Splitter problem

So after splitting a bunch of crotch pieces today, I was cleaning up the beam and noticed this… so I guess my next job is to heat this up and weld it back down.

 

I guess not a good weld job from from factory. Good that you have what you need to fix it.

 

That's another reason why I like to split vertically. You can keep the wood out of the groove so it can't distort the wedge plates like that. Crap doesn't build up there in the first place because it's vertical.
I split two log truck loads with my first splitter without that problem then I sold it to my brother. Within a month he had one of the plates bent up like that and he splits horizontally.

That should be an easy fix though.

 

I think that's more of a design flaw with some splitters, rather than splitting horizontal vs vertical.

This type and others that ride right on the beam don't have that problem. When the groove is a welded on piece, it won't be as strong.

 

After 7-8 years and around 100-120 cords through it mostly horizontal mine has never given me a problem. It is a little different than this one it's a Husky 22 ton, the beam grove is rolled not welded.

 

Yeah, that's a far superior design. My 3ph splitter I sold this summer was built like that.

 

That's how my mtd is, also the troy bolt is an exact clone. This pretty much mirrors the commercial splitters too.