Logsplitter Wedge, This way or That, Whats the Difference?

[CDN Farm Boy]

You are either super human or you haven't been on earth long enough to see what can happen while doing something that makes no sense..

Does having Kent as my middle name count as superhuman? I've got 12 yrs as a firefighter... I've seen plenty. I've also been on earth long enough to know how to write a proper sentence.

Stop and think about what I said, it makes perfect sense. Personal limits are exactly that - personal, as in they vary. Some people will be perfectly safe running a splitter with auto-cycle. Some people should stick to buying their firewood already split and there will be people in between on various levels. There's also the people that pay so little attention to what is going on that they will trip over their own feet walking out to pay the guy delivering the firewood.

Feel free to pm me if you wish to debate the issue further. It takes very little thought to point out how every single 'accident' could have been easily 100% prevented.

Back on topic please.

 

[4570Man]

I really don't see an auto split valve being any faster. Every accident is 100 % preventable. An auto split valve is just giving your splitter another chance to bite you. You should be totally save removing the ROPS, and every other safety system from your tractor.

 

[KennyG]

And the bi directional ones sound like a good idea but in practice (I believe) they are not any better.

I have a bidirectional 3 point splitter on a tractor with limited gpm and in that particular situation it makes sense since the splitter speed is a bit limited. For safety purposes, the valve has no detents. The advantage is most noticeable when you have two people working and you don't have spend time getting the next round while you could let the splitter auto retract anyway.

 

[LD1]

. You should be totally save removing the ROPS, and every other safety system from your tractor.

Done that already. Rops gets in the way in the woods, and I like to stand up and stretch my legs when on a long job mowing.

 

[atsah]

This is my last post in this thread, to the people that think all accidents are 100% preventable, I found out the hard way that couldn't be further from the truth..

I am forced to do everything with four wheels under me due to a mechanical malfunction through no fault of my own or anyone else's for that matter.. Things age like we do and things happen.. I'm not looking for pity, I'm trying to help people to understand that anything can happen at anytime and take nothing for granted..

OP I apologize for the derail, carry on..

 

[Industrial Toys]

I never dreamed that this OP topic would be so touchy. Not like I asked about personal shaver preference. Two blades or three? lol

In the scheme of dangerous things to be found on a farm, a total autocyle splitter is way down on the list in my opinon. Just the speed and worst case potential for injury is low, compared to let's say a snow blower! Plus, I don't see that the danger going forward is that much greater then the danger returning. I'm sure some accident prone person could get squeezed somethow there as well. And what of those commercially available inertia type splitters. They may require operator presence, but once you trigger that thing, it's all over in the blink of an eye, whether the timing was safe to do so or not! Now, THAT in my opinion IS dangerous! Anything revolving, fast, with cutting action, or employing inertia should be treated with extreme care and respect.

 

[muddstopper]

Wow, talk about a derail. And to add to it
I personally dont want a autocycle valve. I have seen the combination of humans and automation first hand. As a old fart, I tripped over my own feet yesterday and almost broke a rib. I can just see me turning to pick up a stick of wood and then falling into the splitting cylinder as it retracts and getting my guts squashed out. I can see a autocycle valve as a means to speed up production, it will work for that, but that darn thing just doesnt get tired and slow down like I would. I guess that would mean I would start trying to keep up with it and sooner or later, I would do something stupid that a kiss and bandaid wouldnt fix. Now thats just me.

Now if I really wanted to speed up a splitter, I would go for the multiple wedge approach. Make the wedge hydraulicly height adjustable so you can split small or large wood into the same even sizes. I would certianly put the wedge on the end of the beam, and I would add either a lift to roll the large rounds up on so I didnt have to lift them, or I would make a boom with winch to take care of the heavies. Thats how I do it now and thats what works for me. .

 

[Industrial Toys]

Well, for what it worth, I did say, I have two large mushroom E Stop buttons at each end.

If I ever used this thing and had a near accident, I certainly would re-evaluate the safety issue. I have a joystick for various functions but the auto forward/return cycle is not on it. You need to press a recessed button for that.

 

[vtsnowedin]

Ok I'm going to let the safety issue rest. After all I did say back there I was only going to give it one more try.
The best wood splitter I have ever seen had a six way wedge and a carriage where the beam would normally be that was spring loaded. A big block dropped onto the carriage pushed the springs down centering the block on the center of the wedge. The ram pushed the centered block through the wedge and off into a truck parked below or a conveyor loading a truck parked at grade. How the builder got the springs to do as good a job as they did is beyond me. It belonged to a contractor friend that has sense moved on to the big project in the sky. I don't know who ended up with the splitter.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Sorry. I can't visualize that thing. But I would certainly like to. I have seen some really neat processors. Some on the front of a skid steer, but I notice they are all feeding like sized wood. No two pieces of my wood are eve remotely the same it seems. I deal with a lot of elm and apple, even hawthorne! Those things have to represent a far greater danger (to me) and yet I don't see any stickers or labels warning me! Gee! Who can I sue, the next time I get hurt on a Hawthorne?