The Log Splitter

[Daltonultra]

The Log Splitter:
Interchangeable barrel, currently 10'x2"
4" PVC "U" shaped chamber, approx 1580 cubic inches
Rainbird PGA-200 sprinkler valve, 3/8" ball valve pilot.

I filled the solenoid's mount in with repair putty, the type that comes in a 2-color stick that you mash around till it's a uniform gray, then apply. The resulting seal is airtight, and the putty couldn't be chipped out with a chisel.
The ball valve is threaded in where the flow control knob used to be. I cemented the old flow-control stopper into the top of the chamber to give the diaphragm a bump-stop to keep it from tearing itself apart.

No pics right now, didn't think to take any, other than two of the modified valve top, and some damage pics. I'll get em up later. In the meantime, here's a couple damage vids. Once I get the thing mount on a base, I'll do more.


I found a thick lens of ice in a bucket in front of the garage. The first vid is just a dry fire, no ammo, ~120psi. Second vid is a potato.

The reason I'm calling it the Log Splitter is that the third vid I would have had here got buggered up because we switched to Dad's camera. I cobbled up an over-sized blow-dart from a 3/8"x8" steel rod, a pop bottle, and some repair putty. I fired it at a block of wood cut off the end of a 10"x10" wood beam Dad used for our bridge. The dart drove itself two and a half inches into the block, and split a big chunk off of it.

[youtube][/youtube]
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[jackssmirkingrevenge]

Excellent and that *nice* at the end is totally from that south park episode :p

[Daltonultra]

I gotta get a base made for it. The wood brace isn't fixed yet, so the barrel moves too much. I'm gonna build a base for it this weekend, and whomp up a few more "darts" out of some old bolts Dad has left over from the bridge.
I might even try firing a cold chisel from it just to see if it can split a log completely through....
The gun blew the skirt off the original dart, and the impact bent it pretty good, so it's no longer usable. But I gotta find something cheaper than repair putty to use to hold them together.

[starman]

Log splitters have always raised my male hormone levels, just by thinking about them or by certainly being in their presence. Sounds crazy, but I've always found them very cool.

Anyway, GREAT work on the log splitting... 8) Oh, the cannon's pretty nice as well. Get us some close-ups when you can.

[tghhs]

Sick!!!!!

i love it

[Daltonultra]

I'll have it ready for the Showcase by Monday.

[ALIHISGREAT]

thats a beast you've got there is that a 2" valve though?

[Daltonultra]

thats a beast you've got there is that a 2" valve though?

Yes indeed. Rainbird PGA-200. 2" porting all around. 2 inputs, 1 exhaust.

I filled the solenoid port with repair putty, and tapped the flow control on top for 3/8" pipe for the BV pilot.



Inside, I plugged the old pilot, and cemented the flow-control stopper into place as the bump stop. It also made the spacing right to use the spring it came with.

[psycix]

Nicely done.

One note though.
With such a big cannon, please build a piston valve.
The flow restriction of the sprinkler will really count on barrels this long.
Though you did a clean job on the modding of it.

[ALIHISGREAT]

whats that chamber you have coming off the back?

[Pilgrimman]

Awww, the topic title made me think "wow! I bet he is using the pressure from a log splitter to drive some super high pressure pump he designed!" But this is equally cool

Really nice modding of the sprinlker valve!

[Daltonultra]

whats that chamber you have coming off the back?

It's actually the old sch40 chamber from my smaller gun. The fill is threaded into the back end of it. As soon as I can find a 2" threaded bushing, I'll get rid of the long pipe and have it all nice and compact.

A piston is my next goal, but I've had this valve sitting around for over a year, and I had to use it for something.
When I'm ready to make my piston, you guys are gonna be shocked by the scale of it... I'll be ordering another PGA-200 as a pilot valve...

[jonnyboy]

Nice cannon!
When your build your piston why don't you use your current sprinkler as a pilot they have to be fricken expensive. Why don't you build a HUGE piston valve piloted with a smaller piston valve which is then piloted by that 2" sprinkler.

[brogdenlaxmiddie]

Reminds me of "Dubya's WMD"

I like it. All it needs is a sick paintjob!

[Daltonultra]

Nice cannon!
When your build your piston why don't you use your current sprinkler as a pilot they have to be fricken expensive. Why don't you build a HUGE piston valve piloted with a smaller piston valve which is then piloted by that 2" sprinkler.

Because when I build the big piston, it's gonna take absolutely freakin forever to fill. I wanna keep this one for casual spudding.