Hand powered log splitter, Thoughts? **Video**

[Gen1sve]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPJjJMqdWD0

What are your thoughts?

[TimRB]

It looks like an insane amount of work to me, and wouldn't work at all with anything other than nice short pieces of straight-grained wood.  I gave up splitting wood by hand years ago, and will never go back.

Tim

[beenthere]

Doing many cords with that rig, he'll be due for some shoulder surgery sooner if not, then later. IMO

[SLawyer Dave]

There have been a few similar to that built over the years.  Again, with soft, straight grained wood that doesn't get stringy, it would probably work fine.  For most firewood though, it flat out would not work. 

A few years ago I was given a number of large rounds from a tree that was removed by a local tree service.  It was a Northern Catalpa tree.  The trunk was a good 3' in diameter, and the rounds were about 16" thick.  They loaded it in my trailer with a bobcat.  When I got it home and started splitting it, I was amazed at how easy it was to split.  Using my monster maul was a joke.  One swing and the whole round blew in half.  I ended up using a hatchet on a lot of it.  Those rounds could easily be split by such a splitter....but then again, lifting them on to the table would be a pain. 

[Thewoodman]

some times its easier just swinging an axe

[bandmiller2]

Try some elm with that lashup. anything that splitter will cleave a common axe will do as well. Frank C.

[Gen1sve]

I am the creator of the machine in the video.  I over engineered it as a result of my brother asking for one for the holiday.  I know all the others I have seen were light weight and splitting very straight wood.  I know the limitations for the machine are no forked pieces.  It is splitting Red Oak in the video.  It splits White Oak and Cherry just fine.  The only wood I would not try with it is Gum.

It is easier on the upper body than splitting with a maul, which is how I split 100% of the wood I heat the parents place and my place.  As far as picking up the rounds, load a tractor bucket on one side and a cart for the split wood on the other.  From what I have seen the splitting arm is at least 4x heavier than any of the other designs out there, counter balanced, keeping in mind it is the speed x weight that provides splitting force.  It also is king for making kindling, as the plane of the splitting arm is consistent. 

[John Mc]

I think it's an interesting idea. When hand splitting, I prefer to use an ax (and throw the American Elm or gnarly pieces to the side for the hydraulic splitter) but I can see that this device might be handy for someone who does not want to use an ax for whatever reason.

The point about the ergonomics is a good one, however (my wife is a physical therapist, so I've had using good body mechanics when working drilled into me - she got tired of fixing me all the time).  I wonder if there is a better height at which to locate the handle to avoid shoulder strain -- or maybe even make it foot activated?  Though I guess the current location has the advantage of being able to handle a wide variety of log lengths, as well as still having the range of motion to do a second hit on something that did not split all the way through the first time.

[Gen1sve]

Absolutely, alternative handle locations or actuation methods are a possibly, I kept the handle high so it didn't hit anyone in the head even though my brothers girlfriend has split with it, all 5' and 100 lbs of her.

[pabst79]

Is there a way to lower the whole rig? Lifting rounds up that high makes my back hurt just thinking about it! It is an interesting looking setup though. 

[John Mc]

If you lower it too much, then you are bending down constantly to adjust the log for splitting.

One of the reasons I have a horizontal/vertical log splitter, is that the height when splitting horizontal is up around waist high - I'd rather lift up the logs (usually with tongs) and work at that height.  Though I do imagine the day will come when I feel differently about lifting logs...

[r.man]

Everything has its place and its limitations. I like the idea of it and can think of some interesting alterations to try if I had one to play with.

[bandmiller2]

I can see the value of this device for someone unsure of themselves with a maul or axe as the path of the sharp edge is sure and predictable, probably the more counterbalanced mass in the head the better. Frank C.

[thefeckerwest]

That is a brilliant idea by Gen1sve.  Well done!  You are obviously a man with an inventive mind.  My guess is that you have always tinkered with things in order to make improvements.  Somebody like you invented the wheel.