Hydraulic Towable Firewood Splitter - Diesel Engine

This is the finished product. 10hp Diesel Engine. Vickers Vane Hydraulic Pump.

Step 1: Steel Supplies.

Steel supplies; I-Beam, needs to be a reasonabe guage for strength. I bought these ites from a large shed manufacturer, they were offcuts. The steel plate is 10mm thick. The flat steel is 19mm thick. The box section 200mm square. All these steel items can be substituted as to what you can source. All products need to be similar thickness for strength.

Step 2: Top of Tower Anchor

This is the top of the splitting tower. It is the 19mm flat steel welded to the I-Beam. The welded inserts are cut sections of C-Section Steel for re-enforcement. The hole drilled is 1 1/4 but this may vary depending on what hydraulic ram you can locate.

Step 3: The Bench

C Section welded to the I-Beam at 90 deg. Re-enforced with a further C-Section welded at 45 deg. The 10mm steel plate welded on as a bench top.

Step 4: The a Frame.

Made from 50 x 75mm RHS steel.

Step 5: The Tower and A-frame Come Together.

Step 6: The Hydraulic Tank.

Made from the tank of a 50 litre air compressor sourced from the local tip. The fittings welded into the tank are BSP water plumbing fittings from the local hardware store.

Step 7: Hydraulic Pump.

The Pump is a second hand Vickers Vane Pump. I believe it is a V10 model.

I was given this pump when i bought the hydraulic ram second hand.

I made this set up with a belt drive as I had this pump.

Note; a better set up would be with a two stage hydraulic pump and a Lovejoy Coupler.

To make the large hole, I drilled may holes then I cleaned the edge up with a Die Grinder.

Step 8: Paint

Painted in John Deere Green.

Wheel hubs from ebay. Wheels second hand from local tyre supplier.

Step 9: The Hydraulic Ram.

I replaced the seals in this ram as the ram was second hand. This is an easy process and can be learned from Youtube.

Step 10: The Splitting Axe Head

The splitting axe head build from the 19mm plate and further 10mm plate. The cutting edge is approximately 270mm long.

Step 11: Hydraulics

I used 1/2 BSPT re use-able field hose fittings. You don't need a hose crimper when you used these. The hose is 1/2 double braid. The hydraulic control value is an open centre valve from ebay. The engine drives the pump via a b section belt running around a 1 to 2 ratio. This to increase the hp to the pump. less rpm though which slows the pump GPM/LTR output.

The 10 hp Diesel engine I located at the tip with no compression. I repaired the engine (debris under valve). A petrol engine from ebay would work fine.

Step 12: The Finished Product.

I have added a log lifter since this shot.

Step 13: Footage of the Build and the Finished Product Running.

Tools required;

Welder.

Drill.

Angle grinder.

Spanners.

Paint spray tool.

Die Grinder.

Rule.

Square edge.

Tape measure.