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Electric Options for Log Splitter

Posts: 278

Location: S.E. Michigan - Zone 6a

posted 10 years ago

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Steve,

I'm looking for an option for an electric option for splitting wood other than the standard gas engine powered hydraulic log splitter. The two options I see are hooking up an electric motor to the hydraulic pump of a "regular" log splitter or using some kind on linear actuator for provide the force. Could you comment of the feasibility of each option or any others you can think of? One thing I do feel is may log splitters have way too much travel in the cylinder. I'm cutting all my wood at 16" so 18" or 20" of travel would be enough. This is something that would be shared between two or more families.

Thanks,
Jerry

P.S. I've got your battery bank video and plan on building one in my basement to power some electronics that I leave on 24x7 (NAS server, internet modem ...)

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Steven Harris

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Posts: 66

posted 10 years ago

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There are electric log splitters out there, I've seen them, just go google it.

Steve

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Sean Henry

Posts: 86

Location: Independence, KY Zone 6A

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posted 10 years ago

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Here you go Electric Log Splitter it looks like they start around $200.

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Steven Harris

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Posts: 66

posted 10 years ago

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yeah...$229 at home depot...how much better could you ask for.

Steve

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Jerry Ward

Posts: 278

Location: S.E. Michigan - Zone 6a

posted 10 years ago

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Yeah but I'm afraid that those 5 ton models will be not be enough. I'm not sure how to read between the lines to know what the numbers really mean. "5 tons" is 10,000 lbs of force and should go through just about anything, but I know people with gas one in the 20+ ton range and there are things that it has trouble going through. Plus the cycle time on those little electric ones is 25 seconds, that is a long time compared to swinging a splitting axe/maul.

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Joe Baker

Posts: 25

Location: Portland OR

posted 10 years ago

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I honestly like this unit myself.

http://www.logsplittersdirect.com/Ramsplitter-HV20-4-Log-Splitter/p3299.html?utm_source=amazon&utm_medium=product+portals

There is also the option of converting a existing unit.

R Scott

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Posts: 4020

Location: Kansas Zone 6a

284

posted 10 years ago

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There are electric flywheel models I think. DR was considering it, and one of the other little guys would custom make it--I can't remember which one.

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Jerry Ward

Posts: 278

Location: S.E. Michigan - Zone 6a

posted 10 years ago

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I'm just wondering if there is something out there that would take advantage of an electric motor rather than just swapping out a gas one.

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R Scott

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Posts: 4020

Location: Kansas Zone 6a

284

posted 10 years ago

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Jerry Ward wrote:I'm just wondering if there is something out there that would take advantage of an electric motor rather than just swapping out a gas one.

What do you mean by that?

supersplit was the brand I couldn't remember: http://www.supersplit.com/principle.htm

and DR has theirs out, too. http://www.drpower.com/power-equipment/log-splitters/rapidfire-splitter/prompt-for-rapidfire-1-2hp-electric-new.axd

allen lumley

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posted 10 years ago

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OR we could go this way ! :::--> http://youtu.be/ca7ZPfkcNqA

OR -------------- this way ! :::--> http://youtu.be/MD0cp3g6O78
This link was broke is now corrected ! Please show this to Tim !
hint ! highlight the BOLD part and right click, it should open in the Address Window or as a Google Search!

I just had a great thought, can someone please show this to Tim at Wheaton Labs ! Big AL

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Sean Benedict

Posts: 34

Location: Chesapeake Beach, MD Zone 7b

posted 10 years ago

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allen lumley wrote:OR we could go this way ! :::--> http://youtu.be/ca7ZPfkcNqA

OR -------------- this way ! :::--> http://youtu.be/MD0cp3q6O78

The Rhino is pretty cool. I can't compare it to that second thing because the 'video is unavailable'.

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Dale Hodgins

Posts: 9002

Location: Victoria British Columbia-Canada

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posted 10 years ago

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The guy demonstrating the Rhino, split only easy stuff that could be done with one good lick with an axe. I could beat his speed and my maul fits easily into my vehicle. A counterweight could be used with a log balanced over a large saw horse for a stationary model. Picture a kid's see saw or a trebuchet. One moving part. Or get really fancy and mount the arm on an old axle suspended 4 ft off the ground on a large saw horse type stand.

Edit - On the log mounted on a wheel. Suppose we use a 16 ft. long fir log. The skinny end holds a chunk of I-beam weighing 50 to 100 lb. It is screwed to a wheel rim at near the balance point. When at rest, the counterweight holds the giant axe 8 feet off the ground. A nylon rope dangles from the tog end. Place large round beneath, give a mighty heave on the rope, and most pieces will split. If it sticks into the wood and doesn't split it, the axe will be stuck. Hit the thick metal plate on the top of the beam with a sledgehammer until it splits.

allen lumley

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Posts: 4154

Location: Northern New York Zone4-5 the OUTER 'RONDACs percip 36''

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posted 10 years ago

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Dale : I fixed the 2nd broken post and you pretty much called it ! Big AL

The original point was to compare it to any electric that I have ever seen out there, the fastest lines have massive fly wheels and work so fast they will scare you ! A. L.

Success has a Thousand Fathers , Failure is an Orphan

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paul wheaton

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Location: missoula, montana (zone 4)

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posted 10 years ago

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allen lumley wrote:OR we could go this way ! :::--> http://youtu.be/ca7ZPfkcNqA

OR -------------- this way ! :::--> http://youtu.be/MD0cp3g6O78
This link was broke is now corrected ! Please show this to Tim !
hint ! highlight the BOLD part and right click, it should open in the Address Window or as a Google Search!

I just had a great thought, can someone please show this to Tim at Wheaton Labs ! Big AL

You mean this?

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Dale Hodgins

Posts: 9002

Location: Victoria British Columbia-Canada

707

posted 10 years ago

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I like that one because it immediately springs back and is obviously built from scrap parts.

allen lumley

pollinator

Posts: 4154

Location: Northern New York Zone4-5 the OUTER 'RONDACs percip 36''

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posted 10 years ago

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Paul W. and Dale H. yes and yes! Paul think how your brothers eyes will light up as he mentally goes through his scrap metal pile !

Any gather(ing) of people where you might want to show-off Permies just One of these splitters will generate 5 Xs the crowd that a built on site RMH will !

If not I'll eat the wood pile AND the Coil spring ! Can your minds eye see a static display and a DVD running on a loop at Axman's (sp)?

For the Good of the Craft ! BIG AL!

Success has a Thousand Fathers , Failure is an Orphan

LOOK AT THE " SIMILAR THREADS " BELOW !

Chris Knipstein

Posts: 47

Location: Fort Wayne, Indiana

posted 10 years ago

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Jerry Ward wrote:Steve,

I'm looking for an option for an electric option for splitting wood other than the standard gas engine powered hydraulic log splitter. The two options I see are hooking up an electric motor to the hydraulic pump of a "regular" log splitter or using some kind on linear actuator for provide the force. Could you comment of the feasibility of each option or any others you can think of? One thing I do feel is may log splitters have way too much travel in the cylinder. I'm cutting all my wood at 16" so 18" or 20" of travel would be enough. This is something that would be shared between two or more families.

Thanks,
Jerry

P.S. I've got your battery bank video and plan on building one in my basement to power some electronics that I leave on 24x7 (NAS server, internet modem ...)

The flywheel splitters like the DR are by far the quickest of all in my opinion. So long as you get the flywheel to the working speed it doesn't matter what you used (gas or electric) to get it to speed the work it does is the same.

An advantage the electric motor has over a gas engine is torque. A splitter type that takes advantage of that is the screw type splitters. The one in the video linked below is geared down for even more torque as you can see the screw is spinning rather slow. There are other videos of screw types running off of an electric motor that work faster but not as fast as a flywheel type. They also run the screw types directly off the PTO shaft of a tractor. Make the mounting shaft for the electric motor set up have a male PTO spline, and the screw splitter a female spline and you could swap the screw between a motor or tractor PTO as you wished.

This is on the extreme side, but I would guess just by the physical size that is maybe a 5hp-7hp motor.

allen lumley

pollinator

Posts: 4154

Location: Northern New York Zone4-5 the OUTER 'RONDACs percip 36''

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posted 10 years ago

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Wood cut to length at one meter or 40'', I would like to see the size of the Ox-Cooker that one is going into!

Surprisingly there is the sound of a constantly running Gas engine in the background, the splitter is almost quite !

Judging from the size of the electrical supply cord ? Certainly no bigger than 5 horse ?

For the Crafts Big AL

Success has a Thousand Fathers , Failure is an Orphan

LOOK AT THE " SIMILAR THREADS " BELOW !

Troy Rhodes

Posts: 632

posted 10 years ago

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Keep in mind the screw type log splitters have some inherent risks. If you snag a sleeve, or pant leg, or coat tail, it will wind you up and injure you, severely.

They used to sell one with a "dead man" switch that you had to stand on to get the screw to rotate, and if it caught you, the switch would stop the screw. But how fast...

I'm not generally the safety nazi, but I would not get within 10' feet of a screw type splitter.

troy

Thomas Tipton

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Posts: 337

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posted 1 year ago

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Splitfire up in Canada makes a fine electric/hydraulic wood splitter. I bought one. The build quality is fantastic. Yes, it was rather expensive, but it's something my grandchildren will probably pass on to their kids.

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