Log Splitter Wedge Location?

[tfdchief]

I have seen a lot of log splitters, home made and factory built. Some have the wedge on the ram and others have the wedge stationary at the end of the beam. The factory built ones seem to always have the wedge on the ram if bigger than 15 ton.....Smaller than that, they seem to always be stationary on the end of the beam. Home made ones seem to always have the wedge on the beam no matter what size they are. Anyone know the reasoning or physics of why and where?

 

[LLigetfa]

With a fixed wedge, you cannot split vertical. Fixed wedges are usually narrow and often require the wood be pushed further but slices stringy stuff like Elm. Moving wedges are often fatter and may "pop" the wood sooner but may just crush some stringy Elm. With a fixed wedge, it pushes the wood away from you and you have farther to go to bring it back for resplitting.

 

[tfdchief]

With a fixed wedge, you cannot split vertical. Fixed wedges are usually narrow and often require the wood be pushed further but slices stringy stuff like Elm. Moving wedges are often fatter and may "pop" the wood sooner but may just crush some stringy Elm. With a fixed wedge, it pushes the wood away from you and you have farther to go to bring it back for resplitting.

That makes sense, I had not thought of the differences in function. or horizonal vs. vertical. My old home made splitter (retired) used to have the wedge at the end of the beam. My new horizontal/vertical has the wedge on the ram and I like it better (I use it horizontally) but didn't realize why! Strange though that the smaller splitters, hydralic and electric, always have the fixed wedge at the end of the beam. I suppose because, as you describe, they also have a thinner wedge (to help with less splitting force).

 

[triptester]

Years ago all splitters had fixed wedges and were horizontal. This made it difficult to get heavy blocks onto the splitter if you did not have a lift. So someone decided if they could not get the wood to the top of the splitter they would take the splitter down to the wood, hence the vertical splitter with moving wedge was born.

 

[SolarAndWood]

My home made splitter has an 8" wide wedge on the end of the beam. Snaps the round quick and essentially side discharges the split piece. When I split uphill of the heap, I don't have to touch the splits.

 

[tfdchief]

Years ago all splitters had fixed wedges and were horizontal. This made it difficult to get heavy blocks onto the splitter if you did not have a lift. So someone decided if they could not get the wood to the top of the splitter they would take the splitter down to the wood, hence the vertical splitter with moving wedge was born.

Triptester, "years ago".....don't you just hate that we can remember so darn many things that are gone! I see you are just a little older than me and I know "it ain't as easy as it used to be" I think me and my old "smoke dragon" are going down together.....my splitter on the other hand is almost new, so my son will probably get to retire it! Oh well, we know how to enjoy the better things in life, like a big pile of wood and a warm fire. Found this forum a while ago, and I have to say, I really enjoy it. Thanks Hearth.com and all you guys and gals on this forum. Stay warm, tfdchief.