Splitter design question......

[JDavidS]

How far from the toe plate (or wedge if you are using a push plate) do you have your fully extended cylinder rod/wedge at?

I know for the really stringy stuff having the wedge cut to say within a 1/4" would be ideal, but that would only be 10% or less of the wood that I encounter.

To gain some extra log length capacity, I am thinking of having the wedge "bottoming out" 2-3" above the toe plate. So if I go with a 30" cylinder, you could actually split a 33" log with it.

Pros? Cons? Something I am missing/not thinking about?.

 

[sundance]

How far from the toe plate (or wedge if you are using a push plate) do you have your fully extended cylinder rod/wedge at?

I know for the really stringy stuff having the wedge cut to say within a 1/4" would be ideal, but that would only be 10% or less of the wood that I encounter.

To gain some extra log length capacity, I am thinking of having the wedge "bottoming out" 2-3" above the toe plate. So if I go with a 30" cylinder, you could actually split a 33" log with it.

Pros? Cons? Something I am missing/not thinking about?.

If 10% of your wood will need essentially full stroke, I wouldn't build to fight with that wood. When I built mine it was about 3" between wedge and push plate. I'm going to figure out how to mod it this spring because I'm tired of fighting all the pieces that don't fully split.

 

[Otahyoni]

I was going to put the push plate as close as possible to the wedge, but now you've got me re-thinking it.

I suppose if you did leave a gap you could chase the stuck log with another log to push it off. (Assuming wedge on beam design)

If you have the wedge on the cylinder I suppose you could put stripper plates on the side to push off stucks.

 

[JDavidS]

Yup, I will definitely have log knocker off-er/stripper bars regardless of the gap I go with.

I think it all depends on what length wood you want. If 18" is all you ever cut and split, then a 24" set up with the wedge almost touching the plate will do ya' just fine.

I want/need a bit bigger capacity to satisfy my discriminating firewood burners. (my family)

And in the stringy stuff, a little maul/axe work to finish off the occasional stubborn piece won't kill me. Probably. Maybe.

 

[Oliver1655]

I bolt on wood blocks with a groove down the middle which go on both sides of the vertical wedge around 1/2". Greatly reduces the incomplete splits. But I like to keep my splits down to around 20-22" long.

 

[luckydozenfarm]

I wouldn't worry too much about getting it too close to split stringy wood like elm. I always use a sacrificial piece of wood like a 4"x4" on the push plate to make up the difference if it wont split through to the end. I'd rather have the edge about 3/4" from hitting the push plate.

 

[GVS]

I use the sacrificial piece also.That scrap takes some beating!