# Tool Talk >  Slide action wood splitter - GIF

## Jon

Slide action wood splitter. Probably gimmicky; it's hard to beat an axe or a maul. This slide hammer action is still interesting.



Your browser does not support the video tag.



Previously:

Power Stow belt loading system and moving firewood into a house
Double-handed wood splitting mayhem - GIF
Artisanal firewood spoof - video
Motorcycle firewood cutter - GIF

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chy_farm (Jul 30, 2020),

johnsmachines (Dec 23, 2018),

KustomsbyKent (Nov 9, 2018),

PJs (Nov 11, 2018),

Scotsman Hosie (Mar 17, 2019),

Seedtick (Nov 9, 2018),

Toolmaker51 (Nov 9, 2018)

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## Toolmaker51

> Slide action wood splitter. Probably gimmicky; it's hard to beat an axe or a maul. This slide hammer action is still interesting.




Gimmicky, depends how well certain people wield an axe or maul. Both operating side by side, with equal strength, I think the axe would have a job keeping up in same number split. The sliding hammer easily places the wedge as desired.

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PJs (Nov 11, 2018)

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## ncollar

Toolmaker
I agree with and if Harbor Freight got them in they could not keep them on the shelf. 
But DIY is always better.
Nelson

One great advantage of the slide hammer is the power is right where you want it. I know after about 15 minutes my aim get a little off and my back will not forgive me.

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PJs (Nov 11, 2018)

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## PJs

I like the blade/wedge design and on dense wood properly seasoned it would work like a charm but wonder how it would work on stringier wood like Euc. or softer woods like cedar. Ergonomically I think this is pretty cool yet would bet it weighs at least twice what an axe weighs. Also agree with TM51 about the accuracy and with Nelson, after 15-30 minutes accuracy with an axe drops off considerably.

I'd rather rent or borrow a hydraulic splitter and be done with it. Years ago when I was younger buck :-P, a buddy and I got a bunch of oak and Euc free if we picked it up. Ended up with ~2 1/2 cords and split and stacked it all in a day with a splitter, basically about 2 years worth for both of us for only about 2 days work. Return rental splitter...$30!...there that's done.

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Toolmaker51 (Nov 11, 2018)

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## Jon

I guess one good question is: how much force can you apply with this slide splitter as opposed to swinging an axe overhead? Also of note: ease of splitting varies enormously between different wood species, and between dry or wet wood.

Cross-bladed axe:



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PJs (Nov 11, 2018),

rlm98253 (Nov 12, 2018),

Scotsman Hosie (Mar 17, 2019),

Seedtick (Nov 12, 2018),

Toolmaker51 (Nov 11, 2018)

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## PJs

Agreed about the wood. Now that is a cool splitter and looks like it Works darn good!

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## Toolmaker51

Kinetics (?) of slide hammer is good competition for inertia (?) of axe. Way less physical effort than getting an axe overhead, probably more impact on joints though, axe mainly bears on wrists. Real speed of slide hammer in the wood bundled together, remaining upright. Slide hammer or axe not as effective when stuff falls over.

PJ's right though. Reaching into wallet for $30 bucks substantially easier...but not better at thin parting sizes between kindling and intermediate fuel. Quartered stumps don't light themselves.

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PJs (Nov 12, 2018)

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## Airstreamer

> I guess one good question is: how much force can you apply with this slide splitter as opposed to swinging an axe overhead? Also of note: ease of splitting varies enormously between different wood species, and between dry or wet wood.
> 
> Cross-bladed axe:
> 
> <video controls autoplay loop>
> <source src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/hmt-forum/cross_bladed_axe.mp4" type="video/mp4">
> Your browser does not support the video tag.
> </video>



Interesting idea that probably works well with easy-to-split wood, but if the axe sticks in the wood it's going to be a lot harder to remove. As a teen I was taught to twist the axe slightly as it hits the wood which tends to widen the split making it more likely that the pieces will separate, and reduces the chance of the axe sticking. I don't think that technique would work with the cross-bladed axe.

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Jon (Nov 19, 2018),

PJs (Nov 18, 2018),

Toolmaker51 (Nov 12, 2018)

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## Philip Davies

Looks painful, but must be safer!

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## Jon

Your browser does not support the video tag.

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Scotsman Hosie (Mar 17, 2019),

Seedtick (Nov 24, 2018),

will52100 (Nov 24, 2018)

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## PJs

Is that a beheading wedge...so much for what looks to be fiberglass handles. Merry Christmas Dude!

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Toolmaker51 (Nov 19, 2018)

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## Toolmaker51

I won't split with a maul or handled wedge. This video shows another reason why. He barely reacts; unless a wince deflects flying objects?...especially _heavy_ flying objects?? Not to mention stump teeters on what ever surface he's using.
I am aware any kind of splitting requires solid support in proportion to stump mass and density. Most wood hereabouts is oak; I like Oregon Grenades and they work.

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PJs (Nov 20, 2018)

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## Frank S

> <video controls autoplay loop>
> <source src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/hmt-forum/axe_head_breaks_off_while_splitting_wood.mp4" type="video/mp4">
> Your browser does not support the video tag.
> </video>



This just goes to show that you should never try to split green wood with splitting maul.
A couple years age I went through and flagged several dead mesquite trees. I might fell a few live ones but they don't get split for 2 years minimum. 
You should try split a green cut mulberry tree. Without hydraulics it is not going to happen. 
Most of my splitting is done with a standard single blade ax and if need be a 10 lb sledge 
Ax in 1 hand and sledge in the other I can split wood faster than the wife can set them up

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Toolmaker51 (Nov 20, 2018)

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## PJs

I learned on a double bladed as a youngun, then to a single blade and a sledge & wedge for tough stuff. Never used a maul and saw no real need. Most of ours was oak and Always dried properly. TM51 is absolutely right about the stability of the stump and never let the wood tilt toward you or wobble about, like a bobble head...just l@@king for a glancing blow to spit a shin or foot. This guy got Christmas early.

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Toolmaker51 (Nov 20, 2018)

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## Jon

The Chopper1 axe. Stand back, she's patented.



28-second split with the Chopper1 axe:





1:32 video of axe head rotating:




Purchase: https://chopper1axe.com/chopper1-axe
Patent: Patent Images

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baja (Jan 27, 2019),

Scotsman Hosie (Mar 17, 2019)

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## Frank S

A lot of patents are issued for things that are less than useful. regular old splitting mauls will do everything one of these will do and do not have moving parts to break bend or fowl. 
With one of these you have to strike with a high force every time or risk the pawls not fully flipping with enough force to split the wood.
Not all trees are readily split-able so no matter how hard you strike the log you still need a good sledge to drive the ax or the maul on through.
this thing has an even wider angle than just about any splitting maul making it harder to split the tougher wood since it has such a short penetrating edge

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## PJs

I'm with Frank. Seems like a Pricey ($100), semi fragile geegaw but they've been around since 77' which says something...Perhaps a gullibility or the one with the most toys wins factor. The stresses on the pins would be excessive imho and those little springs are just waiting to be tweaked or fouled as Frank says, as well as the spaces between the rotating levers and the body. Anyone that has split wood before knows the mess that accumulates around the stump after a session. Worst of all was a 1:32 video of a spinning product...I'll never get that time back, Really!

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## BruceFenster@gmail.com

I can not argue with some points made.

I haven't split a lot of wood in the last 20 years but the 22 before I did. I've owned one of these for 42 years. It was a gift to my father about 1977 and I used it to split wood for him and then eventually took it to my place. It does work and it's been trouble free, no parts have ever broken.

It is a tool, and like most tools is not a perfect tool, able to do everything you want it to do. For example, it is a terrible ax, it's incapable of chopping done a tree. But this is why we have more than one tool. Bet you have 30 screw drivers if you have one. Who among us has one hammer? And every tool is not for everyone.

If I had wood to split this is the first thing I'd grab from my tool pile. It will not split all wood types, but it will split lots of wood types. It is simple, I grab one tool. I don't have to grab a maul and a few wedges. I don't have to chase after my wedges for each log. Like any tool there is a technique to using it.

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PJs (Jan 27, 2019),

Scotsman Hosie (Mar 17, 2019)

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## owen moore

I had one of these when I was a younger man and split a couple of cords with it. If you modify it by welding it to one end of an I-beam and put a hydraulic ram on the other end , I think you will find that they will work much better. In all seriousness, they might be ok for straight grained soft woods like pine, etc. Try using this on some narly twisted oak or the like.

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## PJs

> I can not argue with some points made.
> 
> I haven't split a lot of wood in the last 20 years but the 22 before I did. I've owned one of these for 42 years. It was a gift to my father about 1977 and I used it to split wood for him and then eventually took it to my place. It does work and it's been trouble free, no parts have ever broken.
> 
> It is a tool, and like most tools is not a perfect tool, able to do everything you want it to do. For example, it is a terrible ax, it's incapable of chopping done a tree. But this is why we have more than one tool. Bet you have 30 screw drivers if you have one. Who among us has one hammer? And every tool is not for everyone.
> 
> If I had wood to split this is the first thing I'd grab from my tool pile. It will not split all wood types, but it will split lots of wood types. It is simple, I grab one tool. I don't have to grab a maul and a few wedges. I don't have to chase after my wedges for each log. Like any tool there is a technique to using it.



Nice to hear from someone who used one since their inception and good regard for them. True about tools and having kit enough to handle a variety of tasks with the ones fitting the need of the job...or improvising.

PJ

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Scotsman Hosie (Mar 17, 2019)

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## Jon

Found at the US Patent Full-Text Database Manual Search page.

Search query: *CCL/144/193.1 AND TTL/split$*

Explanation: in the category and subcategory for woodsplitting tools (144/193.1), and a title containing the text "split" ($ wildcard will search for: split, splitter, splitting, etc.).

Tool with Parallel Corners for Splitting Wood


More: Patent Images

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PJs (Feb 5, 2019),

Scotsman Hosie (Mar 17, 2019),

Seedtick (Feb 4, 2019)

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## PJs

An Interesting search list result...quite a bit of them. A long winding wabbit hole indeed.

Thanks for the criteria.

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## Jon

This maul patent focuses heavily on the virtues of "improved angle". Click on the patent for more details.

Wood Splitting Maul

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PJs (Feb 12, 2019),

Scotsman Hosie (Mar 17, 2019),

Seedtick (Feb 12, 2019)

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## PJs

I particularly liked the Summary of the Invention, section 2, line 35-45...well said.

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Jon (Feb 12, 2019)

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## Jon

Good call.



Does not surprise me to see that he's 80 years old; that is some pro-level Tellin' It Like It Is - in your patent application!

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PJs (Feb 13, 2019),

Toolmaker51 (Feb 12, 2019)

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## Toolmaker51

> Good call.
> 
> 
> 
> Does not surprise me to see that he's 80 years old; that is *some pro-level Tellin' It Like It Is* - _in your patent application!_



Not sure which of those I like better. We'd all appreciate less hype with more deliver; but slamming patent office is classic mechanic vs engineer.

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## PJs

Lest we furgit, Some of the *Pro's* _are the_ *Best Engineers*. More commonly known acrimoniously as SoPaBe's in acronymian format, acrostically delivered.

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Toolmaker51 (Feb 13, 2019)

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## Jon

Your browser does not support the video tag.

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## Ricklesss

Dang! 
Just when I'm planning to fab up one of those spinning "cone type splitters", somebody's gotta post up a completely different,
and equally effective looking one!
Anybody have any first hand experience building or using one of these?
RicklesssS in Oregon

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## Toolmaker51

> Dang! 
> Just when I'm planning to fab up one of those spinning "cone type splitters", somebody's gotta post up a completely different,
> and equally effective looking one!
> Anybody have any first hand experience building or using one of these?
> RicklesssS in Oregon



Effective mechanically; yes. Effective in practicality; no. 
Right off the bat, this rotating hook depends on the 'anvil' towards back of work surface, which means the ability to handle various lengths is questionable. Even if movable, sorting adds labor to work tending the machine. It would have a range of diameters too, with moisture content.
Your cone type auger, hands down, is more tolerant of length, which happens during cutting. The main thing is one end should have some degree of squareness so an auger will start.

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## Ricklesss

That's a very good point. My firewood varies a fair bit in length. Sorting wood or moving the anvil would make it a pain, unlesss it was really quick somehow.
But all my firewood does have a (mostly) flat/square cut, so the cone is looking better and better..
Thanks!
RicklesssS in Oregon.

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Toolmaker51 (Feb 26, 2019)

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## Frank S

I use mesquite for my fire wood because I have acres and acres of the stuff with many already dead trees. the problem with most splitters is the grain in the wood I use is never predictable also the longer dead they are the better they will readily split. I don't bother trying to cut to a specific length since I'm not selling it anyway. Often I can split a piece of wood by wielding the ax with 1 hand after I make the first split which sometimes requires swing the ax as hard as I can with both hands then 1 arming a 12 lb sledge onto the ax a few times after the first split they usually split into 2 or 3 finger width pieces easy.
I have thought about building a hydraulic log splitter with a star shaped blade of mounting a blade and anvil on my backhoe like my neighbor has done. But my backhoe is too large to be handy around a log pile so it would be slower than an ax and hammer. a vertical hydraulic log splitter would be nice but I need the exercise

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## Jon

I think we've hit peak up-and-down sliding motion.



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## Toolmaker51

I've seen similar, and somewhat more effective. Only difference, the guide rod has a set of 'clutch washers' and a light compression spring above. It adjusts to position the splitter a short distance above the wood. This adds inertia, instead of resting direct contact, when the slide hammer hits.

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## ranald

I thought the splitter was a bit high for that person: set it on a bit shorter stump. Those small sections did look pretty green and soft. I'd like to show her some real seasoned hard wood to split. My 21y.o. son loves the challenge so i always give him some curly grained with branches removed to test his skill.LOL. Some old flood wood or blackwood is tougher than steelwood & 3 times the diameter. sometimes the burn time isn't much better than eucalypt/corymbia sp.

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## Jon

2:07 video:

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## ranald

a chip off the old block: safety glasses? some recoil/ jarring but like Dundee said " this is a ....".

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cmarlow (Mar 14, 2019)

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## old kodger

Let me see you do that with old dry ironbark

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## ranald

> Let me see you do that with old dry ironbark



at least some that hasn't had the ravages of white ants. I had many metre + long sections (about 6 to 700mm dia) that were stored poorly on the ground. Kept to mount very large mature staghorns (supurbum sp) like the small one in the pic

Anyway time to mount them (a 2 man job) came, and all that was left of my log sections were the "iron bark" exteriors: white ants ate out the whole interior of almost all the large logsections.

The one in the pic is mounted on a ext ply base with appropriate filling as trees such as the Leopard tree Caelaspinia sp.( now Libidibia ferrea) does not have suitable bark for the fern.

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## Jon

I like this purpose-built version of the trick for splitting a log by placing it in an old tire.



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## ranald

Pretty cool for such a light dog chain. No Knots of any significance to create havoc. Strictly for fresh softer woods & not like woods old kodger mentioned.

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## Rattlerjake

Would have been much more entertaining with a Swedish Bikini Babe doing it!

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## Toolmaker51

I believe Swede bathing beauties could muck out Venetian canals, change oil in a semi, or wax an army tank and look good doing it.

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## Jon

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## Frank S

> <video controls autoplay loop>
> <source src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/hmt-forum/dangerous_firewood_spinning_splitter.mp4" type="video/mp4">
> Your browser does not support the video tag.
> </video>



I know it works and works well for him but whirling spinning things with high energy and sharp cleaving ax like protrusions scare the bejeevers out of me to be around and I'm not afraid of much

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jdurand (Jun 10, 2019),

ranald (Jun 10, 2019),

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## Rattlerjake

That is just pure dangerous! The height alone makes it dangerous. All it takes is just one wrong hit and a piece of that wood will go flying right into his head!

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Scotsman Hosie (Jun 10, 2019)

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## Crusty

If I needed a splitter I'd love to have one of these.

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Andyt (Jun 11, 2019),

KustomsbyKent (Jun 10, 2019),

Scotsman Hosie (Jun 10, 2019)

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## Rattlerjake

Yeah wouldn't we all! But why didn't they make the cutting heads large enough to do the whole log all at once? For $9900 I can buy all the cord word I'll need for the next 20 years (or more), and not have to do the work either! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...s-in-the-world

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## ranald

Great, the safety guards are called noggin and hands on fingers or not. the ppe is excellent also. might see this one in a cagun deliverance movie
Post #44

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## Toolmaker51

I just invoked Benny Hill elsewhere in HMT.net; and now here he IS! 
Maybe channeled him instead? Always confused about that.

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Marnat3 (Jun 15, 2019),

ranald (Jun 10, 2019)

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## Toolmaker51

> I know it works and works well for him but whirling spinning things with high energy and sharp cleaving ax like protrusions scare the bejeevers out of me to be around........and I'm not afraid of much



I've got a uber liberal Democrat next door; she'd scare ya! I call her ugly yipping little dogs Hillary and Chelsea. 
She hates that.

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## jimfols

Dangerous Firewood Splitter

Que huevos!

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## ranald

> I just invoked Benny Hill elsewhere in HMT.net; and now here he IS! 
> Maybe channeled him instead? Always confused about that.



Ha ha LOL. He'd be in fast motion & a also chip off the old block.

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## IntheGroove

That thing makes my Lickity Splitter look like a childs toy...

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## Frank S

> I've got a uber liberal Democrat next door; she'd scare ya! I call her ugly yipping little dogs Hillary and Chelsea. 
> She hates that.



I doubt it. I have special way of handling that class of people that usually leaves them mumbling and stuttering at a loss for words

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## Hoosiersmoker

Why does the phrase "One false move" keep rattling around in my head. Even though it's slightly sped up, that blade would still take your hand without even a thank you.

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## Hans Pearson

> Pretty cool for such a light dog chain. No Knots of any significance to create havoc. Strictly for fresh softer woods & not like woods old kodger mentioned.



I have looked a numerous log splitters and they all seem to work in one or another method on nice soft northern hemisphere pine etc., however, most if the splitters in Africa break before splitting more than a handful of logs, the reason being that the grain in our wild wood weaves and waves in all directions.

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## Frank S

> I have looked a numerous log splitters and they all seem to work in one or another method on nice soft northern hemisphere pine etc., however, most if the splitters in Africa break before splitting more than a handful of logs, the reason being that the grain in our wild wood weaves and waves in all directions.



I couldn't help but notice that he always hit the log the farthest away form him causing the handle to contact the log on each swing. I hate it when I accidently do this as it transmits a shock wave to my hands and can damage my ax handle which is pretty beat up there anyway already.

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## Jon

> I have looked a numerous log splitters and they all seem to work in one or another method on nice soft northern hemisphere pine etc., however, most if the splitters in Africa break before splitting more than a handful of logs, the reason being that the grain in our wild wood weaves and waves in all directions.



How do you guys split wood then? Shorter rounds? Or you just burn species with narrower trunks that don't need splitting? Or homeowners generally don't have access to the necessary splitters?

I like how the spinning wood splitter guy made his tool even _more_ dangerous with the addition of that rope so close to that spinning wheel, even going so far as to thread the rope through a square in his "guard", so that if the rope is tensioned, it can fling stuff right into his face. You would be lucky if that wheel just chopped off a hand; if it caught you up in it, you'd be going for quite a ride.

This is like the internet DIY version of Poe's Law - without a clear indication, I can't tell if his woodsplitter is a horribly dangerous contraption, or if he's intentionally parodying dangerous woodsplitters.

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## Tooler2

I would think it could turn much slower and still do the job

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Toolmaker51 (Jun 12, 2019)

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## Toolmaker51

While I liked his implementation of the capstan to hoist, it's an unnecessarily spartan machine when it comes to guarding overall. 
I'm a city boy, with a faint rustic demeanor. A little bit of watching helps find wood to harvest; usually curbside.
I use a variety of manual methods, to avoid repetitive stress injury. They are 30" Estwing axe, Oregon Grenade, old school wedges, 3 pound engineers hammer, 4 pound sledge, a Swedish pruning saw, larger bow saw. 
Cause she liked it when I took my shirt off.

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ranald (Jun 18, 2019)

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## Tooler2

> Yeah wouldn't we all! But why didn't they make the cutting heads large enough to do the whole log all at once? For $9900 I can buy all the cord word I'll need for the next 20 years (or more), and not have to do the work either! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...s-in-the-world



I don't like the idea of spitting out both sides but I guess if you don't have a conveyor to stack wood into a trailer it does mean you do not have to move as often. By taking 4'' only it allowa a much less powerful splitter so much faster cycle time with given hp.

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## Tooler2

> I have looked a numerous log splitters and they all seem to work in one or another method on nice soft northern hemisphere pine etc., however, most if the splitters in Africa break before splitting more than a handful of logs, the reason being that the grain in our wild wood weaves and waves in all directions.



I grew up splitting elm..same wild grain

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## TilenThaler

I doubt that guy is still alive.

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## ranald

> While I liked his implementation of the capstan to hoist, it's an unnecessarily spartan machine when it comes to guarding overall. 
> I'm a city boy, with a faint rustic demeanor. A little bit of watching helps find wood to harvest; usually curbside.
> I use a variety of manual methods, to avoid repetitive stress injury. They are 30" Estwing axe, Oregon Grenade, old school wedges, 3 pound engineers hammer, 4 pound sledge, a Swedish pruning saw, larger bow saw. 
> Cause she liked it when I took my shirt off.



goodun=LOL. sure you didn't just flexem & do the hulk. thanks for posting. 

I prefer a stihl or a ten pounder.
chers

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## Jon

Your browser does not support the video tag.

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## IntheGroove

She'll be limping for week or two...

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## old kodger

> She'll be limping for week or two...



AND THE REST.

About the best log splitter I've seen is a proprietary machine in Australia known as a "Super-Axe", made by Whitlands Engineering. It'll produce up to 40 tons of force.

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## Elizabeth Greene

This is why I prefer a full length axe over a hatchet. I get sloppy when I'm tired; I want that guy to hit the ground and not my leg.

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## Beserkleyboy

Great machine. And anyone that's split green Eucalyptus species, know too well what interlocked grain means...cheers

Jim

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## bruce.desertrat

This...I've done close to this splitting logs with a sledgehammer and wedge. All it takes is one glancing blow. I was lucky I hit the leg that wasn't planted, so I only bruised the hell out of my shin and fell down.

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## Frank S

A 2 handed swing with a 3 or 4 lb shop hammer? OoooK! I guess but I bet she will want to borrow a pair of steel toe boots before trying that again.

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## IAMSatisfied

Perhaps her well-intentioned hubby/boyfriend got that kindling gadget for her to make her wood-heating life easier, while what she needed more was some guidance in the body mechanics of wood splitting, squatting as you bring the hammer down, and safety wear. I hope this doesn't tarnish her perspective on the zen practice of cutting firewood.

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## Jon

Your browser does not support the video tag.

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## IAMSatisfied

Ouch! That bounced like it was petrified wood... made the axe head ring.

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## IntheGroove

Sisters...

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## Toolmaker51

> Ouch! That bounced like it was petrified wood... made the axe head ring.



And cripes, she just keeps on doing it! Poor girl...
Of course lame guy in background only mutters a little laugh and ooooh. That did more than a little bruise, I'm sure.

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## old kodger

I did something similar to this many years ago, I think that I was around 16 at the time. What happened was that I hooked a low hanging washing line with the hatchet, instead of swinging down, the washing line caused it to swing backwards ultimately hitting me on the forehead, I literally saw stars, and still have a "dent" in my forehead from the blow.

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## awright

Hard to tell from the video because the speed of motion blurred the image beyond recognition, but it looks like she hit the target with the axe handle, not the head, leading to the bounce.

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## Frank S

> Hard to tell from the video because the speed of motion blurred the image beyond recognition, but it looks like she hit the target with the axe handle, not the head, leading to the bounce.



That's what I was thinking, because with even the dullest ax and the hardest wood except possibly ebony, with the force she swung the ax or actually it looked more like a hatchet to me, anyway it should have embedded

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## marksbug

ditto. but at least she is persistent at not splitting it...heck I bet she could go for hours if we let her.

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## suther51

> I did something similar to this many years ago, I think that I was around 16 at the time. What happened was that I hooked a low hanging washing line with the hatchet, instead of swinging down, the washing line caused it to swing backwards ultimately hitting me on the forehead, I literally saw stars, and still have a "dent" in my forehead from the blow.



My uncle warned me as a 13 year old not to split wood under the washing line. He knew of a case where the victim was killed using a double bit ax

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WorkerB (Aug 22, 2020)

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## marksbug

I dont have to worry about spliting wood..my fireplace is gass... and my back,shoulder, arm,ankle neck,brains wont let me even pick up a ax to swing. but i have done it in years past...decades past..multiple decades past.

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Toolmaker51 (Aug 22, 2020)

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## Toolmaker51

Lol Mark; longer you think about it, farther back it gets.

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marksbug (Aug 23, 2020)

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## marksbug

oh so true!!! just dont ever thing about things like this too long as you may find yourself convincing your self that you can still do it.....witch you probably can but the next week or so ir gonna be a painful one.

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Toolmaker51 (Aug 23, 2020)

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## Hoosiersmoker

An old farmer my father knew had my brothers and I out to help clear a tree line he had cut the previous year for firewood and paid us a few dollars. I didn't realize what a joker he was but he sent us to a tree line to split the wood and load it in the wagon to take to his house. We didn't know but he had gone earlier to that area and put about 4 or 5 pieces of newly cut ironwood, ready to split. We were using about a 9 lb. splitting maul and went through the walnut and oak that was there without many issues, except knots and such, and grabbed one of the weird looking logs to split. I took a windmill swing with everything I had and the maul went in maybe 1/4" and popped back out. I have 3 brothers, we were all in our teens and we wore ourselves out trying to split those logs. He pulled up a little bit later and yelled at us for taking so long to split all the wood. He kept a straight face for a few minutes then just busted out laughing and let us in on the joke. I was sore for a week trying to split that stuff by hand. When we got back to the house one of his hands was using an ancient hand operated splitter on some well seasoned ironwood, which was his favorite heating wood. Lesson well learned! Good Times!

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marksbug (Aug 24, 2020)

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