Log Splitter

[stevec]

(08-14-2014, 08:04 AM)DaveH Wrote: HI,
I'm going to have to weld a 1" thick splitting wedge on one end of the beam and something similar for the cylinder on the other end.

Should I or do I need to put a chamfer on the 1" thick piece of steel?
This shows what I mean.


DaveH

Dave,
By " something similar for the cylinder on the other end."
I hope you don't mean a wedge also on the end of the cylinder rod!




I make my "chamfer" about 45° each side and I make sure the "pusher" on the end of the cylinder doesn't quite touch the "point" of the wedge, it tends do dull the point with time.

On the first splitter I made, I just welded the wedge on the top of the H beam. but within a short time I realized that the upper surface of the H beam wasn't strong enough, both for the pusher slide and the wedge. So I cut off the wedge , removed the pusher slide and straightened the top flange of the H beam with a sledge hammer.
Then I welded on a 1/2" plate to the flange, re-did the pusher slide and welded the wedge back on.

I doubt if you'll need to do all that but doing as Greg suggested would be recommended.
We never seem to have to repair/rework anything we build "too strong" .

Another option would be to weld in a "socket" in the H beam that the wedge could slip into and be pinned there. It would allow for a "cross" style replacement wedge as I did on my new splitter, that would split your wood into 4 pieces in one pass , but I think I'm going beyond your requirements.