The Official Log Splitter thread

[Homemade]

My personal style is this,
I’ve ran a 4 way wedge and I can’t handle the multiple splits and resplit the big pieces. So I run a single wedge. That being said I have a lot of resplitting. Spent most of my time waiting on the return stroke. That’s why I’m looking at a dump valve for return. If I was running a box or 6/8 way wedge and it was one push per round I could see a auto cycle.


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[Moparmyway]

Got it Oct 2018 .......




Wouldn’t trade it for anything

 

[Wood Chopper]

Nope. I’ll never go back to hydraulic.


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[Deets066]

I love the auto cycle, mine has a dump valve so it does help. Hydraulic 4 way, put a piece on, push levers, grab another round while it splits.

Very handy when working alone.

 

[weesa20]

I added a dump valve to my modified toro LS9 (22gpm + 14hp Kohler command pro + country time log table) that I use at my house and take on mobile splitting jobs. Pretty happy with it. Love the wedge design on it.

 

[Johnmn]

I went and picked my Wolfe Ridge wood splitter today. 28 ton, hydraulic 4 way & hydraulic log lift.

On the way home I swung by the @Ryan Browne residence. It was nice to finally meet him and his family. He gifted me with some apple cider!

 

[Johnmn]

Yesterday I put a new starter in the firewood truck, delivered a load of firewood and still managed to split this pile without too much effort.
Roughly 6 ft wide at the bottom 4.5 ft high and 16-18 ft long

 

[Crane]

Johnmn: Nice looking splitter.

But two things I don't get with this design.
One, the outfeed table should be as long as the splits in case you want to raise the wedge and pull them back to resplit.
Two, is the small forward swept four-way wedge wings.
Seems everyone uses this design which makes little sense, and makes way more physical effort of splitting then need be.
The big top pieces tumble backwards or to the side and even off the table.
The Wolfe Ridge does appear to have a nice wide outfeed table.

This was my solution two weeks after purchase, to spending way too much of my time chasing splits to be resplit. Pieces tumbling off the opposite side was the pits if they were too big to lift.
I worked alone, operating from the log lift side (where the work is), where there was little room to do so next to the log lift, and crowded by the hydraulic tank and tire.
That doesn't seem to be an issue with yours. Hard to tell from the photo.
Timberwolf's TW-6 adjustable four-way floats on the main wedge, and occasionally splits would lift it and send it tumbling as well.

 

[Johnmn]

Johnmn: Nice looking splitter.

But two things I don't get with this design.
One, the outfeed table should be as long as the splits in case you want to raise the wedge and pull them back to resplit.
Two, is the small forward swept four-way wedge wings.
Seems everyone uses this design which makes little sense, and makes way more physical effort of splitting then need be.
The big top pieces tumble backwards or to the side and even off the table.
The Wolfe Ridge does appear to have a nice wide outfeed table.

This was my solution two weeks after purchase, to spending way too much of my time chasing splits to be resplit. Pieces tumbling off the opposite side was the pits if they were too big to lift.
I worked alone, operating from the log lift side (where the work is), where there was little room to do so next to the log lift, and crowded by the hydraulic tank and tire.
That doesn't seem to be an issue with yours. Hard to tell from the photo.
Timberwolf's TW-6 adjustable four-way floats on the main wedge, and occasionally splits would lift it and send it tumbling as well.View attachment 262964View attachment 262965View attachment 262966

The out feed table is 23 1/2 inches long which is plenty good for my 16-18 inch wood. I get what you're saying about the 4 way but I have only split 2 - 3 cord so I do t have a bunch of time on it yet but I haven't had any issues with the wood getting pushed to the side. But I haven't split anything big yet.....

 

[Crane]

I hope you completely enjoy your splitter.
Just saying, as shown in the second and third picture, the assumed trajectory of the top two pieces with a factory wing completely misses the outfeed table, to the side, and also to the rear, either being a bugger to deal with, and wrestle around multiple times, including walking around the tongue of the splitter to access the wood, or around the split pile.
With the modified wedge, or shelf, the left hand piece can be slid back to the horizontal log lift. The far side piece, assuming working from log lift side, can be slid back to the beam for re-split using a pulp hook.
The lower two pieces can be re-spit by raising the four-way to untrap them, and they can be re-split while the two upper halves remain where they are, sitting on top. I got in the habit of splitting with the four-way in the lowered position to accomplish raising to release the lower splits if needed for re-splitting those.
I was just saying I don't understand why this design is copied over and over. Even an adjustable box wedge with a single knife would do better with big rounds, a T as it were.
I sold this splitter, which as I understand, is no longer offered by Timberwolf. No complaints with the rest of the mechanics, just wedge design, and crowded work area next to log lift.

 

[Johnmn]

I will definitely pay attention when splitting larger rounds and if it becomes an issue I'll keep this in mind. Thanks.

I was pondering a 6 way for a bit but all the 6 way videos I watch had the top 2 pieces of wood flying all over the place as you described.

 

[Deets066]

Johnmn: Nice looking splitter.

But two things I don't get with this design.
One, the outfeed table should be as long as the splits in case you want to raise the wedge and pull them back to resplit.
Two, is the small forward swept four-way wedge wings.
Seems everyone uses this design which makes little sense, and makes way more physical effort of splitting then need be.
The big top pieces tumble backwards or to the side and even off the table.
The Wolfe Ridge does appear to have a nice wide outfeed table.

This was my solution two weeks after purchase, to spending way too much of my time chasing splits to be resplit. Pieces tumbling off the opposite side was the pits if they were too big to lift.
I worked alone, operating from the log lift side (where the work is), where there was little room to do so next to the log lift, and crowded by the hydraulic tank and tire.
That doesn't seem to be an issue with yours. Hard to tell from the photo.
Timberwolf's TW-6 adjustable four-way floats on the main wedge, and occasionally splits would lift it and send it tumbling as well.View attachment 262964View attachment 262965View attachment 262966

Why not raise the wedge up and leave the big pieces on the bottom and toss the small pieces off the top?

 

[Barn Shop]

My Homebuilt Log Splitter
9hp Honda engine that was originally a 3" water pump
16gpm 3000psi 2 stage pump
36" 4"bore. 2"ram for the cylinder
5 micron spin on filter
Log Splitter Control with retract hold
7gal homebuilt oil tank
All sitting on a 1 1/2x 1 1/2 square tube frame perched atop a narrowed 1000lb trailer axle with leaf springs, a trailer jack on the tounge and pulled useing a clevis pin
Pump, Cylinder and controll valve came from Dalton Hydraulics
Hoses, Fittings, Filter,oil and coupler came from Rural King
Trailer Jack from Harbor Freight
I Beam from the local metal shop for only Yes $15
Everything else is stuff that was laying around.
Total invested right around $600

 

[Big_6]

The wedge is a great investment in splitter designs.
I've had my splits fall off into a trailer after the outfeed table.
Angelo has a great example for a splitter!


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[Crane]

Why not raise the wedge up and leave the big pieces on the bottom and toss the small pieces off the top?

Two reason off hand.

The four-way does not raise high enough to do that, to make small splits off the top, not even close on the TW-6.
It is a slip on wedge. The reason the single wedge is so wide (certainly requiring additional tonnage) is because the four-way lift cylinder is positioned behind the wedge, the rod pushing up on a small flange. It raises flush with the top of the main wedge. Four or five inches of travel at most. There is an additional adjustment by flipping the four-way over, as the wedge is not centered vertically on the triangular mount that slides up and down.

The other reason is that when splitting with the four-way in the raised position, the lower splits are trapped underneath the wedge, and can not be brought back to resplit without pushing them through the wedge entirely with another piece, putting them further out of reach, requiring additional footsteps and effort.

I think this is why Eastonmade splitters have a raised cradle on the beam, allowing the lower splits to drop, and allowing downward wedge adjustment with a split still in it, not possible on the Timberwolf. I've never used an Eastonmade splitter, so not positive on this, but that's my take.
I do know splitting large rounds in the raised position is more work res-plitting, and disrupts the flow of lowering the wedge, splitting, raising the wedge and pulling back pieces to re-split, lower the wedge, split, raise the wedge, pull back, lower the wedge, etc.
If quartering something it's great in the raised position, although the wedge floats, and can be lifted off the main wedge with up pressure from a split.

This fat main wedge, lift cylinder behind it, floating four-way, is old design stuff. New design is narrow wedge, lift cylinder underneath beam, and four-way dropping flush with beam for single splits.

Easton made also addresses the issue of working next to the log lift with a narrower axle.

Everyone works differently, and my ideas are specific to me, and may not apply to you.
I'm presently using a forklift, two log cutting benches and a four wheel SuperSplit (note avatar) in front of a conveyor.

If I can ever afford a processor, I believe it will be a three point hitch euro style, with a modified four-way wing for re-splitting if necessary, and a stand alone log deck.

 

[Deets066]

I do know what you mean, That’s why I coped my top flange out where the wedge sits. One, so I could have it lower than the top flange of the beam. And two, so I could replace it with a heavier plate. My cylinder has plenty of stroke to get small splits on top and leave a little bit of up, so there is room to get the lower splits out.

With your setup, I see why you leave it low.

 

[Deets066]

 

[Rotty781]

County line 40 ton gets it done. Speed isn’t bad either

 

[Al Smith]

Tonnage ratings given by manufactures are often erroneous .They tend to over rate most of them .To get 40 true tons of force it would take a 5" cylinder with a pump to go over 4,000 psi .Not impossible but highly unlikely since most pumps are only capable of 3,000 psi and factory set at 26-2800 psi .FWIW my homebuilt has the same size pump and 5" cylinder as does one model made by Timber Wolf and rated at 22 tons .
More on that subject .I have a Greenlee model 785 pipe bender that will bend 6"schedule 80 pipe ,heavy wall .It's rated at 80 tons but it has a 10,000 PSI hydraulics system and a massive cylinder .The bender is massively heavy too .

 

[big_eddy]

I do know what you mean, That’s why I coped my top flange out where the wedge sits. One, so I could have it lower than the top flange of the beam. And two, so I could replace it with a heavier plate. My cylinder has plenty of stroke to get small splits on top and leave a little bit of up, so there is room to get the lower splits out.

With your setup, I see why you leave it low.

I have a 4 way with deep wings so the split rests on it. With larger logs I set it 1/3 the height of the round. Split 2 sticks off the bottom third, then flip the top 2 “halves” back end for end and resplit. 4 more sticks for a 6 split in 2 strokes.

If the log is even larger, when I flip the top “halves” back, I rotate them about 45’ so the original split line is not aligned with the main blade. Then lift the wedge a bit. Now I get 6 sticks on the second stroke or 8 splits from 2 strokes.

Easy to pull back the chunk above the wedge. Not so easy the ones under


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