What good is a splitter work table?

[chris-mcpherson]

I'm gonna pick up my new splitter tomorrow and am getting the cradle kit. I'm wondering if the $60 work table is worth it for a back yard splitter. What do you think?
Here is the splitter and work table:
(broken link removed to http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xkw/R-100671189/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053)
(broken link removed to http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xkw/R-100671588/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053)

 

[blades]

Not wort squat when in the vertical position. The table has to be long enough to extend from the face of the cylinder or at least behind the starting point of the wedge to the foot plate, other wise you risk catching the edge with a protrusion from the log and crumpling it all out of shape.

 

[chris-mcpherson]

Is it just a place to stage your next round?

 

[bsa0021]

I have one on my speedco and love it. Of course, some people like to work in the vertical position and the table becomes useless. I prefer to split horizontally most of the time (I split large pieces vert.) and the table is a big help for holding one half the log.

 

[kevin j]

for horizontal use a table on the far side is essential if your wood requires more than one pass. other wise you end up picking every other half round off the ground on the far side.
split a round in half, rest the far half on the table, wrestle the near half around for the next cycle or two. then grab the far half from the table and split that one.

I made one from 1-1/8 inch laminated plywood. the HD looks like a pretty lightweight, but if you can't fab one I'd for sure spend 60 on a table.

 

[LLigetfa]

Ja, good for parking the other half. Here is my poorboy version.

 

[chris-mcpherson]

Are you guys describing the cradle shown here:
(broken link removed to http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xkw/R-100671592/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053)
It looks like the cradle and work table are redundant and I only could use one or the other...right?

 

[SolarAndWood]

The cradle is more meant to hold the log as opposed to catching the far half after split. Splitting horizontally makes no sense if you have to walk around and pick up the half off the ground. If you are splitting big rounds, you will probably eventually rip the stock tables off the splitter.

 

[LLigetfa]

You can see on my pic that I removed the cradle from one side and sistered it on the other side to fashion a work table of sorts.

 

[chris-mcpherson]

Okay...I see what you did.