Oil the Splitter Beam: Yes or No

Here is a question for all you splitter guys here.

Do you oil or grease the beams on your splitter.
On my old machine I always put a little bar oil on the wear surfaces , I used bar oil because it was sticky and less apt to run off as fast as a conventional oil.
I also know that some splitters have an actual grease fitting on the sides of the wedge or sliding push block ( depending on the design ).
I guess there are two ways to look at this ; the oil will cause dirt and such to stick to bar but might help on wear and dry nothing sticks.

What's everyone's thought on this and what do you do ?

 

I grease mine daily. The fresh grease forces out the dirty grease then wipe with a paper towel. Keeping it lubed with something will extend its life.

 

No. Never. Not moving at high speeds

 

As I thought , two ways to look at this.
I have no grease fittings but could certainly add some.

Not moving at high speeds but could be under pressure forcing the block on ram and beam to rub together.

Don't know on this one. Thanks guys.

 

I don’t want grease on my firewood. I have put many cord through my huskee not a drop of lube with no issues. I don’t think it would hurt anything if you were to do so.

 

I don’t want grease on my firewood. I have put many cord through my huskee not a drop of lube with no issues. I don’t think it would hurt anything if you were to do so.

 

I don't get any grease on the wood. Grease certs are on underside of the wedge ears. With my splitter design the main friction between the wedge and beam is between the bottom side of the beam flange and the top side of the lower wedge ears.

 

Interesting, what type of splitter is that?

 

Northern Tool 37 ton

 

I’ve got a Timberwolf P1.
I hit the two fittings on the pushblock with grease at the beginning of splitting. Just once a day. While I’m there I put a couple pumps on the beam and spread it with a paper towel.
I’ve never noticed grease on the wood, but always think there might be.
I’m pretty sure I do it because it was the OEM recommendation
Hasn’t hurt anything

 

I was picturing someone smearing grease on the beam where the round sits.

 

On my old splitter with oil on the beam I never had an issue with oil on wood.
Just wondered what others thought on this.

 

When I was first introduced to hydro splitting the old buck that let me borrow his splitter told me to pour oil on the beam. In my opinion it made a mess.

 

When it was proven in another thread that the majority of members keep their splitters outside, I think greasing metal on metal areas becomes even more important. No reason not to do it. A couple dollar tube of grease would last several months greasing a wood splitter beam once or twice a week, and it takes less than 1 minute to do including grabbing your grease gun. There are a lot of “slow moving parts” that still require grease. Pretty much any axle, 3 point implement turntables, multiple points on loaders, etc.

 

I never flooded it with oil to the point it was running off ; just a little and then spread it out with a chip brush or small paint brush.

I am lucky that I have inside storage. My old splitter was never left out in the elements in all the years I had it. No doubt the new one will get the same treatment.

Thanks everyone for your input on this.

 

The guy who I cut with sometimes and I borrow his splitter does this. He pours used oil all over the beam. I smeared the beam and sides with grease when I borrowed it. The beam is pretty much wiped off from wood hunks that act like a wiper when stuck or just the attachment point of the wedge. The edges of the beam it sticks around longer.

I never had a problem with oil or grease on my wood. Anything there soaks in as it dries and is such a small amount it doesn't matter.

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Been around a ton of splitters in my life...never seen one that had any oil/grease on the beam...other than from a leaky cylinder...

 

Exactly. Grease or oil will collect crud and make it worse

 

Our Didier splitter is older than a few members on FHC. No grease/ oil on the beam, still kicking after 40+ years