Build Your Own Hydraulic Woodsplitter

In about 1980, while still in college, a buddy of mine, Randy Cooper and I built a hydraulic wood splitter.

His grandfather who had been welding since 1928, welded the beam and the wedge assembly together.  Randy rebuilt a hydraulic cylinder we paid $20 for.   He and I both added a Power Take-Off to a 1957 Sears Suburban riding lawn mower.

We fastened a hydraulic reservoir, compressor, hoses and controls to the front of the lawnmower.   In case you are wondering, we traded a college professor some work cutting down a few pine trees in his yard for the hardware.

With some time and elbow grease, we put that wood splitter together.

The cylinder was 1.5 inches in diameter, and we could develop about 1400psi with our compressor, so we calculated the force of the cylinder to be about 10,000 pounds.  The biggest piece of oak we ever split without having to assist the splitter with axes and wedges, was 24inches long by 31 inches diameter.

Front of a Sears Suburban Tracker showing the PTO and hydraulics of our wood splitter. The controls for the compressor are located just under the steering wheel.
Front of a Sears Suburban Tracker showing the PTO and hydraulics of our wood splitter. The controls for the compressor are located just under the steering wheel.
The beam was purchased for $20 from a scrap yard. We were told it had once been part of a bridge. It was too short, and you can see where Randy's grandfather had to extend it with a different size I-beam on the left. It worked fine, and never bent.
The beam was purchased for $20 from a scrap yard. We were told it had once been part of a bridge. It was too short, and you can see where Randy’s grandfather had to extend it with a different size I-beam on the left. It worked fine, and never bent.
Logs this size were no problem for our splitter. With 10,000 lb of force, our splitter cut through stuff this size like it was butter.
Logs this size were no problem for our splitter. With 10,000 lb of force, our splitter cut through stuff this size like it was butter.