How to make a hydraulic woodchopper with their own hands

How to make a firewood cutter with your own hands?

For residents of large cities, it may seem like the process of getting firewood before the heating season is a thing of the past. However, many private home owners are familiar with this procedure, which is repeated from year to year. Therefore, it is worth figuring out how to facilitate the task of preparing firewood for heating. A great solution. to make a woodchopper with their own hands.

• relief of physical labor;
• An increase in the speed of the procedure;
• A woodchopper is under the power to make with their own hands;
• To work it is only necessary to turn on the machine;
• The device can work for a long time without stopping;
• it is possible to process a larger volume in a shorter period of time than in manual mode;
• even a woman can make firewood with her own hands.

To level out the disadvantages, you can use a homemade woodchopper. The design can be simplified, and you can use improvised elements as components. This wood splitter can be made with your own hands.

How to use?

Homemade woodchopper can be easily used in domestic conditions, but you need to take into account certain features. For example, if made with your own hands with an electric motor, it is worth taking into account its power. The recommended minimum is 3 kW. A quality motor drives a pump that makes the tapered cone of the wood splitter rotate, which splits the log into parts. It is only necessary to hold the log with your hands.

Note: Working with such a woodchopper, you should not only know, but also clearly follow the safety rules. Otherwise, there is a high probability of injury, which can seriously harm your health.

Hydraulic woodchopper with his own hands drawings

Hydraulic woodchopper your own hands, drawings of household equipment with an electric motor for chopping firewood, the length of up to fifty-five centimeters.

To make a woodchopper we need:

• To develop the control scheme of the hydraulic cylinder.
• Select actuator.
• Select electric motor.
• Decide on the design and layout of the equipment.

hydraulic pump NSH-32, hydraulic valve, safety valve and filter. from MTZ tractor.choose the hydraulic cylinder, taking into account the maximum pressure.

From the calculated data, carry out the following selection of technical requirements:

• piston diameter. 80 (mm)
• piston speed. 96 (mm/s)
• required drive power. 7,4 (kW)
• hydraulic cylinder pressure. 13,93 (MPa)
• drive. 1000 (rpm)
• pump. 32 (cm3)
• pump capacity. 28,8 (l/min)

Determine its geometrical dimensions and piston stroke.

From the calculated data we see that the engine should deliver 1000 (rpm) at a maximum power of 7.4 (kW). To reduce power consumption and overall dimensions of the structure we select motor AIR80V2

• diameter of driving pulley. 80 (mm)
• diameter of driven pulley. 250 (mm)
• centre-to-centre distance. 225 (mm)
• transmission ratio. 3,125
• V-belt Z(0), calculated length Lp. 1000 (mm)

With the chosen electric motor we obtain the following data:

CONSTRUCTIVE SOLUTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF EQUIPMENT

• Frame.
• Column.
• Wheel 32×200(15).
• The carriage.
• Hydraulic cylinder.
• Hydraulic valve.
• Hydraulic pump NSH-32.
• Oil tank capacity 32 (l).
• Hydraulic pump drive.
• Drive housing.
• Electric motor AIR80V2.
• turntable.
• Drive sheave.
• Driven pulley.
• V-belt.

Welded structure with two channels 12U as a base.

Stainless steel plate welded tank.

casings.Bearing assembly.Shaft.The elastic coupling with the sprocket.Adapter.

Serves for tensioning the belts and fixation of the electric motor relative to the frame.

Assembly diagram of the hand device

This type only facilitates the process of splitting logs, so the work is still necessary.

To make it we will need:

• Materials that you already have, or have to buy more;
• Drawings, video tutorials from practitioners, photos of finished copies and the working process. these materials are not so difficult to find on the Internet;
• Tools. angle grinder, welding inverter;
• skills of a welder, the ability to make and calculate a scheme and ingenuity, because any ready-made scheme will need to adapt to the parts you have available.

Welded round frame, which its diameter is slightly larger than the diameter of the logs (approximately 23 cm). To do this you need to take a round, thick piece of metal and weld two tubes to it, the height of which should be 35 cm. To finish the frame, you will still need to weld a ring on top. At the bottom, the knife is installed with the point upwards, and holes are made in the base for fasteners.

Place a log on the knife and hit it with a sledgehammer from above. However, it is worth remembering that such a woodchopper is only suitable for soft wood.

Making a spring woodchopper

First, we weld a support for the future woodchopper, prepare a platform for the spring. The next step is to weld the pipe, struts and pad to the support. We cut a place for fixing the beam to the support. Hang the beam with the hinge joint on the support and weld it, keeping it mobile. We attach the beam with the cleaver in a horizontal position. Weld the rail and the handle to our wood splitting machine.

Dipping on the log, the cleaver splits it and returns to the starting position. that’s the principle of operation.

An overview of the differences between the factory and home-built wood splitter

As it was already mentioned above, the woodchopper can be not only made by your own hands, but also bought in ready-made factory assembled. The whole difference here is mainly in the price. For example, a hydraulic wood splitter Engy Els-5030 with a splitting force of about 5 tons will cost you about 14-15 thousand. And the model is more powerful, with a splitting force of 12 tons. 85-90 thousand. For such money you can easily assemble a couple of wood splitters with your own hands, posting videos on the Internet afterwards.

The principle of splitting the log with the hydraulic log splitter

The main advantage of factory assembled woodcutters is that you do not need to spend extra time and effort. You just buy a ready-made machine and use it at your own pleasure. On the other hand, you can adjust the self-made model the way you want. You can install any engine, any type of gear, and adjust the machine to any size of firewood. And the self-made model will cost 2-3 times cheaper than the average factory model.

As for the appearance, here self-made mechanisms are clearly worse than the factory assembled, but after all, when it comes to efficiency and productivity, the appearance takes second place.

Factory models have a more presentable appearance than homemade firewood chippers

As a result, we can say that the self-made models of woodcutters are much cheaper than the factory ones, and they are suitable for home use. If you need to chop firewood regularly on an industrial scale, it is better to use a factory-made firewood chopper. The choice of engine type, log position, and type of chopper depends entirely on your personal needs and preferences. In addition, no one prevents you from modifying an existing model of hand-built woodchopper and present your own original model for the judgment of users.

Safety precautions

Great attention should be paid to safety when working with a hydraulic wood splitter. If you ignore the basic rules of safe work with electrical equipment, you can get serious injuries to your fingers and hands.

• Do not turn on the power until you have connected the log to the machine and clamped it between the two brackets. Never reach into the blades of the log splitter when the hydraulic log splitter is in operation. If it looks as if the log lies uneven, never correct it while the electric current is still on. First disconnect the power supply and wait for the knives to come to rest. Only then may you correct the log or remove it from the machine.
• Do not use the hydraulic log splitter while under the influence of alcohol, or use defective sockets or unsuitable voltages for connection. The log to be split must be firmly secured to the machine and not “ride” to and fro. Repair or replacement of parts should only be carried out when the power has been switched off.

A hydraulic woodchopper, made by your own hands, will serve as a great gift for any dacha owner or villager. Using such a device greatly simplifies village life and helps to get even, neat firewood without much effort.

An electric or gasoline-powered cleaver is an ideal option for those who are tired of waving an axe every year. Such a cleaver is used both in private subsidiary farms, and in collective farms, state farms, livestock and vegetable cooperatives. Also such equipment can often be found at sawmills and small woodworking enterprises.

Making a woodchopper out of a hydraulic jack

A good self-made firewood cutter with his own hands will be obtained from the hydraulic jack, designed for a force of up to 6 tons.

Additionally needed:

• I-beam 6;
• Sheet of steel, 8-10 mm thick;
• 2 extension springs of 25-30 cm;
• welding machine;
• Angle grinder, cutting discs, petal wheel;
• drill with drills.

You need to start with the project and work out all the elements of the future woodchopper. It is obligatory to pre-match the parts to avoid mistakes during the assembly.

The algorithm for further work is as follows:

• Prepare the support legs for the bed, finish grinding the welds after welding.
• Assemble the main assembly groups.
• Make blade using sheet steel. You have to make 2 plates and connect them at an angle.
• Secure the jack with clamps.
• From a 10 mm plate make a pusher. Weld the hinges to it and the rear support. For fixing, use the threaded hooks. This makes it easier to adjust the tension.

It remains to assemble the structure, fix it on the wall. If you plan to paint, it must be done before assembling and after priming.

for conveyors and roller conveyors

Features	Price
Electric conveyor (220V/380V) for feeding of logs to the log splitter, length 6m	132 000
Electric transporter (220V/380V) for feeding logs to the wood splitter, length 5m	110 000
Electric conveyor (220V/380V) for feeding logs to the wood splitter, length 4 m	88 000
Electric inclined conveyor belt (220V/380V) for loading of split firewood, length 6 m	132 000
Electric inclined conveyor belt (220V/380V) for loading of split firewood, length 5m	110 000
Electric inclined conveyor (220V/380V) for loading split firewood, length 4 m	88 000
Roller conveyor to feed the logs to the log splitter, length 6 m	48 000
Roller conveyor to feed the logs to the log splitter, length 5 m	40 000
Roller conveyor to feed logs to the log splitter, length 4m	32 000

All are as of January 1, 2020.

How to choose a woodchopper: features of the product

If you need a wood splitter, it’s important to decide whether to buy a finished product or build one yourself. The latter option will require certain tools and skills. For example, you can study the catalog of accessories for screw and cone wood carvers of any manufacturer and assemble a reliable and productive unit yourself.

Other variants of equipment work on the principle. the motor moves the special knives on the log, when applying pressure on which the log splits. To create a quality product is worth examining information on how to make a firewood cutter with their own hands and what type of device is better to choose.

Installations working on this principle are many and they differ from each other on certain characteristics:

• according to the method of laying a log. There are vertical and horizontal mechanisms. Devices of the vertical type are considered more powerful and can work with thick logs, but for a curved log it is worth choosing a horizontal device;
• the maximum possible values of the stacked firewood. Depending on this factor, the equipment is divided into industrial and domestic;
• drive types. For domestic use, it is sufficient to apply an electric unit with a capacity of about 2.5 kW.

Sufficiently powerful units can be made on their own

In addition, the weight of the household tool also matters. Such a product can be constructed by yourself.

Classification of firewood cutters

To understand the drawings, photos and instructions of the woodchopper created with their own hands, you should know what are the varieties of these devices.

Classification of woodcutters is made taking into account the type of drive:

• a simple version on gasoline or diesel fuel, which has autonomy and high efficiency;
• for small volumes, mechanical type devices are recommended;
• Stationary variants include models that function on electricity.

According to the design features and the principle of cutting, the woodchopper is of the following types:

The hydraulic version can be used for household purposes

For domestic applications, it is worth choosing hydraulic and screw variants of the woodchopper with their own hands. The video demonstrates how to make such products yourself.

Features of models with cone-shaped cleaver

Electric and diesel machines use a cone-shaped cleaver, which splits the trunk by means of mechanical pressure and by moving the tip of the cleaver. It does not require much effort and the fuel consumption is minimal.

• Motor with a power of 1.5 kW, about 400 rpm and a voltage not exceeding 380;
• The frame is a table surface, where firewood is stacked;
• The gearbox is used to control the revolutions.

If you decide to do such a woodchopper with your own hands, then the drawings, photos, instructions for it will be easy to find on the interior pages, and all the components can be found at an affordable price. Such devices are used for small boilers, bathhouses and country estates.

Hydraulic wood splitter features

The hydraulic model can process a large volume of material in a very short time. The work of the machine is performed by the motor and the pump hydraulic equipment.

When assembling such a model, it is worth considering some peculiarities:

• vertical or horizontal positioning of the logs;
• admissible dimensions;
• The dimensions of the cylinder and features of the motor, which affect the power of splitting raw materials;
• motor power.

Such a machine is more difficult to build than a screw-type product. This machine has a higher productivity, it can be used not only for domestic purposes, but also for commercial purposes.

The advantages of the rack-and-pinion design are as follows

In the rack and pinion device, the cleaver is fixed to the rail, which is moved by means of a toothed gear. The log is positioned between the chock and the cleaver. The log is split by pushing on the special handle of the equipment. The gears are then clamped firmly together, and the rack and cleaver slide forward to the log.

The return movement moves the splitter back to its initial position, and the split log is removed. Such a device operates from an electric motor and does not require complex maintenance.

For the slatted unit, the following parameters are considered important:

“A rack-and-pinion woodblower can be purchased as a factory set. Cone or screw models are not available in assembly. A cone of steel can be found separately, and the other parts can be gathered from improvised means.

Types of cleavers

The devices can be divided into domestic and industrial:

• Bits are designed to handle a small volume of firewood in a standard pattern and need a break from time to time. They are used for quick preparation of firewood for stoves or fireplaces;
• For logging a huge amount of firewood, industrial skewers are used, which can cope with different volumes. Have a rather complex design and are designed for a long time of uninterrupted work. High-priced, in contrast to home pole pruners.
• Horizontal, when it comes to laying logs horizontally on rails. Sufficiently convenient and practical method, it is considered the most common. When working, the log moves in the direction to the knife or the knife in the direction of the log;
• Vertical differs from the previous one only by the stacking mechanism. Here the knife moves from above and presses on the log. It is a very convenient design, because it takes up little space. It is often used in industry;
• Mixed at the same time combines two types of laying. Such models are considered professional, they are used for processing a large flow of firewood in various woodworking enterprises.

Woodcutters also differ in motors. For the operation of the cleaver, different motors are used, according to the principle of consumption. Among them there are electric and gasoline woodcutters.

Electric 220V are suitable for domestic purposes and an indispensable point when using them is the availability of electricity. If there is a voltage of 380V, you can put an industrial motor with a capacity of about 2KW.

In industry, they also use powerful gasoline-driven cleavers.

There are tractor-powered wood chippers, used for large enterprises and industrial complexes. The device is connected to the hydraulic system of the tractor for operation. Very rarely used models with a combined motor system or various motors from household appliances, such as a washing machine.

According to the method of movement, the devices can be divided into stationary and mobile.

Hydraulic unit with their own hands

A model of a very simple wood splitter consists of a vertical frame on a platform and an ordinary car jack, at the bottom of the structure. The upper frame should be split for splitting firewood of different lengths.

A good craftsman, who knows how to work with drawings and masters the technology of metal processing, can make a hydraulic splitter in just a few days.

Instead of a knife, it uses a tapered wedge that is guided closely to the log by a central screw. When the billets are completely fixed, you can start working with the jack. The heel presses the log from below, the wedge enters it, splitting along the entire length.

The disadvantage of this model is the low capacity. After all, you need to make several movements with the jack handle when working. The unit is not suitable for large volumes.

productive are cleavers with motors. Installation requires an electric motor, oil tank, pump, hydraulic cylinder with pusher and control unit.

Such a machine works much faster than a mechanism with a jack, because the whole cycle, as well as the return stroke of the piston does not require much effort. A control button is used to send a command to a special distributor mechanism to pump liquid into the cylinder cavity. As a result, the thrust heel should move in the right direction for the split. It takes about 12 to 15 seconds to split a log, and the approximate power consumption is between 3,000 and 4,000 watts, and can vary depending on the motor used.

When designing a frame for a homemade machine, it is necessary to provide for its installation. Can be mounted on wheels or on rails, it allows to move the device conveniently.

There is no clear scheme for creating a design, it all depends on the original mechanisms. Before you start construction, you need to assess its economic benefits, if you need a large amount of firewood, this design will exceed your expectations.

After comparing the hydraulic woodcutters with others, you can come to a pleasant conclusion: “the hydraulic woodcutters have the least amount of chips!”. Why? But think for yourself!

Now you know how to make a chopper and what it takes. Stock up on patience and go ahead!