Matthew Gilmour – Log Splitter
Mathew decided to develop a log splitter for his father. "Well, my Dad's 50 now, so I thought I'd make something to make it a bit easier for him to get the wood for the fire as he always has to do it by hand."
He looked around at what log splitters were currently available on the market and discussed his ideas with a family friend; this stakeholder later donated a hydraulic ram, saving him money in producing the product.
This product spent a long time in the design stages, as there was a lot to research for materials, processes and functions. Matthew decided to use 'oil impregnated plastic' as a bearing surface because the wear and tear is not as great as with metal to metal, and means that the machine does not require lots of grease and lubricants as used on most current models.
Matthew had to learn new skills such as welding and work on improving skills he had practised in Year 10 – Turning and Milling. The workshop doesn't have any facility for carbon-arc welding, which Matthew needed for the carbon sphere on the ram, so he sent the log splitter to a construction engineer for this work because of the safety implications if this weld were to fail. He also had to get the pipes fitted by a local hydraulics expert for the same reasons.
Matthew says the hardest part was physically working with such a large project because his log splitter was so bulky and heavy and involved a lot of shifting and moving for different operations to be carried out.
Overall the project was a huge success and has proved to be more than 'fit for purpose'; it has enabled his family to offer firewood for sale to others, as well as making it easier to produce their own.
The design was modified to enable the hydraulic pump to be driven by the Power Take Off (PTO) on the family's tractor, as well as a three point linkage, which means that it can be easily transported by the same means.
He plans to do Year 12 Technology in 2007 and was already planning what he would do at the end of Year 11. He wants to be an electronics engineer and is interested in doing something to generate power or in robotics.
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