Pump for a log splitter

I have been using a 756 IHC and a John Deere 410 Backhoe to run my heavy duty log splitter.
Was wondering if the Prince PTO tractor pump that I see in the Northern catalog would give me more push than the tractor hydraulics.??

Could I run it on a smaller tractor like an old 9 N Ford??

Thanks for any help.

Ram diameter, stroke length, desired cycle time, type of wood?

If the tractors are not fast enough, (or using too much fuel, a high volume pump can certainly do wonders. If the speed is OK get the same pump volume/minute as the tractors. If too slow, go proportionately bigger. JimN

i used a pump from an oliver 525 combine-- an old 6 horse briggs. its not all about the pump that gives it the push -- it is also the size of the cyl.- should have a 4in. min. on the cyl. good luck!

Not familiar w/ the pump you are talking about, but the neighbor has a little two wheeled (like a gravely) tractor that he mounted a little pto pump on to run a big a$$ splitter. My splitter is electric, the motor and pump together take up a space os a cubic foot.

Dave

Depends on what you mean by "push." Splitting power is determined by PSI and the
diameter of the cylinder. More PSI gives more force and so does more surface area on the
piston in the cylinder.

Raising PSI takes more horsepower. Increasing cylinder-bore size takes less horsepower,
but also slows it down.

So, it's a toss up. I've got three log splitters. Two self-powered, and one run by a Price
PTO pump on a 33 horsepower tractor, hooked to a 4" diameter cylinder. My 28 horse
tractor can run all day splitting hard maple and red oak with the engine idling, and great
cycle-time. So, obviously, I could do it with a smaller tractor.

Keep in mind that Prince makes PTO pumps in four different sizes. Mine is the biggest at
9.9 cubic inches per revolution. The smallest one is only 3.6 cubin inches per rev.
Remember that you need a big pump since the PTO runs so slow. Most standard pumps
are rated at 2000 RPM, not 545 RPM.

My pump puts out 21 GPM at 540 RPM and 2000 PSI.
It needs 32 horsepower to make 2000 PSI (which only happens in the hardest wood).
Needs 24 horse at 1500 PSI and 16 horse to make 1000 PSI.

Ford 9N makes 23 PTO horsepower on a good day. It can handle the second largest
Prince pump that is rated at: 5.7 cubic inches per rev. At 2000 PSI, it needs 18
horsepower. At 2500 PSI it needs 24 horse. So, if you have a 3.5" or 4" cylinder, and
this pump - you'll have pretty good cycle time and enough power to split just about
anything.

Purpose built pumps for log splitters are two stage pumps. This give you the best of both worlds, high GPM for cycle rate, and high pressure for more "PUSH". A typical pump might offer a first stage at 16 GPM and 650 PSI, with a second stage of 3 GPM and 2500 PSI. The pump switches modes based on back pressure.

PTO pumps are single stage and limited to 2200 PSI or there abouts. They will give you a better cycle rate than an internal tractor pump at 3 to 5 GPM, but the "PUSH" won't be any better.

With a big enough cylinder on the splitter, you can make the compromise work. Use the high GPM of a PTO pump to cycle the big cylinder quickly, and the large diameter of the cyllinder to make enough force to split the tough stuff.

Yes it will work good. Neighbor had one I used on my Super A. Cylinder was a 6 or 8" never wanted for power or speed ran about 1/4 throttle unless splitting crotches then up to 3/4 for more power.

WOW!!! A 6 or 8 inch cylinder; can't imagine how slow an 8 inch cylinder would be. More than 4 times the volume of my 4 inch cylinder.........

It has to be slow. I've got the biggest Prince PTO pump made, and with a 4" cylinder and engine at 1/3 throttle, speed is just about right. An 8" cylinder would be twice as slow (or half as fast).