Looking for a splitter - Oregon or Northstar??

Nice setup!

 

If you have them push to a trailer or a log slide lol, then it's not an issue.

 

No, it still is an issue, unless spitting limb wood that only needs one split...otherwise you have to pull the log back for another run through the knife...but yes, the splits can be pushed into a trailer or loader bucket, etc etc

 

If you you are processing large rounds, get a log lift. It's the only thing I wish my 37T had. I'm 67 and those rounds get heavier every year. Splitting vertically hurts my back, but sometimes I have to do it.


Loading up the Lopi
Mike in Okla

 

I made this to help cut thru the strings. T.Jeff Veal used a variation of this for one of his splitters. The goal is to keep the wood away from the foot to allow a full split.

 

I ended up getting the Oregon for a bit cheaper and got the 25 ton. Ran about 2 tanks of gas through it so far and works pretty well. I have some big stuff that will need to be in vertical to do. So we will see how they goes. Thanks for the advice all!

 

I usually advise to buy on sale/clearance to save a good bit of money. Sometimes Time is of the essence though.

 

If I didn’t have a super split I’d have a splitfire. A couple rental places around here have them. Very well built machines that have stood up well to a lot of weekend warrior rental abuse.

 

In my manual it states to never use the splitter with the hitch still connected to vehicle, instead detaching and choking. Is this some liability prevention language or is there a valid concern? Only thing I could think is a fire or something but at that point, nothing is good …. Anyone split connected to truck or tractor hitch?? .

 

Did it need the Heimlich maneuver?

 

Just never heard of anything like that. I would rather have the splitter solid while in use. If I am going to be moving the splitter I don't want to unhitch and rehitch every time i move

 

So is it a safe assumption that it’s still not feasible to build your own splitter unless you are thinking of getting something like the quality of a Splitfire? Walt’s splitter setups is how I’d like to do one eventually, thinking that finding some box store models that are in need of repair and making one from several is actually the way to go.

 

I fully agree. When working with massive rounds like I just did with that HL, I want the hitch on the tractor at least. I rested the tongue on a log, and it made it a bit more difficult.

Mrxlh , I what to convert my splitter to a walt style as well. I worked the snot out of mine with those HL rounds and it didn't break. My wife did see why I want a heavier duty splitter with a log lift though.

 

I’ll echo this.

I replaced the high pressure line from the valve to the pump . It made a little bit of difference in time, but it really reduced the amount of time I’m in the second stage of the pump splitting is what I noticed



I went from a 1/2” line to a 3/4” line.

when you put the pump and cylinder specs into a nomograph , you realize the 1/2” line is too small. It really wants to be a 5/8” line. But the 3/4” line is really helpful.




I also noticed my hydraulics stay a bit cooler at about 140*F now instead of 160*F.

The bigger issue I have is, the actual 1/2” port in the cylinder is totally restricted based on the size of the hole drilled. I just haven’t done anything with it as work situation hasn’t been pleasant for me to have the free money to tear it apart and buy unnecessary parts when it functions just fine.



I’m not going to re-write everything I did here.

We are a sick bunch…

 

On my splitter build I switched to a cylinder with 3/4" ports and a larger hole drilled into the cylinder...the hole is larger, but only by maybe 1/8'. If that made a huge difference, then the manufactures would drill the hole bigger. I think there's a rule in fluid dynamics... something about one quick restriction doesn't slow things down much...(think about how much water can push through the faucet when it's barely cracked open) but a long restriction (that smaller hose) now that can slow thingss down.
Interestingly enough, any log splitter pump that I've found 18 gpm or below has 1/2" pressure hose connection.
If yours runs at 140* now, not much more to be gained by upsizing things anyways (IMO) without going hole hog anyways...

 

I notice Splitfire has a new vertical unit to further muddy the water

 

What surprised me is how much faster it splits only because I’m not going into stage 2 on the pump.

that smaller hose is correct if you use the lower flow rate for that high pressure side. Not for the low side.

 

If you were shifting into high pressure/low flow mode just from having a "too small" hose (OEM 1/2" vs 3/4") then the shift pressure was set WAY too low!
Staying in high flow would make a huge difference in speed though...the average pump makes about say 14 GPM in high flow mode, and about 3 gpm in low (depends on the exact model pump, but that's a close ratio, they generally don't vary that much brand to brand.

 

See my thread I linked.

my transfer pressure was spot on according to the pump spec. For both a Bucher and a Prince.