Splitter wedge position

[48rob]

Does it matter if the wedge is on the cylinder end, or attached to the beam?

I need to replace my wedge that is attached to the beam, and can reverse the order if there is benefit.
Currently, on tough pieces, the beam twists a bit.

Rob

 

[SolarAndWood]

I like it on the beam as the splits get pushed off the end of the splitter. It is also easier to add a 4-way. Depends on how you want to work.

 

[48rob]

Thanks!

That makes sense...it is nice to have the splits being pushed off as opposed to having to move them.
I wasn't sure if the position made any difference in power/ability to split.
I couldn't think of any reason it would, but have to ask these things...

Rob

 

[blades]

The difficulty with the wedge on the ram, which means you have a foot plate for it to work against, transmits all the forces into the beam until the round begins to split relieving the pressures on the beam/foot plate. In those few seconds/ or longer quite a bit of damage can occur. 99.9% of the time not a problem but that last .1% can be the killer. Knarly twisted or crotches are the usual cuprits for damage causing forces. Even a round that is exceedingly large can cause damage by causing to much force to be applied the top of the foot plate. Yes it can happen to wedge on beam also just not as easily. I have over the years bent 2" thick foot plates , beams, rams, twisted the guide rails, ripped off the cylinder mounting plate ( poor factory weld - no penetration). Even on my current build I had to beef up the wedge guide rail keepers as they would become bent open with large rounds ( 20" plus dia.) due to the force applied at the top of the push plate. No design is perfect, there are always trade offs. The only reason I can see for a wedge into foot plate design is to be able to use it in a vertical mode. To me the vertical mode was not worth the effort of trying to get the huge rounds I scrounge up into the craw of the unit, least wise not with the foot plate on the ground. ( now do not jump on me those who prefer vertical) Yes you can roll a 30"+ dia round to the unit but when you dump it flat so the wedge follows the grain moving that 150#chunk becomes a real challenge.

 

[smokinj]

Got to think most companys put the wedge on the ram for some reason.

 

[bfunk13]

Personally i like the wedge on the beam, unless you are going to go vertical of course.
I rarely run the ran completely through the piece, split it, turn it split again. Breaks apart when i throw it to the pile.
Seems like the wedge on the ram might hold the wood if not totally split in two.

 

[remkel]

I like on the beam for the reason stated above- makes it easier for a four way add on. Also, if designed properly, once the piles on the side of the splitter get high enough, the splits coming off the splitter will push the whole unit forward so you will not have to keep manually moving the unit. Just IMHO.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

The difficulty with the wedge on the ram, which means you have a foot plate for it to work against, transmits all the forces into the beam until the round begins to split relieving the pressures on the beam/foot plate. In those few seconds/ or longer quite a bit of damage can occur. 99.9% of the time not a problem but that last .1% can be the killer. Knarly twisted or crotches are the usual cuprits for damage causing forces. Even a round that is exceedingly large can cause damage by causing to much force to be applied the top of the foot plate. Yes it can happen to wedge on beam also just not as easily. I have over the years bent 2" thick foot plates , beams, rams, twisted the guide rails, ripped off the cylinder mounting plate ( poor factory weld - no penetration). Even on my current build I had to beef up the wedge guide rail keepers as they would become bent open with large rounds ( 20" plus dia.) due to the force applied at the top of the push plate. No design is perfect, there are always trade offs. The only reason I can see for a wedge into foot plate design is to be able to use it in a vertical mode. To me the vertical mode was not worth the effort of trying to get the huge rounds I scrounge up into the craw of the unit, least wise not with the foot plate on the ground. ( now do not jump on me those who prefer vertical) Yes you can roll a 30"+ dia round to the unit but when you dump it flat so the wedge follows the grain moving that 150#chunk becomes a real challenge.

Blades, I certainly do not mean any disrespect in the least and I'm sure you do very well. However, one has to wonder if part of your problems were indeed from the type of splitting you do (horizontal vs vertical) and also with the wedge on the butt plate. But why would there be more force if the wedge is on the butt plate vs on the ram? It seems to me it would be the same amount of force.

One more thing is the fact that with the beam running vertical, the butt plate is against the ground vs nothing behind it while splitting horizontal.

Okay, another thing. Why would it take more effort to move the same size piece if on the ground vs perhaps 30" off the ground and on the splitter? Perhaps you are built a bit different than I am but I have a problem wrestling those bigger rounds when they are up on the splitter. If it works for you, I guess that is okay but I'll stick to the old vertical method and save a lot of work and a lot of sore back problems. My back is in terrible shape as it is so I have to take the easy route.

 

[blades]

My back also is not good. 100 lbs is about my limit. If I can't pick it I noodle it. When you have a foot plate and a round exceeds it by a good deal you can see the forces at work, That's why most units have a size statement that does not exceed the height of the foot plate / wedge. ( course we don't need no manuals). 3 weeks ago or so I had a v/h unit in here that had the plate just about ripped off ( he is a vertical only splitter) Failure point was next to the weld. beam is a tube, plate welded to end of beam, apx 20t unit, commercial unit. Doesn't matter if the plate is on the ground as the ground is not physically connected to the unit so has no bearing on the distribution of the force which is captivated within the confines of the unit. He was lucky as the weld let go prior to bending the beam or ram. This was not a one time shot as there was rust on some of the internal areas where the weld had cracked earlier so it was a cumulative problem.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I don't recall ever hearing about a size not exceeding the height of the foot plate/wedge. That would certainly be a bit silly. And yes, I'm sure a crack could form no matter which position but that would really seem to be a cheap machine make to have that happen.

I don't even lift 100 lbs but I will not noodle a log. I simply roll the thing onto the splitter and let the splitter do what it was intended to do.

 

[velvetfoot]

My splitter manual says: "Log Capacity 25†Long, 8†Diameter".
I'm not sure why, either.

Shouldn't a splitter be able to handle the maximum force generated by the cylinder?
Like, if it got a piece of wood that was just too tough (or a solid piece of steel)?

 

[zzr7ky]

Hi -

i like the wedge on the beam. When splitting big volumes the splits will pile up behind the splitter and I can just move along forward as needed; less split handleing.

However the 27 ton i bought is on the ram. I've never used it verticle but my 16YO just split a load for a neighbor and reports he lieked the verticle mode because he didn't feel like wrestling muddy logs up onto the splitter.
I expect I will try verticle very soon as I have a couple piles of large stuff to split soon.

ATB,
Mike

 

[velvetfoot]

It's nice to have the h/v option, just to give your body a change of pace once in a while.

 

[firefighterjake]

It's nice to have the h/v option, just to give your body a change of pace once in a while.

And in case you want to take a walk on the Dark Side and split vertically . . . or simply have a very large split that would give you a hernia if you tried lifting on a horizontal-only splitter.

 

[Jags]

Blades, I certainly do not mean any disrespect in the least and I'm sure you do very well. However, one has to wonder if part of your problems were indeed from the type of splitting you do (horizontal vs vertical) and also with the wedge on the butt plate. But why would there be more force if the wedge is on the butt plate vs on the ram? It seems to me it would be the same amount of force.

Dennis - you are correct, it would be the same amount of force, BUT the difference is where the force is applied. If you have a wedge on beam, you are basically center loading all of the force on the beam. Typically the push plate on this design is smaller than the push plate (foot) would be with a wedge on shuttle design. Because of that difference, there is less "leverage" effect on the smaller push plate. But it is still the same amount of force no matter how you cut it (pun intended).

 

[triptester]

Jags hit it right on the head " LEVERAGE " is seldom considered when looking at overall design. A 5" bore tie-rod cylinder is held together with four 5/8" rods. Those four rods can withstand the full tonnage of the cylinder. But when the same force is applied away from the center-line of the cylinder it can bend a 2" thick foot plate or a 6 X 6 I-beam.