- #1
BancheroTreeS
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I am designing a wood splitter capable of splitting a 42" diameter log into 42 pieces in one cycle. The design utilizes a stationary multi-wedge splitter that will cut the log like a french fry press. The strongest hydraulic cylinders used in industrial firewood applications is about 90 tons. For various reasons (which I can get into if you like...)I want to use an even stronger cylinder 100-150 ton.
I have learned all I can about hydraulics, now I am now trying to learn about welding the steel frame and the splitter head. How would I calculate the size and thickness of rectangular steel for building a frame that can take these presures? What do you think would be the best choice of steel for a splitter head utilizing 1/4-3/8ths steel capable of maintaining a moderately sharp edge and withstanding ridiculous pressures without cracking or bending? A resource so I can learn how to do calculations myself would be great.
OK...for those who have read this far, a little back round. I do large tree removals and I would like a super heavy duty wood splitter to tow behind a truck like a wood chipper. I can dramatically increase profit if I eliminate most of the steps in the firewood process like rolling the wood rounds up a ramp into the back of the truck, unloading the truck, having a big corp yard, splitting the wood either by hand or with a single wedge hydraulic splitter, loading the truck again and delivering. The idea with my machine is the wood is handled once with the assistance of a winch and hydraulic log lifter to load the splitter and a short conveyor belt into the back of the truck. There are large firewood processors on the market but they are for processing 25' logs from the forestry industry. These machines have a log loading deck, a circular cut off saw, a multi-wedge splitter and and conveyor belt. The biggest logs the processors will take is 30" but I often work with wood larger than that. 42" is the longest bar my chainsaw will take and seemed like a reasonable restraint to my ridiculous project. In tree removal we often have to work with smaller chunks and cannot justify a $150,000 log processor. I'd like to build my machine for less than $15k.
Ok...questions again.
1. What grade steel should I be looking for for building the multi-wedge splitter?
2. What size and grade steel do I need to build a frame for the hydraulic cylinder that can withstand up to 150 ton of pressure?
3. Can someone recommend a resource so I can learn all this great stuff for myself?
Thanks everyone.
Matt B
I have learned all I can about hydraulics, now I am now trying to learn about welding the steel frame and the splitter head. How would I calculate the size and thickness of rectangular steel for building a frame that can take these presures? What do you think would be the best choice of steel for a splitter head utilizing 1/4-3/8ths steel capable of maintaining a moderately sharp edge and withstanding ridiculous pressures without cracking or bending? A resource so I can learn how to do calculations myself would be great.
OK...for those who have read this far, a little back round. I do large tree removals and I would like a super heavy duty wood splitter to tow behind a truck like a wood chipper. I can dramatically increase profit if I eliminate most of the steps in the firewood process like rolling the wood rounds up a ramp into the back of the truck, unloading the truck, having a big corp yard, splitting the wood either by hand or with a single wedge hydraulic splitter, loading the truck again and delivering. The idea with my machine is the wood is handled once with the assistance of a winch and hydraulic log lifter to load the splitter and a short conveyor belt into the back of the truck. There are large firewood processors on the market but they are for processing 25' logs from the forestry industry. These machines have a log loading deck, a circular cut off saw, a multi-wedge splitter and and conveyor belt. The biggest logs the processors will take is 30" but I often work with wood larger than that. 42" is the longest bar my chainsaw will take and seemed like a reasonable restraint to my ridiculous project. In tree removal we often have to work with smaller chunks and cannot justify a $150,000 log processor. I'd like to build my machine for less than $15k.
Ok...questions again.
1. What grade steel should I be looking for for building the multi-wedge splitter?
2. What size and grade steel do I need to build a frame for the hydraulic cylinder that can withstand up to 150 ton of pressure?
3. Can someone recommend a resource so I can learn all this great stuff for myself?
Thanks everyone.
Matt B