Anyone have / recommend an electric / hydraulic jobbie?
I have the traditional splitting mall, but some of the logs I have seem beyond it, even with my rather too significant bulk behind it! (that and too much log splitting and I usually manage to sprain something!)
This one is quite impressive :-)
Some logs are beyond some log splitters too. They take up a lot of space. Always best to get a stove wth big door(s). The only ones I have seen guaranteed not to fail are hydraulic on the back of a tractor hence with in effect limitless power. I use wedges and a sledge hammers, or cut them up with the chain saw. A lot of effort in some cases.
Sme wood is easier to split dry and others green.
In message , harryagain writes
I use the PTO powered Hy-crack splitter.
Back when Dutch Elm disease struck, I did a lot of tricky grain splitting with a sledge and a pair of steel wedges. A wooden *beetle* might make the wedges last longer.
Too right:-)
It may be that your technique is poor. I used to struggle splitting up large logs until I watched the handyman on the farm I live on do it. I used to try and split the logs in half, then split the pieces in half and so on. Wrong. What he does is "spall" pieces off the edge of the log by hitting it parallel to edge about 3 or 4" in. A chunk flies off the edge, and he then follows the edge round, splitting off chunks. I've since switched to this method, and it works a treat.
You should be letting the axe do the work rather than you, ie hold at the end of the shaft with swing more or less from vertical above you with straight arm onto the log.
Letting the axe work is far less of a strain on you as well...
I did see a foot operated splitter in Aldi the other week, penny shy of £40, sort of tempted but the logs that don't submit to the axe are normally twisted grain and/or bits where branches split off etc. Wasn't convinced it would be up to it or would really handle what I term a "log". 9" long and at least 4" dia.
We've got one of the cheapish manual hydraulic splitters - basically a
10 ton jack in a metal frame with a wedge at the other end. It's pretty good, though it fails on power tool fetish points.It's slower than an electric one would be, but I think it could cope with nastier stuff than eg a 4 ton electric - the limit is pretty much how hard you can haul on the levers.
If I ever go down the wood heating path again, I'll build a big burn chambe r that can take 4' logs in one piece. Use slash to get the fire started, sc rap wood to take over, and whole big stuff to burn away for many hours, may be over multiple burn sessions. I see no sense in tiny burners and all the hassle & expense of chopping wood up.
NT
How do you make the ram return? by bending down each time to turn the valve?
Make sure the ewes are sexy enough.
If that floats your boat. I'd probably get tired of that and engineer a solution.
Yup I had stumbled upon that technique by accident (i.e. lousy aim with the mall!). The downside is its more likely to twist a wrist I find when a bit flys off rather more easily than expected.
In message , JimK writes
No but the screw type on the video can *grab* the wood and rotate it faster than you can get your fingers out of the way.
/Tim Lamb In message , JimK writes
- show quoted text - No but the screw type on the video can *grab* the wood and rotate it faster than you can get your fingers out of the way. /q
Ahha wrong video me be a watching, ahar etc
Jim K
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