# Model Woodsplitter



## Brian Rupnow (Jan 29, 2015)

As far as  I am able to determine, no one has built a model wood splitter. A google search on wood splitters show two main types, either hydraulic (which are not suitable for a model, in my opinion), and electric screw type which might hold some promise.  Then of course there is the cone shaped threaded splitter which bolts to a tractor wheel and screws itself into a block of wood, bursting it to split it, and the heavy revolving flywheel with an axe head mounted on it, which looks like a total suicide machine. I have seen one example of a steam driven wood splitter, which worked well, but I doubt that it would scale down very well.
Model engines simply don't have much torque. One of the primary things that a model woodsplitter would need would be a huge torque multiplier, and with torque multiplication, things slow down dramatically.
  I have a couple of ideas floating around in my head, one involving a rack which is pushed forward incrementally by a sprag driven from an eccentric, and one which had a heavy flywheel with an eccentric on both sides driving "pusher arms".I want to split wooden logs 1 1/2" long, and prefer to split them in one full movement of the splitter, not incremental units.


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## Brian Rupnow (Jan 29, 2015)

Of course, the wood splitting action would have to be controlled by a hand lever mechanism, so it would only split "on demand", and then only one cycle. Nobody wants a finger chopped off while removing the split piece of wood and putting a new piece on the splitter.


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## Brian Rupnow (Jan 29, 2015)

I have been setting designing in my head for two hours, and have decided that even though model engines don't have a lot of torque, they can spin a massive flywheel, and generate tremendous inertia. If one can then gear down the rpm of that big flywheel and use a dog clutch to engage/disengage an eccentric with pusher arms, that will work, and yes, I'm pretty sure that it can be set up to "go home" after each cycle and wait to be activated again. The dog clutch is something I haven't designed before, and as an added attraction, the mechanism is going to have to disengage the dog clutch automatically and return the handle to the disengaged position after each cycle.


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## metalmudler (Jan 29, 2015)

Hi Brian,
This idea sounds great. I like unusual/unique models. Love to see you build this one. I wonder how many working model splitters have actually been made, let alone scale model splitters. You got me thinking (ok:hDe: everyone) maybe using multiple flywheels of differing sizes weights to create the energy needed to spit logs, and/or a combination of similar/same size and weight flywheels with maybe smaller and larger sprockets attached to their sides.
I imagine the first flywheel driven off the, lets say steam engine for example, could use a rubber o'ring but the last flywheel would need some serious drive system. Probably need some sort of clutch to get it all going..
Gear it so the final output speed, rpm is something useable... Just thoughts..
Then there was the thought of some design of lockout lever that had to be pushed/pulled and held, at or before a certain point to initiate the stroke of the splitter. But the lever has to be activated before that point or the user then has to wait for the next time round and try do it earlier to get it to start the splitting stroke. Otherwise if the lever is left untouched, the splitter head will not move from its ready to split position.
Then I re-read the word 'lever' you wrote and started thinking torque multiplication via leverage?? This principle will also reduce the engine input speed down to something slower and more useable for the final drive of the splitter head.. I dunno.. All just suggestions/thoughts. 
Wow, the possibilities, I will be watching this one! 
Better split now before my head explodes *bang* ;D 
Paul
*Started typing a reply to your 2nd post. Posted, then saw your 3rd post. I think there is a saying, 'Great minds think alike'. Thm:  
I think your going to have to spend a few more hours than 2 before this all falls together or any decisions are 'permanently' made .Go easy, don't rush in too fast. Keener than ever to see this now!


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## Swifty (Jan 29, 2015)

Hi Brian, metal power presses work on a very simple principle similar to what you describe. A large flywheel with a simple engagement, and return to the start after one cycle. May be worth googling metal stamping presses.

Paul.


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## Brian Rupnow (Jan 29, 2015)

Swifty--You're right!!! I had kind of forgot about them. The big trick will be in the dog clutch and return to home position.


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## Swifty (Jan 29, 2015)

Brian Rupnow said:


> Swifty--You're right!!! I had kind of forgot about them. The big trick will be in the dog clutch and return to home position.



They are very simple Brian, I tried a quick Google to see if I could show the mechanism but could not find one. They use a simple slot in the flywheel near the bore and a spring loaded key that jumps up and engages in the slot as the flywheel turns. As the flywheel rotates there is a spiral taper that pushes the key back down and a simple holder that keeps it down until a lever releases it again.

Paul.


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## tornitore45 (Jan 29, 2015)

I suppose a fair amount of trial and error experimentation would be required to zero in the energy required to split the log.
To that effect I suggest googling "charpy hammer pendulum".   Something similar can be built and tried on a few typical logs.


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## RonGinger (Jan 29, 2015)

Do the flywheel with the moving axe, or wedge. No need to stop and start it, the user just times things right and slips the log under the head while the wedge is up. This would make a great model, it could split about 1" dia branches, and it has historic precedent. Easy to gear down with a belt drive.

This is one I have often thought about building, but the 'round 2 it' hasn't occurred yet.


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## Brian Rupnow (Jan 29, 2015)

Swifty--You had me right up to the "spiral taper". We don't do spiral tapers here.--In fact, we only do tapers on a good day.


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## Brian Rupnow (Jan 29, 2015)

Maybe we're going to rethink this a little. I have a 3" length of 24 DP rack left over from my sawmill. The "wood" I want to split is only 1 1/2" to 2" long. I found a video on the internet that is so simple I think I will try to copy it. 



[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4_Oze0-Cy4[/ame]


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## Brian Rupnow (Jan 29, 2015)

If you look at the diameter of the pinion in the video, it is much smaller in relationship to the rack than I am able to approach. The smallest gear I can cut is a 12 tooth, which has about a 1/2" pitch diameter. I will have to do some experimenting and see if this will drive the ram too fast or not. Although it would be less hassle if it doesn't, it's not a deal breaker because I can slip a gear reduction in between the flywheels and the pinion shaft. I have a set of 3 7/8" diameter x 1/2" thick steel flywheels that I have been saving for a project, and I think they would be just about perfect for this.


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## Walsheng (Jan 29, 2015)

I saw one like the attached picture 35-40 years ago at an engine show somewhere in the New England/New York area.  I have a ton of pictures, actually slides, stored away somewhere because I thought it would be a hoot to make a scale model of one...someday.  This picture I grabbed from the world wide interweb.
If I recall correctly, and mind you that was a looong time ago, the wedge just cycled up and down and you shoved the wood in on the upstroke.

John


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## metalmudler (Jan 29, 2015)

Brian,
I think which ever way you go it would be important to use a mechanism to activate the stroke when you want and not rely on timing to get the log in there. Imagine doing a demo, maybe after a drink or two, misjudging the timing feeding the log, which would be more crucial on a model compared to a big full size machine. Then having to get rushed up to hospital to get your finger sewn back on. Simple is great, but Safety is better.
That would be one demo nobody forgets!
Paul


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## Swifty (Jan 30, 2015)

As a kid, I remember seeing the workers at the local wood yard using one of those continually moving wedge splitters. Just grabbing the short piece of log and placing it under the wedge at the right time. Never looked to see if they had all their fingers.

Paul.


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## Brian Rupnow (Jan 30, 2015)

Metalmuddler--I agree with you 100%. Although the thought of a fully automatic machine that cycles endlessly is enticing, it is just too risky, even as a toy. I have grown very attached to all these fingers and thumbs over the past 68 years-----Brian


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## RonGinger (Jan 30, 2015)

The problem I see with that rack drive is that the rack is pulled down onto a spinning pinion. There is going to be some gear grinding when that engages, It will need to be pulled down quickly and not allowed to slip.

I still like the continuously moving wedge.


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## canadianhorsepower (Jan 30, 2015)

RonGinger said:


> The problem I see with that rack drive is that the rack is pulled down onto a spinning pinion. There is going to be some gear grinding when that engages, It will need to be pulled down quickly and not allowed to slip.
> 
> I still like the continuously moving wedge.


 
Hi Ron
this type of splitter has been used for  about 35 years I had one:wall:
the gear don't grind at all " surprisingly" but the biggest issue was
that  the cutter was on the ram istead of this flat plate they are using now.
and if you didn't cut that peace of wood the first shot it would stuck in your lumber:fan: cause it's a spring return


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## Brian Rupnow (Jan 30, 2015)

Here we have the new version in retracted and extended positions. I haven't designed the mechanism which holds down the rack in contact with the gear yet---I will do that this afternoon. those flywheels are 3 7/8" diameter. It will take a piece of wood 1.9" long.


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## Brian Rupnow (Jan 30, 2015)

These will make perfect "hold down" bearings to ride against the back of the rack to keep it engaged with the pinion. They are router follower bearings. These are what I use for cam followers on some engines I build.


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## Barnbikes (Jan 30, 2015)

Used to display at a threshing show here in MN, USA. A guy there had a flywheel off of an old gas engine. the thing had to have a 8ft. diameter. There was one wedge welded to the face and it would come around about ever 45 seconds. Last time I saw it was the mid 1990's and it had a chain and padlock on it.


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## Brian Rupnow (Jan 30, 2015)

The links and activation arm are all sussed out. The yellow bearing support plate and flywheel that fit on the near side are hidden so you can see the linkage. About all that is left to do is model in the return springs for the ram.


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## Brian Rupnow (Jan 30, 2015)

So there we have it, return springs and all. My software counts a total of 21 parts. 2 of those parts are the return springs, and two are the flywheels which I already have, one is the rack which I already have, and two are the router bearings . That leaves 14 parts to be fabricated.
The flywheels aren't really wide enough for a belt drive at only 1/2" wide, so I might have to think about a pulley. I would like to have my flywheels turning at 300 rpm, and the powerband of my engine is at about 1200 rpm, so  if I could drive it to one of the flywheels with an o-ring drive with the 1" diameter pulley already on the Webster, that   would work out perfect.


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## Herbiev (Jan 30, 2015)

Great video. It's one of those " that's so simple why didn't I think of it" ideas


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## canadianhorsepower (Jan 30, 2015)

> so if I could drive it to one of the flywheels with an o-ring drive with the 1" diameter pulley already on the Webster, that would work out perfect


Hi Brian
This looks pretty good
If I can give my 2 cents be carefull with that O-RING. I just finish a thiny convayor with ball screws using a 1/8 O-RING to drive it.
that ball screw run so free you give it a spin and it does about one full revolution all by itself.  Well I have to change the set up
doesn't matter how tight I put it it spins.:wall:
I would hate to see someone working all the way and that same situation happen

cheers
Luc


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## Brian Rupnow (Jan 30, 2015)

Luc--I use rubber o-ring drive belts for most of the stuff I drive, and they work great if they stay dry. If they get even the smallest bit of oil on them though, it's game over!! I find that when I cut grooves for the o-rings to run in, it actually helps if the tool "chatters" a bit to give the groove some grip.  That is probably the only time a machinist ever WANTS to see chatter marks on their work.


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## canadianhorsepower (Jan 30, 2015)

Brian Rupnow said:


> Luc--I use rubber o-ring drive belts for most of the stuff I drive, and they work great if they stay dry. If they get even the smallest bit of oil on them though, it's game over!! I find that when I cut grooves for the o-rings to run in, it actually helps if the tool "chatters" a bit to give the groove some grip. That is probably the only time a machinist ever WANTS to see chatter marks on their work.


 
Thanks for the tip Thm:Thm:

I'll give that a try before changing
my set up

cheers


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## Brian Rupnow (Jan 31, 2015)

All of the modelling is completed. Bushings have been added to the bearing plates, keyways to the pinion shaft and flywheels, and a stop bolt assembly to adjust the swing of the engagement linkage. Also, a cross dowel has been fitted through the main support body to limit the back travel of the rack and pusher assembly. In the current view, the handle is in the engaged position and the router bearings are pressing on the flat back side of the rack, forcing it down into engagement with the pinion gear.


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## Brian Rupnow (Jan 31, 2015)

I think perhaps the most interesting part of this build, for me, will be the linkages. Most of the plates, etcetera are just basic shapes with clearance or tapped holes in them. The gear is complex enough if you haven't made two dozen gears already on other projects. The links are in a way, new ground for me to cover. This particular link will be made of steel. The only trick part may be turning the bosses. Again, the standard warning applies about these drawings--Do Not Copy them!!! There may be errors that I won't discover until later in the build. All drawings will be updated, and a download link provided at the end of the job.


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## Brian Rupnow (Jan 31, 2015)

Yow!!! I'm glad there are only a couple of links. This is too much like jewellry making for me!!!


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## Brian Rupnow (Feb 1, 2015)

This is just so NEAT!!! I didn't really trust my layout, and didn't want to make the rather complex bearing support plates until I had actually built and checked the pivot points for my linkage mechanism.
I layed out the position of the pivot holes in a scrap piece of plate and loctited the pivot shafts into place, as well as one extra round piece to act as the "travel limiter" which will be adjustable in the finished version. When the handle is pushed to the right in the "engaged" position, the two router bearings are riding against the back side of the rack and holding it in contact with the rotating pinion gear which sets below it. As I had planned it, the linkage is a "cam over" action, and in the position shown, no amount of upward force on the rollers can make the linkage move into the "disengaged' position.
   When the handle is moved to the left, into the "disengaged" position, the rollers lift up about 1/8" from the back of the rack.---The rack will be spring loaded from below to move into the "up" position against the underside of the rollers. That is the amount it needs to move to disengage the teeth of the rack from the pinion gear, so that the rack and "pusher plate" can be pulled back into the load position by a pair of tension springs attached to it. Note that in my "disengaged" arrangement I haven't moved the rack up, so you can see the gap between the back of the rack and the rollers. In normal operation, that gap will never be there---the rack always stays in contact with the rollers.


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## Herbiev (Feb 1, 2015)

Looking great so far.


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## Brian Rupnow (Feb 1, 2015)

This is what it looks like when the rack is disengaged and fully retracted. the rack and all that it is attached to pivots on the right hand lower edge of the red pusher plate, and is pushed up into that position by the grey leaf spring, which slides along the top of the main body. the blue adjusting block with the red bolt through it acts as a stop for the bottom link so it doesn't go too far back. I will probably have to turn some off the diameter of the head of the adjusting bolt for clearance from the back of the rack.


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## Brian Rupnow (Feb 1, 2015)

The only thing I'm not 100% sure of is that there is a bit of voodoo going on at the "free" end of the rack. In the video, the free end of the rack has a sharp angle cut on it. I know why--the entire handle is held in the "cammed over" forward position by the grey leaf spring pushing up on the rack. As the rack gets very close to the end of its stroke, the flat leaf spring pushes the angled part of the rack up against the rollers, forcing the entire linkage to flip over into the "uncammed "retract" position and let the rack jump up out of contact with the pinion gear. I may have to figure that angled cut on the end of the rack out after I get everything assembled.


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## Brian Rupnow (Feb 2, 2015)

I had a nice peaceful morning, and found a scrap of bronze to machine the adjusting bolt holder from. Then I went down town to my steel suppliers and bought all the material to finish the woodsplitter. I decided the main body should be made of cold rolled steel because of the pusher sliding along it. I bought the correct size piece, squared it up, then cut the big notch in it, and almost immediately I realized I had cut the damned notch 1/2" too long!!! I continued on, tapping 10 holes and wondering how I could have done such a stupid thing. when I was finished on the mill, I made up a piece slightly larger than the area I had cut away in error, V-d the edges, and took it out into my main garage to my "stupid mistake undoer" (some people call it a mig welder)and welded the piece back in. Then some clean up on the mill, and nobody knows about it but me!!!


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## Brian Rupnow (Feb 3, 2015)

That's enough silly work for today. Everything fits so far. There are some interesting set-ups in that splitter head!!


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## bazmak (Feb 3, 2015)

Im very impressed Brian.As for welding bits in and cleaning up your a man after my own heart.As a fabricator it would be the norm for me.
However i try to avoid it if possible.Distortion and the hard area of weld can cause problems.Keep on as you are, you are so prolific i dont know where you find the time


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## Brian Rupnow (Feb 3, 2015)

Baz--The mig wire I use machines just as easily as any mild steel. It's not a good idea to weld onto cold rolled steel, because it warps like crazy from the heat, but it is against my penny pinching soul to scrap a piece of cold rolled that I just bought. Unlike many of my threads, I have decided not to post "in progress" drawings this time, because I'm really not sure if this thing is going to work or not. If it does, I will post a link to the drawings, because it is a rather fascinating little project. As far as being "prolific" is concerned---I don't have anything else to do unless I spend my time reading. I'm not much of a TV watcher, and real "Design" work is not flooding in as I had hoped at the beginning of 2015. If this business with the oil ever sorts itself out, there will probably be more "real" work for me to do.--In the mean time, I build little projects just to give me something to do, and it improves my machining skills. Thanks for having a look and saying "Hi"----Brian


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## Brian Rupnow (Feb 4, 2015)

Well Dang!!! Ya gotta just love that!!! I just got some real work in so will have to discontinue for now.


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## Brian Rupnow (Feb 5, 2015)

Now, if I just had 12 teeth cut on this baby, the pinion gear/driveshaft would be finished. The gear is so small in diameter that I didn't even think of making it a separate piece. I agonized over whether to make it out of cold rolled steel, 01 drill rod unhardened, or 4140 steel, because I am worried about the teeth shearing off. This morning I decided to go the cheapest route first, because I already had some 5/8" diameter cold rolled, and I am afraid of cutting any material harder than cold rolled steel because I don't want to wreck my smallest gear cutter. They cost me close to $70 each!! I may get the teeth cut this afternoon.


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## vascon2196 (Feb 5, 2015)

Brian,

I've had my eye on this since it started. I'm looking forward to see the finished product.

I also like the method of choosing the best mechanism...anything mechanical is right up my alley. Check out "507 Mechanical Movements" if you have time...great place to see different mechanisms used over the years.

Anyway...great job.


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## Brian Rupnow (Feb 5, 2015)

Vascon--Thanks for dropping in and saying Hi. I have the book "507 mechanical movements" and have actually modelled/fabricated some of the strange devices and powered them with my small steam engines.---Brian


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## Brian Rupnow (Feb 5, 2015)

That went well!! The gear is cut, and I didn't end up with any "half teeth". Both ends have the keyways cut, although it's a bit hard to see in the picture. It mates very well with the rack---(I tried it as soon as it came off the mill.). At the last minute, when I was making the shaft this morning, I decided to make the shaft 3/4" longer on one end, just in case I have to mount a pulley instead of running my drive belt to one of the flywheels.


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## Brian Rupnow (Feb 5, 2015)

Now that I have reassembled everything, I can actually try it out. If I spin the flywheels by hand, feed the rack in from the back end, and immediately move the lever into the "extend" position, it grabs the rack and spits it out the front side like a lightning bolt!! It doesn't seem to do any "grinding" of the gear teeth at all, as near as I can tell. This is good news, so far.


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## Brian Rupnow (Feb 6, 2015)

We have an all bronze slider finished. Holy Cow---There are only a couple of pieces left to make!!!


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## Brian Rupnow (Feb 6, 2015)

Check this out. This is just too cool!!!
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXLX0TC0YFY&feature=youtu.be[/ame]


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## Brian Rupnow (Feb 6, 2015)

Before anybody points it out---The "pusher plate" will not extend far enough to run into the splitting wedge when I get everything finished and in place. It will stop about 3/8" from the splitter plate.


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## ShopShoe (Feb 7, 2015)

Brian,

I am enjoying this project. Before I saw your follow-up post above I figured you were designing things to the ram-to-wedge distance would be accommodated. 
Can't wait to see it splitting. 

--ShopShoe


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## vascon2196 (Feb 7, 2015)

Looks like it is going to work great...nice sliding action, very smooth.


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## Brian Rupnow (Feb 7, 2015)

After giving this some though, I have decided that this lovely little machine would chop fingers just as easily as it will chop wood. The "logs" are round and will have a tendency to roll off the splitter before they get split, and I don't want my fingers grabbing for a log trying to straighten it out and "whoops"--there goes the tip of my finger!!! To that effect, I have designed a set of log racks that will keep the log from falling off the splitter before it gets pushed through the splitter wedge.


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## Brian Rupnow (Feb 8, 2015)

The wood splitter is finished!! The log racks that keep the piece of wood from falling off before it gets split got a little simpler. The dual springs which return the rack to it's home position were scrapped in favour of a single tension spring that returns the rack. Now all I have to do is hook it up to one of my engines and see if it really splits wood.


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## Brian Rupnow (Feb 8, 2015)

Here ya go boys and girls. This is fun!!! I hope you enjoy the pictures of my old bald head while I am picking up wood off the floor. If anybody wants a complete set of drawings, email me at [email protected].
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ts60HeWkKg8&feature=youtu.be[/ame]


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## canadianhorsepower (Feb 8, 2015)

Brian Rupnow said:


> Here ya go boys and girls. This is fun!!! I hope you enjoy the pictures of my old bald head while I am picking up wood off the floor. If anybody wants a complete set of drawings, email me at [email protected].
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ts60HeWkKg8&feature=youtu.be


 

Brian
 good show love itth_wav
I need 3 cord for next wek LOL

I'm doing new flywheel for the Rupnow engine
Pick up material yesterday
should start Monday

cheers
Luc


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## crueby (Feb 8, 2015)

Great job Brian! With the cold weather lately, now you can build a little tiny bonfire to keep warm!
th_wavth_wav

I think the "Broom" trees here seeded out well this year, just noticed there is one growing out in my garage as well as in the kitchen closet....!


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## Brian Rupnow (Feb 8, 2015)

Luc--Since you mentioned o-rings in an earlier post, I thought I would post this for you. This is one of the few times that I didn't use an o-ring to drive one of my "creations".---Not because I couldn't have, but because I didn't want to cut a v-groove in the face of one of my flywheels. This "rubberish" flat belt drive with the corrugated inner surface is 5/8" wide x .093" thick, and grips like a tiger on a flat pulley. There is a vacuum cleaner repair place not too far from where I live, and occasionally I go down and root around through their scrap bin to see what goodies I can salvage. That is the origin of this flat belt. Surprisingly, their isn't much feed-back from the splitter to the engine when I split a piece of wood. The engine doesn't even falter. The inertia of the two steel flywheels on the splitter is doing all of the work. Probably an o-ring would have worked fine, but it would have been difficult to keep on the flat pulley.


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## vascon2196 (Feb 8, 2015)

Very cool Brian! I think it came out great, and you do a great job using Solid Works to design/revise your creations. I will be sharing this build with my students.

"Broom Trees"....now that's funny.


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## Charles Lamont (Feb 8, 2015)

Delightful. Now you just need a log-burner steam engine to use up the product.


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## Cogsy (Feb 8, 2015)

Very cool Brian. I like your one handed procedure - way too easy to mis-time 2 hands and split a finger! So what's next in your woodworking shop? How about a thicknesser/planer for the planks off your sawmill?


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## bazmak (Feb 8, 2015)

Nice to put a bald head to a name. Absolutely beautiful Brian
The log splitter not the bald head


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## Swifty (Feb 9, 2015)

Another excellent model Brian. Well designed, made and explained, congratulations.

Paul


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## Herbiev (Feb 9, 2015)

Great timing Brian. I just run out of tooth picks. Can I place an order Rof}. Great running engine also. A really neat project.


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## Brian Rupnow (Feb 9, 2015)

Herbiev--I should be thanking you, because it was you who got me thinking about log splitters. I can design just about anything, but I find that my difficulty is thinking up projects to design.


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## Brian Rupnow (Feb 9, 2015)

Cogsy said:


> Very cool Brian. I like your one handed procedure - way too easy to mis-time 2 hands and split a finger! So what's next in your woodworking shop? How about a thicknesser/planer for the planks off your sawmill?


Cogsy--One of these days, I'm going to use one of my engines to power up one of my slitting saws and see if they generate enough power to make an old fashioned buzz saw.---Brian


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## dsage (Feb 9, 2015)

Fantastic Work Brian. Works like a charm. I would have thought the engine would have protested a bit. It's like it wasn't even there.
And you designed it, made it and documented it in about 10 days !! (or so)
Man your good. 

Sage


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## Brian Rupnow (Feb 9, 2015)

dsage said:


> Fantastic Work Brian. Works like a charm. I would have thought the engine would have protested a bit. It's like it wasn't even there.
> And you designed it, made it and documented it in about 10 days !! (or so)
> Man your good.
> 
> Sage


Dsage--I have come a long ways since I built my first wobbler 5 years ago!!!


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## Fluffy (Feb 9, 2015)

Well done Brian,
It was great to follow the build. A most unique model, I love it.
Regards,
Don.


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## Brian Rupnow (Feb 13, 2015)

Somebody asked the other day what I used to skid the broom trees out of the closet and over to my sawmill/buzzsaw/woodspliter. Well Jeeez!!!---Of course---I use my donkey engine/winch.



http://s307.photobucket.com/user/Br...NKEYENGINEANDSAWBLADE002_zpsa6a3c326.jpg.html


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## bazmak (Feb 13, 2015)

If you do all this and work as well,imagine how much you will get done
when you retire ?? I love everything you do.My Hero.Congrats Barry


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## Brian Rupnow (Feb 14, 2015)

Barry--I am retired--sorta--kinda. In 2012 when I turned 65 I quit soliciting new customers, didn't upgrade my software, and went into semi retirement with enough repeat business from steady customers that I expected to work about half of every year, and do "retired" things the other half. That worked the first year, but by the second year I only worked about 4 months and the third year I only worked two months.--My customer base was fading away from attrition. So--On the last day of 2014 I shelled out $1800 for new, up to date software and started soliciting customers again. Building model machinery is fun, and I do throw myself into projects whole heartedly, but I would much rather be working more at my "design engineer" job than modeling so much.


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