FAIL!!!!!!!A-35 plate steel too soft for splitter knife!!!!What grade steel should they have used??

[moondoggie]

OK guys that build splitters and metal fabricators. Help please!!! The knife is half inch thick I believe. The welding shop made me one that was to thick. My machine would not push through. So they cut it off and the metal they used was too soft. A-35 plate metal. What do I need? The old factory blade lasted 30 + years. There is more to this story. I will type more later. Ponder this and let me know please.

I use this splitter to feed my children. I split 300+ cords in two years with it. Up too 46" diameter rounds.

 

[moondoggie]

Machine is a 84

 

[olyman]

northern tool, used to have just the blades for sale.......

 

[Agent Orange]

northern tool, used to have just the blades for sale.......

Still do. Had to sharpen it, but it's held its edge well.
http://m.northerntool.com/products/...Hn_x0MPcm3YTI1cbVP1PLbpIsP7vByn4k-RoCP63w_wcB

 

[cantoo]

Shape has a lot to do with splitting ability. I just use plain steel and normally don't have an issue. Got any pictures of the failed one?

 

[sam-tip]

Most of the abrasion resistant steel works very good. AR400 or one place sells what they call plow steel. Just need some preheating before welding. The northern knife is A36

 

[olympyk_999]

Shape has a lot to do with splitting ability. I just use plain steel and normally don't have an issue. Got any pictures of the failed one?

+1
If the taper is too long it doesn't leave enough material behind the point to keep it from bending over...material doesn't matter much when the taper is wrong, the only difference would be bending vs. Breaking which the AR plate will bend very little before it just breaks...
Personally I like using A-36 but hard face the taper for abrasion resistance
The ones I have made are tapered at 60 degrees, and have no problems...but the thinner the wedge material the steeper the taper needs to be.

 

[olyman]

Most of the abrasion resistant steel works very good. AR400 or one place sells what they call plow steel. Just need some preheating before welding. The northern knife is A36

you just gave me a idea..thanks...

 

[Gugi47]

What you need is 75 NI 8 steel.
After you weld, you have to harden it.
Heat to cherry red and cool it with OIL not water.
Good luck

 

[moondoggie]

20 mins splitting. The factory knife lasted32 years

 

[moondoggie]

they started sharpening the wrong side!

 

[robson1015]

Here is the one I used from Spliteze company........very good...


I added a stout backer plate and side wedges.

 

[blades]

I used good old A36, 1" thick 60 deg wedge, 10 years now I have ripped it off the beam a couple times but never bent it like the op's. And I can cross shear 6" if need be.

 

[olympyk_999]

I used good old A36, 1" thick 60 deg wedge, 10 years now I have ripped it off the beam a couple times but never bent it like the op's. And I can cross shear 6" if need be.

Same here I shear rounds that are too long often...no problem...his problem is the 1/2" material, along with a long taper is no good for the main wedge!

 

[Agent Orange]

View attachment 486786 Here is the one I used from Spliteze company........very good...
View attachment 486782 View attachment 486783 View attachment 486784

I added a stout backer plate and side wedges.View attachment 486787 View attachment 486788 View attachment 486782 View attachment 486783 View attachment 486784 View attachment 486785 View attachment 486786

Nice work!

 

[moondoggie]

this did not work. My splitter wouldn't push through twisted or knotty stuff this is the factory ½ inch plate that lasted 32 years before it developed a small bend

 

[robson1015]

Nice work!

Thanx for noticing Agent Orange....

 

[olympyk_999]

View attachment 486808 this did not work. My splitter wouldn't push through twisted or knotty stuffView attachment 486809 this is the factory ½ inch plate that lasted 32 years before it developed a small bend

you can try doing a double bevel like these...the top wedge is 3/4" and the vertical wedges are 1/2"...the two outside wedges are only beveled on one side and the middle wedge is beveled on both sides...

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

T1 steel is commonly used. 100k psi and weldable/machinable.

That's what mine is. Have a few thousand cords through it, looks close to new.

 

[cantoo]

Looks like lots of side force to me. Bad crotch or cross grain. When I split wood I pick my battles and try to read the wood before hitting to go button, only takes part of a second. I used 3/4" material on my 36" splitter, wedge has 30" of usable wedge and is 4 way. No problems yet but like I say I spin the piece if I see it's a bad one.