Log splitter

[Herbiev]

After reading Brian Rupnow's excellent post on the gear pump build it rekindled my interest in building a scale model hydraulic log splitter. My main problem is finding plans for an hydraulic pump. All searches seem to lead to water pumping contraptions of various shapes and sizes. Just wondering if anyone here has made anything like this and could steer me in the right direction.

 

[Brian Rupnow]

Herbiev--In my opinion, based on my recent experience, it would be very difficult to build a model size hydraulic gear pump that would create enough pressure to run a model logsplitter which would actually split model sized logs. However, all is not lost. What you can do is have a positive displacement cylinder connected to a slave cylinder. Set it up so that on one cylinder the piston is driven by a mechanical reduction to displace the fluid. Slave it to your logsplitter cylinder with two lines, so that the fluid basically shuttles back and forth between the two cylinders. With the proper gear reduction and an eccentric to push the piston down, you could probably reach some working pressures. Check this link out. Someone may by building what I am talking about.
http://www.modelenginemaker.com/index.php?topic=4116.0

 

[RonGinger]

Why not a model of a mechanical log splitter? This has been on my list of 'someday' models. They are a big wood A frame with a large flywheel at the top. The flywheel drives a crank that operates a wedge that moves up and down. The operator just watched the wedge go up, slipped his log onto the table and waited for the wedge to come down. They were driven by hit or miss engines.

I found a you tube video at [ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVs3PfgCsjw[/ame]

 

[Herbiev]

Both options look very tempting but I think I'll start with the link Brian suggested. I shall keep you all posted on my progress although I'm pretty slow, so please be patient