log splitter wedge

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squib

New Member
Hearth Supporter
Oct 17, 2008
76
east oh
I have a huskee 22 ton splitter. Has anyone modified there wedge, taller, longer, wider, different angle or what have you done & how has it worked out. ??

Any pix.

herman
 
I'll be watching this thread. Though I don't have the same splitter, my splitter has the wedge mounted on the ram, and I've been toying with the idea of fabbing up a slip on 4-way wedge!
 
I have the same splitter and it works fine. If it ain't broke don't need to fix it.
If you are going to make a 4 way it will need to be removable because they work best when you are splitting very straight and similar diameter logs. If you have knotted wood it may need to come off. Most of the wood I split is very different size shape.
 
Yeah that's what I was thinking, I don't think it would take much in stock to fab one up, just gotta get off my butt and get to it.
 
Wait until the warranty runs out so you don't void it early.
 
I believe you can find after-market wedges for popular splitters. I don't have much interest in changing mine to tell the truth. As mine works now whatever goes under its is going to separate, its not important to me if it happens by splitting, cutting, or simply being torn apart. My splitter is happy to do any of the three to anything we have been able to get under it so far.

I have thought for a good long while that the shape of the wedge, within reason, probably isn't as important as if it enjoys that sweet spot between having a sharp edge and just plain blunt that causes wood to split rather than have the wedge cut into the fibers of the wood. As long as they are splitting not much power is required but once that wedge starts cutting across the grain progress changes. I suggest a dull wedge far outperforms a sharp one by prying the wood apart; if the split preceeds the edge of the wedge very little power is required to keep it going.

Actually my only pet peeve with factory splitters is that industry standard 2" gap between the extended wedge and the foot of the splitter. With the real twisty stuff sometimes, often, they will hang together by that last two inches; it becomes frustrating. I keep a sharp hatchet next to the splitter for just such entanglements (and missed branches) but still ...
 
Good idea to wait till the warranty is up. What have you done to fiil the gap at the end of the wedge cycle.??

herman
 
herman said:
... What have you done to fiil the gap at the end of the wedge cycle.??

herman

I've given some thought to just cutting section out of a 2x8 about 8" long and lay it on the foot when it was needed - but I haven't got around to it yet and maybe never will. As it is we just keep a sharp hatchet next to the splitter. It pops right through that last inch or two and its handy when a round of wood rolls up with one of those annoying small branches still attached - bingo, off it comes! Very handy tool and inexpensive, I recommend one.
 
Kong said:
herman said:
... What have you done to fiil the gap at the end of the wedge cycle.??

herman

I've given some thought to just cutting section out of a 2x8 about 8" long and lay it on the foot when it was needed - but I haven't got around to it yet and maybe never will. As it is we just keep a sharp hatchet next to the splitter. It pops right through that last inch or two and its handy when a round of wood rolls up with one of those annoying small branches still attached - bingo, off it comes! Very handy tool and inexpensive, I recommend one.

"2x8 about 8" long" I have used the same for years and it works great. I would recommend a bit longer (handle) so YOU DON'T GET YOUR HANDS/FINGERS IN THERE!!!
 
There is usually a few cookies laying around that I can shove in there if need be. If not, I stick a small round in sideways.
 
LLigetfa said:
There is usually a few cookies laying around that I can shove in there if need be. If not, I stick a small round in sideways.
I do that too, when my 2 X 8 finally breaks, but I NEVER SACRIFICE THE COOKIES! :-)
 
Not a Husky, but I've made a couple of minor mods to my HF splitters work area..

1. My wedge was made at a slight angle to the beam, where the beam end is closer to the foot than the outer end - this causes some rounds to slide on the wedge as it comes down and pop out rather than splitting. I welded a sort of "tooth" on the outer end of the wedge so that the point would stick into the round and anchor it as the rest of the wedge came down... Haven't had much to split since I did this, but it seems to help, although I should have made it a bit longer as it doesn't quite stick out far enough.

2. In the same way, I found some rounds had a tendency to slide off the foot rather than splitting. Stock the foot only has one little "V" piece of angle welded to it in order to provide traction and keep the round from sliding. I took a scrap of 2" angle iron and made some ~3/8" long slices off it to create some more "arrows" and welded them to the foot, along with some 1/4" flat stock scrap that I welded around the perimeter of the foot (easy enough, tack it at one end, then as you weld it gets hot enough to easily hammer into shape around the foot) This was a BIG improvement, as it supplies enough "traction" that the rounds can't slide around on the base when the wedge hits them, which is a real help on the rounds that aren't cut perfectly square, or have bends in them...

Gooserider
 
Gooserider,

Interesting might be the ticket, can you post some pix . I have had some trouble with the rounds sliding aroundt to.

herman
 
The custom pattern on the foot also leaves a unique "branding" on the ends for a positive ID in case someone steals your wood.
 
Bringing this one back up - finally downloaded the camera, and got the pix sorted out - here are three that show the improvements I mentioned...

The first two show the "tooth" that I added to the outside edge of the wedge - It seems to help, but I really should have made it a little longer so that it would go into the round sooner. Right now it hits a round at about the same time as the center of the wedge, so the round has a chance to start tilting before the tooth gets into it to stop the movement.

The third shot shows the added steel on the base. The little "V" in the center is the stock bit, everything else I added. If I find that if the added stuff doesn't bite in well, I might take an angle grinder to the added bits and make them more "pointy" and possibly serrate them a bit...

Gooserider
 

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I'll add what I have done to my splitter for traction on logs.

The first pic is my ram face with some angles laid out in a pattern. They work well. I don't think I have had a log I couldn't grab.

The second pic is my elm extension with the pipe slices. The pipe slices are almost too effective. They sometimes grab the wood well enough to pull it back when the ram returns.

Don
 

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