Conical screw log splitters

Whatever you come up with DO NOT design it like this one.

The ones with a table are no more dangerous than the business end of the chainsaw we use to cut the wood. I built one with an electric motor and it works great. Treat it with the respect you would any other power tool you'll be fine.

Yes, I own a barkbuster still and have easily split 25 cords with it. Identical to the one in Butcher's photo but I still have the original loading bar and not that weird square stock job they have. Usually, depending on the wood, I am much more productive with the 1000$ huskee splitter. Smaller stuff, like under 18", and straight grained like red alder I can go faster with the bark buster but the huskee is quite nice and of course it is much safer.

Only a fool would argue that the cone style is just as safe as a hydro. Experience tells me that it is possible to be fast and efficient with the BB and not be injured.

The splits from the BB are not as straight and pretty as those from a hydro. More cracking and fraying.

I tried to sell the BB but no takers. I didn't try very hard since I am concerned with liability. Search on my username and see the very huge and long thread I made about my "unicorn" style splitter. Lots of pics.

slindo said:

I have been suddenly seized by an irrational desire to build a screw splitter for my old 8n tractor (which doesn't have enough output to run a hydraulic splitter) using one of those conical screw splitter heads that bolt on to a rear axle in place of the wheel.

Anyone used one? Are they as dangerous as they are reputed to be?

Oh, if anyone has an old one kicking around they'd like to sell, please let me know.

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Many years ago, I bought one and operated it with a 135 MF diesel. I used this (dangerous) splitter for several years and never came close to an accident. I am not saying they are not dangerous---a pocket knife can be dangerous---I believe most of the accidents were the fault of the operator not following safety guidelines.
Before I used mine the first time, I devised an easily reached "kill cord" for stopping the diesel engine. THIS IS IMPORTANT Be sure to never run the tractor at high R.P.Ms. and have a kill switch or someone on the tractor.
I split many cords of wood with my diesel tractor running at about 1,300 rpm

tbuff said:

I don't know.... I can see the dangers.

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What could possibly go wrong?

Butcher said:

Actually if you dug around YT enough you might find that there are alot of those kinda splitters mfg and in use in Europe. No machine of any type can be saftly operated if the person using it is lacking in grey matter betwixt the ears. I do like this splitter though. I'm sure PETA dont but then, well, They can all freeze to death far as I'm concerned.

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LOL! That is pretty ridiculous! See the horse stumble at the end? And he isn't getting any production. What's even funnier, is that the horse tread mill is for sale. I used a " The Stickler" screw type cone splitter starting out. Yes, it works but was a pain to use. Mostly because I was going back and forth from pushing a round into it, and pushing the gas pedal on my truck to power it through. It was always in the back of mind to never turn my back on it. I had nightmares of backing up to it and having it tear through my calf. Manufacturer instructions are to sit in front of it and have a partner feed rounds to you. Too many precautions and possibilities for accidents. Last time I used it, I ended up knocking the rear end of my truck off the jack stands trying to split larger than recommended rounds. It was a bit of a curiosity in the neighborhood, people would come out and watch me use it, ask questions, etc.

No thanks.

tbuff said:

I don't know.... I can see the dangers.

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this one is very similar to what my parents had back in the late 70's early 80's, I was about 10yrs old. Taught me respect for machinery and personal responsibility. I liked the hydraulic splitter, that came later on, a lot better. we also had a crazy giant saw blade powered by pto driven belt. used it for slab wood. Just thinking of that one (the sound of that blade) kind of gives me chills.... hahaha. oh the memories.

kjahnz said:

we also had a crazy giant saw blade powered by pto driven belt. used it for slab wood. Just thinking of that one (the sound of that blade) kind of gives me chills.... hahaha. oh the memories.

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ahh yes... the "buck" or "buzz" saw.... I've got one in my yard.... powered by a 16hp Kohler... I've got 30" saw blades in my shed.... I remember using those death traps when I was 12..... powered off of a belt... off of an ANCIENT case tractor..... so old... the clutch was a lever....

I'll take my husky chainsaw and hydro splitter any day of the week....

Butcher said:

Whatever you come up with DO NOT design it like this one.

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I take that back, after going farther into this tread, I would have to say this is what we had..

I think I'm going to pick this one up from CL, I'll post a video of it in action.

Those unicorn splitters have a place in the world....on the business end of an excavator! I like what it can do to stumps and big logs, in a hurry!!

Saw a YouTube video a few years ago of them!! And then a while ago I saw them build one on the show hillbillyblood which is on luke the American something channel which is owned by discovery. Rumor was that show was moving to discovery. Pretty interesting show but kind of stupid the things they do. They had a cone an then welded a wire or square piece of metal too it then that sharpened it. Shows the dangers of it as it was ripping it out of his hands.

What is the point to the one on the excavator?

clemsonfor said:

What is the point to the one on the excavator?

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did you not see what that thing did to those stumps? Stumps are some of the densest parts of the tree, imagine making cordwood out of them.....
Yes, they'd be hell to stack nice and straight, but would make good firewood.....I like that one on the excavator, especially if you were in the business of logging or clearing out building lots, etc....that would make quick and easy work of getting a stump out and gone..

I see the power of it. And know that stumps are knarly and dense but u can't sell that. Like u said it won't stack u need a pressure washer to clean it to cut it or need a carbide chain to cut it. What's the point to split a 15 dot Kong length wise unless its split rail dense? I guess you could then stack them and but it all at once with a big saw but seems really expensive? I mean an excavator with that huge attachment would cost $250/ he to run I imagine. U could hire some 20 yr old kid to run a top of the line hydro splitter and be ahead an let the stumps get burned in the air curtain or go in the tub grinder for mulch.

clemsonfor said:

I see the power of it. And know that stumps are knarly and dense but u can't sell that. Like u said it won't stack u need a pressure washer to clean it to cut it or need a carbide chain to cut it. What's the point to split a 15 dot Kong length wise unless its split rail dense? I guess you could then stack them and but it all at once with a big saw but seems really expensive? I mean an excavator with that huge attachment would cost $250/ he to run I imagine. U could hire some 20 yr old kid to run a top of the line hydro splitter and be ahead an let the stumps get burned in the air curtain or go in the tub grinder for mulch.

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You don't NEED an excavator to run it.....just a hydraulic system big enough to turn it. I believe they fit multiple applications (backhoes, skidders, tractors, etc.). I can tell you if I had a piece of equipment to run one of them, I'd look into buying one......I'd be able to bang out stumps at my tree jobs and I'd gladly burn those stump splits in my stove all day long!

Yea I guess I wasent thinking city clearing applications. I work with loggers every day but the last think I ever think of is stumps. But if u had a big bobcat u could bust the stumps up to pull them easier. And I don't don't have second jobs, if I did still don't think I'd use one. I'd be more likely to gets stump grinder if I was trying to flush grind a stump.

Scotty Overkill said:

did you not see what that thing did to those stumps? Stumps are some of the densest parts of the tree, imagine making cordwood out of them.....
Yes, they'd be hell to stack nice and straight, but would make good firewood.....I like that one on the excavator, especially if you were in the business of logging or clearing out building lots, etc....that would make quick and easy work of getting a stump out and gone..

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I've seen a Volvo EC340 drive it's bucket through a stump and split it...... I wasn't particularly impressed with the excavator application...

Bret Chase said:

I've seen a Volvo EC340 drive it's bucket through a stump and split it...... I wasn't particularly impressed with the excavator application...

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But the excavator pictured was a Komatsu PC150. Not exactly the same class of machine!

Why split a stump when you can annihilate it?

MasterMech said:

But the excavator pictured was a Komatsu PC150. Not exactly the same class of machine!

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true....

I've also seen the same outfit... with the same operator take a CAT 345... flip the thumb down and pop out a rather large oak stump like it was a tulip.... but the 345 is a damned monster....

MasterMech said:

Why split a stump when you can annihilate it?

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a 100HP forstner bit.........

truth be told around here... pretty much all of the stumps within an hour's travel of me, ends up up in one guy's morbark 1600 tub grinder.... THAT machine annihilates a stump... and makes a godawful mess doing it!