Look what followed me home today...

Christmas came early today. Thanks, Dad!

Timberwolf TW-P1, 4-way wedge. So far it has been happy splitting everything with the 4-way, though it goes through crotch pieces faster without the 4-way on...big surprise. Without the 4 way on it didn't even break a sweat! Many thanks to Chad (completelori) for hooking me up with such a good price on this unit!

great pick on gear

Ive had mine for a few years ran at least 30 plus cords and she keeps on going no issues.

Nothing like a splitter to make your life easier. I like the 1 inch thick ends on top of the pile. Looks like you have been tuning your saws!

Atta Boy

Now you will be getting fat like me.. Now you need a teen age son to load it.. LOL

Mighty nice!!

Nice splitter ,thats what I want to get.

Well, I split a cord or so this weekend. No problems with the oak, ash, cherry, or hickory. Even with the 4-way it got the job done. Cycle time is good, and the Honda engine is exactly what a Honda GX engine is supposed to be.

The only problem was with some big twisty-grained, waterlogged, barkless, semi-rotted stuff (I thought it was ash but caseyforrest thinks it might be box elder). This stuff would shave off pieces or, when hit square on, would stall the splitter. No problem, since it's junk and is going to get pitched, but it does highlight the limitation of a 20ton machine.

All in all, I'm quite pleased with this machine for what I want a splitter to do.

Caseyforrest and I will be fabricating a removable tablegrate and handle assembly before too long. Pictures will follow...

computeruser said:

Caseyforrest and I will be fabricating a removable tablegrate and handle assembly before too long. Pictures will follow...

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This past weekend I also fabricated a removable table for my homebuilt. You will not be sorry. Should have done it years ago. It really reduces the amount of bending to pick up the "other half". I have a log lifter (run with a winch) and simply extended it out to the front of the machine by about 21". Sometimes...:bang: :bang: :bang:

Nice splitter. Chad is a great guy for equipment.

ericjeeper said:

Now you will be getting fat like me.. Now you need a teen age son to load it.. LOL

Click to expand...

I use axes, and enjoy it, and I am still a bit fat.......

Might think of a solid surface over grating

I was going with grating and I think someone brought up a very valid point. Fingers getting in the grating and sheared off or injured

ericjeeper said:

I was going with grating and I think someone brought up a very valid point. Fingers getting in the grating and sheared off or injured

Click to expand...

Eric, that is exactly why I went with a solid plate as well. The other reason for a solid plate is to help the "sliding factor". Ever try to slide a 150 pound chunk of wood on a grate? It might as well have built in brakes.

UPDATE

Well, with a few cords under its belt now, it continues to impress. Nothing apart from a few chunks of sopping, twist-grain, rotted stuff has failed to split apart. Pretty much anything else has happily yielded to the 4-way, and if not it's an easy swap to the regular wedge for a stubborn piece. On the subject of the 4-way, it is an invaluable tool and having used one I cannot imagine not having one.

The Honda engine is a pleasure to use, starting on the first pull without choke. It is quiet and VERY light on fuel - I'm still on my first tank of fuel!

So far I don't have any complaints about this machine, and cannot imagine needing anything larger for homeowner use. Even the cycle time is plenty fast enough for quick and efficient one-man splitting. All in all, it's a good value for a non-production splitter!

UPDATE #2:

Here are a couple pics from our splitter test today. 30"+ catalpa with knots. Catalpa is rated "Difficult" according to firewood rating webpages; it is a mediocre firewood, but the price was right! This little splitter was able to split with the 4-way, even through the knots. Never once did it require backing off and re-hitting the block. It pressed through and got the job done. Caseyforrest is at the controls.

A fairly straight-grained piece, with only minimal knots, falls victim to the 4-way:




Though not visible, this piece has a major branch coming out of one side and a knot and hollow on the other. It was more work, but was started with the standard wedge and the resulting pieces were finished with the 4-way:


And for those who like video, a video!

Brandon

Is that 4 way attached in a manner that will not allow it to slide up? My theory on that if the wood grain is getting fatter towards the back of the piece it is going to get wedged under the horizontal wing.

Nope, the 4-way can ride up (and does) on wood with pesky knots or particular types of grain. No possibility of things getting wedged and stuck.