# wood splitter



## ribwizzard (Aug 5, 2013)

Thinking about making a small log splitter out of a 12 ton air powered floor jack. Anybody ever do anything like this? I see they sell some manual splitters using jacks, just thought an air powered one would be a little better?


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## themule69 (Aug 5, 2013)

I don't think they have a power down on them. That could be a problem. A spring would overcome that.

Happy smoken.

David


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## daveomak (Aug 5, 2013)

RW, morning.....  I would think long and hard about that project.....   Compressed air stores energy...  A particularly tough piece of wood could finally decide to split, releasing all the stored energy instantly.....  

Dave


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## ribwizzard (Aug 5, 2013)

Your right, no power down. And it would have to be mounted up right.  I was thinking an adjustable knive at the top of a small I beam, The jack sitting upright at the bottom.  I'm not looking for a high production log splitter, just something to split some 6" to 10" dia ,one ft long pieces of live oak. My 6lb splitting axe just bounces off of them. ( even though it splits twice the size in red oak in one blow).

I tought about building a hyd. splitter, but cant justify the cost or the room to store something like that . Id rather have something that could be store under the workbench on on a shelf.


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## ribwizzard (Aug 5, 2013)

Hey DaveOmark,

The jack I'm looking at is still hyd. it just uses air to operate the hyd. pump.  But I know what your talking about , air cyl. can be dangerous.

It would be nice if electric  hyd. power units were not so costly. It would be nice to use a 12" hyd. cyl.

This is what I was thinking of using. 12 ton.


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## ribwizzard (Aug 5, 2013)

I was thinking just something simple like this







The knife being mounted on a square bracket that would lock in place when force pressed against it. Slightly angle the tip of the knife so as it forced wood towards the beam instead of away. Jack would just sit on the base.


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## bluffton smoker (Aug 5, 2013)

This set-up works VERY well...  I had a free standing hydraulic press back home on the farm. (Hydraulic cylinder on top pushing pin down towards table)(top, bottom-same difference). It had springs mounted on either side for down. We would pull the manual hydraulic jack out to use on tractors, combines, dozers, whatever. Short story long, we blew the seals out of the manual jack. A buddy brought over an air cylinder which worked very well. We built a knife that would pin in place of the ram pin. This thing would go thru red and live oak beautifully. We ran it on 120 psi. This thing was free standing about 6' tall. What I liked about it was that it had 2 vertical legs with the jack between = very strong. Bench top model could be easily built. I like the idea...


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## ribwizzard (Aug 5, 2013)

I'm wondering if the 12ton jack would have enough ass. The 20 ton is only $20 more, but then your adding weight and I think it may have slower ram speed. They both have only slightly more than 6" stroke, so my knife will have to be more of a wedge head so as not to get stuck half way through the wood.

Has anyone ever used one of those cheap 8  ton electric splitters and had any problem splitting hard woods?


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## ribwizzard (Aug 8, 2013)

I ended up getting the 20 ton, it was on sale for 109.00 and I had a $20 coupon if I spend $100.00 or more, so got it the same price as the 12 ton.  I hooked it up to air and It raises fairly quickly and the double springs returns it to the down position.

I also have some a400 to make a decent blade out of, I just need to sit down and draw up a design I like. Im leaning toward building it more like a press.


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## themule69 (Aug 8, 2013)

Ribwizzard said:


> I'm wondering if the 12ton jack would have enough ass. The 20 ton is only $20 more, but then your adding weight and I think it may have slower ram speed. They both have only slightly more than 6" stroke, so my knife will have to be more of a wedge head so as not to get stuck half way through the wood.
> 
> Has anyone ever used one of those cheap 8  ton electric splitters and had any problem splitting hard woods?


I have one of the 7 ton electric. I does good on most hard woods with out knots. Like oak it will split like butter.

I got it in a truck load of store returns that I bought.

I see you already got a 12 ton jack. Looking forward to your build.

Happy smoken.

David


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## daveomak (Aug 8, 2013)

RW, morning.....  My buddy built a splitter.... Ended up it wouldn't split some tough wood....    he ended up grinding the wedge to reduce the penetration force required at the start of the split...  Once the split started to open, the rest of the wedge finished the job....  worked well....  He said it took most of the morning to get it ground out.....   I can't figure out how to draw the hollowed out grinds...   the three points were original material to the back of the block.... the valleys were tapered up to to meet the points original material...   When he was done, the machine would split anything....     













splitting wedge.jpg



__ daveomak
__ Aug 8, 2013


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## ribwizzard (Aug 8, 2013)

That Makes sense to me DameOmark, I may use that ideal.

David, Ive been looking at the electric models for a couple years now but have gotten such mixed reviews on them, One will say that theirs works like a champ, and the next will say it aint worth a darn. If I could have found a good deal like you did, I might have taken the chance to try it out, but to pay $300 to $500 for somthing that would be very hard to return kept me from ever getting one.

Glad to hear you found a decent one, do you know what brand it is?


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## ribwizzard (Aug 8, 2013)

Im thinking something more like this now. I have some 1/2" x 2" flat bar for the uprights.  This way , I could make different inserts and use it as a press, bearing splitter, brake for small stuff ect.

Pros..? cons..?


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## themule69 (Aug 8, 2013)

Ribwizzard said:


> That Makes sense to me DameOmark, I may use that ideal.
> 
> David, Ive been looking at the electric models for a couple years now but have gotten such mixed reviews on them, One will say that theirs works like a champ, and the next will say it aint worth a darn. If I could have found a good deal like you did, I might have taken the chance to try it out, but to pay $300 to $500 for somthing that would be very hard to return kept me from ever getting one.
> 
> Glad to hear you found a decent one, do you know what brand it is?


Mine is a 7 ton Pow R Kraft. It will by no means split the big stuff. It does well for 15" long x 12" oak

David


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## themule69 (Aug 8, 2013)

Ribwizzard said:


> Im thinking something more like this now. I have some 1/2" x 2" flat bar for the uprights.  This way , I could make different inserts and use it as a press, bearing splitter, brake for small stuff ect.
> 
> Pros..? cons..?


The  cons I can see is you are limited to the size between your uprights. as the log splits it will try to push  out into the upright

The pros are a multi funcution machine.

David


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## foamheart (Aug 8, 2013)

If you make it a multi-tasker, someone will borrow it and tear it up trying to make it do something it wasn't built for. That's been my experience. AND then blame you for poor design!

I have a neighbor who ruined my large table vice with a rubber mallet! He was using a pipe cheater on the screw handle and beating it with a hammer. The round pipe kept slipping in the square jaws. Go figure.....


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## oldschoolbbq (Aug 8, 2013)

A splitting Axe works great and a bit safer...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





.

You're thinking too hard again, Wiz.


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## daveomak (Aug 8, 2013)

RW, evening.....  If your device does one thing great, sit down and be happy.....  Holey [email protected] why does everything have to do two things....  This ain't Alton Brown kitchen....   If you want the best smoker, build a smoker and who care if you want to char a steak also.....  stupid, stupid, stupid....  buy a $5 gas grill to char a steak and build the best darn smoker the world has seen....... OK    OK    OK     

 RW, build a wood splitter and make it a darn good one.....    or the splitter police will come for you, in the middle of the night...  and you will never, ever be heard from again....  I hear they feed their captives to the Burmese pythons in the swamps....  Yeah, really ....  I heard that....

Dave


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## ribwizzard (Aug 9, 2013)

> A splitting Axe works great and a bit safer...


I bought the best splitting axe I could find, 6lb w/ 36" handle

. and it just bounces off of the live Oak. It split the red in a single stroke, but I have to hit the live oak with everything I have just to get it to stick into it.


> The cons I can see is you are limited to the size between your uprights. as the log splits it will try to push out into the upright


Im thinking the cross member at the top would be the knife, and the jack pushing up against it. If the log didnt completely split, the jack could be lowered and the knife set at a lower position to finish split.


> This ain't Alton Brown kitchen....


That show rocks!!!!


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## buttburner (Aug 9, 2013)

I use an 8 lb sledge wit ha long handle and a splitting wedge

the wedge is kind of cone shaped, I think the called it a Tornado Splitter or something like that

It works fantastic, I have had it for years. I cannot believe what it will split

this is the splitting wedge

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ludell-4-lb-Log-Splitter-with-34-in-Wedge-Kit-12304-K/204199678


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## ribwizzard (Aug 9, 2013)

> Mine is a 7 ton Pow R Kraft. It will by no means split the big stuff. It does well for 15" long x 12" oak
> 
> David


The only electric Ive seen in person is the 5 ton at Northern tools,   sounds like you have a lot nicer splitter.  If I could have found a decent deal on something like that I wouldnt even be messing around with this, ....but.....the show has already started and I got to move forward.


> Holey [email protected] why does everything have to do two things....


its just the way my mind is when it comes to these things....I cant help it.  I'll build everything in my mind ten times before I ever start a cut, and usually my mind is already working on the next project while my hands are finishing the first.  I played with lego's as a kid!


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## ps0303 (Aug 9, 2013)

I know you've already started this project but the depot has an electric 5 ton for $299.  Pretty good deal.  Seeing you are splitting oak, the 5 ton should make quick work of it. Heck I'd buy one and try it and if it didn't work as well as expected, take it back.

Harbor Freight has on for $100 more.


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## ribwizzard (Aug 9, 2013)

That little homelite at home depot is a nice little splitter, I hadnt seen that one yet. But I'd still worry about it being only 5 ton.If  I can smack it with a wedge and a 5lb hammer with little results, and a 6lb splitting axe bounces off,       even if a 5 ton would split it, I dont think it would last very long.


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## themule69 (Aug 9, 2013)

Ok RW I'm here to see a build! I'll grab some
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






David


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## foamheart (Aug 9, 2013)

I guess I am gong to have to turn back in my redneck card. I saw a fella on TV the other night splitting rails. He was using a 2 piece contraption with 1/4 sticks of dynamite. Sucker worked great, you jusy had to run fast, he didn't waste no fuse....


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## themule69 (Aug 9, 2013)

Foamheart said:


> I guess I am gong to have to turn back in my redneck card. I saw a fella on TV the other night splitting rails. He was using a 2 piece contraption with 1/4 sticks of dynamite. Sucker worked great, you jusy had to run fast, he didn't waste no fuse....


That creats a lot of work. You have to pick up the pieces.

David


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## ribwizzard (Aug 9, 2013)

Usually , on the big stuff I take a Cat 345 and split it with the bucket teeth, ( not b.s. ing you either)  but it takes two people.


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## themule69 (Aug 9, 2013)

Ribwizzard said:


> Usually , on the big stuff I take a Cat 345 and split it with the bucket teeth, ( not b.s. ing you either)  but it takes two people.


I have used a 345 more than once


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## black (Aug 9, 2013)

-


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## jarjarchef (Aug 9, 2013)

I am going to watch this one. I was talking with the father inlaw about making a spliter with some of the old tractor stuff he has around. He has some two direction hydrolic pistons I was eyeballing when we were talking it.


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## ribwizzard (Aug 9, 2013)

Steel is already being cut, The holes will take a while to drill, but should be easy to make


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## ribwizzard (Aug 9, 2013)

o/K, so here is the basic foundation, this should be plenty strong to support the 20 tons it will be capable of.  I will drill both uprights and attach them to base with two each grade 8 1/2" bolts.


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## ribwizzard (Aug 9, 2013)

The rest of the base I'll probably use just 3/16" plate to keep weight down,  it will only be to keep jack level, the strength is in these pieces already cut.  Anyway, like I said, I have a lot of holes to drill this week end!!!


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## themule69 (Aug 9, 2013)

That should work.

david


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## ribwizzard (Aug 10, 2013)

I changed my mind on the 1/2" flat bar and rounded up some 2" channel,   I think it will give it more structural stability than the flat bar and save a little weight. It will keep my uprights more parallel than the flat bar. I also found some 3' x 8" square tubing that I welded to the front and rear of the base to make the platform.  Im trying to go as strong as possible with out making the darn thing weight a ton.

It took about a half hr of gringing to get the knife sharp. ( thats a400)


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## doodleq (Aug 11, 2013)

Late to this party...I've got a little electric one that does everything I need unless its a knotty chunk.  Your idea with a wide wedge head would cover that...I may modify mine at some point, likely when it comes time to build the wedge up and resharpen it.
Maybe a couple of chains (one on each side) with chain hooks on one end to steady the logs that need it in a vertical position?


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## ribwizzard (Aug 12, 2013)

It was just too hot to sit out there drilling holes this week end.


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## themule69 (Aug 12, 2013)

Ribwizzard said:


> It was just too hot to sit out there drilling holes this week end.


I under stand! My list of things to do when it cools off is growing. I just can't get my heart in welding when it is this hot.

Happy smoken.

David


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## ribwizzard (Aug 12, 2013)

I'm good for a couple of hours Saturday morning, then thats it.  I dont even like cooking outside this time of year.


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