Of log splitters and low psi...

I recently bought a 1955 Ferguson TO-35. It has a front end loader run by a hydraulic pump off the fan belt shaft.

When I was getting it, the dealer checked the pressure and found it to be 1000psi. Reason he checked it was I told him if it could run a vertical log splitter, I'd take that too. He said I really need up into the 1500 to 2000psi range, and it wasn't worth the cost to upgrade the tractor, just buy an independent log splitter (which btw he *doesn't* sell).

Today I found a home-built log splitter for sail on the side of the road. 3pt, vertical just like I'd like.

This one had two Cylinders.

If I'm thinking this through right
-- 2 cylinders take more volume, so it will be slower than a single cylinder
-- But 1000psi x 2 cylinders = 2000lbs of force (assuming 1 sq. in. cross-section area for the cylinder) v. 1000psi to a single 1sq. in. cylinder producing 1000lbs.

Does that sound right?

I hand split most of my firewood since I enjoy it (after working on computers all day, I call it stress relief :) ). But I need a splitter for the big gnarly pieces -- does this sound like a reasonable setup?

(BTW, guy is showing it on the side of the road hitched to a '39 9N, although that's not the power source, it was neat looking at the tractor too!)

We have never found a block of wood that we couldn't split. I don't care what kind of wood you are talking.

If it sticks on the splitter just give it a couple of wacks wit the axe.

Better than that, don't try to half every piece. You wouldn't try to half a huge block with a wedge so why try with a splitter? Take smaller bites and the wood will never get stuck. This is really easy if you are using a verticle splitter but we do it with a horizontal one too.

If you do get one stuck the most drastic thing we have done is make a cut line with you chainsaw where you want it to split (usually 1-2 inches deep does it). But usually just 2 or 3 wacks with the axe does it.

Just my 2 cents.

example for a 5 in dia cyclinder" 5" x 5" = 25

25 x .785 = 19.625 x 1000 psi = 19625 lbs for the single cylinder x 2 cylinders = 39250 lbs, or about 19 tons.