Scariest log splitter ive seen

[steverino101]

if you have a problem with this as a tool, then i suggest you stay out of machine shops, because that's what lathes are all about.
level of danger is always elevated by inexperience, but fear of moving parts and stupidity or any combination of those can get a person hurt real bad.
all that being said, some kickback protection could be added easily.

 

[buickanddeere]

Why go looking for trouble? Best machine is one that by design works safely. A hydraulic ram isolates the energy. The rotating wheel is always live.

 

[jerrybob]

I don't see a warning label on that machine.........maybe it fell off??

 

[fosterchild420]

I love these old machines because they help you to see how far we have come. At one time, this was probably the easiest/least expensive way to split wood. Back in the day, people had to get jobs done how ever possible. I am sure as dangerous as it may look, people were more careful. We must also remember that people had less to distract them from their job at hand. No ipod in their ears, no phone ringing, no text message alert.

I can't help but laugh while thinking of a story my grandfather told me: He was working for the railroad and he controlled the pump used to pump water to the steam engines. It was a one cylinder engine but had two 8 foot tall flywheels. To crank it, he would roll the flywheels over by walking inside of one of them, (think hampster in exercise wheel) until the engine would fire and he would jump out. While it worked well then, I am sure OSHA and/or any other safety organization would have a fit over such a thing now.

 

[ericher69]

Why go looking for trouble? Best machine is one that by design works safely. A hydraulic ram isolates the energy. The rotating wheel is always live.

Yup till you slip and fall and all that energy gets isolated on your skull...

 

[bbw]

I remember taking an ax for the first time; it bounced off the log & hit my ankle.

who said "ya gotta be smarter than the machine" -- good thing this baby aint gotta cpu.

Somethings speak for themselves.

 

[Daver1963]

This is silly and dangerous.

 

[Daver1963]

None too smart either.

 

[NS Gearhead]

I plan to build a combination chord saw and flywheel splitter off a truck rear end... well, once I get a couple other projects finished. LOL

 

[deereman75]

My grandpa built one years back. He had it spinning slow enough to give you 10 seconds or so between chops.
Worked real great with frozen wood.

Not as unsafe as they seem once you get the timing of it down.

Its like working with a few guys on a hydraulic splitter. You get a feel of when to get your hands out of the way real early on.
At the tree service I work at, we did 2 cords of maple in under an hour.... Ram was moving at about the pace of those wheel splitters....