DanTheCanadian
Weekend Warrior
Lol I changed the tires on the wife's car and I was like "hey I bet I can get at least six wedges out of it," the wife thought I had gone nuts!!!
homemade wedges
- Thread starter whitedogone
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I make all my Felling and bucking wedges.
Personam tree is very good. I normally don't use wood that splits easily like oak or Hickory. I've used Holley. They dry light. Sweet Gum didn't seem good. Recently I dropped an Elm. Though I may try that. Does anyone know of a really good wood for making wooden wedges. I'm guessing Bodock but I don't have that on hand. Thanks
No hardwood is going to last very long, so use whatever hardwood you have available. I prefer oak or ash because I have lots of it. I've even tried yellow birch, which is surprisingly strong. Osage orange (hedge) is another candidate. One time I made several out out black locust and found that to be a tough puppy also.
I'm going to try this. Cut a round cookie piece 10 or 12 inches thick then use the axe to see how readily it splits. Assuming, easy to split won't hold up long. I just blocked out a Persimmon tree. That's some good wedge wood. One thing I do that helps save them from damage during driving is the shape of the head. I bevel all edges quiet a bit. Also instead of beating one a lot I'll add as many as I have room for. Mine last quiet a while. Thanks.
Persimmon would probably be one of the best. I use plastic ones. Just a heads up if you catch one of the husqvarna branded ones with the back of the bar tip they can cause wicked kickback also. Happened to me recently.
I'll never forget a big splitting steel wedge glancing off the side of my ankle one time after I hit it with a big sledge hammer to split piece of wood log about 18 inches long on a really cold day. Had on a big leather boot or it would have probably took my ankle off. I felt that all the way to the top of my head and even my testicles hurt. Only good thing I was by myself when it happened, no one around to laugh and make fun of me as I was crawling and wollaring around on the ground moaning. Was surprised when got the boot off all the meat and hide was still attached and thankful that the foot was useable next day.
I still use big steel wedges but more careful about them flyers.
I still use big steel wedges but more careful about them flyers.
I think we are confused here between log splitting wedges and felling wedges. Just MHO.
(The thread might need a moderator.)
(The thread might need a moderator.)
Could you repost your photos for making your own (missing in this thread and the linked one).
Plastic wedges are pretty affordable and repairable. But it would be helpful to know a technique for making basic felling wedges in the field, for those times when one finds themselves without them, or without enough.
Thanks.
Philbert
Here they are, several Pics. I use a table saw with an 8/4 (2") thick hardwood workpiece blank :
I usually cut six or eight at a time and then cut the thick top flat to ensure an isosceles triangle (takes a little math):
The hole that I drill about 2" from the sharp end allow a metal ring to hold them together:
A painted stripe helps keep me from losing them in the field:
I usually cut six or eight at a time and then cut the thick top flat to ensure an isosceles triangle (takes a little math):
The hole that I drill about 2" from the sharp end allow a metal ring to hold them together:
A painted stripe helps keep me from losing them in the field:
Osage Orange, Hornbeam and Beech make the best wedges up here, all these woods are very resistant to splitting, good luck splitting a piece with an axe or steel wedge.
I also use a table saw with a gig. First I mill a very board 1 inch thick then using a circle saw cut it down to 3.25 inches wide. It becomes a rectangle. My gig allows me to cut a wedge of each end then cut through the board center and get 2 more wedges for a total of 4 per plank. Then with an electric plane the driving head is shipped. Today I milled several boards and stacked them to air dry. Next rainy day I'll make 16 or 20 nice wedges. By making the wedges just over 3 inches wide and cut them edge wise with the saw depth at 3 inches the blade never comes all way through the top of the board. After the blanks are taken off the table saw a hand saw safely saws the last part removing the wedge. As I'm set up it's quiet fast. I prime and paint them. If I can figure how I'll access photos of my plank maker.
Attachments
These are Felling and Bucking wedges. The only time I split using a huge (glut) wooden wedge is to assist my Log splitter. That way if I accidentally strike it with my axe the axe isn't damaged.
I made a few or so in the past. Was using 1 a little forcefully 1 time , hit it and don't remember exactly how, but it split and a chunk of the wedge shot back at me hitting my forehead pretty hard and fast. Stunned me a bit and I got a minor cut and knot on my head and quit on the home made wedges. It was made of seasoned black oak.
I usually have 1 good small wedge on me and 1 damaged already wedge or 2. When I can will get the damaged wedge in, I try to have it the closest 1 to the chain. I'll get bigger and better wedges from my truck if I fore see I will need them. They last me well enough at that. The small wedges I was finding at near $5 each, usually by the dozen which a dozen have been lasting me a few years or better. The bigger wedges I don't need often and seldom need to buy. Bought some of them in lots on ebay used in the past, picked some up at auctions or flea markets and something like 4 to 6 from Baileys. I've had some aluminum also which I like. More expensive but most mine came second hand in excellent shape. Are more durable then plastic. Used to use steel sometimes, mainly after starting the procedure with a soft wedge. at 1 time used to carry an little more then flat wedged shape steel schim which worked very well when the cut was shut from pressure and I wanted to wedge it the other direction.
I usually have 1 good small wedge on me and 1 damaged already wedge or 2. When I can will get the damaged wedge in, I try to have it the closest 1 to the chain. I'll get bigger and better wedges from my truck if I fore see I will need them. They last me well enough at that. The small wedges I was finding at near $5 each, usually by the dozen which a dozen have been lasting me a few years or better. The bigger wedges I don't need often and seldom need to buy. Bought some of them in lots on ebay used in the past, picked some up at auctions or flea markets and something like 4 to 6 from Baileys. I've had some aluminum also which I like. More expensive but most mine came second hand in excellent shape. Are more durable then plastic. Used to use steel sometimes, mainly after starting the procedure with a soft wedge. at 1 time used to carry an little more then flat wedged shape steel schim which worked very well when the cut was shut from pressure and I wanted to wedge it the other direction.
I made a jig that cuts edge wise. I make planks then square the edges and make wedges pretty fast. Here are a few photos of wedges shaped with the electric planer on the top for driving. As you can tell they are well used. Also a photo of a plank cut out of a Persimmon tree. These things are not pretty but danged good. Mine hold up about as well if not better than plastic. I make quite a few because my friends and family love them. Twenty takes about an hour if they are painted. Figure 5 bucks and I saved 100 dollars.
