What is the 'best' wood splitter wedge design?

[murphy1244]

I've got a Timberwolf as well, love it!



View attachment 477071

What does that model cost?

 

[Happy Gilmore]

What does that model cost?

New they're up around $7k, I paid $3700 used

 

[Cord]

It certainly will. Do you guys think a 5" bore cylinder will be adequate? That should be about 49,000 pounds at 2500 psi. Hopefully I'll be able to get the pressure higher.

No, a 5" wouldn't be enough (unless you had a 5,000 psi system). I know because I have a similar head on my splitter with a 5" cylinder. My head only has a horizontal plate that then cleaves the bottom half 3 additional ways. With the right sized log I can get 3 pieces of wood on every pass. The pictured head is splitting it several more times. If the wood is well seasoned I can generally push it through on high. A knot will kick it into low. Even green box elder will cause the splitter to bog down. I've never jammed it, but my neighbor broke my splitter when he was trying to force a 3' diameter elm stump through it. Idiot.

Anyways, I really like the design because it produces very uniform pieces, but it does create quite a bit of trash. Generally I'll pick through the trash pile and save the splinters and shavings because they work great for a fire starter. Even with a 22gpm pump (you can now get bigger 2 stage pumps) and a 5" cylinder it takes 4 people to run the machine at full throttle. One person brings the logs to the station, an operator loads the log and works the controls and two people stack.

 

[milkie62]

I have been planning a new splitter build the last couple of years.Mine is 27 yrs old,works great in the single vertical split mode but when I put the 4 way on it leaves quite a bit to be desired when I hit knotty wood.I was going to switch out to a 5" cylinder for the time being to give it some more oomph.But since it is close to the ground you need to work in the stoop over mode which gets old after awhile.My new one will be a combo Timberwolf and some of my own features.But I also have been worried about optimum wedge type.All the demos have straight grain oak.So I will be watching threads and posts on wedge design also.

 

[4570Man]

That's kinda my plan. A combo of the timberwolf with my own features. I currently plan on using an adjustable height 4 way wedge.

 

[muddstopper]

w
hile my splitter build is currently on hold, here is a pic of the wedge I will be using. and the rams to push the wood thru it.