The Splitter, the Milk Crate, and Efficiency

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

I'm just starting out and I find it much easier to split horizontal, wheel barrow next to me, I don't have to move till I'm done with all the rounds in the barrow, when I did try the vertical way, I had to get up everytime to get a round, more work I think, I will say vertical is better for the really big ones till they become manageable to be split horizontal, so I'm voting for horizontal as the way to go for mostly all splitting...

 

[WellSeasoned]

I'm just starting out and I find it much easier to split horizontal, wheel barrow next to me, I don't have to move till I'm done with all the rounds in the barrow, when I did try the vertical way, I had to get up everytime to get a round, more work I think, I will say vertical is better for the really big ones till they become manageable to be split horizontal, so I'm voting for horizontal as the way to go for mostly all splitting...

Great idea with the wheel barrow, and I agree with the quickness and ease of horizontal for small to medium rounds. But nothing beats just having a splitter that would go vertical. Big rounds yield many, many splits, and I love 'em

 

[MasterMech]

[quote="WellSeasoned, post: 1509196, member: 19958". But nothing beats just having a splitter that would go vertical. [/quote]

Try a horizontal only machine with a log lift and hydraulically adjustable four way wedge. Check and Mate.

Exactly the kind of machine I'd be looking to rent if I had a big pile of rounds that included some monsters. No lifting, no wrestling. Cant hook them on the lifter and its all over with.

 

[WellSeasoned]

Or something like this.... and not sure what is after check mate, but heres the vid...

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[ScotO]

Try getting this 400lb beast done efficiently with the splitter in the horizontal position.
total time splitting this round into 29 splits = 12 minutes......

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/29-splits-from-one-oak-round.113173/#post-1509285

For big stuff, I'm sold on vertical.....hands down......

 

[WellSeasoned]

Try getting this 400lb beast done efficiently with the splitter in the horizontal position.
total time splitting this round into 29 splits = 12 minutes......

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/29-splits-from-one-oak-round.113173/#post-1509285

For big stuff, I'm sold on vertical.....hands down......

12 minutes= 2days of heat, priceless!

 

[MasterMech]

Or something like this.... and not sure what is after check mate, but heres the vid...

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Processors are a different category of tool for sure. Something in me says I might be able to justify a log splitter with a lift someday. As cool as a processor is, I don't think I'll ever own one unless I start logging and selling firewood.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

[quote="WellSeasoned, post: 1509196, member: 19958". But nothing beats just having a splitter that would go vertical.

Try a horizontal only machine with a log lift and hydraulically adjustable four way wedge. Check and Mate.

Exactly the kind of machine I'd be looking to rent if I had a big pile of rounds that included some monsters. No lifting, no wrestling. Cant hook them on the lifter and its all over with.[/quote]
Sounds great but what's the whopping price tag....

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

I have a leak with the hydro oil but I don't know exactly how to go about tightening it up, any ideas....thanks all
My finger is pointing to where the oil comes out...

 

[NortheastAl]

I have a leak with the hydro oil but I don't know exactly how to go about tightening it up, any ideas....thanks all
My finger is pointing to where the oil comes out....View attachment 110526View attachment 110527

Disconnect the steel hydro line, then either tighten the fitting one turn, or better yet remove it and reseal the fitting withTeflon tape or what the manufacturer recommends. Reattach line, then check and refill hydro oil.

 

[Ashful]

Shut down and cycle splitter SCV, to be sure system is depressurized. Loosen and remove flare nut (on thinwall pipe). Remove elbow from cylinder, clean threads, re-tape (or dope) only the NPT end (not the flare fitting end) of elbow, reinstall in reverse order.

 

[NortheastAl]

Shut down and cycle splitter SCV, to be sure system is depressurized. Loosen and remove flare nut (on thinwall pipe). Remove elbow from cylinder, clean threads, re-tape (or dope) only the NPT end (not the flare fitting end) of elbow, reinstall in reverse order.

Much better explanation than mine.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

Great thank you very much guys...

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

Shut down and cycle splitter SCV, to be sure system is depressurized. Loosen and remove flare nut (on thinwall pipe). Remove elbow from cylinder, clean threads, re-tape (or dope) only the NPT end (not the flare fitting end) of elbow, reinstall in reverse order.

Thanks for your help, Joful, but how do you cycle the SCV? And what is the SCV?

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

Right now it is off and I'm sure full of oil

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

Also it needs to make a full turn in order to reconnect

 

[MasterMech]

Thanks for your help, Joful, but how do you cycle the SCV? And what is the SCV?

Selective Control Valve.

Jiggle the handle.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

Ha.... Thanks

 

[Machria]

Or something like this.... and not sure what is after check mate, but heres the vid...

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The guy in vid claims it will only process 1 to 2 cords an hour. ? Seems like it would do better than that, no?

 

[HDRock]

Splitter is elect, only horizontal,so I am standing, big stuff gets sledge n wedge or noodled.
I keep a line of rounds behind me and use a hookaroon to extend my reach .
As I split I toss it into a lawn tractor pulled utility trailer ,when it gets full, I stop and go stack the wood.
I don't like the idea of throwing it down and picking it up again

 

[Ehouse]

I know a few on here claim sitting on a crate and splitting is easy, BUT... I personally can't see it at all. Seems to me sitting in front of the splitter you are going to be straining your back waaaaay more. You have to reach out and grab a round, position it under the ram, hold in place and then reach up and pull control handle.... all while leaning/bending and putting stress on your back. On the other hand, if you stand and split most of you wood, the only strain on the back is when picking up splits, and if done correctly it's mostly your legs doing the lifting. I split a bit over a cord yesterday this way, my legs are soar today (not my back), which means I was doing it correct (for a change!).

I'm not sure how they do this while sitting.... maybe (and I'm sure they will!) shed some light on this.

Solve picking up splits with a square tipped Machete.

 

[velvetfoot]

The other thing about tossing them onto a pile is that the pile gets bigger and bigger and you expend more and more energy.

 

[Ashful]

Right now it is off and I'm sure full of oil

You'll get some oil out, but if you work with the cylinder vertical, and something holding the ram up, you shouldn't lose too much. Messy, yes. Complete unloading, no.

Also it needs to make a full turn in order to reconnect

Yeah... one of the down-sides to using NPT elbows. It's made worse by the fact that you have steel on steel there, since neither the elbow or the bung on that cylinder are too forgiving. Give it three wraps of tape on the elbow, then install. Tightening an NPT fitting is a "by feel" kind of thing, in that you are not hunting for any particular torque, but you're hunting for the point where torque suddenly increases rapidly. Then you know you've taken up the slop in the taper, so to speak. Only thing that's critical here is that you can never go back. Tighten only. If you overshoot, and decide you need to loosen a half turn to get back into alignment with the flare nut, you better remove, clean, retape, etc.

The guy in vid claims it will only process 1 to 2 cords an hour. ? Seems like it would do better than that, no?

2 cords an hour is a heck of a lot of wood! If you consider time to buck, move to the splitter, and split (all this machine does... too many folks just count splitting time), I'm sure I'm at 3 - 4 hours per cord.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

You'll get some oil out, but if you work with the cylinder vertical, and something holding the ram up, you shouldn't lose too much. Messy, yes. Complete unloading, no.


Yeah... one of the down-sides to using NPT elbows. It's made worse by the fact that you have steel on steel there, since neither the elbow or the bung on that cylinder are too forgiving. Give it three wraps of tape on the elbow, then install. Tightening an NPT fitting is a "by feel" kind of thing, in that you are not hunting for any particular torque, but you're hunting for the point where torque suddenly increases rapidly. Then you know you've taken up the slop in the taper, so to speak. Only thing that's critical here is that you can never go back. Tighten only. If you overshoot, and decide you need to loosen a half turn to get back into alignment with the flare nut, you better remove, clean, retape, etc.


2 cords an hour is a heck of a lot of wood! If you consider time to buck, move to the splitter, and split (all this machine does... too many folks just count splitting time), I'm sure I'm at 3 - 4 hours per cord.

Great, thanks for your help....

 

[Gasifier]

[quote="WellSeasoned, post: 1509196, member: 19958". But nothing beats just having a splitter that would go vertical.

Try a horizontal only machine with a log lift and hydraulically adjustable four way wedge. Check and Mate.

Exactly the kind of machine I'd be looking to rent if I had a big pile of rounds that included some monsters. No lifting, no wrestling. Cant hook them on the lifter and its all over with.[/quote]


M.M. If you lend me the money, I will buy and try one of these for a few years. http://www.ironandoak.com/commercial/index.html

I will gladly pay you the money back on the second Tuesday of the third year I am completely and thouroughly sure I am happy with it. :}