Full beam vs half beam splitters

I would think that a great way to aid in vertical splitting would be to get a set of rollers so that the round can be placed on the roller set, and then pushed towards the woodplitter that way there is no lifting, rolling like a 55 gallon drum maneuver...just pushing. I have built them for my woodworking shop out of round stock, PVC pipe, and a hole cutting saw on a drill. Obviously they cannot be under the woodsplitter, but they can get the wood very close.

 

I am a huge fan of "Use what you got".

When I got my log loader for other logging uses, I quickly realized it could be adapted for a variety of other things, and use as an upside down woodsplitter was one of them. I am in no way saying people should go out and get one, I use it because I simply can. However, being a minimalist, I like to try an eliminate as many steps in doing something that I can, BUT also realize true happiness is not in getting the final project done, but finding contentment in actually doing the job. That is not psychobabble...

Back when I did woodworking, I found if I rushed to get the woodworking project over with, not only did the project not come out as good, there was a rather let down at the end. However if I just sat back an enjoyed just working with wood, I was more contented. Sure I might just be hand sanding the wood, but it was a required job, made the project top notch, and was still enjoyable.

It is the same thing with producing firewood. If everyone is in a hurry to pound out 3 years worth of firewood all the time, it is not going to be an enjoyable experience, but I suspect that for most people on here, just being out in the woods has plenty of contentment unto its own. Therefore it does not really matter how the job gets done, or if there is a better way to do it, darn it we are just content doing it as we are.

This is not my greatest work, but as a rule my woodworking was making wooden models: trucks, skidders, Lombard Log Haulers, or a Centipede like depicted here.

 

Very well said sir! I’m in 100% agreement with you. Many times we just have to agree to disagree and leave it at that then move on as friends. Our diversity is what makes us all special, and our views and unique capabilities should complement each other. It’s all about tolerance for another’s opinion and not trying to force your way of doing things onto anyone else. That way of thinking is a huge part of what’s wrong in this country today. There’s a real lack of even trying to understand someone else’s point of view and that’s just sad. There is so much to learn from viewing with open and accepting eyes how someone else does things, instead of taking the puritanical view that they must be converted. Think of what that philosophy has done for our society. We’re much poorer as a result imho. Say your piece, respect the other guys opinion and don’t keep coming back to beat a dead horse. What’s good for you might hurt the next guy. Your unwavering point of view just might be doing real harm to others and that’s just unacceptable.

 

I did notice that a couple of times when a split fell you had to bend over and grab it, but for the most part you are sitting low enough that you don't have to bend. You are splitting very efficiently for using the vertical position. You are probably more efficient than 90% of the people that use vertical, or maybe even horizontal. Do you move your splitter very frequently so you don't have to get up to get wood? I still think vertical splitting is faster One thing I did notice is that by splitting vertical, you can see the wood really and have a good perspective to size your splits. I wasn't trying to convert you to horizontal splitting, I was just trying to understand your vertical splitting process better. The videos helped.

 

Like this?



I wonder if gravity conveyor could be used to stage the wood before splitting or to run the wood to the splitter???????

 

These are cool vertical splitters.

 

I'm a bit confused. I split vertical like Backwoods Savage and it seems to me that is the only proper way to split vertically.

Are you saying there's people who split vertical and yet bend over all the time to set the wood, split it, and move the splits???

I could not imagine doing it other than sitting at "face level" with the controls and moving the wood with minimal effort. I've always thought the horizontal style would be way more cumbersome, but then again, I'm loading wood from the ground not from a truck. I would have to spend much more time picking up the rounds than tossing the splits.

Once again, everyone does it different depending on their circumstances.
I sit on a crotch section of log, Backwoods Savage has his milk crate.

As long as the wood is CSS.. doesn't matter on the how.

Chaz

 

Those machines are nice.. but I don't think I can afford the cost.

BTW.. they say "3000 lb log lift" and I don't really think that's feasible at all.
I mean seriously.. it's gonna lift a 1.5 ton log????



I figure they mean 3000 psi of lifting power (hydraulically)... but that is NOT what they are advertising.

I know it seems like a trivial difference, but to me it's not.
Either
1.. They know their deceiving people and just don't care.
2.. They don't know the difference, which makes me wonder about the product they produce.

It's one of those things that if you're going to spend upwards of $20K on a piece of equipment you'd better make sure you're purchasing something reputable, and the sales force cannot be trusted to ensure YOUR interests are placed first and foremost.

 

I was referencing the vid with the dual action 3 point hitch splitter. .
My kinetic splitter sits very low to the ground. First thing I did was set it on top a wooden box so that it's at a comfortable height.
A few friends have verticle splitters. They really like them . I find it uncomfortable sitting at one. Different injuries, different things hurt me than theirs .
I think that ideally if a guy stood in a hole so the splitter and wood on the ground was at waist level he'd be in tall cotton as far as a comfortable position to work at.

 

I agree with you. My Log Loader...albeit small, and hangs out 10 feet, can only pick 800 pounds, but that is a big log frankly.

They either added an extra zero onto their lift, or they used the 3000 PSI rating of the hydraulic circuit like you said. From the way it is designed I am not sure that it could lift 3000 lbs. The steel deck could; welded as it is with steel as wide as such, but the positioning of the attachment point of the hydraulic cylinder seems awful close to the hinge point.

 

No, that makes no sense to me...pick a piece of wood up just to split it vertically; a person minds well just split horizontally so that the weight of the wood drops down on each side of the wedge...let gravity help the wood be split if a person is going to lift it up.

I am a minimalist, so I would just put the set of rollers on the ground and put the round onto the roller by tipping it up like rolling a 55 gallon drum around, then sliding it across the rollers to the woodsplitter just like Backwoods Savage does.

A person can buy roller conveyors pretty cheap, but they can be made pretty easily too. It would make vertical splitting easier and would save moving the woodsplitter as often. We have used them a lot around here, from bringing in wood from my solar lumber kiln into my woodworking shop, to running boards and slabs off the sawmills. They work great!

 

I keep a couple of 1 1/4" pipes to lay on the ground for rolling rounds onto the foot. I now have a winch to lift them on the bed. It is slower but I don't lift anything now. It will also drag them from 50'.