I just got the forklift mast. I will be cutting it apart and widening for the wedge. I also will be cutting it shorter Right now I only intend for one adjustable 12way wedge. there will be a round ring in the middle that will split into 4, 6in splits. The splits wont actually be 6in since there is some spread of the original first half split causing the wood to be spread by the time it actually contacts the center ring. Considering a 24in dia round, every split should be pretty close to even size. The wedge will be height adjustable so that anything less than 12 inches will pass thru the center ring for 4 splits. Smaller stuff, can pass directly under the center cross section and still be split 4 ways by using the bottom half of the ring. Raise the wedge all the way up and 6-8in dia stuff can just be split in halfs. Center the ring and cross section up with 24in or large dia round should give me 12 pretty even size splits that can be picked up with just one hand. Once I get beyond the 24in dia, then the outer splits will get larger proportionally. While the wedge will have a 4way cross section with a ring, attached to the ring will be an additional 4 wedges to half the outer splits. The way I currently separate my wood for resplitting is during stacking. I find it just takes to much time to reach for a oversize round and send it back thru the splitter. I find it better to just split and when I stack, I throw out anything to big, until I get a pretty good size pile of resplits, and do them all at one time. Another thing i have found is my wife will go for the big stuff for the nite fires. If i wait long enough, she will have most of the big stuff burnt and I dont have to resplit it. But thats for my stove, I know other folks can be picky.
I have studied the binding issues of multiple wedges and did some experimenting with my current 6way wedge on my current splitter. The wedges must be mounted with a larger opening in the rear than it does in the front of the wedge or binding becomes a big problem. Also, for any ring type wedges, the wedge can only be sharpened on one side (outer edge) to prevent the split from being pinched toward the inner fixed section. What I have done is watched and measured the width of the spilts as they pass thru my current 6way wedge to determine just how far a split will open up as it passes across the wedge. Planning wood to wedge contact and using proper angles for the wedges should allow the wood to pass thru without any major binding issues. Its not a issue of having plenty of power to push the splits thru the wedge, plenty of power and binding equals broke parts. Of course best laid plans of mice and men and Murphys law will apply here.
Right now I have plenty of cutting, grinding and machining to do before actually welding any thing. My first task is to build the knuckle boom and get it out of the shop. I was going to mount the boom on the processor back toward the operator. Not liking how that design would mean having to set the boom off to one side and making for blind spots if loading off the opposite side, I have decided to just mount the boom on the trailer at the tongue. It will mean beefing up the tongue some but it will allow me the same reach from each side of the trailer, plus if i get a wild hair, i can set the processor off the trailer and use the trailer as a forwarder, not that I think thats going to happen a lot as it would mean needing another hyd power supply and the processor aint going to be that easy to set off and on.
