gorms

Well I goofed up my wood splitter, was bringing back the wedge with a big piece of oak stuck to it (really stuck to it) and managed to booger the felmale side of the threads on the cylinder. Went a little too far lol. I was thinking of just welding a 1/2 nipple to it. Good idea or bad idea? I don't want to get any more metal in the cylinder trying to tap/helicoil etc but I don't want to trash anything with the heat either.

chaikwa

First, make sure you're using a steel nipple, not a cast iron one. Then wrap the end of the cylinder and the rod in wet towels. Have a few extra wet towels around so when you finish welding, you can re-wrap the end again. OR, use a hose to soak it down after you weld. Don't wet the nipple and cool it down too fast. What you're trying to protect is the gland in the end of the cylinder where the rod comes out. Make sure the rod is retracted all the way when you weld so the rod end/packing doesn't get too hot.

gorms

I was thinking of wet towels to keep it from getting too hot. I'll give it a try tonight and see how it goes. Thanks!

chaikwa

Well? How'd it go?

gorms

Worked perfect, wrapped it up with a wet towel and the cylinder barely got warm. New piece flows better to boot. Good advice chaikwa!

Bark

I was going to tell you to make sure it came out right, to use some beer but it looks like you already knew it.

Fronty Owner

keep us posted this winter when its 20 below and you put that under pressure.

gorms

That goes without saying around here.




Nah, I'll keep you posted when I'm throwing another log on the fire and the splitter is winterized in the garage, all my splitting is done for this winter. Its the return port anyways.

chaikwa

That's a nice lookin' job Gorms!


I'm gonna start calling you 'Eeyore'! Or maybe 'Fronteeyore'!

Fronty Owner

Yup... mr. reality.... thats me...

pind

if the weld is good at all, -20 won't make a difference. take it from one who knows.

Fronty Owner

unless the cylinder was made from a low alloy steel. Mild steel, no, it wont make a difference. At room temperature, it wont make a difference. in cold temperatures, it can shatter.

j_martin

You must be an engineer. You can read the manual, but you can't read a picture. He welded to the nipple that was already stuck to the cylinder with an ordinary looking mig weld.

Fronty Owner

yes, I am. and I've engineered on pressure vessels for most of my career.
and yes, he welded to the nipple in the cylinder.
and do we know what the material is on the nipple welded to the cylinder?
and do we know what the material is on the nipple he welded to the nipple welded to the cylinder?

NE frmhnd

Here's the thing.....
If it's a low-alloy steel, the nipple that's already been welded into the cylinder body, would face the same issues.
I don't see a splitter coming out of a factory with a safety issue like that built into it. I don't see their supplier sending out a cylinder with that issue, either.

What I would have an issue with, if it were my splitter, is the way the valve is hanging off that cylinder port. It's asking to be broke off again.