Anybody use a screw/cone splitter?

I'm thinking of building one of these, as opposed to a hydraulic. From what I've seen they are simple, fast, and easier to maintain than both kinetics and hydraulics. The safety concerns are obvious, but if built well and correctly, it seems just as safe as running either of the other two with bypassed safeties. For any that have had experience with these, am I missing anything? Thanks.

 

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...62rKjJcLWxtr2kNow&sig2=e6I-Q-5yieeRQLKTQlMKHQ a video of mine in action. The 8 or 9 horse B&S had some major gear reduction. It did fine in oak/maple, would screw right into pine and stall.

 

and here. After I made these videos I figured out the point of the screw was dull. A few min with a file and I only needed hand pressure to start the screw.
I find my HF splitter is faster, and much safer.

 

the safety problem shows up real fast in this video. Watch how long it takes to stop when I ground out the spark. Not good if I have one arm caught on the wood...
If you had it hooked to a PTO with an easy to trip disengage lever it would be better.

 

I was thinking along the lines of this.



A 12-15 horse gas engine, with an appropriately sized flywheel. A table-like frame, so as to split directly off the back of the truck, when bringing rounds home.

 

start with a chipper shredder of of CL, they are cheap everyone is getting rid of them. 11 hp with flywheel already attached, just add a screw.

 

Does any body have a link to where you can buy the cone or screw? I can not seem to find one.

 

Do a search for screw cone log splitter, on eBay. Couple dozen suppliers, there.

 

Looks like a crap load of manual labor there

 

I just can't get the picture of falling on one of those things out of my mind. I'll stick to hydraulic. I can think of quite a few ways to loose a finger with a hydraulic but as soon as you let go of the handle it stops and there is nothing to suck you in. They should sell screw splitters with a pack of lawn darts.

 

Pretty cool, I've never seen one of those before.

 

I wouldn't let my in-laws run one of those....they look scary .

 

You need this.

 

This is my main concern, actually. Got a number of guard systems in mind. But, as we all know, our safety with any piece of power equipment is ultimately in our own hands. I just like the simplicity of the thing. Haven't decided, yay or nay, yet. But that simplicity, as well as thrift, is appealing. Wouldn't recommend it to anyone who can't honestly say that they will absolutely NOT cut corners, in either its construction or use.

 

I remember those from the seventies. Watched a video, the other day, of a guy trying to kill himself with one. Yikes!

 

Apparently still selling them. Not crazy about the end product not to mention the danger. Seems like if it goes wrong with one it's gonna be pretty bad.

 

I have one also. PTO driven "Unicorn" style. It is very fast in non stringy wood.I have split red oak side by side with 2 guys, one with a maul, the other with a hydraulic splitter. I out-split both of them combined.But I was probably working harder than the both of them combined. It's a real workout partially due to the speed. In stringy wood, it will go through it, but the 2 halves will still be strung together, you have to wrestle them in half by hand or finish them with an ax, maul, or hatchet. All pto driven implements can be dangerous. If you get hung up in the pto, you are going to be in trouble. My friends call mine the "Screw of Death". I prefer the slow and steady hydraulic splitter.

 

I've used one in the past. I think there are safer options for splitting wood. They are fast.

 

Bought one to fix & flip, been trying to sell for 2 years. Post it spring & fall. Next spring it'll be listed at cost just to get rid of it.