adjustable splitter wedge

[arrow]

Was wondering if anyone here retrofitted a hydraulic, height adjustable wedge to their previously stationary wedge machine. I know some here have built splitters from the ground up with these but have seen nothing available for an existing horizontal splitter change over.
It looks to me I would have to change the business end completely and not sure I could even think to do so with the current beam length. May be time for a new splitter but the one's Ive seen with this feature are multi thousands making them out of reach for this guy. http://americancls.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/4-way-section.jpg

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Why would you want to raise a single wedge up and down??

I want mine up all the time, and higher than most cheapo splitters have them.

Now, a 4-way wedge, I can see that adjustable.

SR

 

[arrow]

Why would you want to raise a single wedge up and down??

I want mine up all the time, and higher than most cheapo splitters have them.

Now, a 4-way wedge, I can see that adjustable.



SR

No. That pic was just to demonstrate a "before" picture. I indeed want the 4-way adjustable.

 

[Carl_NH]

Arrow,

That pic you posted looks exactly like my Ramsplitter wedge end, and I bought the slide over 4 way wedge that goes over the stationary one. Its NOT adjustable though.

My experience with the 4 way and my ramsplitter is it "works" but even with the larger cylinder setup I have it struggles with anything big or knarly twisted logs.

So I just use the single wedge and double stack pieces - nets about the same result at the end of the day, and I'm not in a hurry.

 

[CADplans]

Here is a pic of a retrofit you could do easily,,

I call it a "3-way wedge"

It will pretty consistently split logs to 3 pieces,,,

I simply topped the wedge with an angle sliced large diameter solid

My wedge was initially designed to go up and down,,, manually,, with a pin to hold it in location,,,

The wedge will significantly reduce the force needed to split any log,, as a side benefit!! :thumbsup:

 

[arrow]

Arrow,

That pic you posted looks exactly like my Ramsplitter wedge end, and I bought the slide over 4 way wedge that goes over the stationary one. Its NOT adjustable though.

My experience with the 4 way and my ramsplitter is it "works" but even with the larger cylinder setup I have it struggles with anything big or knarly twisted logs.

So I just use the single wedge and double stack pieces - nets about the same result at the end of the day, and I'm not in a hurry.

Good to hear from you again Carl. We joined TBN at the same year and you helped me out with a solution quite a few years ago..never forget the good guys. Boy time flys a bit too fast these days.
I do have the Ram Splitter 4 way. It was a nightmare to finally get this piece many years ago. I believe I waited almost 4 months to finally get it with numerous emails to the guy making them. I believe he has passed on. At any rate. it gets kinda tedious having to move this thing on and off depending on the size wood. Was even thinking of welding it on at a strategic height where it would be high enough to allow a single 2 half split but it would get in the way when a gnarly piece that would demand a single split.
I cut one side of the 4way down so I could have a centered split with 10" and smaller wood. The other remains for the 12 inches and wider rounds. It was always kind of nothing to me to flip this thing on and off but I seem to be getting spoiled for convenience as i get older.

 

[arrow]

Here is a pic of a retrofit you could do easily,,

I call it a "3-way wedge"

It will pretty consistently split logs to 3 pieces,,,

I simply topped the wedge with an angle sliced large diameter solid

My wedge was initially designed to go up and down,,, manually,, with a pin to hold it in location,,,

The wedge will significantly reduce the force needed to split any log,, as a side benefit!! :thumbsup:

Interesting CAD. I am wondering how you found the "manual" adjustment technique to be efficient or eventual headache and is why you switched to this?

 

[CADplans]

Interesting CAD. I am wondering how you found the "manual" adjustment technique to be efficient or eventual headache and is why you switched to this?

I made it that way so that I could change the machine,, from a splitter to a hydraulic press,,

I think I use it more as a press than a splitter!!

 

[Carl_NH]

Good to hear from you again Carl. We joined TBN at the same year and you helped me out with a solution quite a few years ago..never forget the good guys. Boy time flys a bit too fast these days.
I do have the Ram Splitter 4 way. It was a nightmare to finally get this piece many years ago. I believe I waited almost 4 months to finally get it with numerous emails to the guy making them. I believe he has passed on. At any rate. it gets kinda tedious having to move this thing on and off depending on the size wood. Was even thinking of welding it on at a strategic height where it would be high enough to allow a single 2 half split but it would get in the way when a gnarly piece that would demand a single split.
I cut one side of the 4way down so I could have a centered split with 10" and smaller wood. The other remains for the 12 inches and wider rounds. It was always kind of nothing to me to flip this thing on and off but I seem to be getting spoiled for convenience as i get older.

Yes, Merry Christmas Arrow - time fly's and I recall our conversations and discussions around your 790? John Deere and decision to get the 3016 some years ago and thanks for remembering! As to Cadplans design - it makes sense if you have his setup, but in your case (mine too) it would mean cutting off the end of the splitter and adding a channel and a new splitting wedge and more..

I can see how this works and is interesting but not sure how this will work in every case - 1) the top round wedge pushes the wood down and thru the splitter and acts as a pre split which is good 2) but how does it manage large rounds that want to split in half? Do you move those back and split them?

Carl

 

[CADplans]

but how does it manage large rounds that want to split in half?

Do you move those back and split them?

Carl

Yes, you run them through again,, the same as you would do with a 4-way wedge,, or a 2-way wedge.
if the log is big,, it is gonna go through the splitter more than once,, no matter what,,

Some splitters do 8-way splits, that will single pass most logs,,, most,,,