If your building a horizontal/vertical splitter you can go to any box store and look at what they have for ideas. But you won't save much money. If you really want to build your own look at the timberwolf and built rite horizontal splitters with a log lift and four way for ideas -- a much better design then the typical box store splitters in my mind.
You will have a pretty fair amount of money tied up in those 3 components plus the valve and hoses. I built mine using a homemade 3pt splitter and an old riding mower that I had. Don't know the tonnage but splits most everything I throw at it one way or another. If you want I'll post some pics later.
Horizontal only. I went with a wedge on ram for the wood I split. Lots of good ideas in the splitter pic thread
I'm building a horizontal splitter with log lift, adjustable log lift, auto cycle and 5x30" main cylinder. The hydraulic side of things will be 1500-2000 if I buy everything new. Another $3-400 for steel. And then tires, hubs etc. and an engine.
@Mike From Maine Wow that's big money. I picked up the 3pt for $200 and had the riding mower. Bought a pump off eBay and tank from northern. Got around $500/$600 in it. No log lift though. Been reading you thread about your build good lick.
I thought about converting a 3pt splitter as well... There was just one here on cl for $400 but it didn't have a big enough beam or cylinder for my taste. The valves, pump, tank and cylinder for a tw6 are easily over a grand... Not cheap but building it myself. But still a lot better then what they want for new one. And I can make a few custom modifications that will work better for my needs. http://www.alexequip.com/product/timberwolf-tw-6-log-splitter/
Just a though , as almost everyone likes to use H or W beams, I went a different direction after bending and twisting one. 2, 4"x 6" x 1/4" walled tubes welded together makes a super strong beam- could even use one or both as the tank. I have not been able to destroy it yet
The wallenstein processors use a similar setup... But they don't weld them together. They leave a small space in between for the wedge and the push plate to ride in. I ended up going with a single 6x8x1/2" tube which is also less likely to twist then a tall h beam. Edit/ they also use tube instead of a beam on some of their smaller splitters.
