What type of wedge is better on splitter?

[BIG BEAM]

Here I go again with another question.How come some co. use a thin wedge on their splitters 3/4-1" and some use a thin wedge with little wings welded on it.I can see that the one with the wings will spread the wood faster but which one works better in general.Does one need more power than the other?I'm buying my first splitter and need to know this stuff.I will be doing mostly resplits and such and a little big stuff.Any huge stuff will be cut first with a saw if I have to.
Thanks DON

 

[turnkey4099]

Here I go again with another question.How come some co. use a thin wedge on their splitters 3/4-1" and some use a thin wedge with little wings welded on it.I can see that the one with the wings will spread the wood faster but which one works better in general.Does one need more power than the other?I'm buying my first splitter and need to know this stuff.I will be doing mostly resplits and such and a little big stuff.Any huge stuff will be cut first with a saw if I have to.
Thanks DON

My homebuilt has a 9" long (and, IIRC, 9" tall) 1/2" wedge with wings starting back about 3 or 4 inches fromthe cutting edge.

Yes, in tough stuff it does take more power. My splitter is a bit underpowered and has stalled usually just as the wings begin to take effect.

Benefits of a wing are that it will "pop" a split much sooner, will also force a stringy piece apart vice having to run the chunk all the way through.

Which is better? Damfino.

Harry K

 

[triptester]

Which wedge shape works better depends on a combinations of things. Stringy wood cuts better with a narrow wedge . Straight grain wood splits faster with a wide wedge. A narrow wedge works best on splitters with low tonnage,high inertia ( SuperSplit ), or split in both directions ( SplitFire ) where the wedge travels all the way through the wood.

Winged wedges require greater tonnage and work best with high GPM pumps. Winged wedges usually pop the wood apart with less travel but the 2-stage pumps downshift sooner slowing ram speed.

The best wedge shape depends on a combination tonnage, speed, splitter design, and type of wood.

 

[abohac]

Obviously wider is faster because it splits quicker but it does take more power. Either works. Look for a wedge that is higher. That's my complaint with most commercially built splitters (too short) (the wedge that is!).

 

[BIG BEAM]

Obviously wider is faster because it splits quicker but it does take more power. Either works. Look for a wedge that is higher. That's my complaint with most commercially built splitters (too short) (the wedge that is!).

Yeah I've noticed that,most are 6" or so on the ones I looked at.
DON

 

[triptester]

The reason most wedges are short is to keep the centerline of the force close to the beam. This lessens the chance of the beam bending and strain on the wedge attachment point or binding of the slide of the push plate.

 

[Mike Van]

One good trick I've seen is the bottom 2 or 3 inches of the wedge is longer, it gives you more area to weld, and starts the split before the wood ever gets into the top of the wedge.

 

[BIG BEAM]

I was looking at the ramsplitter and the wedge slants toward the ram.That looks like the log would tend to stay on the table better.Years ago I borrowed a splitter and found that the log tended to ride up on the wedge.I think the ramsplitter might tend to alleviate that.Don't know.
DON