Dropping your rounds before you are finished

[VirginiaIron]

Ok, I am thinking of making a push through splitter with a fixed wedge. My thoughts are leaning towards a box wedge design but research seems to indicate that knots will start to foul things up. With that in mind, I was thinking of using both so I was surfing the www looking for ideas to keep the round from falling to the ground while using single or multiple wedge, and a lift. One video showed a sliding lift, and other operators managed the split by positioning the round back on the lift, some had several people helping them. This method seems pretty taxing and I thought there must be a better way than manhandling the round. I thought my wing design was the answer, but I would still need to get the partial round into the lift.

I am trying to avoid using additional help and the dropping of the round on to the ground from waist height.

Any thoughts????

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[VirginiaIron]

Please do not get me wrong. All of the builders are very talented people and none of them are failures. By watching these videos my hope is to use their experiences to tweak my design for my and your purposes.

 

[maple1]

Wedge on the cylinder.

Sorry - not the answer you wanted but my only idea.

 

[VirginiaIron]

Wedge on the cylinder.

Sorry - not the answer you wanted but my only idea.

Thanks for the reply and encouragement , that is what I currently have and I really like not chasing the rounds. However, if I go the box wedge design or star design it seems that the wedge is best fixed- that is the only example I have seen to date.

 

[kevin j]

Some have a long horizontal pate, basically an extended sides of the four way. The log stays on that plate after passing the wedge. Still have to slide it back for next pass, but not to the ground. I saw another one with a tubing thing at front of the round that pulled it back when the cylinder retracted.

 

[VirginiaIron]

@ kevinj- Yeah that is what I was thinking. Also, I was thinking of a full width lift so that anything that fell would fall on the lift. And, the video shows the horizontal blades very wide and it appears he uses this as a defacto table.

 

[Blazing]

I've seen multiple splitters with a swing out arm and winch that look like the ticket.

 

[VirginiaIron]

1. Off topic somewhat but this is another good reason for having a lift. I use to load the larger rounds just like this guy is loading this one. Very difficult working alone and even more difficult while two others are not helping.

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2. This guy seems do perform well and manage not to drop his rounds very often.

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3. Mr Smokey seems to also work well. His horizontal blade is so large it acts as a table.

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4. Good job also

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5. This guys round is about half the size and probably fell down before the filming. Any, he seems to have a good technique.

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[Jazzberry]

Last one was ok but I still say a vertical tilt is faster, less work and much much cheaper.

 

[WoodyIsGoody]

Last one was ok but I still say a vertical tilt is faster, less work and much much cheaper.

The last one was OK?

It made me want to grab a maul and an axe and show 'em how it's done! That was painful to watch.

 

[brenndatomu]

Not sure how much work you are willing to put into this, but for some great ideas, google Kevin in Ohio log splitter, his stuff will come up and then once on the site(s), you can click the link to the build thread(s). He built his own splitter and has several well documented threads about it on a couple other sites. Here's a pic or 2 of it

 

[Jazzberry]

Oops meant the third one not the the last one. I wouldn't never purchase a splitter that didn't tilt vertical. I like working from my chair.

 

[VirginiaIron]

The last one was OK?

It made me want to grab a maul and an axe and show 'em how it's done! That was painful to watch.

That guy was making me proud. I thought he was working that round, with respect to not dropping it, very well. I am going to try to incorporate some of his technique. He should have had a peavy to move that thing.

 

[VirginiaIron]

Not sure how much work you are willing to put into this, but for some great ideas, google Kevin in Ohio log splitter, his stuff will come up and then once on the site(s), you can click the link to the build thread(s). He built his own splitter and has several well documented threads about it on a couple other sites. Here's a pic or 2 of it
View attachment 201206 View attachment 201207

I thought Highly of this design and I like the winch for the rounds. I have been thinking of using a winch in the next unit.

 

[VirginiaIron]

Last one was ok but I still say a vertical tilt is faster, less work and much much cheaper.

Hey Jazz- do you have any videos?

 

[WoodyIsGoody]

That guy was making me proud. I thought he was working that round, with respect to not dropping it, very well. I am going to try to incorporate some of his technique. He should have had a peavy to move that thing.

??

The first four big splits ended up on the ground behind the machine from the camera. Then, the entire remaining split (about 60% of the round) rolled onto the ground and had to be re-lifted to the table. Fortunately he had a hydraulic lift but it took forever. He had jello for muscles so it's a good thing his splitter had a hydraulic lift. I think you might be commenting on a different video than the one I saw.

That last video was especially painful to watch.

 

[Sodbuster]

For the record, and as I get older, I HATE huge rounds! But being of Dutch heritage, I don't like to waste, if I cut it I want to burn it. I tilt my splitter to the vertical position, and use my tractor bucket to shove the round into the splitter. Still easier with two people although most of the time I work alone.

 

[Jazzberry]

No videos VI. Got some pics but lately everything needs to be resized and its a pita to post them. I mostly sit in the chair and use my knees to help maneuver the rounds. Most of my stuff is 24" plus so lifting it up when horizontal is hard or impossible by myself.

 

[VirginiaIron]

??

The first four big splits ended up on the ground behind the machine from the camera. Then, the entire remaining split (about 60% of the round) rolled onto the ground and had to be re-lifted to the table. Fortunately he had a hydraulic lift but it took forever. He had jello for muscles so it's a good thing his splitter had a hydraulic lift. I think you might be commenting on a different video than the one I saw.

That last video was especially painful to watch.

I thought the rounds he dropped we're more than manageable and probably close to the size he burns, I don't know??. But what I liked especially is how he nibbled the pieces off of that big round. Now I don't have anything that large presently but there are a few trees on my lot that will eventually need to come down which are as large or larger that are problematic in size.

 

[VirginiaIron]

For the record, and as I get older, I HATE huge rounds! But being of Dutch heritage, I don't like to waste, if I cut it I want to burn it. I tilt my splitter to the vertical position, and use my tractor bucket to shove the round into the splitter. Still easier with two people although most of the time I work alone.

Yeah I don't like the large rounds either but. Now that I have a lift I feel more confident in addressing this condition. For me I would rather deal with one of those rounds standing than sitting or crouching. Standing is a much better position for me than sitting or crouching.

 

[VirginiaIron]

No videos VI. Got some pics but lately everything needs to be resized and its a pita to post them. I mostly sit in the chair and use my knees to help maneuver the rounds. Most of my stuff is 24" plus so lifting it up when horizontal is hard or impossible by myself.

Kneeling is a much better position for me and using the tractor is really slow and it gets more dangerous when I'm transferring the round to the splitter like the guy in the first video.

 

[2biker]

Yea,....I'm too old to be dancing around falling rounds. For me, it's a no-brainer, split vertically. Minimal back strain, no lifting, and no more lower leg injuries. But when you get tired of bruises, I suggest that you buy a pair of hockey shin guards. For $20, you'll be protected from the knees down.

 

[kevin j]

I've become more selective, nothing bigger than about 20 inches. But I have the option to be picky. I hate vertical splitting, harder on my back bending over, then trying to toss the splits upward.
I build a folding log lift which is wonderful. I use it as a staging table more than a lift: stack up 6 to 10 rounds, then go to the other side and split them all.
For big rounds, the winch and tie tongs look better. The unsplit larger top part is still suspended and safely controlled by the winch, not falling off randomly.