# Made a Kindling Splitter today



## Somesawguy (Apr 24, 2011)

I needed something to keep the wood in place when splitting kindling. This is what I came up with so far.







I may modify it later since it does seem to move around a little bit more than I'd like side to side.


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## trailmaker (Apr 24, 2011)

That's a really clever contraption. Have you tried it on regular rounds as well?


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## TMFARM 2009 (Apr 24, 2011)

maybe add a spring under the wedge head to return it to the proper height after impact. also maybe a second rod to stabilize the spinning motion... very nice contraption.


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## PA. Woodsman (Apr 24, 2011)

Very good idea. In my Grandmother's garage there is a tool very similiar to that from the 70's; the only difference is it rides on a squared piece of metal rather than a round pipe, but it is the same idea. Good job!


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## Somesawguy (Apr 24, 2011)

trailmaker said:


> That's a really clever contraption. Have you tried it on regular rounds as well?


 
I haven't tried it on anything big yet. It would probably work ok if it wasn't too big. The arms are only a couple of inches long on this one.


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## Somesawguy (Apr 24, 2011)

PA. Woodsman said:


> Very good idea. In my Grandmother's garage there is a tool very similiar to that from the 70's; the only difference is it rides on a squared piece of metal rather than a round pipe, but it is the same idea. Good job!


 
Thanks! The square tubing is a great idea. That would keep it from twisting. I'll have to try it in version 2. :msp_smile:


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## mitch95100 (Apr 24, 2011)

you could make alot of money off that design then you could buy more saws!!!


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## Big_Al (Apr 24, 2011)

Doesn't Baileys sell something like that? Thought i saw it in one of their catalogs a few months back.


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## gtsawyer (Apr 24, 2011)

Brilliant. 

I love seeing something simple rather than some contraption. This even looks like it would work great for larger stuff.


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## STLfirewood (Apr 24, 2011)

Looks good. I always used a hatchet and a 3lb hammer. Now I use a SS and it's fast.

Scott


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## Philbert (Apr 24, 2011)

Nice job.

The 'Smart-Splitter' that Bailey's sells uses a slide hammer instead of sledge hammer. 
Bailey's - Smart-Splitter Log Splitter

It might give you some ideas.

Philbert


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## GeeVee (Apr 25, 2011)

Rep sent to Some and PA, I see one of these in my future.


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## Intheswamp (Apr 25, 2011)

I think the "spinning motion" might actually be an advantage...rather than having to move the wood after each split the op can simply shift the wedge a bit to the side...sure it might make some angle-sided kindling but it's just kindlin' not dimensional lumber.  I like it the way it is.

Ed


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## Somesawguy (Apr 25, 2011)

Intheswamp said:


> I think the "spinning motion" might actually be an advantage...rather than having to move the wood after each split the op can simply shift the wedge a bit to the side...sure it might make some angle-sided kindling but it's just kindlin' not dimensional lumber.  I like it the way it is.
> 
> Ed


 
Oh it kicks it off the round it's attached to. :msp_smile: I need to find my 4lb hammer. I think it will work better than trying to hammer with the full sized sledge.


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## leon (Apr 25, 2011)

*kindling splitter*



Somesawguy said:


> I needed something to keep the wood in place when splitting kindling. This is what I came up with so far.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

I hink you would gain a lot more if you used an acme worm of a high thread count and a heavy garage door spring within a piece of steel tubing surrounding part of he spring (to make it safer to use) and avoid breaking the spring by attaching the sleeve to another sleeved female threaded collar to the wedge where it would return using the drill and spring or spring alone of it has enough tension and the worm is well oiled. 


Using the high thread count worm and a nut welded to the worm and a ratchet or an electric drill IF possible to spin the worm down and the spring to aid in returning it to the top would allow fast repetitive splitting of kindling with a semi-automatic mode of return
with less work and bending.


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## needwood (Apr 26, 2011)

*Nice!!!*

Good work man" Remember, someone picked up a sharp rock and a stick, then they put them together" Now look at what we got. It all starts with a plan!!!


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## Somesawguy (Nov 21, 2011)

i tried it out a little bit today on larger rounds. It actually works great.


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## mga (Nov 21, 2011)

Intheswamp said:


> I think the "spinning motion" might actually be an advantage...rather than having to move the wood after each split the op can simply shift the wedge a bit to the side...sure it might make some angle-sided kindling but it's just kindlin' not dimensional lumber.  I like it the way it is.
> 
> Ed



...and add a round plate on the bottom, add several pieces of wood, band them together with a tie-down and just spin it to the next piece as you split one.


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## tbow388 (Nov 21, 2011)

*Gotta Try this one*

Awesome idea.

I might have to make one of those. Some good welding is a MUST.


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## chopperfreak2k1 (Nov 21, 2011)

great idea! heck, my boys will shoot me if i DON'T make one! thanks for this thread.


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## mayhem100 (Nov 21, 2011)

Pretty cool idea, but I just use a sharp hatchet. Love it when people start thinking and innovating.

Hold the wood straight up and down and release it while you swing at it, even if its balancing on a point it'll stay vertical long enough for you to smack it with the business end of the hatchet and pop it open.


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## Somesawguy (Nov 21, 2011)

mayhem100 said:


> Pretty cool idea, but I just use a sharp hatchet. Love it when people start thinking and innovating.
> 
> Hold the wood straight up and down and release it while you swing at it, even if its balancing on a point it'll stay vertical long enough for you to smack it with the business end of the hatchet and pop it open.



I guess I need to practice more, I always had trouble with my aim and with the hatchet getting stuck halfway down. Something about fingers and sharp objects being in the same spot always bothers me. Knives don't bother me, but one false move with a hatchet, and there goes a finger. opcorn:


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## Streblerm (Nov 21, 2011)

Here's what I use. Some might say that I shouldn't hit the fiskars on the but end with a sledge. I nicked the corner of my thumb recently and it scared me enough to stop holding the wood while I whack at it. It wasn't too bad of a cut, but it was unpleasant and not healing well. If I knock the head out of the handle then so be it. Cheaper than a new thumb.










Anyway, the temper of the but end of the fiskars seems similar to a good wedge to me. It distorts a little with no cracking. I figure at the price point it really isn't a "legacy" type of tool anyway. It works really well too. Set the axe where you want it and one light tap with the small sledge. No more over driving the head of the hatchet into the ground. I have occasionally used the larger fiskars in a similar fashion. I figure if they didn't want people using it that way, they wouldn't have made it so easy to hit with a sledge.


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## spanky1205 (Nov 21, 2011)

I just use another piece of kindling to hold the piece up I am trying to cut. Kind of like using a push stick on a table saw. Worst case senario is I end up with some short kindling. I still have all of my fingers.


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## tbow388 (Nov 26, 2011)

I will post the one I made this weekend on Monday. Thanks for the super awesome idea.


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## danrclem (Nov 26, 2011)

I cut cedar posts into approximately 8" sections and use my splitter to split them into small pieces. I have some boxes on the ground to throw it into. It doesn't take very long to split up quite a bit of kindling.


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## Ayatollah (Nov 26, 2011)

I like the spirit of innovation as well, however, I use the table saw to make kindling


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## TN_WOOD (Nov 27, 2011)

I use a cheap camp axe and some leather gloves.

I put a pretty good edge on my axe and it'll "stick" in the wood pretty good when I simply drop it. I then pick the wood up with the axe stuck in there and slam it down. 

One day I keep telling myself I'm going to mount a vice on a piece of wood and clamp my axe in there (sharp side up) and then use a hammer and knock the wood down onto the axe.

Doesn't seem to be any more dangerous than operating a chainsaw or string trimmer. 

[video=youtube_share;RE5wK6hITiE]http://youtu.be/RE5wK6hITiE[/video]


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## tbow388 (Nov 27, 2011)

As I said I am posting my version of this great idea. I like the swivel so I kept with round instead of square tubing.

I added a plate to the bottom. I can swing the head to the outside for a slightly longer piece of wood.

I also used a 1" solid bar as my post.


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## tbow388 (Nov 27, 2011)

Pic posting didnt work.

I will post it tomorrow.


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## WidowMaker (Nov 27, 2011)

My hydraulic splitter produces more kindling then I can possibly use. I even throw in a couple of boxes of kindling with wood sale to seniors...but slick for those that don't use a splitter...


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## zogger (Nov 27, 2011)

WidowMaker said:


> My hydraulic splitter produces more kindling then I can possibly use. I even throw in a couple of boxes of kindling with wood sale to seniors...but slick for those that don't use a splitter...



I get plenty of junk when I split, too, and that is splitting by hand. I also cut small, so what is leftover from the tree can be easily broken up by hand or stomping with the boots as soon as it dries out. 

I have potentially 100 guys lifetime supply of kindling within easy reach, and 1,000 guys worth a little further away than that.

I wonder if there is a market for just kindling, oddball chunks in the round, not perfect split wood, just generic broken up small branches..hmmm. 

I guess I never worried about kindling, I don't really "make" kindling. GF here just gathers it up around the yard from falling down branches and stuff from the ground around the splitter pile. that and I rip up cardboard boxes, that's it. Mostly. There's an old roofing dump pile with cedar shingles here, sometimes I grab a few of those if I am walking by and my hands are empty. that's about it for on purpose kindling, as far as I go. 

I'd sell fatwood I guess if I bothered to get a lot of it and wanted to make it into small uniform pieces and stick them into a designer bag. I get some and just knock chunks from it sometimes, but that is more from sport than necessity.

Maybe if someone wanted to, following the general design idea of the OP, you could make like a 20 way wedge (cross cross, honeycomb like maybe) and just hand bust short logs with a sledge hammer all at once. Sort of like the TV commercial amazing veggie slicers and dicers, "but wait, it makes julienne fries..and kindling"!

Proly...guessing..I burn a lot of stuff most guys would call kindling, I just call it "grab three chunks in one hand instead of one chunk and chuck it into the stove" firewood.


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## Somesawguy (Nov 28, 2011)

TN_WOOD said:


> I use a cheap camp axe and some leather gloves.
> 
> I put a pretty good edge on my axe and it'll "stick" in the wood pretty good when I simply drop it. I then pick the wood up with the axe stuck in there and slam it down.
> 
> ...



That's a neat idea. That way you can just use a hammer. :msp_biggrin:


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## Somesawguy (Nov 28, 2011)

tbow388 said:


> Pic posting didnt work.
> 
> I will post it tomorrow.



Try photobucket or some other free site if you're having trouble with pics. That's what I use.


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## Chris-PA (Nov 28, 2011)

zogger said:


> I get plenty of junk when I split, too, and that is splitting by hand. I also cut small, so what is leftover from the tree can be easily broken up by hand or stomping with the boots as soon as it dries out.
> 
> I have potentially 100 guys lifetime supply of kindling within easy reach, and 1,000 guys worth a little further away than that.
> 
> ...


Ditto - it's a clever design but I never thought of intentionally making kindling. Thin shreds just kind of happen, and then there's sticks. And of course the postal service delivers fire starter 6 days a week. I just wish I could get the kinders to get the kindling so I don't have to spend time on it.


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## jdc123 (Nov 28, 2011)

Neat idea. I've been wanting to get froe or what some would call a shingle splitter to split kindling.


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## zogger (Nov 28, 2011)

WoodHeatWarrior said:


> Ditto - it's a clever design but I never thought of intentionally making kindling. Thin shreds just kind of happen, and then there's sticks. And of course the postal service delivers fire starter 6 days a week. I just wish I could get the kinders to get the kindling so I don't have to spend time on it.



*Snort* Ye aulde laydee here must be on every junk mail list in existence, we get a right fair collection of delivered fire starter...

One of my dogs years ago would drag in a whole giant brush pile, plus some decent logs. He was always trying to do what I was doing. I mean he just got it into his head one day to drag in a stout deadfall branch, after watching me do it, then he went nuts with it, kept me in campfire wood at my camp.

That's the same dog went up the cliff and banzaied off into the water, after watching me and some local kids do it. This was like 40 feet, my limit on how far I want to do that (or that I ever have).

Same dog, same camp, decides he needs a den, so he, over around a week or so, excavates out this *huge* under an old stump den cave. So, one weekend, my bud comes over to my camp and both our girlfriends..this big storm comes up, it is tearing the tent up, so I said, "quick, down into Blue's cave"! We all fit! Four people plus one large dog, we all sat out that storm down there.


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## mga (Nov 28, 2011)

zogger said:


> *Snort* Ye aulde laydee here must be on every junk mail list in existence, we get a right fair collection of delivered fire starter...
> 
> One of my dogs years ago would drag in a whole giant brush pile, plus some decent logs. He was always trying to do what I was doing. I mean he just got it into his head one day to drag in a stout deadfall branch, after watching me do it, then he went nuts with it, kept me in campfire wood at my camp.
> 
> ...



he knew you'd be needing that "cave".

that's why he dug it out.


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## tbow388 (Nov 29, 2011)

tbow388 said:


> I will post the one I made this weekend on Monday. Thanks for the super awesome idea.




I used a 1"solid bar on mine and added a base. It works totally awesome.


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## zogger (Nov 29, 2011)

*Bet it is fun*



tbow388 said:


> I used a 1"solid bar on mine and added a base. It works totally awesome.



Another good hand built thing here! All you guys are great, I need to learn to weld better, I just stink at it..

Hey, did ya try two stacked rounds on that thing? Might work!


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## zogger (Nov 29, 2011)

mga said:


> he knew you'd be needing that "cave".
> 
> that's why he dug it out.



Dogs can indeed be quite psychic at times. Or perhaps just practical, hard coded DNA in them where and when wild dogs that had dens survived, those that didn't, not so good...


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## Somesawguy (Nov 29, 2011)

tbow388 said:


> I used a 1"solid bar on mine and added a base. It works totally awesome.



That looks great. I like the base and how it won't go all the way down to the bottom, and bugger up the wedge. :hmm3grin2orange:


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## NCHornet (Nov 30, 2011)

In order to help stabalize the unit it would be cool to make it so it slides into the hitch receiver on the truck. Depending where you weld the receiver post you could use it in one position for splitting the log, but then rotate it 180 degrees for traveling.


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## TN_WOOD (Dec 1, 2011)

jdc123 said:


> Neat idea. I've been wanting to get froe or what some would call a shingle splitter to split kindling.



I think a froe would be neat. I just can't find an inexpensive one.

I guess I could baton a few pieces with a knife. Might do some of that just for kicks one day.


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## Toddppm (Dec 1, 2011)

That kid is going to be a strong boy when he gets bigger!


All of these methods posted here are just too slow......................."Worlds fastest firewood splitter" MAN - YouTube just get'r done


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## jdc123 (Dec 1, 2011)

TN_WOOD said:


> I think a froe would be neat. I just can't find an inexpensive one.
> 
> I guess I could baton a few pieces with a knife. Might do some of that just for kicks one day.



I've had the same problem, guess I need to bite the bullet and just buy one. I have tried the knife baton thing and it will work but it ain't the best thing for the knife. (used a large Ek military knife).... When you're doing it you just know that a froe would be a lot easier.:smile2:


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## Dalmatian90 (Dec 1, 2011)

> I wonder if there is a market for just kindling



Local guy works for a moulding company. Brings home the scraps (for free) on his trailer in fork-lift sized bundles metal banded together.

Chop saws them down to size, ties a string around them, puts them out on an honor system stand on his front lawn (pretty good location on a state highway). Gonna guess he uses a 5 gallon bucket to size a bundle. $4/bundle. 

Can't keep up with demand.

Winter time it's the firewood folks, summer time it's the campers. Some of the summer time business is chimera burners who only want a short fire in the evening for a beer or glass of wine and don't want a long burning fire.

I buy 4-5 bundles a year, mostly used either side of the season (stove is usually running hard 12/15 -- 3/15 and I'll barely use any). 2nd best bang for my buck other then the gasoline for the saw.


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## TN_WOOD (Dec 2, 2011)

jdc123 said:


> I've had the same problem, guess I need to bite the bullet and just buy one. I have tried the knife baton thing and it will work but it ain't the best thing for the knife. (used a large Ek military knife).... When you're doing it you just know that a froe would be a lot easier.:smile2:



My $7 camp axe is working fine, but I have thought about getting a surplus bayonet (<$10) and perhaps attaching it to some pipe to make something that sorta resembles a froe. Odds are that I won't get around to this because my current system works, but if/when I head over to Smoky Mtn Knife Works, I might have to pick up a bayonet anyway.


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## zogger (Dec 2, 2011)

*Kids*



Toddppm said:


> That kid is going to be a strong boy when he gets bigger!
> 
> 
> All of these methods posted here are just too slow......................."Worlds fastest firewood splitter" MAN - YouTube just get'r done



...don't try this after a tequila breakfast....


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## 1project2many (Dec 2, 2011)

> One of my dogs years ago would drag in a whole giant brush pile, plus some decent logs. He was always trying to do what I was doing. I mean he just got it into his head one day to drag in a stout deadfall branch, after watching me do it, then he went nuts with it, kept me in campfire wood at my camp.
> 
> That's the same dog went up the cliff and banzaied off into the water, after watching me and some local kids do it. This was like 40 feet, my limit on how far I want to do that (or that I ever have).
> 
> Same dog, same camp, decides he needs a den, so he, over around a week or so, excavates out this *huge* under an old stump den cave. So, one weekend, my bud comes over to my camp and both our girlfriends..this big storm comes up, it is tearing the tent up, so I said, "quick, down into Blue's cave"! We all fit! Four people plus one large dog, we all sat out that storm down there.



Ya know when the dog's tellin the story it's "That human just wants to do whatever I do. Fetch sticks, go swimming, everything. I built a small den for a little privacy and he just had to crawl into it with his human friends."

I just knock a few small pieces off the night's wood with a hatchet when I'm starting a fire. I put some Birch bark in the end of the woodbox for the wife to use. Plus she has those wally world cheat sticks. A few years ago I was using the ends of the battens I put on the barn for kindling. One night, as I was watching the small flames quickly grow into a good, hot fire I realized I hadn't acquired near enough fire extinguishers for the barn.


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## Philbert (Dec 17, 2011)

Saw this in the Northern Tool catalog:

Wel-Bilt Manual Slide Hammer Log Splitter Item# 119980 (around $40).

Similar to the Bailey's one (post # 11 in this thread), but simpler, without the stand. Might be good for someone who does not want to swing an axe or maul.

Philbert


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## flatheadford (Dec 18, 2011)

Slide hammer type with boobs.

HARK Kaminofen Smart Splitter - YouTube


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