Thread: Looking for some sharp ideas

May work Ken But the weight required to split the wood by gravity may be to heavy for you to lift plus also the height required as well.
If you are splitting very dry small diameter wood it might be okay.
Have you considered one of the smaller electric/hydraulic splitters,I think they range from around 4 to 9 tonne splitting force.

Hi PC, I'm looking for a minimal cost solution. I do have a surplus hydraulic jack that I never use, maybe I could press that into action.

There are a couple of home made ideas on Youtube using a jack, this might be the go.

Thanks anyway,

Ken

Hi Ken, the way I would do it is to make a frame out of pipe (similar to garage press) with a couple of pieces on the out side to take the axe head and mount the jack in the frame, make the top so that it can go up/down, that way, if you have a long log or short log you won't have to pump the jack to much. Sort of like an upside down garage press. Put the axe head on a length of pipe or similar, that way if it won't split, you can move the jack down and get another bite/pressing.
Kryn

I've always thought these were the most efficient way of splitting wood.

Take your pick of the videos.

screw log splitter - YouTube

Cheers

Rob

That's pretty impressive.

Well Ken you had me at hello with this thread! I love camping and nice warm fires. If I can't get out camping then a nice warming fire in the backyard is the next best thing.

I have been toying with the idea of making a log splitter too. I have some bits & pieces laying around but not sure which way to go. I assumed it would take the form of the traditional hydraulic splitter but these auger things look pretty good!

Simon

Hydraulic is very slow and inefficient.

I like this petrol powered setup.

WOOD SCREW SPLITTER - GAS POWERED - YouTube

And you can either buy the auger off of Ebay or try and turn one up on the lathe.

Way to go

Cheers

Rob

I think you need one of these

Worlds coolest logsplitter - YouTube

I've split logs using a 20 tonne press. It works quite well, effort of course is minimal, but its a very very SLOW process.

Those screw type splitters look efficient but I reckon I could split that wood with an axe one handed without even picking the wood up off the ground.
It would be interesting to stick a knarly lump into that screw
I have used many types of logsplitters and they all have their problems, I have found that an axe is actually easier on the back than getting the wood to the splitter especially if your splitting 'girly' wood

john

Sounds like your original idea is to build one of these?

Smart Splitter - YouTube

Had a look into this a little while ago for my folks, and the one I liked the best is the Supersplit or DR Rapidfire style splitters. Not sold in Australia due to the rapid cycle time, but someone somewhere in Australia has made one:

mechanical wood splitter - YouTube

Probably one of the cheapest 'automated' splitters to make (unless you have a stash of hydraulics gear!), and certainly safer than the 'wheel of death' style ones you can find on Youtube... If you track down the DR rapidfire promo video on Youtube, it gives a little more insight into the workings...

Hey, lets get serious. This is what you need.

The Stickler - The Most Efficient Log Splitter Ever Designed

All that other stuff is for pussies.

Rob

Originally Posted by nearnexus

Hey, lets get serious. This is what you need.

The Stickler - The Most Efficient Log Splitter Ever Designed

All that other stuff is for pussies.

Rob

Love to see a bit of Aussie box (You know the type with the wriggly crossed grain) on that thing.
I can see the operator doing cartwheels.

Originally Posted by nearnexus

Hey, lets get serious. This is what you need.

The Stickler - The Most Efficient Log Splitter Ever Designed

All that other stuff is for pussies.

Rob

Those screws look a bit hairy for me Rob, maybe I have grown attached to the limbs that I have left
Ford wood splitter F-150 V-8 powered Homemade Accident - YouTube

Originally Posted by shedhappens

Those screws look a bit hairy for me Rob, maybe I have grown attached to the limbs that I have left
Ford wood splitter F-150 V-8 powered Homemade Accident - YouTube

Ha Ha, I have to agree on those car driven ones.

They look down right dangerous.

But that petrol driven one in the video with the neat bench should be OK. The wood can't spin as the base on the bench stops it, and it also has a vertical blade support as well.

That's what I would make if I needed a wood splitter.

Rob