18hp twin log splitter

[Derfla]

built a log splitter for a buddy. twin 18hp briggs for the engine. 13.6 3200 psi for the pump. and a 4.5 in trunnion mount cylinder. 8 in H beam chevy caviler axle. fabricated tank to match size of beam.

[Derfla]

more pictures

[Derfla]

and some more

[Derfla]

finished.. now if i ever get my little loader done.

[TUDOR]

That's a nice 25 ton splitter. It should stand up well and turn a lot of big wood into little wood.

Is you buddy on the firewood business, or is just for his own use?

[speakerman0320]

Now that should be a get-urr-done machine.

[Derfla]

just his own use. 18 hp was way over kill but on the bright side u can split at an idle.

[rscurtis]

Not necessarily. I had a Huss "Honest Abe" 24 ton splitter (1980) that was 16 HP. It wore out two cast iron Briggs engines and was into its third engine (a V-twin Vanguard) when I sold it.

[TUDOR]

Originally Posted by rscurtis

Not necessarily. I had a Huss "Honest Abe" 24 ton splitter (1980) that was 16 HP. It wore out two cast iron Briggs engines and was into its third engine (a V-twin Vanguard) when I sold it.

How many hours did you put on the engines? I've split a tandem load of maple and birch logs (25 face cords) in about 16 hours working alone with my 7.5 ton homebuilt splitter running off of my loader hydraulics on my MF1655 and rarely used more than 2/3 throttle.

Splitting wood is a lot less work for an engine than snowblowing. It's quite literally only occassionally a few seconds per minute at maximum load with a well designed hydraulic system.

[RaisedByWolves]

Originally Posted by TUDOR

How many hours did you put on the engines? I've split a tandem load of maple and birch logs (25 face cords) in about 16 hours working alone with my 7.5 ton homebuilt splitter running off of my loader hydraulics on my MF1655 and rarely used more than 2/3 throttle.

Splitting wood is a lot less work for an engine than snowblowing. It's quite literally only occassionally a few seconds per minute at maximum load with a well designed hydraulic system.

Yeah, I would say something in that system was not right.


I have a Cheapie 20 ton splitter with only a 5hp briggs pos engine that has seen much use between our hunting cabin, my last house (2 cord/year) My current house (4 cord/year) My brother and neighbor who each do about a cord a year.

It is about 12yrs old and admittedly it is getting a bit wheezy, but it still runs.


I also never really go much past 2/3 throttle.

[Ken in NJ]

Nice job on the splitter

Mine is set up sorta like your with the ram sliding on the beam. After 35 years (Guess) I just had to rebuild the slide from wear, the grit and dirt made it loose as a goose over the years and it started to twist off the bed when splitting twisted stuff.. and that caused the cylinder seal to start leaking.

Now its better then new, and adjustable for when it wears down again.

[rscurtis]

Originally Posted by TUDOR

How many hours did you put on the engines? I've split a tandem load of maple and birch logs (25 face cords) in about 16 hours working alone with my 7.5 ton homebuilt splitter running off of my loader hydraulics on my MF1655 and rarely used more than 2/3 throttle.

Splitting wood is a lot less work for an engine than snowblowing. It's quite literally only occassionally a few seconds per minute at maximum load with a well designed hydraulic system.

What I didn't say is that the machine was used in rental service from 1980 until 2006, when I sold it (for $1300). Only the third engine had an hourmeter on it. I would estimate it had multiple thousands of hours of use, and it wasn't anywhere near its fatigue life. That splitter will still last someone another lifetime.

[TUDOR]

Originally Posted by rscurtis

What I didn't say is that the machine was used in rental service from 1980 until 2006, when I sold it (for $1300). Only the third engine had an hourmeter on it. I would estimate it had multiple thousands of hours of use, and it wasn't anywhere near its fatigue life. That splitter will still last someone another lifetime.

Ahh! "The rest of the story!"

Not a poor system, just lots of work.