Post spring manual kinetic splitter

[j7art2]

So after splitting with this thing for a while and also purchasing a Fiskars maul, I have to say, the Fiskars maul works better at this time.

I've done a few modifications to the post spring splitter to make it much better than it was (I cut the 15lb head off my 15lb maul which was a massive triangle) and welded it directly to the cylinder so the head sticks less, and filled the cylinder with sand which gave me more weight; and also raised the head some to counteract the added weight. It's much better than it was, but still not as good as I wish it would be.

I'm not going to give up on it quite yet though. I likely need to add more weight yet (like 100lbs minimum) and probably raise the head some more, but we're making progress on this thing. Some of the videos and pictures I saw claimed a 700lb head. Mine's nowhere near that. Lol.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

why not just get a used splitter.. this ones 650 for a DHT

 

[EbS-P]

So after splitting with this thing for a while and also purchasing a Fiskars maul, I have to say, the Fiskars maul works better at this time.

I've done a few modifications to the post spring splitter to make it much better than it was (I cut the 15lb head off my 15lb maul which was a massive triangle) and welded it directly to the cylinder so the head sticks less, and filled the cylinder with sand which gave me more weight; and also raised the head some to counteract the added weight. It's much better than it was, but still not as good as I wish it would be.

I'm not going to give up on it quite yet though. I likely need to add more weight yet (like 100lbs minimum) and probably raise the head some more, but we're making progress on this thing. Some of the videos and pictures I saw claimed a 700lb head. Mine's nowhere near that. Lol.

Could one add a pneumatic assist on the up stroke? Thinking air breaks. Foot pedal.

 

[Ashful]

Could one add a pneumatic assist on the up stroke? Thinking air breaks. Foot pedal.

Just keep in mind that, due to the highly-compressible nature of air, pneumatic actuators can be dangerously unpredictable. This can be worse under variable load, such as a wedge stuck in a log, or any item sitting outside and susceptible to rust.

But I think it could be done, with the right combination of cylinder sizing, regulator, storage, and needle valve… if you really understand these systems. I spent the first several years if my career in industrial robotics, and learned there that too many engineers (and far more average Joe’s) don’t really understand how to use pneumatics safely or effectively in human-assist applications.

You got a specific idea for the mechanism, EbS-P? If so, we could kick around ideas on component sizing, pressures, flows.

 

[EbS-P]

Just keep in mind that, due to the highly-compressible nature of air, pneumatic actuators can be dangerously unpredictable. This can be worse under variable load, such as a wedge stuck in a log, or any item sitting outside and susceptible to rust.

But I think it could be done, with the right combination of cylinder sizing, regulator, storage, and needle valve… if you really understand these systems. I spent the first several years if my career in industrial robotics, and learned there that too many engineers (and far more average Joe’s) don’t really understand how to use pneumatics safely or effectively in human-assist applications.

You got a specific idea for the mechanism, EbS-P? If so, we could kick around ideas on component sizing, pressures, flows.

Nope. The issue I was trying to solve was a one way actuation with immediate release and return travel.

 

[j7art2]

why not just get a used splitter.. this ones 650 for a DHT

View attachment 297092

Hardly any splitters in my area under $1000. Demand is super high, everyone burns wood here. The only one I've seen all summer under $700 was a 10 ton.

I'm also broke. I can't afford a splitter; I just spent $6000 on a new stove and install. I also prefer off grid options if available. I oversized my stove for my home and made sure i could cook on it if needed specifically for that reason. If I could afford solar too I would gladly go that route.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Hardly any splitters in my area under $1000. Demand is super high, everyone burns wood here. The only one I've seen all summer under $700 was a 10 ton.

I'm also broke. I can't afford a splitter; I just spent $6000 on a new stove and install. I also prefer off grid options if available. I oversized my stove for my home and made sure i could cook on it if needed specifically for that reason. If I could afford solar too I would gladly go that route.

I know and can see the pain this economy is causing on people. My dad is selling some his stuff to make ends meet, hes retired and on a fixed income. The cost of things today is terrible.. Sorry your in a bad way.. Id consider cutting all of my wood into rounds and renting on a weekend.. you can pick it up after work Friday.. most open to 12 on Saturday and closed on sunday.. youll have it for a full weekend for only a 1 day rental.. 90 bucks in most parts. You can easily get 2 to 3 cords split.. The following weekend get that all stacked and go back to cutting rounds and rent 1 more time.. for 180 bucks and gas you can get around 5 cords split.. save your money not purchasing heat this year and put the savings towards an inexpensive splitter this coming spring when there on sale.. Its got to be easier on you to use a gas splitter then try to build something and or using manual labor..

If you were closer to me Id tell you to just come by and pick one of mine up.. I have 2 DHT sitting in my back yard..

 

[j7art2]

I wanted to come back and re-visit this thread. I used this thing for a while, and it after about half a face cord, it became evident that I needed to cut the welds and re-adjust the weight distribution higher to get a longer stroke on my swing. The concept was a solid one, the execution was a bad one on my part, and I simply couldn't get enough driving force to out-split the maul without cutting and re-welding various parts of the splitter. While my first maul did not outperform it, my Fiskars maul did. Had I another 3-4 feet of throw, I imagine it would have easily walked around my Fiskars.

Since i wasn't willing to spend more time on the project and ended up getting a gas splitter on clearance, I decided that it's simply going to the scrap yard come spring.