FEL Upside Down Log Splitter - Need Advise
- Thread starter WVBartMan
- Start date
I see a lot of "BIG" logs that are just pushed into a ravine and buried -- because of the amount of work required to cut and split. I've taken on 2 large projects (36" dia soft maple). I've been wondering about setting up a fixed, vertical log splitter. 2 heavy I-Beams set in Cement, with cement slab (lots of rebar and / or steel base), a heavy I-beam cross-beam and a large cylinder. Use the FEL to move the pieces to the splitter, split, haul off, rinse and repeat.
I looked at several wood processors but they all have limitations on the size of trees they can handle, meaning if the diameter of the tree is bigger than most telephone poles then its to big to process. I did look at the $25k Skid-steer cutter and splitter but it too had the same size limitations as the others.
I believe I now have a nice compromise on being able to handle all sizes of wood. The goal I set out with was to only touch the wood once by hand and to not handle by hand any large wood that could possibly cause an injury. I really like the setup I have now and for someone older like myself who works alone it really is a must do if I'm going to continue to handle large trees.
I believe I now have a nice compromise on being able to handle all sizes of wood. The goal I set out with was to only touch the wood once by hand and to not handle by hand any large wood that could possibly cause an injury. I really like the setup I have now and for someone older like myself who works alone it really is a must do if I'm going to continue to handle large trees.
Dave: My only issue with vertical log splitters is all the bending over required. If I was young then it would probably not be a concern but handling big wood by hand has really injured a lot of guys. I like the idea though, its just getting the wood to the splitter that sounds like the hard work. I bought a set of tongs several years ago for moving big pieces and used the loader to set the pieces up on the splitter and the tongs worked great but its a 2-person operation. Thankfully my wife was an excellent FEL operator and could set them up on the splitter table like hanging wall paper. The issue came when the first split was made and then I had a 100lb slab roll of the splitter while I managed the other 100lb slab. It was an accident waiting to happen so this year I decided to make a change when I found the FEL splitter and thanks to YouTube I was sold.
I recently acquired logging tongs chained to the FEL. With a helper, we decimated the large soft maple pieces with the splitter set up horizontally. I agree, those 100lb+ pieces are dangerous. My idea of a stationary splitter would be one that a nice smooth approach (steel + cement); use the FEL to bring the pieces to the splitter, slide them underneath, lower the knife and bust big pieces into smaller ones. I had some maples pieces 36+inches across, almost 30" long (I didn't cut, someone else left them that way). I calculated those pieces to be close to 900lbs.
I'm getting older as well (55) -- and I am cutting more wood these days than when I was younger and working less while doing it. With age comes wisdom and toys.... lots of toys (FEL, splitter, tongs, 2 chain saws...).
I'm getting older as well (55) -- and I am cutting more wood these days than when I was younger and working less while doing it. With age comes wisdom and toys.... lots of toys (FEL, splitter, tongs, 2 chain saws...).
I know this is an old post but I'm building one of these splitters on Friday. I noticed you're not using the wings on the wedge for the 4-way split but you also said you quarter the rounds. Is there a reason you're not using the wings? Didn't know if perhaps you didn't purchase them of you did but didn't like them?
The wood I was splitting was of all different sizes and the wings that created the 4-way wedge was splitting the smaller diameter wood into pieces too small for what I like so I took them off. On the larger wood the 4-way wedge was perfect. The splitter I have has 3 different heights I can mount the wings and I should of tried the different heights but I was in a hurry. I will mount them at the "half-way" height this week which will allow the smaller wood to be unaffected by the 4-way and just be split in half. I'm thinking of doing a video and even mount a Hero HD camera on the splitter itself to enhance the video, will see.