# 4-way wedge on Hydro Splitter



## byQ (Dec 16, 2014)

Has anyone changed over to a 4-way wedge on their 20 to 30 ton vertical/horizontal splitter? Did it work okay? Speed things up? Did the wedge tend to get stuck more often? Could you use it in the vertical position? Thanks


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## pen (Dec 16, 2014)

There was one made for the 27 ton hydraulic unit that a couple of my buddies and I use.  It could only be operated horizontally as it would just slide over the standard single wedge and would jump off if tried to use vertically.

For what we have to work with, unless we had all logs of a medium to smaller size (i can't recall the actual diameters we found that would have worked well with it), the 4 way was more of a pain in the rear than it was worth, (since pieces were falling on both sides of the machine, and they may need to be split smaller yet if too big, or pieces to small yielded 2 good splits and 2 pieces too small)

For us, what splits well by hand, gets split by hand as that's faster.  But when there's good wood to be done that's just plain ornery, that's when the splitter gets fired up.  In this event, even when the wood was the right sized, we found it seemed it stressed the 27ton more than we'd want it to be going through as it seemed excessive.

Long story short, we used the 4-way maybe 5 or 6 times, and it's collecting rust next to the cabin and hasn't been touched in more than a year, meaning about 30 cord of wood was processed without it, and when it was used, it had a hand in maybe 1 cord.

That's just what the guys I share the splitter with found.  For someone using an open fireplace or outdoor boiler where size isn't such an issue, it may be more practical, but even then I feel like I'm grasping at something to justify us having it as I'll never set it back on the machine again.

pen


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## AK13 (Dec 17, 2014)

I often use a 4-way on my 16-ton splitter. Works great. But doesn't work great for every single log. I remove it for huge logs and for little ones. But it can greatly speed up the process and I think they are a good thing to have.


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## Byrond (Dec 17, 2014)

I use one on my huskee splitter. Made by speeco. Imo it speeds up the process. However, like most tools it has it's place. I fabricated a "rack" of sorts for it to rest on when not in use


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## BobUrban (Dec 17, 2014)

I have thought off and on about fabricating one for my splitter but haven't yet. Mostly because it would only work well for a specific size round and switching back and fourth or digging for those rounds would seemingly slow me down. 

That and with the Husky having the wedge on the ram and not the end would likely cause jamming.  I think for it to work well I would need to fab up a flat ram and 3 or 4 way that clamps to the foot?  This way the splits would spit out as you go.

You now have me thinking again


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## Byrond (Dec 17, 2014)

BobUrban said:


> I have thought off and on about fabricating one for my splitter but haven't yet. Mostly because it would only work well for a specific size round and switching back and fourth or digging for those rounds would seemingly slow me down.
> 
> That and with the Husky having the wedge on the ram and not the end would likely cause jamming.  I think for it to work well I would need to fab up a flat ram and 3 or 4 way that clamps to the foot?  This way the splits would spit out as you go.
> 
> You now have me thinking again


From my experience, even on large rounds, the first cycle yields 4 splits. The bottom 2 are usually ideal to go straight into the stack. The two halves have to be split again, which is normal even with the 2 way wedge except you have already gotten 2 splits off of the bottom. The distance between the horizontal wings of the 4 way and the main rail on the splitter is about 3 inches. Not quite sure if that description makes sense.


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## 2PistolPacker (Dec 17, 2014)

My Northstar 37 ton is made to use one, but I split mostly large rounds and I see it as more of a hassle than useful. If all you split is 8" to 12" rounds it would be a great time saver.


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## Byrond (Dec 17, 2014)

Action


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## 1kzwoman (Dec 17, 2014)

I use one with my Swisher in horizontal (set screw for vertical) . With large diameter log I take a couple of splits off with leading edge of wedge then center to split remaining block into 4. i find that works better than trying to center split every block. I Split smaller stuff with leading edge too for just over kindling size


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## English BoB (Dec 17, 2014)

2PistolPacker said:


> My Northstar 37 ton is made to use one, but I split mostly large rounds and I see it as more of a hassle than useful. If all you split is 8" to 12" rounds it would be a great time saver.


Exactly what I found.


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## byQ (Dec 17, 2014)

2PistolPacker said:


> My Northstar 37 ton is made to use one, but I split mostly large rounds and I see it as more of a hassle than useful. If all you split is 8" to 12" rounds it would be a great time saver.



Okay say you have a good sized round, like 24" diameter, can't you just run the 4-way wedge through it, throw the 2 small lower splits into the pile and than run the large top pieces through the wedge again? And do this again if needed.  Why wouldn't this work, and be faster than a single wedge. Is it just easier to not use a 4-way wedge because there is no real rush?


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## 2PistolPacker (Dec 17, 2014)

byQ said:


> Okay say you have a good sized round, like 24" diameter, can't you just run the 4-way wedge through it, throw the 2 small lower splits into the pile and than run the large top pieces through the wedge again? And do this again if needed.  Why wouldn't this work, and be faster than a single wedge. Is it just easier to not use a 4-way wedge because there is no real rush?


Sure, with a 37 ton splitter you can do anything you want, but I prefer not to use the 4 way so I don't end up with a bunch of odd sized splits. I prefer to quarter my rounds and then split the quarters in half and then throw them aside and then roll in another round. It is my preference to split all the rounds first while the splitter is vertical.


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## byQ (Dec 17, 2014)

2PistolPacker said:


> Sure, with a 37 ton splitter you can do anything you want, but I prefer not to use the 4 way so I don't end up with a bunch of odd sized splits. I prefer to quarter my rounds and then split the quarters in half and then throw them aside and then roll in another round. It is my preference to split all the rounds first while the splitter is vertical.



Ya that is what I was wondering. It sounds like a 4-way wedge will overall be faster but you will end up with more odd splits - some even kindling sized.


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## chris5150 (Dec 17, 2014)

I bought a 4 Way from my husky 22 ton but I find that I end up with splits to small. used it this summer to bust up a cottonwood tree for the fire pit.


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## 2PistolPacker (Dec 17, 2014)

byQ said:


> Ya that is what I was wondering. It sounds like a 4-way wedge will overall be faster but you will end up with more odd splits - some even kindling sized.


Even with the way I split, I still end up with buckets and buckets of loose bark, wood shards and burnable debris. This is just how it works for me, I get into a splitting rhythm and don't like to stop and toss every little split.,


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## BrotherBart (Dec 17, 2014)

Yep. Splitter trash is part of the deal.


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## Firewood Bandit (Dec 20, 2014)

Seems to me for a 4 way to be practical, it has to be adjustable with a hydraulic ram that can be lowered all the way so the wedge does not contact the round on real large pieces.


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## duramaxman05 (Dec 20, 2014)

I have never used  4 way wedge on a splitter. I sure it has its place. I personally like a 2 way splitter better. Each way the wedge moves, it is splitting wood. There is no wasted stroke.


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## Excavator (Dec 20, 2014)

I have custom made 30 ton single wedge splitter on bottom and 20 ton 4 way on top. Best of both worlds


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## JP11 (Dec 21, 2014)

I got a 35 ton with 4 way from Northern tool.  As others said, on large wood the bottom two are good to use. (I'm splitting for a gasser, so I like smaller splits (size of a deck of cards on the end)  

I've just learned that if the wood is larger than doing a 'quarter'  I do one of two things.  Split on center, then re-split the top two pieces.  OR if the wood is very large, my first split is well off center, giving me just one bottom piece ready to go, then just rolling around and splitting off pieces.

I don't need universal wood.  I like having some smaller splits for starting.  I realize that since I am not handing the wood multiple times ( I go right from the splitter to my pallets. Then pallets to the boiler.)  Small splits aren't worth it for you if your stacking and re stacking.

JP


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## byQ (Dec 21, 2014)

Excavator, It looks like you have the best of both worlds - you drive your bobcat to the big rounds and use the single wedge to reduce them down, and than use the 4-way to finish them off - nice set up.


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## Excavator (Dec 21, 2014)

byQ said:


> Excavator, It looks like you have the best of both worlds - you drive your bobcat to the big rounds and use the single wedge to reduce them down, and than use the 4-way to finish them off - nice set up.


thanks!!
it sure works great. this is what the top one started as and i kept modding


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