Speeding up wood splitter

tpyounome · September 13, 2012, 03:26:45 PM

Is there any way to adjust the speed of the ram on older wood splitters. Mine is homemade. With a 6 hp engine. I have replaced the filter.

Thanks

beenthere · September 13, 2012, 04:41:24 PM

Adjust the speed faster or slower?

A flow control can make it slower.

Possibly a larger diam hose could get a bit more flow to make it faster.

How fast is it now, and what is the diam. of the cylinder and rod diam?

Handymark · September 13, 2012, 06:06:43 PM

Hey there tpyounome, I have no idea on the splitter but I was born and raised in Lafayette and now live in southern Indiana.

blades · September 13, 2012, 08:40:31 PM

Well here 's the scoop. To speed up the ram the fastest way is to replace the pump with a higher output. There is down side to this though as you are short hp. It is very likely that you currently have a 11gpm pump ( pretty standard) so the next jump is around 13-16 but your 6.5hp will likely bog out on you. The other way at the expense of tonnage is to replace the ram with one of a smaller diameter. Increasing the diameter of the pressure lines will have little effect on speed but more on allowing the system run a bit cooler due to less restriction in the lines. Most of the cylinders used have 1/2" work ports so the cost of larger lines and adapters is not worth it.

trapper · September 14, 2012, 10:21:44 AM

Do you have a 2 speed pump? run fast under no load slow when you need the power.

tpyounome · September 14, 2012, 12:30:08 PM

I didn't think I had a two stage pump. So I went to town and bought a 13 GPM two stage pump. Of course the inlet was set up with a hose fitting instead of a hyd. fitting. So I am working on changing that now.
I agree I may run out of power. But I think I can work around that. I have another engine I can put on it.
Thanks all, I will keep you updated.

thecfarm · September 14, 2012, 08:13:16 PM

Please keep us posted. good luck. How many seconds does it take split now? I have no idea how long it takes mine. I just have a standard splitter. Mine will return by itself,after I set the handle,so that saves some time there.

trapper · September 14, 2012, 08:23:27 PM

Of course the inlet was set up with a hose fitting instead of a hyd. fitting.

How large a hose you using to supply the pump? I dont know a lot about hydraulics but I think the hose fitting is to allow you to use a large inlet hose so you do not starve the pump. Others may be able to explain it better.

pineywoods · September 14, 2012, 09:45:11 PM

Only way to speed up a splitter is to move more oil. Either get a bigger pump or speed up the existing pump. Either way will require more power...

tpyounome · September 15, 2012, 05:03:14 AM

Ok. I installed the new pump. And as Blades suggested, the motor will sometimes die under a tough split. This is a two stage pump. But I don't think it is going into the slower more powerful stage. Today I will attempt to play with some of the settings.... After I watch the Purdue game.

blades · September 22, 2012, 07:07:18 AM

Running out of power when pump kicks down into High pressure low flow- ya need to get the higher hp eng. on there 8hp min 12 better. The supply line to the pump should be no smaller than 1" id. But you would have to use whatever size fits the port on your tank. Real pain to change it.

stumper · September 25, 2012, 08:05:54 AM

I used a freind's splitter that was set up to auto cycle. You put the block on hit the lever and it went forward till it hit a pre set pressure then retracted. If you had a tough peice of wood you did have to hold the level and over ride the pre set return. This work great for one person. I do understand there is a huge liability issue for a company but as I do not loan my splitter to anyone it is only a safety issue for me.

Unfortunaely that freind has passed so I can not review his set up. I would love the brain trust to ponder this modification and share how it could be done.

WH_Conley · September 25, 2012, 03:12:35 PM

A valve with detent in both directions.

stumper · September 25, 2012, 03:29:29 PM

OK I guess I am missing something then. If it detents in both directions will it not just go forward till it reaches a given pressure and then kick out in, staying in the forward position? I need something to push forward, kick out into a return position and when fully retracted kick into a nuetral or open position resting till I hit the level again.

westyswoods · September 25, 2012, 04:46:06 PM

Look for an autocycle valve. I think I got mine through Northern, Prince is the manufacturer. It does just what you ask.

Put the log on throw into forward or split mode, go get another chunk and, the cycle should complete to starting position without any help from the operator. Timberwolf splitters use these also.

There are a few little bugs I found need to be worked out with the settings though once they are tuned how sweet it is. My wife complains she can't keep up with the stacking. Come on woman pick up the pace, just kidding she is a trooper.

Be Well and Stay Safe
Westy

sawguy21 · September 25, 2012, 10:51:21 PM

Most if not all commercially built machines require the operator to hold the handle on the forward pass to keep hands away from the wood. This is a safety feature. One problem I have encountered on some splitters has to do with the stripper , it is designed to stop the wood and allow the wedge to pull free on the return stroke in the event of a jam. The block can ride over the device and cause injury if the operator is not paying attention.

stumper · September 26, 2012, 07:21:50 AM

Thanks. I'll search for an auto cycle valve from Prince. My machine has a fixed wedge so riding the wedge is not an issue for me.

Al_Smith · October 01, 2012, 09:22:13 PM

I know some people use a double detent "auto cycle" valve .I personally feel they are unsafe .Might be finger pruners,not good .

On a larger pump you can adjust most two stage pumps where the pump shifts into high pressure at a lower than factory settings .Most are adjustable from 600 to 900 psi but that might vary depending on the pump .

Rule of thumb on power is approx 1 Hp per gallon per minute at 1500 PSI .With a two stage it's possible to use a smaller engine because it will shift the volume once it transfers to high pressure low volume .Now weather 6.5 HP could handle a 13 GPM pump or not I can't really say .It might if the transfer pressure were set lower .You could probabley "Google " the pump and see what the flow rate is at low volume and decide if it would work .

blades · November 06, 2012, 05:05:52 PM

Prince makes an auto return valve system ( 2 spool ) They were about $350 . this will accomplish what you are requesting. Soory about being so slow to answer, got real busy.

Al_Smith · November 08, 2012, 11:15:33 AM

Now there's a bunch of difference between a detent return and a detent both ways ,advance and return .

Surplus center which seems to be a favorite on this site sells regular "splitter " valves a lot cheaper than 350 bucks which are detent return only ,not hand amputators and finger pruners like a double detent .

blades · November 10, 2012, 07:56:09 AM

The prince valve assembly has 2 handles, push both forward to split when the ram hits the end of its extension stroke one kicks out and the ram retracts, when fully retracted that valve kicks out. not a double detent system.

Al_Smith · November 10, 2012, 08:51:29 AM

Gotya . I think one of those 14,000 dollar splitters somone had a vid clip of ran a deal like that .

Probabley a little bit safer than a both ways detent single valve .

Back to the subject at hand .Now it's one thing if the splitter were slow as a snail in January but another thing on a normal splitter .

I'd like to see just one person who thinks they can out run a splitter by themselves feed wood into a rapid cycle time splitter for over20 minutes at a time .He who goes extremely fast does not go extremely long .