wings, I'm leaning towards 1 inch thick as the thickness should help carry the split across the round and I think I'll go with 14" (total length, 7" each side) for the horizontal. I tend to do ok welding heavier steel so I'll give it a shot again, if I rip it apart again I will send it off to a welding shop.

If you need any advice about fitting up or welding your wings on just send me a PM

 

[Al Smith]

One thing that wasn't mentioned just for general info .If you have a worn out cylinder with the piston seals bypassing it will get the system hot as a firecracker .
I've got an old D4 Caterpillar vintage 1942 with worn out cylinders .Those get hot enough to fry an egg on . I just never got around to rebuilding the cylinders and it's beech to grade with that thing .That blade with all that bypass has a mind of it's own .I can do it but most people can't .I've seen these old antiques make monkey's out of trained operating engineers who were used to modern equipment .

 

[jehinten]

I bought new wings for the 4 way wedge, I'll try to get them welded up today. 6"X6"X3/4" with a single edge already on them. I could have bought a 6"X12"X3/4" for $15 less, but not having to cut it or grind an edge on it was worth the extra cost.

If anyone is looking for the same products I found these on Ebay, and the seller sounded like he was willing to do custom sizes, I just didn't want to wait for them so I bought what he had on hand. I was going to go 1" thick if I had waited.

 

[jehinten]

The new wedge is working much better, final assembly is 12" tall and 14" wide. I have the wings welded on at 6 inches high off of the beam,

 

[Cjone]

If you need any help with the hydraulics just ask. I have been building and repairing hydraulic systems for 20+ years. Still building and repairing oilfield equipment after 30+ years. Cj