Currently, by government decision Russian Federation Electricity, gas and other utilities become more expensive every year. This is caused objective reasons, including increased prices on the energy market. We, ordinary residents, cannot influence this in any way. But I want to live somehow, and live well, in modern conditions. If you have Vacation home or a dacha, naturally, there is no desire to pay the ever-increasing bills for using an electric or gas boiler.
In the current economic situation, it is much more profitable to use wood stove or a boiler using wood, pellets and coal. For this device you definitely need fuel. But purchasing and delivering firewood is only half the battle. The material must be crushed so that it is convenient to insert it into the stove or boiler. In this case, the firewood needs to be chopped with an ax or saw. The question is that not everyone has the desire or health to engage in such hard physical labor.
Features of wood splitters
We recommend using a wood splitter. There are various designs - electric, gasoline, but in addition to the fuel they use during operation, there is a financial aspect. These mechanisms are quite expensive, on average from 30 thousand rubles. If you buy them, then the point of using a wood-burning boiler as a means of saving is eliminated.
Therefore, the most the best option There will be a production of a hydraulic wood splitter. Like any mechanism of this type, it works due to a special design:
- two cylinders;
- two pistons with different areas, united by a common bottom.
The forces applied to the pistons are directly proportional to the areas of the pistons. Energy is transferred using an incompressible fluid, mineral or machine oil. As a result, with a little effort you can, in this case, split a massive trunk of a perennial tree. In such a situation, a wood splitter is the simplest hydraulic machine. As you can see, the thing is convenient and profitable. It's best to make it yourself.
Types of wood splitters
These mechanisms are available both for use at home and in wood processing plants and factories. The second ones are different additional functions, necessary in industrial production. A piece of tree trunk can be fed in different planes in such machines. Depending on the feed direction, there are the following wood splitters:
- vertical;
- horizontal;
- mixed
The latter type is used in production. In a horizontal wood splitter, a piece of wood lies, and hydraulics control the cutting mechanism, or the knife is fixed, and the wood moves.
In the vertical, the action is similar to chopping by hand. The barrel stands, and the knife breaks it from above. This is a more familiar design, but there is a very significant drawback - using the device is fraught with cuts, bruises and other damage. After all, you have to monitor the position of the log and, if necessary, hold it in the desired position.
An essential part of the log splitter is the motor, which allows the hydraulic machine to function. Gasoline, diesel, electric, you can use a tractor engine. If you make a wood splitter yourself, then it is possible to create a design of any variation according to your desires and capabilities.
You will need a U-shaped metal frame; place a regular jack at the bottom, which you use when repairing your car. To hold a piece of wood vertically, use a wedge, similar to the corkscrew you use to open wine bottles.
The top of the frame must be composite in order to cut trunks of different heights. The principle of operation is this: the wedge goes end-to-end to a piece of wood, which is gradually lifted with a jack, which leads to cracking of the wood, exactly in the middle and to the end. As you can see, such a wood splitter is extremely simple and requires a minimum of equipment; it is very easy to manufacture. 
If you want, you can try to make a similar mechanism with horizontal feed. To make it, take the same hydraulic jack, knife, bed (static or on wheels). On the latter, attach the listed parts, as well as those indicated in the diagram. With such a device, wood splitting also occurs due to the energy of the jack.
Vertical and horizontal homemade devices are very simple, but their performance is quite low, which is not very convenient. And endlessly pulling the jack handle doesn’t inspire much enthusiasm either. You can modify the design if you use a cross-shaped knife. The speed of chopping wood will increase significantly.
You can make a hydraulic splitter using the following elements:
- electric motor;
- oil container;
- regulation device;
- pumping device;
- hydraulic machine;
- bed;
The work of splitting firewood is greatly accelerated, because your task is to install the log and press the button. A piece of the trunk splits within a few seconds.
If you have a wood-burning stove at home, then you should still take care of such a necessary mechanism. Well, which one to do is up to you. No special materials are required to make a hydraulic wood splitter. This is a simple, economical device, very useful in the household.
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Many owners of private houses heated by stoves and solid fuel boilers, to prepare firewood for the winter, they use wood splitters. Not everyone can purchase industrial units because of their high cost. To make a wood splitter with your own hands, it is enough to have its diagram at hand and follow the sequence of work performed.
What it is
Equipment designed for splitting wood logging into logs, called a wood splitter.
For professional harvesting, wood splitting machines are produced in industrial quantities. These complexes are capable of trimming logs into pieces of the required length and splitting them into logs. Finished products from working area removed by conveyor.
Log splitters are used in sawmills to split logs into logs of the required size.
A household wood splitter is intended only for splitting logs into logs, but the log must first be sawed into blanks. The performance and operating time of this equipment is limited. With the help of household wood splitters in the private sector, firewood is prepared for the bathhouse, fireplace and for the winter.
Logs after splitting can be used as fuel for a boiler, fireplace or stove
Kinds
The devices are available with vertical and horizontal workpiece arrangements. In the first version, the workpiece is placed on the bed and the cleaver is lowered from above. The advantage of vertical wood splitters is that curved logs can be placed on the frame, but you will have to hold them with your hands, strictly observing safety precautions. In the second type of wood splitter, the workpiece is placed in a horizontal chute and moved to the knife. These devices are more practical and safer than vertical ones, but take up more space.
According to the type of energy used, axes are divided into:
- Kinetic (manual);
- Mechanical.
The first type of cleavers works by using human power and does not require additional technical means. These products are the most economical and most popular due to their low cost and ease of manufacture.
Crowbar cleaver
It is a long metal rod with a pointed cone on one side and a handle on the other. The cleaver is lifted by hand and forcefully lowered into the cone onto the log. Productivity is low and work is physically demanding.
The crowbar wood splitter copes well with heavy and thick logs made of soft wood.
Cylindrical manual
Compact and easy to carry. Used for harvesting small quantity firewood (for a fireplace or sauna). A frame with an upward-pointing blade is fixed to the stand. The workpiece placed inside the frame is struck with a sledgehammer. The blade separates the log into logs.
For a private home, one of the simplest and safest options is a cylindrical manual wood splitter
Spring
The most common and productive among kinetic devices. The workpiece is split by a working part mounted on a beam and damped by a spring. Requires little effort.
Mechanical wood splitters are divided into:
- Hydraulic;
- Conical (screw);
- Rack and pinion.
IN spring log splitter The main force is taken by the spring
Hydraulic
The advantages are smooth running and the creation of a large load on the workpiece.
Despite the creation of a large working force, the hydraulic wood splitter does not have a high operating speed
The energy from the electric or gasoline engine is transferred to the hydraulic cylinder. Working fluid enters the rod, which moves the stop with the workpiece to the permanently fixed knife. The force created by the hydraulic cylinder can reach 10 tons. The stroke of the rod and the direction of movement are regulated by the distributor. It also protects the mechanism from damage if its power is not enough to split the lump.
Screw
The principle of operation is based on screwing a cone-shaped working element into a workpiece and splitting it into 2 or more parts. Screw devices are produced in 3 versions, with differences in the methods of transferring energy from the engine to the working cone. The cone is fixed directly or through a flywheel on the shaft of a low-speed electric motor (up to 5 kW, 400-500 rpm).
A cone-shaped cleaver is most often used in gasoline and electric models
From the engine, torque is transmitted to the cone using a belt or chain drive. The pulleys are selected so that the cone speed does not exceed 300-400 rpm. Sometimes the engine transfers energy to the cone through a gear motor. This design is relatively complex and is used mainly in industrial wood splitting machines or by folk craftsmen.
For productive work drive power must be at least 1.5 kW
Rack and pinion
The operation of the device is based on the rack and pinion method of operation. The movable transmission rack operates due to a gear mounted on a reduction pulley of the belt drive connected to the engine. The contact between the gear and rack is provided by the control handle. The toothed rack moves along guides mounted on a reinforced frame, and on the other edge of which there is a cleaver. The reverse motion of the rack is carried out due to return spring. Rack splitters are reliable, economical and have excellent performance.
The splitting ax in the design of a rack-and-pinion splitter is attached to a rack that moves due to a gear drive
According to the type of traction, wood splitters can be divided into:
- Electrical. Power is supplied by an electric motor. These devices do not require maintenance and are easy to operate. Indoor installation possible. The downside is low mobility due to attachment to a source of electricity
- Wood splitters with gasoline engine have greater power and productivity. They are used both in everyday life and in industrial preparations.
- Wood splitters with tractor traction. The working cylinder of the device is connected to hydraulic system transport, which significantly increases the speed and working life of the wood splitter. These models are used when it is necessary to prepare a large volume of firewood in forestry or on a farm.
- Combined traction. It is used on industrial wood splitting machines and comes in two types: tractor hydraulic drive and electric motor, tractor hydraulic drive and gasoline engine.
To solve everyday problems, manual and electric wood splitters are most often used, less often - gasoline ones.
Factory models are much more efficient and presentable
Before purchasing or manufacturing any wood splitter, you must pay attention to the following technical characteristics:
- The splitting power of the hydraulic device should be in the range of 3-7 tons.
- The acceptable rotation speed of the working cone of a screw wood splitter is 400-600 rpm.
- The working length (the distance between the piston and the knife) shows the maximum longitudinal size of the workpiece being split. In household wood splitters it is 0.5-0.6 m, in industrial ones - 0.5-1 m.
- The presence of a piston stroke limiter increases productivity and saves resources when processing short workpieces.
- The optimal speed of piston movement when moving forward (working) is 4 cm/sec, backward - 7.5 cm/sec.
- The engine power in hydraulic wood splitters is 1500-2300 W, in screw splitters - 3000-4000 W.
- Dimensions and mobility of the device.
Making a wood splitter with your own hands
Purchasing a factory-made wood splitter is not always economically justified, especially since some types of this mechanism can be assembled with your own hands from simple materials.
Spring
To create it you will need the following material:
- Channel;
- I-beam;
- Pipes or angle for the frame and stiffeners;
- Metal corner;
- Square pipe;
- Automotive spring;
- A piece of pipe with a diameter slightly smaller than that of the spring;
- Hinge joint;
- Cleaver;
- Weighting material (a piece of rail or channel with a thick flange).
For a stationary wood splitter you can fill concrete base, inserting a stand into it. In this embodiment, there is no need to make a frame. All parts of the wood splitter, except the hinge, are connected using electric welding. Cut off pieces of the channel for the frame and the I-beam for the base. The length of the support is 0.6-1 m. The height of the base is selected individually. The support is connected to the frame, strictly maintaining an angle of 90 degrees. To ensure stability of the structure, pipes are welded horizontally to the ends of the frame. The connection between the frame and the base is reinforced with spacers.
To increase the stability of the structure, it is necessary to install spacers
The platform for the spring is a piece of channel 40-50 cm long. On one side of it, a hole is cut out with a grinder to connect to the base. A guide for the spring is welded to the other edge. To determine the mounting location of the platform, you need to subtract the length of the spring from the height of the support. The platform also needs to be reinforced with spacers from the corner.
In order to determine the place of attachment of the platform, it is necessary to subtract the length of the spring from the height of the support
In the upper part of the base, a seat 8-10 cm deep is cut out for the outer element of the hinge unit. Then the channel for the cleaver is prepared. To do this, on one side of a channel 0.5-0.7 m long, at a distance of 10-15 cm from the edge, a rectangular hole is cut out of such a length that the base beam does not interfere with the movement of the channel placed on it. The inner rod of the hinge assembly is welded in the center of the hole. A seat for the spring is attached to the second edge of the channel.
The beam will move using hinges
The distance from the base to the lower and upper spring cups should be the same.
A cleaver is welded to one side of the metal square from below at an angle of 90°, and a weighting agent is welded on top. The second side is connected to the channel for the splitting joint so that the total length of the resulting arm is 1-1.5 m. The resulting assembled structure is put on the base so that the outer elements of the hinge fit into the seat on the beam, fixing them by welding. A spring is put on the landing cups. For ease of use, a handle is attached near the cleaver.
The rail welded above the cleaver will act as a weighting agent
To make the device mobile, 2 wheels are attached to the frame from the base side.
Video: how to make a spring log splitter
Cone or screw
The main operating part of this wood splitter is a threaded cone, which splits the wood by screwing into its structure like a self-tapping screw (“carrot”).
The splitter of a screw splitter is a cone-shaped element, also known as a “carrot”
In order to make this mechanism you need:
- According to the drawing, make a cone from an ST-45 cylinder with a diameter of 55 mm and a length of 14.5 cm at an angle of 30 degrees.
- On a turning machine, apply a thrust thread to the cylinder with a pitch of 6-7 mm and a depth of 2 mm.
- The finished cone is placed on the shaft and secured with a pin.
- On the opposite side of the shaft, 1 or 2 bearings are mounted and a flange is welded (a sprocket for a chain or a pulley for a belt).
- Supports are welded to the bearings to fix the mechanism to the table.
- A spacer is placed between the shaft and the engine to tension the belt or chain.
- The conical structure with an electric motor using supports is fixed on a table made of dense, strong wood with metal legs.
- The cone is attached at a height of 10-15 cm from the table surface.
- The engine, belt or chain is covered with a metal casing for safety reasons.
During operation, the cone slowly cuts into the log and breaks it into several parts
If making a cone yourself is problematic, then it should be purchased at a specialized store.
The direction of the thread does not matter, but when cutting a right-hand thread, there is a possibility of ruining the cone
Video: how to make a “carrot” in the garage
Rack and pinion
First you need to decide on the drawing according to which the unit is manufactured. The desired performance, type of wood and installation location must be taken into account. Using these data, the engine power and the parameters of the rack and pinion mechanism are calculated.
The basis of the rack-and-pinion log splitter is a powerful steel frame, to which the drive and frame are attached
- The mobile frame is made of a profile pipe and angle. For a stationary wood splitter, the frame can be made from heavier channel bars and I-beams.
- When welding the frame, you need to strictly observe verticals and horizontals, which will subsequently affect productivity and safety.
- The structure must be stable, the wheels on the frame must be securely fastened and secured during work.
- The length of the slats should be 1.5 times the distance to the cleaver.
- The log feeding speed is selected individually and is regulated by selecting a decreasing number of pulleys.
The horizontal stacking mechanism in the form of a trench ensures optimal movement of the workpiece to the cleaver.
Video: homemade rack and pinion wood splitter
Hydraulic wood splitter from a jack
The simplest hydraulic wood splitter is made according to the following scheme:
- A vertical frame is welded from a channel to a base for a car jack. The height of the frame depends on the length of the workpieces being split.
- In the center top bar frames install a conical wedge on a screw drive. To do this, the necessary thread is cut into the hole on the frame.
- The workpiece installed on the jack rod is first fixed from above with a wedge using a screw. Next, using a jack, the log is strung onto a wedge and split into logs.
A car jack is suitable for making a hydraulic wood splitter.
There is no universal technology for creating a hydraulic wood splitter. It all depends on the hydraulic system available, which consists of:
- Hydraulic cylinder with pusher;
- Hydraulic pump;
- Distributor of working fluid flows;
- Oil tank;
- Electric or gasoline engine.
The frame is constructed from a metal channel, an I-beam, an angle and a profile pipe. For mobility, it is recommended to place it on a ready-made chassis or wheelset.
An example for creating this unit yourself can be factory models or one-piece copies of craftsmen, photos and videos of which are published on the Internet.
Example horizontal design hydraulic log splitter with oil tank
Video: hydraulic device made from improvised means
Safety precautions
To work safely with homemade device The following rules must be observed:
- The process of harvesting wood should be carried out in closed clothing, gloves and safety glasses, so as not to be injured by chips flying away from the workpiece.
- The workpiece must be firmly positioned in the chute and not move during movement.
- When the piston moves, it is forbidden to reach out to the knives and adjust the shifted workpiece.
- Any manipulations with the workpiece are performed after turning off the unit and completely stopping all its components.
- Work on repairing or replacing the components of the wood splitter is carried out by disconnecting the electric motor from the mains power.
Wood splitters greatly facilitate the preparation of large volumes of firewood, saving effort and time. However, to provide firewood for a fireplace or bathhouse, there is no need to purchase complex, expensive equipment. It is much more pleasant and healthier to use an ordinary ax.
Harvesting firewood requires considerable effort: it needs to be sawed, chopped, and stacked to dry. Most of the effort goes into chopping wood. A wood splitter can make the process easier and faster. They are presented in sufficient quantities, but cost a lot of money. At the same time, you can make a simple wood splitter with your own hands from scrap metal - pipes, corners, etc. Everything will require literally several thousand - if there is no metal, you will have to buy it.
Mechanical wood splitters
If the volumes of firewood harvesting are small, it can be easily handled mechanical wood splitter. They are distinguished by their simplicity of design, a minimum number of complex components, and also by the fact that the costs are minimal, even if the farm does not have suitable hardware.
Simple DIY wood splitter: mechanics
The simplest mechanical wood splitter resembles a well crane. The design is one to one, only instead of a bucket a cutter and handles are attached. The connection between the rack(s) and the crossbar can be made as simple as possible - hinged. All you need is good lubrication.
The principle of operation is probably clear to everyone. The block of wood is placed on a stand, the lever is sharply pulled down, due to the force of inertia, the cutter gains significant force and splits the block of wood. The process is repeated until logs of the required thickness are obtained.
It’s easy to assemble such a mechanical wood splitter with your own hands, literally, from what you have - pipes, a corner of any size, you can even use an ax as a cutter. In addition, such a design can be made collapsible so that it can be moved.
There are many disadvantages. Chopping wood requires a lot of effort. Moreover, more effort is put into stopping the progress of the cleaver after the log has fallen apart. The second disadvantage is that such a wood splitter takes up a significant area, because the longer the lever, the less effort you need to put in. However, even such a primitive mechanical device greatly reduces the complexity of the process.
One option is for the cleaver to be welded to square pipe, filled with concrete
In this design, the cleaver must be heavy. Therefore, the blade itself is welded to an all-metal blank. More affordable option- weld it to a pipe (round or square) and fill it with concrete. Agree, anyone who knows how to handle wood can make such a wood splitter with their own hands.
Spring log splitter
There is a modified design of a manual mechanical wood splitter, which, with a smaller size, chops wood better and requires less effort. In this model, the main working unit is a spring, which is fixed to the frame, and its upper part rests against a stationary crossbar on which the cleaver is fixed.
In this design, the main force - to hold the cleaver after the log has split - is taken by the spring. Accordingly, the main thing is to select the spring and stop so that minimal effort is applied, but they are sufficient to split even complex, knotty blocks. The spring support can be made movable. Then you can adjust the parameters to specific conditions. In reality, “reconfiguration” is required for a specific person. If one person will work with the tool, then you can do everything stationary, selecting the height experimentally.
It is equally important to make a movable joint between the frame and the lever on which the cleaver is attached. The best option- bearings. They must be of high quality, preferably self-leveling.
The minimum height of a homemade wood splitter is about 800 mm. But then you will either have to work bending over, or install the machine on a table/bed. A more comfortable option that requires minimal effort is one made to fit your height. Determine at what height it is convenient for you to have the log standing, add the height of the log itself to this figure, and get the height of the bed. In this case, you will also have to bend over, but only when you place the block on the stand, and not every time the cleaver is lowered.
You can work with one hand or come up with a clamp for installing logs (more secure) Movable joint assembly and spring attachment - several options
To add mobility structures, a frame is welded, with wheels attached on one side and stops welded on the other. Making such a wood splitter with your own hands is somewhat more difficult, but if there is a spring and bearings, this is such a difficult task.
Vertical inertial wood splitter
Another simple option for DIY. To make such a wood splitter with your own hands, you need two pipes of a larger and smaller diameter. You will also need a heavy plate - the base, and, in fact, the piercing part - the cutter/cleaver.
The design is one of the simplest, requiring little effort. Fixed on a massive platform thick wall pipe, or better yet, a pin. Height is about a meter. This is the lead pipe. A cleaver moves freely along it, which is welded to the rings of a pipe with a slightly larger diameter than the leading pipe. He chops wood in the following way: lift the cleaver up and release it. You can accelerate down a little. Due to gravity, the log splits.
A heavy cleaver is the key to success in this model
But this mechanical wood splitter does not immediately split all the logs. To increase its effectiveness, you can add a weight to the cleaver. It can be “added” if necessary. The second option is to hit the column a couple of times with a hammer. This method is good if the cutter is stuck in the wood. An alternative is to lift the log together up and lower it sharply. But it's easier to swing a hammer.
Electric wood splitters
A manual wood splitter, of course, makes it easier to prepare firewood, but it still requires considerable physical effort. Not as much as they are spent waving a regular cleaver, but still... The electric motor helps make the effort even less. Wood splitters of various designs are made on its basis. But making such a wood splitter with your own hands is more difficult. Here the device is more complex, and at least minimal electrical knowledge is required, preferably.
Screw (conical)
One of the most common models is a cone or screw splitter. The only difference between them is the absence/presence of threads on the piercing element, which in this model is made in the form of a cone.
The logs split due to the fact that a cone rotated by a motor cuts into the wood, gradually tearing it into pieces. For large logs, first the edges are chipped off, then the middle is torn.
Taper and thread parameters
First, the cutting part was turned into a smooth cone. If you use a smooth cone, when working you have to lean quite hard on the block so that the cylinder “bites” into the wood. The process is much easier if a thread is cut on its surface. In this case, the block seems to be screwed onto a screw, and then splits.
The main thing is to make the cone with thread correctly. If there lathe and work experience, you can try to do it yourself. If not, you'll have to order it. The threads are made in different ways, but the following parameters are considered optimal: pitch 7 mm, depth 3 mm (minimum 2 mm). Another important point is that the depth of the seat on the motor gearbox is at least 70 mm.
If you have a cone with a thread, making this wood splitter with your own hands will not be difficult.
Electric motor and gearbox
You need an electric motor that is powerful enough (2 kW and above, or 5-9 l/s), but with a low rotation speed: 250-600 rpm. At 250 rpm and below it chops very slowly, and if the rpm is more than 500, it is dangerous to work, as it can tear the log out of your hands.
If you manage to find an engine with such parameters, you can attach the made lance (screw) directly to the crankshaft (pictured above). If there are more revolutions, you need to install a reduction gear or make a chain or belt drive to reduce the rotation speed.
The ratio is calculated depending on the engine speed. For example, there is a 900 rpm engine. By making a 1:2 gearbox we get 450 rpm. Just the best option.
Transmissions can be belt or chain. Chain ones work many times louder, require constant brushing, and even grind the sprockets with the necessary parameters usually costs more. A double belt drive is desirable (as in the photo above). In this case, there will be less slippage.
Chain drive is noisier, but more reliable “Extension” for the screw - to keep the working area away from the motor or belts/chains
Where to place the motor
If the design includes a gear, it is better to place the motor at the bottom and secure the screw itself on the working surface. Choose the height of the working surface to suit your height so that you don’t have to work at an angle.
A safer model. Making such a wood splitter with your own hands will make your life much easier
There is also such a parameter as the height of the screw above work surface. The gap from the table to the cylinder should be around 8-20 cm. It should not be placed higher - it may turn small diameter logs. The optimal distance is 8-12 cm. Even small-sized logs do not rotate.
Hydraulic wood splitter
A hydraulic wood splitter is the most powerful, but also the most complex and expensive to manufacture. In addition to the frame, engine and cutting knives, you need a hydraulic cylinder of sufficient power. They are not cheap. In addition, you also need an oil tank and a pump.
A hydraulic firewood splitter develops considerable forces, which is why metal of considerable thickness is used in its manufacture - 6-10 mm, depending on the drive power. The developed force is quite enough to break the log into 6-8 logs at a time. That’s why knives are made in the shape of a “star”.
When making knives, they are spaced several centimeters apart from each other. So that there is only one at work. For example, first - horizontal, then - vertical, then - right and finally - left. At the same time, strengthen each of the knives by welding reinforcing plates at the back. It is advisable to use hard steel, having previously sharpened it according to the same principle as for cleavers.
Video on the topic
Various mechanical devices are known for splitting firewood. A hydraulic wood splitter, which works on the principle of applying pressure to a log using a press, is one of them. The liquid under the press and due to the build-up of pressure begins to compress, is supplied to the work table and puts pressure on the incoming wood. That's the whole principle of operation of a hydrosplitting machine. Now let's look at what types there are and how to make a wood splitter
1 Types of hydraulic log splitter
2 Basic specifications
3 What does a wood splitter consist of?
4 Operating principle of the device
5 Hydraulic cleaver “Gorynych”
7 DIY hydro splitter
8 Manufacturing example
9 Example of a foot splitter
- 9.1 Manufacturing process
10 Photos of hydraulic wood splitters
11 How to make a hydrosplitting knife
12 Approximate costs for self-production
13 Wood splitter for tractor
Types of hydraulic log splitter
The type of wood splitter depends on the number of operations performed; it can be: household, the functions of which only include splitting wood; professional, capable of splitting not only firewood, but also feeding, trimming, and unloading it. The household appliance is equipped with a simple electric motor that provides rotational action of the hydraulic pump. The drive is easy to maintain, yet it is reliable and environmentally friendly. The only drawback- works only from the mains, is completely dependent on it, and the power of the device is also insufficient. More powerful log splitters are considered more mobile, designed for use by professional loggers, and are capable of splitting wood faster and on a larger scale. The engine uses gasoline or diesel fuel. The hydraulic system for starting the wood splitter is supplied from the tractor, possibly from its power take-off shaft. Also, to operate the mechanisms, an electric motor with a tractor drive or a gasoline engine can be used, which begins to rotate when connected to the tractor’s hydraulics.
Cleavers also differ in the way they lay firewood.
There are 3 types:
- Horizontal. This is the most common type. In this case, the log is placed horizontally on the rails. The movement is often carried out by the log towards the knife. But there are also models when the knife moves towards you.
- Vertical. The smallest design. In it, the knife often moves from above onto a log, which is mounted vertically below. But there are models when the knife is installed stationary, and the tree is in motion.
- Mixed. The rarest species. Mostly professional models have this type of bookmark. Their main advantage is the processing of large quantities of firewood. Therefore, they are installed mainly at woodworking enterprises.
Vertical and horizontal wood splitter
Main technical characteristics
Whatever the device is called: a wood splitter or a hydraulic wood splitter, its essence is the same. The main element that determines power and performance is the engine. In everyday life, many people have enough force of the device equal to 3–5 tons. More powerful wood splitters are already purchased for industrial purposes; they are capable of working with longer and thicker logs.
The average stroke is limited to 52 cm.
Those cleavers that are powered by an electric motor can be connected to a 220 or 280V network.
What does a wood splitter consist of?
A do-it-yourself hydraulic wood splitter includes the following parts:
- bed;
- emphasis;
- cylinder;
- wedge blade;
- pump;
- pressure distributor for fluid supply and return;
- oil filling tank;
- an electric motor driving the pump.
Diagram of a hydraulic wood splitter
The hydraulic wood splitter circuit is the same for both the vertical and horizontal versions. Only in vertical version, instead of the heel, a cutting device is placed. And there can be any improvements to it, whatever your imagination allows.
Drawing of a hydraulic log splitter
How the device works
Conventional wood splitters often break down, because even with a small cylinder diameter of 9–10 cm, a voltage of up to 10 tons is created in it, while the electric motor continues to work and rotate the device, even if the log does not want to split. In a hydraulic log splitter, there is a smooth, gradual increase in force; if there is a lack of force, the cylinder will simply stop rotating, and even with further rotation of the oil pump, no breakdown will occur.
Hydraulic cleaver "Gorynych"
Hydraulic wood splitter Gorynych
One of the most popular cleavers on the market is “Gorynych”. Speed is the main feature of this hydro splitter. Today it has no competitors. The reliability shown over previous years of operation breaks all records. Over the 9 years of existence of the Gorynych cleaver, more than 18 thousand m3 of forest were processed. And at the same time, not a single unit became unusable. And you can work with it both at +30 and at -30 - the engine, pump, distributor and hydraulic cylinder do an excellent job with any job at any time of the year. The technology is patented.
Wood splitter "Gorynych" 6T and its technical characteristics.
Main achievements:
- One cycle takes 2.5 seconds.
- It has unique parts and assembly that allows it to work at any temperature.
- Knife made of hardened iron. It is extremely difficult to blunt it.
- All parts are repairable.
- The structure is covered special composition, which makes the structure resistant to external natural influences.
Video of Gorynych’s work:
Indicators of such a wood splitter:
- 25 logs were split in 3 minutes.
- For 1 hour – 500 chocks.
- If we take a workpiece with an average diameter of 20 cm and a length of 40, then we get 6.28 m3/hour
Prices Considering many positive factors and reviews, prices for Gorynych are not very high. It won’t be much cheaper to assemble a homemade wood splitter. The cost may vary depending on the configuration of the assembly itself, the store and the region. You can find out the current price by contacting our managers.
DIY hydro splitter
Making a hydraulic splitter for firewood is not difficult. The main snag is in its hydraulic part, circuit, connection methods and calculation of components, which we will consider.
We will not consider in detail the structure of the body, work table, wedge, transportation capabilities and similar functions, for the simple reason that they mainly depend on the imagination and needs of a particular master. They do not affect the main task of the cleaver in any way. But a number general recommendations We'll give it below.
The minimum that a simple hydraulic wood splitter can consist of is:
hydraulic pump;
hydraulic pump drive (engine);
hydraulic distributor;
hydraulic tank; hydraulic cylinder;
Before constructing a homemade hydraulic splitter, you need to decide on its power, namely, how much hydraulic cylinder force is required. An error at this stage leads to the fact that the drive power may not be enough. Accordingly, the engine will jam on knotty wood or large logs.
View the hydraulic diagram a simple wood splitter can be seen in the photo. It includes a minimum of components. It is worth paying attention to the presence of its own safety valve at the hydraulic distributor. Its presence will not help in any way to improve or simplify the main task of the device, but it always needs to be installed.
If the distributor does not have one, then an independent valve must be installed in the system.
It is necessary to clearly understand the rule of the inverse relationship between the performance of the hydraulic system and the drive power required for this. With such a calculation in this scheme, you always have to sacrifice the speed of the hydraulic cylinder in favor of lower engine power. But this is not always suitable. The industry requires a combination of high cycle speed and low power consumption. In this case, a unique type of load will help: a large idle stroke of the hydraulic cylinder and a short loaded mode. Here you need to divide the flows to the hydraulic cylinder according to performance depending on the operating mode. The diagrams below solve a similar problem. 2 pumps with different volumes from one drive or a double pump with different volume sections are used. For example, pumps NSh32 and NSh10 are presented.
Idling The hydraulic cylinder is provided by the total flow of both pumps; the safety valve in this case is set to a pressure much less than that required to ensure the working cycle (splitting). When the hydraulic cylinder rests on the workpiece, the increased pressure in the NSh32 hydraulic line is released through the safety valve into the tank, and check valve limits the hydraulic line only to the flow and pressure created from NSh10. The diagram just shows a loaded hydraulic line from NSh10. After splitting the workpiece, the pressure in the system drops sharply and the safety valve closes and the cylinder is again fed by the total flow. All this leads to high performance cleaver in idle mode, as well as saving power of the drive motor in loaded mode
To use the hydraulic splitting splitter solution with two pumps, we present a more complete, recommended scheme
Manufacturing example
Examples of making a hydraulic wood splitter with your own hands with a gasoline engine. NSh-14 was delivered.
Homemade hydraulic cleaver
To reduce noise, you can install a muffler from a moped.
You can also remove the engine speed lever and install a pressure control device.
Example of a foot splitter
Now let’s look at an example when you don’t want to pay for electricity and for gasoline or other fuel, but you want some simple hydraulic splitter. How to make everything work using human power? It's actually simple.
You can see how this works in life in the video:
Materials and tools for assembly:
- hydraulic jack;
- profile pipe 40x50;
- corners; steel plates 6-8 mm thick;
- rubber band;
- a piece of metal at least 30 mm thick (to create a wedge that will split the wood);
- M12 bolts;
- welding, grinder, measuring tool, drill and more.
Manufacturing process
Step 1. Making the frame. The base is a profile pipe with a diameter of 40x50 mm. But she can’t cope alone and may bend. There is option 2. Either we take a thicker pipe, or we strengthen the existing one. Everything is clear with the first option, but how to do the second can be seen in the photo. A simple farm is being made.
We weld the guide to the platform. Watch the quality of the seams, they must be High Quality and reliable. On reverse side weld the scarf.
To make a slider you need to use a corner. We cut into the required lengths and weld. The main task is to make it slide freely along the guide, but make sure that there are no strong backlashes. To strengthen the place where the hydraulic jack rod will subsequently rest, the bevel of the plate is welded.
Step 2. Making the base for the jack.
A hydraulic jack with a lifting power of 10 tons is required. But you can choose a lower power, for example, 6 tons also copes quite well. But it is necessary to prepare a good support. To do this, take strips of metal 6–8 mm thick and weld them under the heel of the jack.
Step 3. Handle.
As planned, the jack is powered by the foot, so the handle has to be modernized. To do this, we simply weld the parts to obtain the necessary bend that is comfortable for the leg. You can also weld a special pedal to prevent your foot from slipping. To return the handle to its original position, you can use a spring. But the author took a more complicated route and welded the roller and tied a tourniquet to the handle.
Step 4. Knife. The cutting part is made of steel of at least 3 mm. We sharpen it in the form of a wedge. For fastening to the guide we use M12 screws. Screws required periodic inspection.
Photo of a wood chopping knife
At this point, the foot press for chopping wood is ready. Its main advantage is that it does not require many resources, all suitable material can be found in the garage.
Photos of hydraulic wood splitters
How to make a hydrosplitting knife?
As described above, to make a knife for a wood splitter with your own hands, you need to take at least 3 mm of metal. Also suitable I-beam. Some craftsmen even make it from metal with a thickness of 12 to 20 mm. The main thing is to sharpen it well.
We cut the beam with a grinder under right size.
The central knife is sharpened on both sides. The remaining blades are only on one edge. But they can also be sharpened on both sides.
This is what a wood splitter knife looks like, cutting into 8 pieces at once:
Its advantage is that if you lower it as far as possible, the lower blades are hidden and it begins to chop into 6 parts. And here is what a knife looks like for splitting into 4 parts. When lowering, it hurts only in 2 parts.
Video about what an 8-piece splitter looks like.
Homemade wood splitter video
When assembling or designing, someone may find the data from the Logsplit 100 machine data sheet useful.
Wood splitter for tractor
Basically it is more suitable for business. Since the productivity of such a system is significantly higher than domestic needs.
There are two types.
- Suspended from the tractor
- Stationary, connected to the hydraulic system.
For those who understand, the diagrams above helped to make such a device yourself. It is worth considering that the tractor power required is from 20 hp. With. And here’s how a wood splitter made on the basis of MTZ-82 works.
And here is another option: vertical hydraulic wood splitter Dragon:
If you want to buy a hydraulic wood splitter, you can contact our managers in any way convenient for you. By writing to us by email or on the website in the form feedback.
Our mailbox [email protected]
Contact phone numbers.
38 067 571 00 37 Chief Engineer
+38 050 371 37 00 Deputy Chief Engineer
+38 067 552 28 77
+38 050 344 99 77
