Wood splitter

Thinking about building a splitter for the skid loader.
Something got me thinking why do you push the wedge
through the block on some and others you push the block
through the wedge? I know some splitters can't have the
wedge welded solid but I've seen it both ways with splitters for
skid loaders. I'm thinking it really don't matter. Wondering what
everyone else thinks? Thanks for any input.

Doesn't matter either way, I have both, wedge pushed threw log, and log gets pushed threw wedge. They both work fine.

I like the wedge on the end of the splitter beam. That way the flow of wood is always moveing to the end of splitter and not dropping off in the middle. You need catch pans on both sides either way you make it, so you don't have to pick blocks needing to be resplit off ground.
On my 3pt splitter, the split wood falls off the end of catch pans and lands in the hopper of my splitter powered elevator, and up it goes into my wood trailer. I pick block off ground just once no mater of size, and it is in the trailer.
Loren

I built mine with the wedge on the end,so you push the wood through the wedge. If a piece of wood won't split and gets stuck you can push it against a stump and get it off. Splitting on soft ground it pushes the wood in the dirt,but on frozen ground it works good and you can turn easy and not rut everything up. I would like to try one built the other way and see which I like better. I built mine with the beam straight out the front of the machine, I would like to try one with the beam sideways. If you have a cab and heater it doesn't matter which way you go,your warm and there's no lifting wood.

I like having the wedge move, so the big pieces stay put and only need rotated for the next split. Also like having a trailer load next to the splitter so the next pieces are quick to get on the splitter.

We bought a splitter which had the sharp splitting head on the travelling ram. Sometimes a large tight knot stalled the ram and it took a big hammer to knock it off. We welded a hoop on the beam near the retracted end so as the ram retracted the block encountered the hoop and came off every time. Others I have seen where the block gets pushed on to the splitter it gets jammed there and the hammer is needed. Of course if you have nice clean wood with no knots this advice will not be needed. But with our often knotty wood give me the "splitter through the wood" version with a hoop every time.

To me, it makes a difference, but there certainly is no wrong way just the same.

I like the wedge on the end of the cylinder piston for a few reasons. One is that I can rotate a log and align any natural checking to the wedge, more so on larger more difficult pieces. It makes a difference and I do process lots of elm where this makes it much easier, takes a bit longer, but elm is good firewood. Another is by chance you do get one jammed onto the wedge, on many brands of splitters there are gussets attached to the beam that will push the log off the wedge. It happens sometimes, even with pine and willow from my experience. The 28 ton huskee I'm using seems to split just about anything, but there are some exceptions on occasion. I like dealing with some of the gnarly stuff, often times its dense and makes nice late night pieces to use in a wood stove. A common splitter similar to the huskee/speeco is ideal for wood that is not processor or wedge on beam friendly. One pet peeve is any of these types needs a log cradle on one side minimum, just the beam does not cut it for me.

For straighter and more common size logs, where you can get faster production, beam on the wedge shines, and Loren's set up exhibits that perfectly. Buck your logs and push em through, preferably onto a table just beyond the wedge or conveyor to something that will hold your fire wood.

The difference is what kind of wood you will process.

Which type of splitter are you asking about? I built mine so the wedge and cylinder is on the bottom of the beam, and you sit in the machine and run the controls.

I really never gave it much thought when I made my splitter. Stan

The moving wedge works best for me....irregular logs don't slide very well.

I built mine with the wedge on the cylinder rod. I don't like it when the log moves away as it is being split. I also built a table that I can mount on either side for umsplit pieces to rest on instead of falling to the ground and since the log isn't moving the table doesn't have to be as long. I have used the splitter for 5 or so years now and wouldn't change anything. I am going to add a couple of bars to remove stuck logs as others have noted it does happen once in a while. I know what and how, just have to get to it. If yours is going on a loader this isn't a consideration, but I made my splitter to a height my back likes. I have used ones you need to sit to work and I don't like that.

(quoted from post at 15:57:05 11/04/16) Thinking about building a splitter for the skid loader.
Something got me thinking why do you push the wedge
through the block on some and others you push the block
through the wedge? I know some splitters can't have the
wedge welded solid but I've seen it both ways with splitters for
skid loaders. I'm thinking it really don't matter. Wondering what
everyone else thinks? Thanks for any input.

Click to expand...

I have both types of splitter.Both splitters work equally well.However with the fixed wedge you can retract the ram and place a second stick on the beam before the first stick is fully split.This can speed the splitting process up somewhat.

I built mine to do both upside down and upright .if the wedge was on the cylinder if it got stuck it would be easier to get off because you wouldn't haft to worry about bending the cylinder here is a few pictures of mine I can run the splitter from the cab or hook it on the top and run it from the ground