F.L. Jennings
Bronze Member
Yes, and made reply.
log splitter wedge design
- Thread starter wowbw7
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Yes, and made reply.
skidsteer.ca
Gold Member
Has anyone with a wedge 26" tall had any trouble with the wedge binding because the cylinder is push much to low on the wedge. (obviously this only applies to the moving wedge design)
Ken
pat32rf
Veteran Member
I have one of each style (both loaners that had been sitting unused for years). One is a vertical moving wedge and the other a horizontal fixed wedge. (Actually the moving wedge unit can be laid down and used horizontally).
I find that if I am splitting by myself I sit at the moving wedge and split until the pile builds up, then I clear and stack. If I have helpers however and plan to split a large amount the fixed wedge gets used as the finished wood gets pushed out of the way of the person doing the splitting and the person fetching the raw wood has clear ground to pass the blocks over.
I split small (less than 16") stuff with most of it being under 10" and fairly straight grained (because thats what I have) so its easy to re-split anything that is too big for my woodstove. Either splitter will keep 3 people busy if I have the helpers but that just means more beer breaks....
I find that if I am splitting by myself I sit at the moving wedge and split until the pile builds up, then I clear and stack. If I have helpers however and plan to split a large amount the fixed wedge gets used as the finished wood gets pushed out of the way of the person doing the splitting and the person fetching the raw wood has clear ground to pass the blocks over.
I split small (less than 16") stuff with most of it being under 10" and fairly straight grained (because thats what I have) so its easy to re-split anything that is too big for my woodstove. Either splitter will keep 3 people busy if I have the helpers but that just means more beer breaks....
Willie B
Silver Member
When experimenting with splitters, try to think of what could go wrong, when the later, obvious thing happens is too late to think about prevention, or even where might I have stood to avoid injury. I tested a splitter once cutting a 12" dia. birch block cross grain. It was green and to some degree squashed, the ram stopped an inch from the wedge. The quick solution: put a second piece between to push it through, as I said the birch was green. X rays would now show cracks in my skull, my nose, sewn back on looks perfect. It no longer passes air as well.
That said, a splitting axe doesn't work as well if it is very sharp. A wedge is a simple machine made to exploit the inherent weakness of wood grain. The wedge shape, not the cutting edge tears rather than cuts the grain. The bond holding parallel wood fibers together is weaker than its strength for each half of a block to avoid bending. Soon after a block begins to pass over the wedge, each half becomes a lever. The wedge forces the very end of grain apart, this force powers two opposing levers acting against the nearest surviving bond of parallel grain at its weakest line. If the wedge is wide enough at the back, the cutting edge won't touch wood after the first inch of travel.
The two simple machines we learned about in 5th grade the wedge, and the lever, combined with the the not as simple hydraulic system empower the wood splitter to be a useful monster making life a lot nicer than that of the pilgrims.
That said, a splitting axe doesn't work as well if it is very sharp. A wedge is a simple machine made to exploit the inherent weakness of wood grain. The wedge shape, not the cutting edge tears rather than cuts the grain. The bond holding parallel wood fibers together is weaker than its strength for each half of a block to avoid bending. Soon after a block begins to pass over the wedge, each half becomes a lever. The wedge forces the very end of grain apart, this force powers two opposing levers acting against the nearest surviving bond of parallel grain at its weakest line. If the wedge is wide enough at the back, the cutting edge won't touch wood after the first inch of travel.
The two simple machines we learned about in 5th grade the wedge, and the lever, combined with the the not as simple hydraulic system empower the wood splitter to be a useful monster making life a lot nicer than that of the pilgrims.
jwmorris
Veteran Member
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fishinfool
Member
- Joined
- Feb 19, 2010
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- 45
Experimented with a few designs,
My best luck has been welding "wings" onto wedge at about the same angle as wedge (see photo) with a bit of a transition to wider.
I use a Northern Tool "weldable" 10"
Keep the wedge sharp, seem to reduce energy required to penetrate wood also cuts thru knots.
I split alot of varieties of wood, big nasty knotty stuff as well, seems to work
My best luck has been welding "wings" onto wedge at about the same angle as wedge (see photo) with a bit of a transition to wider.
I use a Northern Tool "weldable" 10"
Keep the wedge sharp, seem to reduce energy required to penetrate wood also cuts thru knots.
I split alot of varieties of wood, big nasty knotty stuff as well, seems to work
fishinfool
Member
- Joined
- Feb 19, 2010
- Messages
- 45
"stripper" design
This was kind of an afterthought after continually hurting myself trying to beat stuck pieces off the wedge
Another shot of "big bertha" backhoe mounted splitter beam with 6" ram.
the wedge has seen some serious duty at 70 tons, still holding up.
This was kind of an afterthought after continually hurting myself trying to beat stuck pieces off the wedge
Another shot of "big bertha" backhoe mounted splitter beam with 6" ram.
the wedge has seen some serious duty at 70 tons, still holding up.
muddstopper
Veteran Member
Old thread, but,
My wedge is 24in tall with wings to make a 6way split. The whole blade is adjustable up and down. I used 3/4in plate to make a back support for the adjustable splitting wedge. I used 3/4in flat plate that I hard surfaced the cutting edge before sharpening for the wedge. I used a 2 1/2in long taper for starting the splitting action. My wings are located just behind the long taper edge. The bottom wing is just sharpened on the bottom side of the wing, and the top wing is just sharpened on the top edge. The bottom wing is angle down in the back and the top wing angled up at the back. The prevents the center splits from binding on the wedge. I do not use any kind of spreader wings on my blades, I find spreader wedges takes a lot more tonnage to do the same job as a single narrow blade, altho for easy splitting the spreader wedges will split a little faster. I use a 5in bore cylinder and 2500psi to split 30in + dia oaks and hickory and dont have any problems splitting 6 ways at a split. My biggest problem with the 6way wedge is the center splits are usually to large and need to be re-split if I am splitting large dia wood. A 24 in round will yield 2-5"x12" splits. My future plans are to add two more wedges to make it an 8way too handle those large center splits off the 6way.
My wedge is 24in tall with wings to make a 6way split. The whole blade is adjustable up and down. I used 3/4in plate to make a back support for the adjustable splitting wedge. I used 3/4in flat plate that I hard surfaced the cutting edge before sharpening for the wedge. I used a 2 1/2in long taper for starting the splitting action. My wings are located just behind the long taper edge. The bottom wing is just sharpened on the bottom side of the wing, and the top wing is just sharpened on the top edge. The bottom wing is angle down in the back and the top wing angled up at the back. The prevents the center splits from binding on the wedge. I do not use any kind of spreader wings on my blades, I find spreader wedges takes a lot more tonnage to do the same job as a single narrow blade, altho for easy splitting the spreader wedges will split a little faster. I use a 5in bore cylinder and 2500psi to split 30in + dia oaks and hickory and dont have any problems splitting 6 ways at a split. My biggest problem with the 6way wedge is the center splits are usually to large and need to be re-split if I am splitting large dia wood. A 24 in round will yield 2-5"x12" splits. My future plans are to add two more wedges to make it an 8way too handle those large center splits off the 6way.