What I need to know before buying or building a log splitter

I'm splitting oak and mesquite logs about 3" to 6" in diameter about 18 to 24" long. So will I be satisfied with 10 to 12 actual tons?

If I build one, it will be powered from my tractor hydraulics, and the cylinder would push the log over the wedge on the end. This way, all of the split wood would fall into a pile, or trailer. I planned on a simple single wedge. I think I can build one using a new cylinder, valve, and hoses for about $250-$300 using steel and I Beam I have on hand. The store bought 3pt at TSC are about $600 and look a little light, plus they push the wedge and not the wood.

Any ideas, advice, or comments?

Thanks.

p.s. If you need any info send me an email.

If you can split the logs with one or two blows with a splitting maul, then you could probably get by with tractor hydraulic pressures. (Tough, spiral grain woods like elm are something else again.)

More problematic is the GPM specs on your hydraulic remotes. You will want the cylinder to advance for the split, then retract and be ready to reload in no more than 5 to 10 seconds in each direction. Otherwise you will get disgusted waiting for it and figure it is quicker to split by hand.

Assuming the wood splits easily enough that a 12 inch stroke will split most of the rounds, and a 4 inch cylinder, then we need 2x2x3.14*12/231 gallons per stroke.

For a 5 second cycle time, this amounts to 8 gallons per minute. While this is readily available from large modern Diesel tractors, it typically isn't from older "antique" tractors, or smaller "compact" tractors.

Thanks for the info.