Block splitter is finished

[Steve B]

I think it looks mighty fine for something cobbled together in a day. It works great. What do you think?

[Jon Danniken]

I think I want to see a video of it in action.

Jon

[Oren]

I think it looks like his log splitter :-/

[Steve B]

Ya know, my wife said the same thing. I guess you COULD use it to split logs, too.

Am going to test it tomorrow, probably, on blocks.

Steve ;-)

[serebel]

If you want to crush perfectly good blocks ( if you're talking about concrete blocks), then use this. It is a log splitter.

[Tony]

What did you do besides rename it?

[Steve B]

You apparently don't recognize good work.

I added the wood block, for one thing.

Steve

[Steve B]

If you want to crush perfectly good blocks ( if you're talking about concrete blocks), then use this. It is a log splitter.

I saw block splitters that worked on the same principle, and worked good. I'll test a couple tomorrow, and let you know. You never know unless you try. Unless you know it all beforehand anyway. I'm one of the people who don't know it all.

Steve

[DD_BobK]

IF your block splitter fails to work as you desire or expect, consider making the contact points out of large (2"+) diameter steel round stock

cheers Bob

[Jim Elbrecht]

I think it will work by sunset. Why the wood? Did you harden the point of the anvil? Is there a corresponding 'sharp thing' on the bottom side? [or would (2) 1/4 beads a few inches apart work better so you are splitting over a gap? I was thinking there was a tit on the one I saw in action, but it was a while ago & it might have been just a guide line.]

How old are your blocks and pavers?

Jim

[Mikepier]

Genius. Sheer genius.

[Steve B]

IF your block splitter fails to work as you desire or expect, consider making the contact points out of large (2"+) diameter steel round stock

cheers Bob

I have seen professional models that cleave cleanly. One seems to have two hinged plates at the bottom that would give just a tiny bit to encourage the block to split in the middle. The other may have something of a convex or concave base, but it does not show it close enough to tell.

I'm going to try the first suggestion of using a couple of 2 x 4's to get a little space between, or maybe make the board under slightly tapered.

I do think I will have to grind off the lip where the blade will contact the block.

It's rainy outside, and looking very much like snow is coming. Will get to it when I get to it, but it's nice to kick around ideas first.

Thanks for the help, fellows.

Steve

BTW, it splits logs pretty good, too.

[Steve B]

On the base plate, there are two half circles split about 1/2" to keep the log from shifting. If I put the block against those, it will just gouge in. I may press once, get an impression on the wood, then rout it out so it sits flush. Then, I think I'll just set some common shims to get a slight vee. The blocks are brand new, and the pavers are about a year old.

Steve

[Steve B]

My dogs thinks the same thing. I can say any old stupid thing, and he looks at me like, "Damn. You're so smart. I wouldn't have thought of that in a hunnert dog years."

Steve ;-)

[RicodJour]

Well, as a first attempt, I am suitably impressed that you could build all of that with an internal combustion engine, replete with decals, in a day. I would have figured with all of the casting and machining the engine alone would have taken at least ten hours. Did you crack your own oil for the gasoline or are you planning on using store bought? The reason I'm asking is that the octane of store bought gasoline is a bit low for your purposes. You may want to look at rocket fuel, and preferably solid propellant. Here's a hint: if you can see the piston move, it's moving too slow. If you see the piston move, then don't see/hear/feel anything ever again, you are probably dead or in a coma, so you were probably standing too close. Wear a cup. DAMHIKT.

R