How does Bubba split a very large log?

Geo-TH,In · Oct 19, 2013

A pound of black power and a long cannon fuse. I laughed when I heard this. I sent a very large log to mill. Guy said the log was too large for his mill, so he plunge gut a hole in log, used a pound of black power and it splits the log very nicely. He said he might be able to do the job with less power, but he claims you only have one chance to do the job and a pound works.

One time he tried to split an oak log that had a bad spot in center. It didn't work, smoke came out both ends of log.

I told him I would like to make a video.

Has anyone heard of such a thing.

LAA · Oct 19, 2013

I have seen powder charged wedges where you drive the wedge, either a straight wedge or a four way wedge into the end of the log and pour in the powder and light the fuse.

just another old geezer · Oct 19, 2013

several videos of that on you tube.

waltdavies · Oct 19, 2013

Yes very common befor spliters. You take a car axle about 1ft Long and 1 1/4 in dia. Drill a 3/4 hole about 2/3 down the Length then a 1/4 in hole into the bottom of the hole on the side for the fuse. Fill with cannon black powder it has large size granules. Drive it into the center of the log on one end then back it up with a large log or you may have to go tonthe next county to retrieve it. Now light the fuse about 2 in long is good enough. Stand back where the pieces won't hit you. Grandmother bought the wrong powder one time and Uncle Nip (Napolean Bonapart Hamlin) sent a piece about 200 yards and landed right in the middle of the top of his new to him car. He was really mad that day at grandmother.
I made one in high school you sure couldn't do that now.
Walt

2x4 · Oct 19, 2013

explosive wedges, used in the far west USA on big trees, even today.

Geo-TH,In · Oct 19, 2013

You are right, many U-tube videos, real cool.

Here is the one I watched.
splitting log with black power

macec3(TX) · Oct 20, 2013

A man told me about this back in the 1980's. He said when he was younger and living in Oregon, his dad had a sawmill. They used this method regularly to split the large logs down to a manageable size.

greygoat · Oct 20, 2013

I have heard of "Dinamite Wedges" used to split
large Redwood logs down to sawmill size. I
think that there would be some waste, but in the
"Old Days" they didn't worry about that

Mike (WA) · Oct 21, 2013

I especially liked the little jab at the tree huggers in the credits at the end- "A tree was killed in the making of this video- get over it."

How does Bubba split a very large log?

Geo-TH,In

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LAA

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just another old geezer

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waltdavies

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2x4

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Geo-TH,In

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macec3(TX)

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greygoat

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Mike (WA)

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