Log Splitter Beam

Please clarify what you mean by "centerline 4" from the flange surface" - will the centerline of the cylinder be inline with the web of the beam, or will it be eccentrically offset?

In any case, I doubt that you will see full load of the cylinder to split the wood - however, a W8x35 will work well for 30 tons @ 7 feet if the centrelines are in-line.

Sorry for any confusion.

The cylinder would be mounted on the surface of the flange co-linear with the center web of the beam, typical of any log splitter (no eccentric offset). With the beam laying horizontally, the 4" is the vertical distance from the center of the ram to the flange surface that the cylinder is mounted to. I mentioned this distance mainly as a reference.

Thanks for your recommendation

Whooops - It seems I made a mistake - you will probably need a little heavier beam than that.

I was in a rush when I checked that beam, and I am in a rush again to spec another one - hopefully later on.

But as I mentioned - a W8x35 is probably be a little too light.

Yes, sorry about that Being Monday morning and all, I looked at a "rule-of-thumb" chart I had lying around, and slightly misread/misjudged.

Though a W8X35 would work - it would be maxed out at 60,000 lbs and might yield; therefore, to be more bullet-proof (without overdoing it) I would go with a W8X48 or W10X45 (or heavier if you wanted even more strength)

Go look at 30 ton log splitters an see what was used. As I have looked at them each is different. A lot of that due to cost and availability. Some that I saw didn't use a I beam they used rectagular tube and welled the guide plate on.

When I was 14 years old, I help my dad build a wood splitter using I believe was a W Beam, I'll have to check the size.

We used about the same size cylinder. Could have been a 5 x 30 though.

We had to reenforce the beam because it twisted, at the time splitting American Elm when there were some left and knarled Maple.

Where the cylindser is sitting that sounds where we had ours.

We never did any calculations, but in our farm shop we tended to over built it or at least added on to it with out making it look unprofessional. (scabbed)

At the time I wanted to make it out of 3/8 or 1/2 wall 8 x 4 or 10 x 4 rectangle tube and seal of the tube ends to use the internals as an oil reserve for the pump.

Dad thought that was a good idea, but the local metal supplier did not have it on hand. An he wanted to built it that weekend.........My older brothers were going to be home from college the following week. He had plans for them for splitting wood.

I never did the bending calcs on this though.

phoenix911

Good morning Forgemaster. Without delving into your problem any further, on the face of it, I would choose an I-beam rather than a rectangular beam. This is because for the same amount of steel in the cross section, the I-beam will have a higher section modulus, which will lower the stress in the beam, for the same moment. The result will be the highest strength for the least weight.

Hello, I use a W6x20 for the log splitters I build. I never had one warp but I do put in some gussets to reinforce the beam at critical points. I have seen splitters made with less but I like a bit heavier beam than some. Although it is a little heavier the extra weight is not significant compared to the added strength IMO. It is not hard to determine where the most stress is on these machines and design the reinforcement.

pipewelder

W8 x 48 lb per ft beam is needed to take the shock loads.

Aerospace Engineer John