Some Christmas morning splitting.

[Kevin in Ohio]

Family's getting together tonight so I decided to take advantage of the temps.

Snow finally melted off and we had about 4 inches of rain. Temps went low so it's froze enough to finish splitting up the big ash at my place.

Working by myself this morning as I had some time. It's on a hillside so I leveled it up with the stabilizers.

It goes pretty quick when you are chunking for the boiler. Just making them nice handling size. Hard to see but the downhill side wheel is in the air.

This tree was getting close to 5 ft in diameter but half of it split off a few years ago. Wood is still really nice and didn't want it to go to waste.

When I made my splitter I had the single wedge in a stair step design. It was REALLY aggressive and I did have it stall on a few nasty chunks. Spent some "quality" time with the angle grinder and reduced the included angle and took out the step.

Here's how it was originally. You can see the amount taken off by looking at the welded seam.

Wish I had a mill! Used about 1 1/2 9 inch angle grinder wheels and took about 3 hours, Yeah, That's wanting something bad! I didn't baby it today and it never stalled going straight through knots. This is ash though so we will see.

Here is one of the upper limb chunks for reference, It's right at 30 inches.

Here is a visual of the way I split with this set up. With it on the hook, split about a 1/3 off.

Swing it away and split a 1/3 off the other side. Real world here as it chunked out in the center. No worries, I'm adaptable

 

[Kevin in Ohio]

Threw that chunk on top of the other and rolled it over while on the hook. Split that off and push to the opposite table when done. Hanging chunk swings away. This is why the wedge on the ram works better for this setup. The hanging piece doesn't rock away and want toi swing back at you. Since this is for bigger stuff, you don't have to pull all the chunks back to you. Everything has pluses and minuses. After kicking ideas around in my head for years, this is what works best for me in my situation.

Swing it a safe distance away and work up the other stuff as small as you want. It's light enough now that you can handle it and it never hits the ground till it's to size. Once the tables are cleaned, go back to the hanger and finish.

Next piece, Here how it normally works!

There is another pile about the same size just out of the pic. About half done at this point. Starting to build up! I had to change as I normally back down the log. The hillside would have made the boom swing around so I came in from the side. I did the 2 piles so I can back the truck in between them. You can then load from either side with very few steps. Another speed thing.

Spent 2 and 3/4 hours splitting. Looks like 2 1/2 cord as there is another load at least this size yet. pretty decent for one guy as I had some camera time but the bigger size makes it go quicker.

The bigger size also makes loading faster, Took about 15 minutes to get this one on. Good wood as you can see she is squating. I'm just burning this off the truck to save a handling. They aren't calling for any snow so far.

 

[chucker]

pretty big blocks! good thing you didn't have to pick them up more than once with the lift !! better yet not have to repeat lift for the quarters an such. nice machine!

 

[chucker]

swing away tables that's a first ive seen! way to fancy for splitting wood...? lol great minds think of better ways I guess!

 

[jrider]

I love splitting for the boiler. You can really fly through it!

 

[Kevin in Ohio]

swing away tables that's a first ive seen! way to fancy for splitting wood...? lol great minds think of better ways I guess!

I have the tables lockable with a gear detent right now. I've decided to change that to a spring loaded drag system so You don't have to reach for the handle. Basically to make it faster and easier. Have it figured out how I'm going to do it along with the pieces. Just have to have a buddy do some milling for me. I'll post it when I get it done.

The swing away tables are the handiest thing on the big stuff. If someone is loading/stacking you can also throw them on there and they don't have to bend over. NICE!!

 

[zogger]

That splitter is pure cheatin'! HAHAHA

Now just weld you up a robot, you can sit in the cab while it and the splitter do the splitting and loading!

 

[ash man]

Very nice set up you've got there.

 

[Dan_IN_MN]

Nice looking splitter!

What winch are you using?

 

[OH_Varmntr]

Jealous! Nice work!

Sent from my ADR6410LVW using Tapatalk

 

[Kevin in Ohio]

Nice looking splitter!

What winch are you using?

It's a Harbor freight special, originally camo in color. Item 95912. I bought 2 when I started as I didn't know how it would hold up.i had some coupons and they had a sale on them. I got them for $39.99 each which is pretty hard to beat. It's supposed to be rated at 3000lbs pull but I do not know the lift specs. It growls at some of the 4ft plus stuff but does lift it. I did have to soldier some of the connections on the motors circuit board. The remote acted up and it was one of their soldierless crimp connections, it would lift but wouldn't let it down. It has a cordless remote and that is what I wanted. I can hook the log hold one side of the hook and with the other hand, run the remote. No cords to deal with and REAL handy. Has about 30 ft of cable if needed but I normally just back down the log. It just is faster to swing 180 degrees from the backside. If they fail I get a better one but didn't want to invest a lot just to try the idea. I'm hooked on it now though, literally.

With all I've split with it, I have yet to overheat it or use up the battery. I have not had to jump it or anything so the mowers charging system keeps up with the demand. I did use heavy cables to power it but the factory wiring on the winch is the weak link.

 

[ash man]

I really like how your lifting those big rounds with that boom. Seems easier than other ways I've seen. I just might have to copy you. Do you need the outriggers for when your swinging big rounds over to be split?

 

[Kevin in Ohio]

I really like how your lifting those big rounds with that boom. Seems easier than other ways I've seen. I just might have to copy you. Do you need the outriggers for when your swinging big rounds over to be split?

The outriggers allow you to level it from side to side. You don't want to fight the boom trying to swing to one position if your off camber. They also keep the splitter in position if you want to drag a big round or log to it. I like the splitter to be solid and that is why I do not have a suspension on it. With the size I'm lifting with it, I didn't want any surprises as far as flex or leaning goes. If you didn't have the outriggers you could never run the machine without it hooked up to something as it would lift the front end up. For me it's a safety, convenience thing.

I've used side lifts and they are in the way too much. That and I like the box beam main rail and slide. Can't have stuff welded to the beam as the slide would hit it. When I'm doing smaller stuff that can be lifted by hand, I just swing everything out of the way. I do have to step over the stabilizers if they are down but it isn't as bad as I thought. If 2 people are running it one retrieves carriable rounds and puts them on the swing away table while the other splits and throws.

 

[ash man]

Kevin sure could have used your splitter today trying to man handle these 40" rounds under my splitter was tough.

 

[Kevin in Ohio]

No more fighting them, wedges, noodling or He Man rolling for me. One finger is all it takes to push the button to lift. Those you have there look PLENTY heavy and nice looking wood. Just as heavy as this stuff.

We cut everything 22 - 24 inches.

What's that thing with a yellow handle?

 

[ReggieT]

Threw that chunk on top of the other and rolled it over while on the hook. Split that off and push to the opposite table when done. Hanging chunk swings away. This is why the wedge on the ram works better for this setup. The hanging piece doesn't rock away and want toi swing back at you. Since this is for bigger stuff, you don't have to pull all the chunks back to you. Everything has pluses and minuses. After kicking ideas around in my head for years, this is what works best for me in my situation.

Swing it a safe distance away and work up the other stuff as small as you want. It's light enough now that you can handle it and it never hits the ground till it's to size. Once the tables are cleaned, go back to the hanger and finish.

Next piece, Here how it normally works!

There is another pile about the same size just out of the pic. About half done at this point. Starting to build up! I had to change as I normally back down the log. The hillside would have made the boom swing around so I came in from the side. I did the 2 piles so I can back the truck in between them. You can then load from either side with very few steps. Another speed thing.

Spent 2 and 3/4 hours splitting. Looks like 2 1/2 cord as there is another load at least this size yet. pretty decent for one guy as I had some camera time but the bigger size makes it go quicker.

The bigger size also makes loading faster, Took about 15 minutes to get this one on. Good wood as you can see she is squating. I'm just burning this off the truck to save a handling. They aren't calling for any snow so far.

Kevin...you are A BAD MAN!!! BRAVO!

 

[ash man]

I actually had my new chi-com 23 ton champion splitter with me and i had it vertical, but trying to roll those rounds under it is a young mans job. The yellow handled sledge was used in conjunction with the plastic wedges. This monstrous oak was close to a house, and I wasnt taking an chances even thou it had a slght lean.

 

[osb_mail]

I split firewood on Christmas too we had family things other days so I had some free time it was a nice way to celebrate being out in the woods .