Split Rail Fencing a Part of the Sawmill

[just_sawing]

I get a lot of questions that involve why do you sell Split Rail fencing. Well people but it for one and it also makes a market for the smaller Eastern Red Cedar Logs. 
 We have found that one of the best ways to stay in business is to diversify and when one area does not have the strength hopefully another will. 

[terrifictimbersllc]

How does one saw split rails with a portable sawmill? Current customer asked me if I could do it. Hers are sort of triangular shaped.

[Magicman]

I have sawn plenty of ERC fence rails, but they are not "split".  To me split means riving.

[terrifictimbersllc]

What shape are they? Square and then you turn them so they look diamond like?

[Stephen1]

I want to hang out here and find out how!  

[just_sawing]

I built a 12 foot Log Splitter. This is a add on to our Mill business.

[Magicman]

I normally saw ~6" top end poles into rails.  Just quarter them so they are pie shaped.  A hatchet can shape the ends to go into the post mortises if necessary.  You could also hack the sides a few times to mimic splits.

I only have two customers who sorta regularly want fence rails.  

[dougtrr2]

I would like to see what a 12' log splitter looks like.

Doug in SW IA

[just_sawing]

Built here on the Farm

[beenthere]

Local farmers in these parts have splitters for splitting oak for fence posts. Not the 12' variety, but around 7-8'. 
Beats splitting out oak rails by hand, as a partner and I learned several years back when he contracted to build rail fencing with 12' rails. White oak does not track the splits well from one end to the other. A lot of axe work to keep the split from spiraling along the length. 

In the end, split rail fences are a lot of annual work keeping them cleaned out and looking as neat and nice as they do when first built. (if aesthetics are the reason for having them)  

[Cedarman]

Have 24 bundles, 50 rails /bdl of 10'+ rails split out of 6 1/4" to 7"SE.
Have 4 way splitter.  About 50 to 60/hour. 3 people.  Headed to NJ tomorrow.
Easy, Peasy. Money.

[Stephen1]

Cedarman How do you split yours?

[Cedarman]

I use a 16'  I beam that has a vertical thin wedge at one end.  I can bolt a plate with a wing on each side of the wedge making it a 4 way for 6"+ to 7"+ log.  I can bolt a plate with 2 wings at 60 degrees to make a 6 way for 8 to 10" logs.  To push the logs through the splitter I have a 4" cylinder with 2' stroke. The pusher plate has a slide on bottom that keeps it on the top of the I beam as it slides along.  The other end of the cylinder is attached to a plate that has a slide at the bottom of it.  The whole cylinder assemply slides along the I beam.  I have 7/8" holes in the I beam at 22" intervals. The holes are for a pin that can be placed behind the cylinder to push against as it pushes the log through the splitter end. Push 2 feet, retract cylinder, place pin in hole, push log, then repeat until the log is split. Then slide cylinder assembly back to place another log atop the I beam. Can process 12 to 14 logs per hour.  Built this 20 years ago when I only had a few logs to split.  Have split many thousand rails this way.  You must center the pith exactly on the X of the wedges or run the danger of splitting out the sides of the log. One person operates the hydraulic controls, (I use an old tractor for hydraulic power)  One person centers the log, another person helps roll log into place and hold until signal from person centering the log gives head nod to person operating the controls.  Axe and chainsaw can help save rails by cutting as needed to keep from splitting out sides because of knots or other issues.
Hope this is clearer than mud. 

[Stephen1]

Clear as mud. thank you. A 20 year old splitter still working.