Log splitter and a flying log - safety

[Herkypilot]

I've had it happen several times with my 30 ton splitter used in the vertical configuration with White Ash wood. I have a 4 way split wedge on mine, so some pieces can be smaller and lighter to make them easier to propel. It starts out with some resistance first, then a pop and the pieces blow out a bit. I sit on a small camp chair while splitting to avoid knee pain and if I'm too close, the piece that shoots out catches my knees. Ouch. It's usually enough to slow it down with my hand on the piece I suspect is creating a lot of pressure for the split.

 

[m5040]

I built 2 splitters, a horizontal and a table top vertical (out of a TSC). I have never had a log want to fly off. One thing that I do is to keep the wedge sharp. As they say with knives, a dull blade is actually more dangerous to use than one that is sharp. This may apply to log splitters also?!
How is the edge on yours?
I wonder if it would be good to add a small extension onto the wedge to penetrate first into the log and "lock" it in?

 

[Musdalen]

That's a new one to me. But I can sort of understand it happening. Something like leaning tree barberchairing on you.

Anymore, I sometimes think I should be wearing an NFL approved football helmet 24/7...

 

[JsJs]

Adjust your pressure relief valve to give way in the first place. Pay more attention to the engine sound. It must have died down with that much pressure building sudenley.

 

[John Atkisson]

I use a kinetic splitter, and I love it- much faster than hydraulic models. Only problem is, the ram drives forward very quickly (3 second cycle time), making this type of high energy log pop much more common. The upside of that is that you get used to it and prepare for it, so it doesn’t take you by surprise as it does on slower hydraulic machines. The family jewels are the most common target, so you learn to protect yourself with body positioning and log placement to avoid pops.

 

[John_Mc]

I'm still stuck on air trapped in the hydraulic system. Hydraulic fluid is not compressible, so doesn't provide the "spring" to really launch a piece of wood. Generally, as soon as the wood moves a bit, the pressure is relieved, so the log just sits there. The motion of the log is about as slow as the splitter itself, so a traditional log splitter is not the hazard that a kinetic splitter is. It's possible for the wood itself to provide that "spring", but unusual (for example, if the piece bends, and then straightens out rapidly when it splits.)

When there is air in the hydraulic system, it compresses. It's almost like pumping up one of those air-powered BB guns some of us had as a kid. When the log lets go, the compressed air expands rapidly, providing some motion on the wedge or anvil to launch the log. It doesn't take much.

 

[jmc]

Nerd alert: I think that starting with iPhone 6, there is a slow motion video option that is wwwway slow. Might be interesting to film a few suspicious logs to see what is actually happening when they pop.

 

[cfolk50]

A number of years ago, I had a neighbor who was splitting wood with a splitter on the tractor. He was working with oak. He had been working with wood for many years. A piece split off and came flying at him. It hit him on the side of his head. It broke his jaw, knocked out some of his teeth and crushed his skull. He spent 6 months in the hospital and in recovery and rehabilitation. He was never the same afterwards. Since that accident, I built a shield on the end of my splitter and stand behind that when splitting.

 

[dodge man]

I don’t think air in the hydraulics is the problem. I think it’s just the way the wood splits.

 

[dj1701]

I saw it happen to my dad. we were trying out a new splitter and had a big knotty chunk of wood to test it out. Well, it had a bit of trouble, then it let loose and hit him right in the man danglers. He started to do the curly shuffle around the yard. I was in tears; I just could not stop laughing. Luckly he was okay after the pain stopped.