Hydraulic log lift

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I busted my shoulder up pretty bad and even after surgery it looks like my heavy lifting days are over. One of the things I'm going to have to do is build a log lift for my horizontal only splitter. Anybody have any plans or suggestions? I have a basket design down pat but am unsure of the hydraulic set up. Right now I'm using a  Prince log splitter control valve. I know I'll have to add another valve of some sort. I really don't know what size cylinder to get or much else about it so I figured I'd ask the pros. Thanks for any help. Photos would help a lot.
Reply:Do a sketch of your basket and put it up on the site.Are you absolutely stuck on hydraulic lift, or would you be able to get by with mechanical leverage applied by hand?"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:When it gets light out tommorow I will take a picture of the lifter I made for my splitter. I use a 2" x 8" cylinder, gives me a good lift range. EdEdKing
Reply:why not convert it to a vertical?Im 22, and theres no way in hell id lift the rounds i split onto a horizontal bed.
Reply:A mechanical lift would solve my immediate problem and wouldn't be very costly compared to a hydraulic one. I found this pic on Google and it's pretty close to what I have in mind. I don't know who made this.  Would a length of pipe at the bottom to lift the basket give me a pretty good mechanical advantage. The hydraulics could be added later if needed. My splitter doesn't sit nearly as high as the one in the photo, maybe 12-14 inches is all. But physically, for me, it might as well be 3 feet. The logs we're splitting right now are probably 100-150 lbs.  Unfortunately it wouldn't be practical to convert my splitter to horizontal. Attached Images
Reply:I decided I better go measure. The beam is 19 inches above ground. Heres a photo if it helps. I hadn't even thought of a mechanical lift. I'm glad I ask now! Attached Images
Reply:a pipe at the end would make it easier to lift. it's a matter of newtons law. overcoming gravity.  i would try it with the manual lift first. then if you have problems convert it over to hydraulic. the longer the pipe the easier it will be. you could build a socket for the pipe and pin into place so it could be removed when not in use.
Reply:Yeah, and use an extension running from the basket to the front of the splitter by the tongue for the lifting pipe.  Thay way you can "walk" the long pipe over without having to push it over the top of the machine.  It'll will make it easier on your shoulder and back.And, like Patrick says, you can make it so it pins in place."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Crappy drawing, but hopefully it makes sense Attached Images"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Well Hell, scratch that.  You don't need to go any farther than being able to get the basket high enough to roll the log onto the bed.   Unless............... you maybe want to arch the lifting pole over the splitter, and use your body weight pushing/pulling down on the lever instead of lifting up on it.  Fulcrum point would be close to the hinge, but you'd be able to use a pretty long pipe because the travel would be much less."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Back to the drawing board Attached Images"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Here are the Pics I promised, first is the catcher to keep log from rolling off the backAnd the second shows the attachment of the cylinder, the third the pin I used so the whole thing can be easily removed. Attached ImagesEdKing
Reply:Thanks everybody. I've got enough ideas from the post to come up with something. I think I'll start with a manual lift. It can be done very inexpensively and is within my range of talent.  But  I'm going to do it so I can add hydraulics when the goverment decides to bail me out like it's doing the big boys. Am I correct in thinking I can just join another control valve to my Prince valve? There seems to be an outlet for it.