Best block splitter?

Paul Toivonen

I am looking at a new block splitter (handle one) trying to get the best one for the Aussie hardwood.
I got advice the ol' "block splitter" is the best thing out, but I cant help it I am drawn toward the Scandinavian designs.
I have the Fiskars splitting axe which works well but the handle is just a bit short.
Has anyone used some of the proper forged products from EU etc.?

Tony Knight

I've found that I can get a great splitter but have trouble keeping a handle in it or all the average splitters the handles hang in for ever.
The fiskars axes are good but I agree with handle length (27" max from memory) being a bit short. I use one for driving alloy lift wedges as its the only thing to date that the head doesn't shimmy up the handle with the vib's.
There lies an assortment of splitters and axes in the shed all purchased with a salesmans promise of the last one I'll ever need.... This includes a stihl splitter that the dealer has given up trying to keep the handle and head married
I did have the pleasure of using a GRANSFORS BRUKS splitting maul 12 months or so ago and was impressed, good momentum with the longer handle nice weight and the head design seemed to open up if not split on the first strike on some reasonable straight, tight grained hardwood. The only thing that stopped me going any further was the inhibiting price tag attached, around $230.00, an expensive exercise if, like most of my other fitness equipement the head divorces the handle.
I would be interested what comes out of your question.

Cheers

Tony

sun64

Hi Guys, I cannot recomend on the best block splitter or axe as I dont use them all that much up in Darwin NT.
I have welded in sch 80 pipe into an axe head with a bend in the end. Never had a problem in almost 20 years but lost it in a pet meating trip,jarered a little bit but wasnt too bad.
What I tend to do with all my hammer heads and sledge hammers up here ( as I am a Boilermaker Welder by trade ) is i soak the TIMBER handle in water for days to a week, keep driving in the wedges, then let it dry and use Super strenght Areldite poured into the handle/ sitting on top to hold them in place.
It seems to work and considering we have a big wet season followed by dry season.
My old timber house swells in the wet and shrinks in the dry .
I am always working on it and commenting to my retired father who is a carpenter / builder.
This works for me .
All the best sun64

Tony Knight

I've got a couple with pipe welded into them but the vibration just about rattles my wrists of their hinges, a fella once suggest to try filling (packing) the handle with sand? Haven't tryed it but it sounded visable??

Regards


Tony

sun64

Hi Tony, sad about Sawchain's departure, He sent me an email about the situation . Send me a PM with your email and I will forward it, quite well written and very interesting!!!.
Yes they do jar a bit but as i stated I use sch 80 pipe.
I had some bracings years ago on my old F100 bullbar that were sch 160 pipe from the bull bar to the chassis and then one inbetween the chassis.
Serious heavy duty.
On average , most pipe is sch 40 or less, when regular town userer purchase it but I am from older school , offshore / mining so I always go heavier. Depends what you want out of it as to what you wish to achieve ???

We once cheated and welded in Drill rod ( seriously high tensile ) behind a stock cars bumper and heavily modified the radiator in a smash em up derby. Eh Eh.

Anyway ,Tony, I am not saying for your everyday use it will be OK, but I did not have many problems seeing as to how I may use them differently to you.
All the best sun64

Paul Toivonen

Thanks for the replies.
I would rather have the odd (very rare) timber handle split than have to use the bone jarring pipe welded POS, even for a minute.
I will likely get one of the forged ones, now the hard part is which one?

Tony Knight

This is what I used a year or so ago, a local Stihl dealer sells them retail for $230.00, when I have a wind fall I'll get one one day.



Cheers

Tony

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Brent Ferris

Tony Are you talking about the handle loosening from the head, or the handle breaking below the head?
For loosening, soaking the wood and hammering in wedges has worked well , for handle breaking, wrapping wire around the handle for 1-3 inches below the head, 3-4 wraps thick saves a lot of abuse to the handle.
I would never want to use a pipe handle - far too much vibration for me -- I get enough of that from the chainsaws, lol

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sun64

I HAVE used my axe for years, yes it did jar a bit BUT being of a thicker wall material helps remarkably.
Hey, I am as they call me RIG WELDER ( Boilermaker / Welder )
I have to chip flux off constantly, use air grinders, needle guns , hammering and a BIT of jarring has never bothered me.
I dont know whether you guys are going at it for 12 hrs a day / days a week?

When I was a young lad we had to split our own firewood as I am from DOWN SOUTH, so I have done it before.
Now with the hammers/ axes, I usually put the head on it and keep it in a bucket of water for a week, keep hitting in the wedges every so many days and then let it dry out.
I usually wrap electrical tape around the base of the handle and keep it in a vise and pour in Super Strenght Areldite and let it soak in.
It is like a factory job but much cheaper as you only need to replace the handle.
As for wire around the handle, why would'nt you use a RUBBER sleeve that are available for handles.
At least if you miss it is a shock absorber and also will protect the handle?.

Tony Knight

G'day Brent, in the splitters I have an issue with the head shimming of the handle, done the swelling with water and wedges (including tube wedges) and still the darn things keep working their way off. Its only when driving the alloys or god forbid when the need arises steel wedges, spliting fire wood theres no problem.
I went to sledge hammers for a while and have/had one with a nice small head on a longish handle that was a good weight and lowered fatigue, I have had 3 handles in that and the problem it has is that it breaks at the neck just behind the head. Now I'm real careful not to bruise the handles. I am wondering whether the timber used in handles (hickory) these days is crap?

Ah Sun64, the vibs when you hit alloy or steel with my steel handled splitter/maul are fine and give me pain in the wrists after a while and discomfort while I'm driving them in, I can't get you'st to it.
Those over strike rubber block are useless (put them on dads splitter, he has poor eye sight now and suffers with a slight lack of control (I'm talking about splitting wood)) if you are user of em you find a couple of stikes and their due for replacement, best remidy is to iimprove your aim.

The Fiskars axe is very good for driving lifting wedges if only the handle was 32" odd and the head had a few more ounce's it would be brilliant but at least I can get through a day (when cutting) without having to have a replacement handy.

Cheers


Tony

sun64

Hi Tony, yes my axe was ok at cutting green timber. I would not use it on dead ironwood or green. Man that timber , even green is hard on chainsaws. On page 11 of chainsaws viewing it is the 15th most hardest wood in the world.
I have to agree with steel handles on steel objects. Not much fun.

With your heads coming off,have you ever tried filling the void around the head with areldite. It fills the handle and head so stops any movement and stops the wedges coming outof the handle as well. Works for me.

When I was looking on E Bay Australia for axe handles for my broad axes and double header , I noticed there was a guy who had an axe handle lathe in Victoria that made handles. You could always contact him and find out what would be the better material for you in your situation. From memory I paid around 25 to 30 dollars a handle.
Better still Tony, why dont you make a hydraulic wood splitter ? You can get cheap deals on E Bay for gear.
Or if you have a good compressor and a regulator I have a 2 tonne single acting ram from a engine crane you can have if you pay the postage. I would even have some springs here to retract the ram as it is only single acting.
You only need a little bit of oil to lubricate the piston and a valve in the line up, to vent out the air to enable the ram to be retracted.
With double acting the system would be a bit easier.
Just weld your block buster onto the end of the ram.
Just some thoughts

All the best sun64

Paul Toivonen

I had thought about the hydraulic option.
It is out, for being a min. two man operation even better with 3.
I will stick to swinging for a while at least.
The reason I need a good splitter is I got a few ton of dry hardwood that was not split before.
It is gonna take some effort to get firewood from it.

Brent Ferris

G'day Tony. If you really want to stop an ax head from sliding off, drill a hole thru the head, and insert a pin. Works Pretty well. Just make sure it is easy to remove the pin when the handle breaks.

Black Moses - a Hydraulic splitter does work better with 2-3 people, but you can split a lot of wood in a day with the right splitter. And I have never seen anyone splitting wood by hand that doesn't need to get the wood, clear it away, and then stack it separately. The hydraulic splitter just makes one phase easier.

And the rubber sleeve is a great idea if the handle is being replaced. But for an existing tool, wire is easier to install.

__________________
My business: Tree Pruning and Removals -- Strump Removals -- Advice -- Consulting -- Arborist Reports
If you want an honest opinion, call Brent Ferris...because, Trees want to Live Too !
We do great jobs, even in small yards.

Free Estimates Oakville to Oshawa - North to Bradford (Will travel further if cost of travelling covered)

stihlman441

Are what happened to 'Sawchain' ?.