Electric-Powered Log Splitter Is Quiet, Powerful

Electric-Powered Log Splitter Is Quiet, Powerful WOODLOT EQUIPMENT Miscellaneous 33-5-30 John Youngdahl decided he needed a powerful, quiet, and reliable log splitter to ease the chore of making the firewood he burns every winter. So he put together a heavy duty, tractor-mounted splitter out of scavenged parts. "It's powered by a 5 hp electric motor so it's quiet and produces no exhaust fumes. And it's fitted with a big 3 1/2-in. dia., 36-in. long cylinder so it's powerful and can split big logs up to 30 in. in diameter and 36 in. long," says Youngdahl. The motor shaft-drives a 2-stage hydraulic pump. The cylinder pushes the log against a 1/2-in. thick end piece that fits onto the end of the beam. The cylinder is activated by pulling on a lever at the back of the tractor. In order to use the electric log splitter away from his yard pole, he uses a heavy-duty 150-ft. electric cord. An enclosed motor starter is used to convert single phase electricity to 3-phase. "It doesn't produce the noise or fumes of a gas engine, and there are no problems with fouled spark plugs, a busted starter rope, or contaminated fuel," says Youngdahl. "A lovejoy coupling is used to couple the pump to the motor. I took the motor apart and had a friend at a local machine shop cut the shaft off and turn it down to the size of the coupling. My friend also made a housing that allows coupling the pump to the motor. "I bought the 5 hp electric motor for $25 and paid $130 for the pump. The hydraulic reservoir was salvaged from a scrapped forklift. By using quick couplers on the hoses, I can move the pumping unit separately from the main splitter and the electrical control panel, and keep the hose ends closed up and dirt-free. "I recommend using a high speed, single phase, C-flange type electric motor. The C-flange makes it easy to bolt on the pump. A 5 hp electric motor outperforms a 5 hp gas engine by 30 to 40 percent, so the pump I use is actually designed for use with a 7 1/2 hp gas engine. "The motor I use turns at 3,450 rpm's. It's important to use a high speed motor with rpm's that are close to the 3,600 rpm's that a gas engine runs at." Youngdahl bought a suction strainer for the hydraulic system and made his own in-line filter. "The hydraulic oil tank that I use was salvaged from a forklift. It's made from light gauge metal and didn't lend itself to fitting the strainer so I made an in-line filter housing out of pipe fittings." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, John Youngdahl, 16759 361 Ave., Green Isle, Minn. 55338 (ph 952 467-3516).

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