Hydraulic Log Splitter

[robgraham]

I know this has been discussed before - and I know that I'll get the advise about getting warmth twice --- etc, etc. BUT my log splitting by axe days are over due to dodgy knee and shoulder and a mechanical aid is going to have be obtained. I am well over 60 now and have served my time well but there is a limit ! The chain saw isn't a problem (yet!).

Anyway does anyone have any experience at all of these machines - it's going to have to be a stand-alone type as I don't have a tractor. I'm looking to split 500m long and at least that in diameter.

Thanks

Rob

[Guy King]

The message from "robgraham" contains these words:

What you need's a small boy. If you're near Telford I happen to have one who'd love to earn some pocket money splitting logs.

[robgraham]

These are not 'small boy' logs and the axe I used was certainly only for men!

Rob

[Mark]

Problem is electric ones are pretty limp and slow, as are hand cranked hydraulic types. Powered hydraulic ones are great but cost meger bucks You could always make your own

[Phil Anthropist]

No personal experience of these machines but the following link might interest you:

[Ian Stirling]

I think you're posting to the wrong group, as we don't get trees that big on this planet :)

Have you considered a - possibliy outside - stove large enough to take a few untrimmed logs?

[Guy King]

The message from "robgraham" contains these words:

Cutting shorter billets makes splitting dramatically easier. Once they're down to perhaps 8" it's a cinch.

[Guy King]

The message from Ian Stirling contains these words:

You mean something like a rotary tunnel kiln?

[Peter Andrews]

Glad to see someone reading the post correctly - half kilometer logs WOW!!

[robgraham]

Oops !!

And I would agree with your comment about reading posts correctly as I thought I quite clearly said there was no way I could weild an axe anymore but there are still p****s who recommend wedges, etc.

Rob

[noelogara]

steady on Rob, you said you had a bad shoulder and a dodgy knee but you still can use a lump hammer with the good arm. You use two arms to weild an axe and that is out. You need brains to assess where to position the wedge though. and be sure you insert the thin edge first.

[Ian Stirling]

No. I was thinking more of a large, superinsulated 1m*1m*1.5m or so box, with a top chamber with extra air inlets to complete combustion of the smoke. But I haven't really gone into how these things should be done. I'd be hoping for something that you could throw several whole logs in, with some small sticks, and have it burn for days.

[mcbrien410]

Look at...

for alternative fuel boilers. Straw bales, wood chip et cetera.

Chris.

[Guy King]

The message from Ian Stirling contains these words:

The stove's the easy bit (comparitively) - getting the heat reliably back into the building's hard.

[Ian Stirling]

Yeah - well insulated flow + return, ideally gravity fed, or backed up pumps. Depends on the distance - adjacent to the house is comparatively easy.

[Pete C]

How about one of these:

cheers, Pete.

[Guy King]

The message from Pete C contains these words:

Can you imagine how well that'd get hold of a loose sleeve? OK, I know - don't operate it with a loose sleeve....

[The Natural Philosopher]

Not with knots in they ain't.

[Ian Stirling]

On another thread. This seems a horribly dangerous, though probably effective means.