Nowadays, stove heating is gradually becoming a thing of the past. Most private houses, as well as apartments, have radiators; in addition, they are used to heat the room. electric convectors. However, many summer residents and rural residents are in no hurry to part with Russian stoves. Well-made stoves have many advantages: they provide a lot of heat, you can cook in the stove delicious dishes and do homebaked bread. And if there is a stove in the house, then you need to prepare firewood for future use.
Of course, you can buy firewood through advertisements in local newspapers. Usually there are many such advertisements, but heating material manufacturers often deceive buyers by offering low-quality products at high price. Therefore, most lovers stove heating prefer prepare firewood yourself. In Rus', chopping wood was traditionally considered a man's job. But if the chopping device is convenient and not heavy in weight, a woman or teenager can do this job just fine. Easiest to work with using a DIY cleaver made at home.
Why is it worth making a cleaver?
A cleaver is the simplest device for splitting firewood. Of course, you can purchase such an ax in a specialized store or order it on a thematic Internet site. However, the cost of such industrial devices sometimes reaches twenty thousand rubles. It makes sense to buy such things only if a lot of firewood is used to heat the room. If we are talking about a small house in which a family of three or four people lives, buying such a “gadget” is unprofitable. It’s much easier to make a cleaver with your own hands, and here’s why:
The simplest hand-made cleaver looks about the same as an ordinary ax, but with a small feature.
Ax making process
The little “secret” of a hand-made cleaver is that its center of gravity is shifted. A cleaver with a “secret” is an ax with a curved wooden stick neatly built into the blade. During chopping, this stick plays the role of a lever and helps split logs without exerting any effort. special effort. Thanks to the shifted center of gravity, the force that the woodcutter puts into the blow increases several times. In order to make a device for chopping wood with your own hands, you will need:
First on lathe the handle is turned, the length can be adjusted by the master “to suit himself”. It is not recommended to make the handle too short, as it will be inconvenient to work. If the handle is too long, this will reduce the force put into the blow. Perfect option - measure the handle length of a standard ax industrial production and adhere to this length (with minor errors in one direction or another, taking into account the physical build of the person who will chop the wood). If the woodcutter has long arms, the handle may be slightly shorter than normal. And, conversely, for a person with short limbs it is better to lengthen it a little.
The second stage of work is manufacturing, sharpening and maximizing reliable fastening blades to handle. Next, the center of gravity of the cleaver shifts; for this purpose, a long curved stick is carefully built into the blade. After this, the homemade cleaver is ready for use.
How to chop wood correctly
Many summer residents chop firewood by placing a log on the ground, but experienced woodcutters categorically do not recommend doing this, and here’s why:
- This is dangerous because you can hit your leg with an ax and get seriously injured.
- This is inconvenient because the woodcutter has to bend low. It is especially difficult for obese people to bend over.
- This has a bad effect on the quality of firewood, since a log lying on the ground instantly becomes damp.
It is best to use a special one for splitting metal structure, resembling a machine in its shape. In the middle of the machine there is a groove in which the log is placed: here it is securely fixed and does not jump out. When the log, or “block,” lies flat in its place, the woodcutter takes the cleaver and raises it up to strike and with a sharp movement lowers it onto the log. If the blow is made correctly, the block splits into pieces. The main thing is to correctly calculate the impact force, then these parts will turn out smooth and neat, but this comes with experience.
You should never lift the cleaver too high, because the impact force will not increase, but, on the contrary, will weaken. Also, you should not swing the ax before making a blow: the woodcutter does not need to waste extra energy.
Storing logs
When all the firewood is split, they need to be put in a woodpile. Common mistake many summer residents and rural residents is that they dump ready-made firewood in a pile. This cannot be done, because a shaky structure can quickly fall apart if at least one log lies poorly. But the most important thing is that firewood piled up does not dry well, which means it can become infected with fungus and mold.
You need to stack firewood carefully, in much the same way as children, when playing, stack construction blocks. Logs, beautifully stacked in a woodpile, look impressive and produce pleasant impression on neighbors in the country. They are also convenient to take out when you need to bring a few logs home. Firewood should only be stored under a special canopy to prevent rain from falling on it. If they are located outdoors, the wood should be covered from rain with a tarpaulin or plastic film.
People who buy firewood based on an advertisement, often complain about the dampness of the imported wood. In this case, the logs should be dried immediately and only then stacked in a neat stack.
Chopping wood with a homemade cleaver is not as difficult as it seems. The main thing is that the ax is comfortable and sharp enough . There is a common misconception that that with a sharp ax you can easily injure yourself. In fact, lumberjacks most often get injured precisely because the cleaver is not sharpened well enough. By making an ax with your own hands and adapting it “for yourself,” a summer resident or villager will be able to significantly facilitate the annual work of preparing fuel for a Russian stove. This is much simpler and cheaper than buying expensive equipment or purchasing someone else's firewood of dubious quality.
The wood splitter is, of course, a very useful unit on the farm. It is of particular interest to residents of villages and towns that heat their premises using wood stoves. However, not everyone is ready to pay a tidy sum for it, especially since, if desired, this simple mechanism can be made with your own hands.
Cone wood splitters have the simplest design, the basis of which is a steel cone with threads, rotated by an electric motor.
The most complex element of this design is the cone, which must be turned on a lathe (see drawing).
After manufacturing the cone itself according to the presented drawing, a left-hand thrust thread is cut on it.
If it is not possible to turn a cone on a machine or order one, you can make this part yourself using a grinder.
Moreover, there is no need to maintain the specified dimensions particularly accurately. In this case, you just need to initially place a metal grinder on the electric motor pulley, and having achieved its free rotation, remove the metal evenly.
The finished cone is mounted on a shaft with bearings of the appropriate size, at the end of which a flange with an asterisk from a motorcycle wheel is installed.
The threaded cone is fixed on the shaft with a pin or bolt, which makes it easy to remove it from the shaft and turn it out of the block in case of jamming.
A cone removed from the shaft and stuck in a log can be easily unscrewed from the wood using a gas wrench.
If the cone is firmly fixed to the shaft, in case of jamming it becomes necessary to remove drive chain, since it is not always possible to turn the motor shaft in the opposite direction.
Between the engine and the shaft, you can install a spacer made of pipes and two nuts, with the help of which the chain is tensioned.
Firewood splitter - types of devices, how to assemble them yourself
Cardan supports from Zhiguli can be used as shaft supports.
If desired, the electric motor can be replaced with a gasoline unit from a walk-behind tractor with a power of at least 6 hp, although for cone wood splitters it is preferable to use electric motors with a power of at least 2-3 kW, with a rotation speed of at least 250 rpm.
The operating principle of a homemade cone wood splitter is extremely simple.
When rotated, the cone, like a screw, is screwed into the wood, splitting it. When working with a wood splitter, you should be extremely careful and follow basic safety rules.
Nowadays, it is difficult to find an area that would not be affected by mechanization and automation. It is not surprising, but even such a classically conservative process as chopping wood has begun to undergo mechanization, and the familiar ax is being replaced by wood splitters.
Currently, a fairly wide range of products is already available in this market segment. mechanical cleavers, and for the right choice the unit you need, you should find out what it contains general outline represents this still unfamiliar machine.
Types of wood splitters
All currently produced wood splitting units are divided into household and professional units.
Household wood splitters perform only the function of splitting wood.
Professional wood splitters are quite complex design, carrying out supply of logs, trimming along required length, chopping and discarding the finished logs. Of course, the cost, power, and productivity of such machines cannot be compared with simple household units.
According to the direction of supply of the split log, wood splitters are horizontal, vertical and mixed.
In horizontal type wood splitters, the log is installed on a horizontal chute.
In this case, depending on the design, either the pusher directs the log to the stabbing knife, or the knife moves along a special guide towards the log.
In vertical type installations, the log is fed vertically, and a moving knife from above splits it. Mechanisms of this design are more productive, they occupy less space, but they also have disadvantages.
Thus, when operating vertical wood splitters, it is necessary to support the splitting logs with your hands, which requires strict adherence to safety regulations.
Wood splitters mixed type combine the capabilities of the above-described units and are used exclusively in woodworking enterprises.
Depending on the power source, wood splitters are divided into the following types:
- Units with electric motors.
This is the most simple designs wood splitter The electric motor drives the hydraulic pump. Such wood splitters are easy to maintain and operate; they can be installed in almost any room. Wood splitters with electric motors do not require specialized maintenance and are most suitable for use in domestic conditions.
The only one mandatory requirement for their operation is the presence of a power source.
- Wood splitters with petrol or diesel engines internal combustion. These are quite powerful units, used mainly in logging. However, they are also suitable for work in summer cottages and gardens.
- Tractor-driven wood splitters.
These units are connected to the tractor hydraulic system or to the power take-off shaft. These are powerful professional units designed for use in large forestry complexes, farms, and industrial enterprises.
- Wood splitters with a combined drive source.
Some models of wood splitters, equipped with electric motors or internal combustion engines, are also adapted to operate from a tractor drive.
Depending on the design of the firewood splitting mechanism, wood splitters are divided into the following types:
- Wood splitters with hydraulic drive. The basis of such units is a hydraulic pump that drives a splitting knife, which, pressing with enormous force on the log, splits it.
The cost of such units, depending on the power and the manufacturer, ranges from 9,500 to 32,000 rubles.
- Cone wood splitters (we talked about just such a homemade wood splitter above). In these units, the role of a knife is played by a threaded cone, which splits the block of wood by screwing into it. Using this operating principle, it is quite possible to build homemade wood splitter, since it is extremely simple and does not require the manufacture of auxiliary mechanisms.
True, for him efficient work This unit will require a more powerful electric motor. The cost of cone log splitters, depending on the type and power of the electric motor, ranges from 17 to 30 thousand rubles.
Also, the wood splitters produced differ from each other in the method of movement. As a rule, large, heavy units are produced in a stationary version. But the design of less heavy units includes wheels that allow them to be easily transported.
Technical parameters of modern wood splitters
- Splitting power.
This parameter indicates the required force produced by the unit for splitting logs. Household wood splitters have a capacity of 3 to 7 tons. For cone splitters important characteristic is the rotation speed of the threaded nozzle.
The optimal rotation speed is 400-600 rpm.
- Working distance. This characteristic determines what length of logs the unit can work with. For household woodcutters, as a rule, the size of the logs does not exceed the size of the stove.
- Maximum diameter of the splitting block.
Household units are capable of splitting logs with a diameter of 30 centimeters. At the same time, cone mechanisms can split stumps of almost any diameter.
- Stroke of the piston mechanism. This parameter indicates the distance traveled by the piston when performing an operation.
- Speed of piston movement.
The average speed of the piston when moving forward is 4 cm per second, when moving backward - 7.5 cm/sec.
- Electric motor power. As a rule, household wood splitters are equipped with electric motors with a power of 1500 to 2300 watts. The performance and efficiency of the unit largely depends on the power of the electric motor. Screw mechanisms are equipped with three-phase electric motors with a power of 3000 to 4000 watts.
- Dimensions.
The sizes of household wood splitters vary depending on their models, power and manufacturing company. Basically, these are quite compact units.
- Additional functions. The design of some models of hydraulic wood splitters allows the use of a 4-cut nozzle, which significantly increases the productivity of the mechanism. Some models include a special table that allows you to raise the working height of the wood splitter.
Content:
- Wood splitter device
- Types of wood splitters
- Self-assembly
- Conclusion
Wood splitter device
Those who already have a wood splitter in their arsenal were able to verify its effectiveness. To put it simply, then hydraulic wood splitter assembled on three main units:
- wood splitter frame;
- engine;
- hydraulic unit;
- cleaver
Based on the type of fuel used for the engines of a hydraulic wood splitter, electric and gasoline units are distinguished.
Electric - most often used in everyday life. The power of such products is within 3 kW. Their advantage is the absence of harmful emissions and low sound pressure during operation. It also does not require specific maintenance.
If desired, an electric hydraulic wood splitter can be used on the road, but you will have to acquire a generator with sufficient power. Professional models Hydraulic wood splitters are equipped with gasoline engines. They are more mobile, so they are easy to take with you directly into the forest or forest belt for harvesting work.
The bed is the basis of the entire design of a hydraulic wood splitter.
It is made of steel with sufficient thickness. Wheels are often attached to it for ease of movement. It also contains a hydraulic unit. It is a small device that transforms rotational movements into progressive ones.
Its part is a gearbox and an oil pump. It is designed to reduce the number of revolutions to the required one.
Increased force is transmitted to the splitter of the hydraulic wood splitter. This is a metal plate with a conical tip, which grinds the logs.
Types of wood splitters
In addition to differences in engines, wood splitters also have several ways of implementing the frame design.
Among them are:
- horizontal;
- vertical;
- variable.
The horizontal log splitter bed is the most used.
Most often, in such a wood splitter, it is not the cleaver that moves towards the log, but, on the contrary, the feed mechanism pushes the workpiece until it is completely split. Hydraulic wood splitters with a vertical frame are somewhat more convenient than horizontal ones, since you don’t have to lift the workpiece to any height, but just put it on a stand. The knife here moves from top to bottom. This type of wood splitter requires more scrupulous compliance with safety measures.
Wood splitters with a variable bed are the most versatile. They have the least restrictions on the length and width of the log, because...
How to make a wood splitter with your own hands: drawings, photos, instructions of different types
The workpiece can be processed in several planes at once. For home use such a unit will not work, because
K. is often designed for industrial use.
What to look for when choosing
Hydraulic log splitters are safer and more reliable than their direct drive counterparts. The difference lies in the way they respond to unyielding logs. If in a device with a direct drive, when the cleaver jams, the motor continues to rotate, this will inevitably lead to failure of not only the windings, but also the gearbox.
In hydraulic devices the situation is different. As soon as the force exceeds the permissible limit, it stops without causing damage to the central unit. Before purchasing a device, you should think about exactly what purposes it will be used.
There is no point in overpaying for an industrial design if it will be used for harvesting at home. When purchasing, you should pay attention to:
- engine type and power;
- frame material;
- frame metal thickness;
- quality welds;
- maximum effort mass;
- parameters of processed logs;
- cylinder stroke length;
- length of the hydraulic wood splitter knife;
- rod movement speed.
Performance will directly depend on the engine power of a hydraulic wood splitter and its power source.
If you expect good performance, then there is no point in buying a device with a power of less than 2 kW. Pay attention to the assembly of the motor itself and ask the seller what the windings are made of.
Copper is considered a high-quality option. Before purchasing, carefully inspect the frame. It is better if it is made of a channel or angle with a metal thickness of at least 3 mm. Pay attention to the quality of the welds, if any. They should not have chips or cracks. Otherwise, it may result in injury.
The more pressure a log splitter's hydraulic system can exert, the greater the force, which means that hard woods and those with a large number of knots will not create any particular problems.
It is worth taking a device that has a good power reserve and also adjusts the height of the knife. It will give you the opportunity not to limit yourself in choice, and also not to bother with finer cutting of trunks. The speed of the rod is often referred to as the cycle time.
The shorter the time, the faster it will be possible to cope with a mountain of firewood.
Self-assembly
Purchasing a ready-made hydraulic wood splitter will cost the future owner from 15 thousand rubles. Not everyone is ready to pay that amount for a device that will be needed once a year.
Therefore, if desired, you can assemble it yourself using ready-made drawings, while a hydraulic wood splitter will cost half as much. But for this you will need skill in working with power tools and a welding machine. For the whole process you will need:
- Bulgarian;
- welding machine;
- roulette;
- drill with high torque.
The first step is to assemble the frame for the hydraulic wood splitter.
An I-beam channel with a side width of 40 mm is suitable as a basis for a hydraulic wood splitter. The length of the hydraulic log splitter can be adjusted to suit your needs.
By using welding machine A wheel pair is welded to the channel. For this purpose it is used metal pipe, in which the axle for attaching the wheels is placed.
It is held in place by spacers made from a square measuring 20×10 mm. Better design The hydraulic wood splitter can be seen in the photo. All seams are well welded to withstand the load.
A hydraulic wood splitter cannot do without a special cylinder that will act as a pusher.
It can be purchased by disassembling an old tractor. One that is used in a bucket design or for a trailed system is suitable.
To secure it to the frame of a hydraulic wood splitter, two squares are cut out of sheet metal.
Their height should be 8 cm greater than the height of the hydraulic cylinder. A hole is drilled in the center of each workpiece. Its diameter must match that in the body of the cylinder. The strips are welded into place and the cylinder is secured with a sleeve. You can see more details in the photo.
The module of the hydraulic wood splitter, which will move the log, is made according to a similar model, but guides are made in the bottom bar so that it moves only along the frame of the hydraulic wood splitter and does not skewer under great force.
Pay attention to this node in the photo.
As an option, the design of a hydraulic wood splitter will use an electric motor with a power of 7.5 kW for three phases. On the following photos you can see the connection point to the pump, and the method of attaching the pump itself to the frame.
The hydraulic converter can be used from a mini-tractor, which was originally designed for the use of heavy implements.
Using hoses high pressure All components are connected to each other.
To ensure there is enough oil in the system, you will need a tank. You can use it ready-made or make it yourself, as in this case. Capacity volume 66 liters. The dimensions of its walls are 60x50x22 cm. The seams are well welded.
A ½" hole is made on top for the automatic relief valve, on the side for filling oil, and at the bottom there is an outlet in hydraulic system with a diameter of ½", where the tap is mounted.
After this, it can be installed in the wood splitter and connected to the hydraulic pump.
because the motor is designed for 3 phases. All wires are selected to the required cross-section.
Two perpendicularly welded and sharpened plates are used as a cleaver. Good metal in plowshares from a tractor hitch. This product will last as long as possible. Alternatively, you can make 8 knives for greater chopping.
The result is in the photo below.
To prevent the log from rolling off the log splitter, additional holders can be made on the sides of the frame.
They are welded onto the corners at an angle. They can be seen in the photo with general view ready-made option.
The assembly diagram is provided as a general guide. In each individual case, you can use those components that are easiest to find in your area.
Instead of electric motor Through the gearbox it is easy to use gasoline. The automatic firewood supply unit can be eliminated to simplify the entire design and reduce costs.
It is also possible to assemble a manual hydraulic wood splitter. A regular 10 ton jack is suitable for this. Detailed diagram will be given below.
The video shows the operation of a wood splitter with an engine that was manufactured according to the instructions. This device allows you to save time, which you can then spend with your family and loved ones.
Homemade firewood cleaver
Everything ingenious is simple. A cone log splitter is simple!
You only need: engine + (cone wood splitter or so-called “carrot”)
Catalog of our products with Free shipping across Russia.
Some important points when choosing a screw cleaver:
: Thrust thread
: Steel 40Chrome or slightly worse ST45
: Hardening of the tip using HDTV
: It is highly advisable to find a two-start thread.
When using a double thread,
no need to push and press on the logs and butts like
when using single-start threads.
To a screw cleaver with a two-start thread, just bring the logs and take away the logs. :-)
And when further exploitation you can always (“refuel”, sharpen)
A two-start thread does not increase the thread pitch in any way, it only has 2 threads of entry at the beginning of the wood splitter cone.
What is very important for easy work and high performance screw wood splitter.
The only manufacturer of double-threaded screw cone splitters for wood splitters in Russia is the UZHR-EOTSM plant, their website >>>click here<<<
If there is a 3-phase voltage for a cone log splitter, the optimal motor is 4 kW with 1000 rpm, you can install a “carrot” cone on it
directly onto the motor shaft.
From a single-phase connection of a motor with capacitors, a real output power of about 2 kW is required,
therefore, it is better to use 3 kW or 2.2 kW motors (with losses of up to 25%, the result will be 2.3 kW and 1.7 kW, respectively).
You can reduce the cone speed (to 500-1000 rpm) using pulleys with 2 belts (at least), a chain or a gearbox.
Using a gasoline engine in the drive, expect a power of 6.5 hp.
Below you can see a video of an excellent example, working on a gasoline engine, a double-threaded cone of a wood splitter, only on sprockets without the use of flywheel pulleys.
Remember, when connecting a three-phase 220 V motor, up to 25% of the power is lost (2.2 = 1.7 kW; 2.5 = 1.9 kW; 3.0 = 2.3 kW).
Be sure to look at the engine nameplate for the OPERATING MODE - you need mode S1 (constant load, no rest). If the Mode is 40%, then it is a short mode: we work for 10 minutes and rest for 4 minutes.
(circular saw, sharpening machine...).
The weight of the engine is also important - the heavier, the more reliable, because the Chinese manufacturer uses wire of a smaller diameter, and hence the weight and unreliability under overload.
If you install an inertial flywheel on the cone, then it can be mounted directly on the axis of a 1.5 kW (3000 rpm) engine; 2.2; 2.5; 3.0 kW connected to 220 V.
In the modern world, there are more and more places where manual labor is giving way to mechanized means. The most interesting thing is that this happens not only in industrial production, but also in households.
There is nothing surprising in this - a person has been trying to make his life easier throughout his entire conscious history.
Today's example, where the use of human physical strength is very well replaced by a special mechanism, would be chopping wood. This work is probably familiar to many, especially those who have ever lived in a private house with stove heating. On the one hand, chopping wood is a good activity in terms of physical education, but on the other hand, it is wasted energy and time that could be applied elsewhere.
A good alternative to splitting firewood is mechanical wood splitters, which you can purchase or make yourself. True, if you are going to purchase such an assistant, then get ready to part with a tidy sum of money, somewhere from 30,000 rubles.
In order to make a homemade wood splitter, you will also need significant funds, although in smaller quantities, read: Do-it-yourself wood splitter.
But besides this, good knowledge in mechanics is also required. If you still decide to make a wood splitter, then I recommend that you consider the option of making a hydraulic wood splitter. Making it yourself, of course, will require more effort and money than making electrical options, but using the latter is much more difficult and dangerous.
What is a hydraulic wood splitter?
So, a hydraulic wood splitter is a mechanism placed on a frame, where firewood is split by compressing chopped logs with a hydraulic cylinder towards a splitting ax fixed to the frame.
Diagram of a hydraulic wood splitter with a horizontal layout.
Diagram of a hydraulic wood splitter with a vertical layout.
How to make a hydraulic wood splitter with your own hands - practical recommendations.
The most complex component that will need to be made for it is the hydraulic part.
It consists of a hydraulic cylinder with a pusher, a pump, a hydraulic fluid flow control unit, an oil tank and a motor driving the pump. All these parts can be purchased separately somewhere, or hydraulic parts from already broken tractor equipment can be used.
The frame of the wood splitter is made of metal.
You can use corners, a channel, an I-beam or a profile pipe for it.
Device for chopping wood: types and DIY assembly
When designing a future frame for your wood splitter, do not forget to provide for its placement on wheels or on a finished chassis. In the future, this will help its movement, as well as its transportation to the logging area (if an internal combustion engine is used).
You will not find specific schemes for making a hydraulic wood splitter with your own hands anywhere, since there are many nuances possible in its manufacture, it all depends on the initial components you have chosen.
As an example, you can only focus on industrial models of such devices or ready-made piece samples, photographs of which can be easily found on the global network. The presented pictures are very indicative, and the working mechanism of the depicted wood splitters is clear at first glance.
Example No. 1.
Example No. 2.
Example No. 3.
Example No. 4.
Most importantly, before you start making such a device, evaluate the economic benefits of such a device.
After all, it may turn out that the funds spent on the manufacture of a hydraulic wood splitter could be spent on purchasing ready-made firewood for several years. Think twice about it if natural gas is planned to be supplied to your area in the coming years; in this case, it is better to set aside money for the future purchase of a gas boiler and other parts of the heating system.
Although, on the other hand, you can always use a wood splitter to produce finished firewood for sale and organize a small business of your own. Good luck to you!
Do-it-yourself mechanical wood splitter manufacturing details
You can make this wood splitter with your own hands; it is also quite simple to operate; you will push the wood along a chute towards the cutting blade. The materials to create it are readily available in stores, and some can even be found in your garage.
DIY rack wood splitter device
The wood splitter is currently in demand because many people still heat their country houses with a wood-burning stove.
Well, chopping wood by hand takes a long time and is very difficult physically, but working with a wood splitter is much easier.
First of all, you need to purchase the necessary material to create a frame with a guide platform and assemble it.
The frame can be either collapsible or solid (as shown in the video).
The wide tabletop of the frame will allow you to easily lay firewood under the knife, and they will not fly apart after splitting, which will significantly save time.
Next, buy all the additional materials (the engine, the rack itself with the drive) and assemble the entire wood splitter.
When assembling, pay attention to the speed of rotation of the motor shaft and select the right pulleys - for the motor and rack drive, with their help the wood moves to the cutting element, because if the speed is high, you will damage the wood splitter and may be injured.
In our case, the horizontal method of stacking firewood is best; it is the easiest.
Four-cutter attachment
To make the work much easier, use a four-cutting attachment.
Well, for maximum convenience, provide the device with a safety clutch and a thermal relay, this will serve as additional protection.
When using a gasoline engine, it is important to monitor the gasoline level and change the oil, otherwise you may damage the engine.
How does a rack splitter work?
And most importantly, before making this cleaver with your own hands, make sure that it will be economically beneficial for you.
Dear readers, at the moment we have not posted detailed descriptions and instructions for making a rack log splitter with your own hands.
We have placed an order for a detailed master class, and as soon as we receive it, we will definitely publish it. If you have the opportunity to send drawings and photo instructions, please send them by email: [email protected]
Sincerely, administration of the site dacha-svoimi-rukami.com
Many people want to make a mechanical wood splitter with their own hands. However, not everyone knows where to start. It is interesting to read about the design of a particular device. They look quite attractive in the photographs.
The retail chain offers those interested a whole arsenal of machines for splitting logs. Quite interesting videos have been made for some of them; the features of their work have been demonstrated over the years. On the stands near the proposed models there are results of chopping firewood into individual logs.
Why do we need firewood - improving fuel quality
There are quite a lot of energy sources in the modern world:
- Natural gas is available over large areas. It is enough to open the burner and light it, and a bluish light appears, which releases a significant heat flux.
- The liquid fuel supplied through the injectors burns with a bright red or yellowish flame. Even heat engines use different types of liquid energy carriers.
- Coal and its processed products have a long combustion cycle. The reddish flame gives off heat for a long time not only by convection; a powerful flow of thermal radiation reaches all surrounding objects.
- Firewood was the first available source of heat. They remain relevant today.
Many homes use stove heating. Baths and saunas, when advertising their services, indicate that they use wood of certain tree species as a heat source. Outdoor cooking traditionally involves the use of wood in the technology of cooking food.
Theoretical foundations of heat engineering - solid fuel combustion
To make it easier to set fire to wood, it needs to be split into relatively small fragments. After splitting the logs into separate logs, the surface of contact of the combustible material with the air is increased. As a result, instantaneous heat transfer inside the firebox increases in proportion to the combustion area. Therefore, the procedure of chopping wood is a technique that allows you to increase the efficiency of fuel use.
Attention! Firewood chopped into logs is placed in woodpiles. They dry out in them. The moisture inside the wood evaporates rapidly. The apparent heat of combustion increases, since there is no need to waste energy on evaporating the liquid located in the intercellular space.
In thermal engineering, the following concepts have been introduced to characterize fuel:
- The highest calorific value, implying the total heat released during the combustion of a specific type of combustible substance.
- The lower calorific value is the actual amount of heat, which takes into account the energy costs for heating the fuel and the removal of ingredients from it during the combustion process that are not involved in the process itself.
Therefore, drying firewood is a technique that improves the performance of a fuel cell. Pre-grinding increases the efficiency of drying firewood, and subsequently burning it in a stove or other device for burning solid fuel.
Wood splitting process
There are different ways to chop wood. Traditionally, it is customary to strike with an ax, trying to split a sawn fragment of a log, striking the end part.
A heavy wedge (the ax is wedge-shaped) is inserted into the body of the log. If you come across wood without knots and with a loose structure, then even with relatively little physical effort, the wedge will be inserted inside. Tangential forces will push the fibers apart, causing the body to split into two components.
If the apex angle is made small, then the wedge-shaped body will penetrate deeply inside, but the magnitude of the tangential forces will be small. The destructive force will not be enough. The ax will jam in the resulting gap.
When a less acute angle is formed, the tangential forces will be more significant. They can split wood.
The rheological properties of different types of wood are studied in laboratories. Viscosity depends on many factors. It has been established that for most types of wood it is desirable to have a wedge with an apex angle of 25...30 °. Such a cutting tool has the best chopping properties in terms of splitting properties.
With slow penetration of the wedge, the kinetic energy not accumulated as a result of the swing and subsequent impact becomes decisive. The process occurs by introduction into a plastic body, where, when certain values are reached, the bonds between the fibers are broken.
Research has shown that for wood splitters the apex angle should be 30...38 °. Then the penetration of the wedge will be accompanied by the breaking of bonds with less effort. Only some species will resist: elm, maple, apple, cherry.
For pine, oak, ash and a number of other species, a small penetration into the body is sufficient. Breaking ties is quite easy.
The length of the block also influences the magnitude of the forces. The shorter it is, the less resistance the tree has when splitting. Usually the length is determined by the depth of the firebox - the firewood must be placed inside the stove so that the door can be closed.
Mechanical assistants for splitting wood
A number of metalworking enterprises produce wood splitters. Based on their operating principle, they are divided into several types:
- Cleavers are installations for chopping action. The logs are placed on special supports, and then blows are applied with a weighted chisel.
- The chopping wedge is placed motionless, and the objects to be split are supported on them. The blows are applied with heavy sledgehammers, the splitting is carried out when passing through a passive working element.
- Pressers are installations with a mechanical pusher drive. The log is laid on a bed, and then it is pushed through a flat or cross-shaped knife.
- Screw destroyers are embedded inside the layered material. Penetrating deeper, they split even strong and twisted wood.
Cutting wood with wedge devices
Wedges are the simplest devices for cutting wood. In them, the level of labor mechanization is minimal. The main task of the device is the oriented fixation of the block relative to the cutting edges. The blows are delivered by the user himself, swinging a heavy hammer or sledgehammer.
In cleavers, the movement of the wedge ax is performed along a constant trajectory. The processing object is placed on a stationary platform. To maximize the impact force, the mass of the actuator is increased.
To soften the operation of the device, it is equipped with powerful springs. They soften the impact at the end point, preventing the wedge from touching the supports (preventing the wedge from dulling). Along the way, the springs help the user lift the heavy knife to strike again.
In a stable position, the entire system is in a balanced state. The moment created by the weight of the load G located on the arm L₁ is balanced by the force of the spring F on the arm L₂.
G·L₁ = F·L₂
It is most convenient to use springs from a car. For standard cars, the initial compression value is F = 8 kN (800 kg). Shoulder L₁ = 2.0 m. Taking arm L₂ = 0.3 m, the weight of the load G = 300 kN (30 kg) is obtained. The spring mechanism works quite softly, although the action of the wood splitter is based on striking the logs being cut.
The person lifts the load from the waist level by 0.5...0.6 m. Then the wedge is released. He falls and breaks the log. If complete destruction has not occurred, then you have to lift the cleaver and the block. With subsequent impacts, the weight of the entire system acts, and the impact is stronger. Even knotty scraps break when struck repeatedly.
Mechanisms for feeding logs for splitting
Wood splitters, which implement the principle of pressing through fixed knives, mechanize the main technological process: splitting logs into separate fragments. Based on the type of pusher drive, it is customary to determine:
- Hydraulic, in which the pushers are connected to the rods of hydraulic cylinders. The pump creates pressure in the oil, which is transmitted inside the mechanism. These are the simplest designs, since hydraulic drive devices do not have additional energy converters.
- Inertial ones use rotating masses. The energy accumulated by the flywheels is converted into forward movement of the pusher. The devices use special clutches that are engaged by the operator after installing a piece of log on the bed.
- Rack and pinion mechanisms use a converter from rotational to translational motion using a gear and a rack with teeth. At the right moment, the gear rotates until it engages the teeth of the actuator. The pusher moves the block onto the stationary knives. It splits into smaller elements.
- The crank mechanism receives torque from the gearbox. It is converted into translational movement of the pusher. Switching on (off) is regulated by a constantly open clutch. At the right moment, the operator engages the clutch, the crank begins to rotate, causing the connecting rod to move forward. The cycle ends with the return of the crank and connecting rod to their original position.
- Split nut and lead screw. The engine turns on, the rotation of the shaft is transmitted to the lead screw. At the right moment, the split nut is connected, the rotating shaft moves it, acting on the pusher. To return, the direction of rotation of the shaft is changed (a reverse rotation gear is used).
Such devices do not have high performance, but they take up relatively little space. They are installed in woodsheds (rooms for storing firewood). There they also split the bars into small logs and wood chips.
The machine includes:
- An electric motor transmits torque from it to the actuator.
- Drive and driven pulleys with a V-belt, a reduction V-belt transmission helps to increase torque and also reduce the rotation speed on the main part of the device.
- The cone is the main working body. A persistent conical thread is cut on the conical surface. When rotating inside the body being destroyed, the conical screw part cuts deeper, pulling the log towards the support.
- A wedge is an auxiliary device that helps destroy a drawn part.
The mechanism is simple, it is controlled by one person. During the work, you have to feed the block of wood onto the cone. Its design is more complex. The thrust thread is cut with a pitch of 7 mm.
Making your own wood splitter
Many residents of rural areas, as well as summer residents, have questions: “How to make a mechanical wood splitter with your own hands? How difficult is it to make a wood chopping machine?”
Even more questions arise during the manufacturing process. You can start with the simplest device. Having mastered the techniques of working with it, you can move on to making more complex wood splitters and more.
Step-by-step guide to making a spring log splitter
To complete the work you will need the following tools:
- Angle grinder (grinder) with a set of cutting discs and cleaning flap wheels.
- Welding machines and modern inverter-type household devices for welding steel structures are relatively small in weight. The process is carried out using direct current, so the welds are neat, and the molten metal of the electrode completely fills the joints between the parts.
- Clamps will help connect the parts to be welded.
- Measuring and marking tools will help produce blanks for future designs.
Materials needed:
- Channel No. 10...16 (the number determines the height expressed in centimeters).
- Profile pipe 40·60 mm (30·60 mm).
- Rail 300…400 mm long.
- I-beam No. 12...16.
- Corner No. 30...50.
- Bushing from the car suspension (it may have wear).
- Pipes with a diameter of 40...70 mm.
- A suspension spring for a passenger car, for example, from a VAZ.
Before starting work, a preliminary design is drawn. Some craftsmen have mastered engineering design programs, with the help of which they can work out the details of a future product. Manufacturing details are shown below.
An approximate diagram will help you navigate the process of manufacturing the installation.
The support is made from the channel. A stand is welded to it. It is best to use an I-beam for the rack. This type of rolled product has high rigidity. Under prolonged loads, it is quite difficult to bend such an element.
To ensure stability of the base, jibs are welded to it. Additionally, stops are created from the existing pipes; they will prevent a possible fall of the entire product.
A support for the spring is cut from the channel. A square hole is sawn through it. This will allow you to securely fix the element on the rack in the future.
The installation height of the support is determined by the length of the existing spring. At the same time, they focus on the height of the entire wood splitter, as well as its ease of use for humans. It is convenient to lift a load located at waist height. You will have to lift it slightly above chest level.
All these considerations will allow you to choose the height of installation of the spring support on the strut.
The corners are used to make jibs. They will hold the support. Then, when the wood splitter is dynamically loaded, there will be no displacement of the supporting surface.
To fix the lower end of the spring, you need to make a cylindrical clamp. A small piece of pipe is used to make it. It is advisable to select a pipe according to the inner diameter of the spring. Then it will not move during operation.
There is a slot in the top of the rack. A bushing is installed in it. Then it is boiled. When installing, you must maintain perpendicularity to the rack. The hub axis must be parallel to the ground. For welding, a conductor is used that will allow the specified conditions to be met.
The shaft is installed in the sleeve. A rocker arm is welded to it (a channel is used). A small piece of pipe is mounted on the lower part of the rocker. The upper part of the spring will be fixed in it.
In order for the rocker to move freely, a window is cut in it; its dimensions depend on the parameters of the rack.
A profile pipe is welded to the rocker arm. A chisel is installed at its end. These tools are made from carbon steel U9...U10. The hardness of this metal is HRC 60...63. This tool will last a long time. During operation, it is easy to sharpen it using an angle grinder and a grinding wheel.
The wood splitter becomes operational. A load (part of the rail) is welded above the chisel. For ease of use, the handle is welded. To reduce damage to your hands, wear rubber elements. They will dampen vibration upon impact.
To work, you will need to install a large piece of log. Logs will be placed on it, which will have to be cut.
The log is held with one hand. They raise the cleaver and then strike.
The cleaver goes down. The fragment located below splits. The chisel goes lower. If a complete split occurs, the point hits the wood support and does not become dull.
Organization of the production process
After making the wood splitter, you will have to start chopping firewood. In order for the job to be done easily, it is necessary to properly organize the production process.
The sawn fragments should be placed on one side. To get less tired, the distance should be only two or three steps.
It is advisable to place the chopped logs on a cart. The volume of the cart is small; no more than 30...40 kg of firewood will fit into it.
After filling, they need to be transported and placed on a woodpile. While the chopped firewood is being transported to the storage location, you can take a break from your main work. Changing activities is also a vacation.
Video: do-it-yourself mechanical wood splitter or how to assemble a wood splitter.
Conclusion
- You can make the preparation of firewood easier by using wood splitters. The simplest types of these devices can be made by hand.
- By following step-by-step steps when making your own spring device, it is easy to independently make a convenient impact wood splitter.
A hydraulic wood splitter or wood splitter is a means of automating the preparation of firewood. Most often, a hydraulic wood splitter is called a “mechanical splitting ax.” Moreover, many models have been created by the hands of home craftsmen and qualified engineers.
Application and working principle
Mechanical and hydraulic are used in private households or in small woodworking workshops. In any place, the machines perform mechanical bucking, as well as splitting wood of various species.
Hand tools for splitting and bucking very often break and require skill, effort and time. Machines and installations of other, non-hydraulic types very often break down due to uneven load.
Factory wood splitters
The construction equipment market offers several dozen models of hydraulic wood splitters in the price range from 10 to 200 thousand rubles. It is important to know that the price depends on:
- weight;
- power;
- efforts;
- engine type;
- maximum for log length;
- voltage (models with electric motor).
Power supplies for the motor are divided into 2 categories.
Electric motor. This energy converter acts on the pump. 
Moreover, the electric motor is used in the most primitive, household machines. It is very easy to maintain such models, and they can be used in the same garage or shed, taking into account environmental safety. Assembled with your own hands or in a workshop, models with electric motors are the easiest to prepare for work; you can even carry them by hand. The main disadvantage is that they do not function without power supply. 
Gas engine. Installed on powerful models that can be transported to the place where firewood is collected. Gasoline wood splitters are usually heavier, more expensive and more powerful. But it is also more functional due to its mobility and greater power.
Homemade wood splitters
Most often they are used for domestic needs in preparation for the heating season. Moreover, the level of engineering thought of a rural worker can motivate him to create household and professional equipment.
In this case, everything is clear with a household machine, but a professional machine can work in line. Simply put, it also has the function of feeding, trimming, and unloading.
Anyone who wants to independently create similar installations to make work easier can familiarize themselves with drawings, diagrams and video instructions online. An example of a good hydraulic wood splitter, assembled with your own hands, is this video:
What is included in the design of a hydraulic wood splitter?
A self-made hydraulic wood splitter must consist of certain parts. It is better to arrange the parts according to significance, but start from:
- beds;
- cylinder stop;
- wedge-shaped blade (or blades);
- pump;
- fluid pressure distributor;
- oil tank;
- engine or motor.
How do they collect it with their own hands?
The simplest method for assembling a working wood splitter begins with welding a frame that needs to be secured to the platform. The lower part of the platform is equipped with a car jack (at a minimum).
The connector must be calculated at the top of the frame. It is needed for splitting chocks of different diameters and different lengths.
The wood splitter in the photo was made by hand, but is designed for industrial use. It has a more complex design, which necessarily consists of a hydraulic jack on a stationary (non-portable) type frame. Creating this installation requires plumbing skills and safety calculations. Although, at first glance, the unit may not be complicated, the operator’s careless work will sooner or later lead to an accident.
To save time and resources, wedge-shaped knives with 4-8 blades were created. The fact is that a standard knife divides a log into 2 parts, but this model processes any log in one go.
A do-it-yourself hydraulic wood splitter with increased power (drive from a tractor, gasoline engine) must be equipped with a wedge-shaped knife with at least 4 blades.
Hydraulic industrial wood splitter with log lifting - video
In any household where wood-burning boilers are used for heating residential premises, preparing the required reserves of such fuel and preparing it for use traditionally takes a lot of time and physical effort. Therefore, some prudent owners are trying to somehow facilitate and speed up this process by mechanizing it. And an excellent solution is a wood splitter, which can be purchased ready-made or made independently.
Expert advice! It is important to pay attention to the type of thread: a persistent two-start thread is required; if you use a single-start thread, you will have to forcefully push the block onto the carrot cone. Ask your sellers for a two-start thrust thread. Otherwise, when using a single-start thread, you will have to force the logs onto the threaded cone with great effort!
Making a wood splitter with your own hands is not an easy task, but for a good, skilled owner it is completely solvable. This can be a purely mechanical option, or an installation equipped with a hydraulic drive, electric or liquid fuel motor. Many different models of homemade wood splitting machines have been developed, with significant differences in the principle of operation, dimensions, design complexity, designed to transmit horizontal and vertical force, etc. To decide which cleaver will be most suitable for both self-production and further use, it makes sense to consider several options available for assembly in a home workshop.
Existing types of wood splitter designs
Chopping large quantities of firewood by hand may have health benefits, but it is by no means a very enjoyable activity. In addition, this process takes a lot of time. Therefore, a wood splitter will never be superfluous on the farm.
When choosing the design of this device for self-production, you should not rely entirely on the varieties offered for purchase in specialized stores. There are quite a lot of them, and each of the wood splitters requires compliance with certain safety rules, which are not always feasible at home. In this regard, the first thing that needs to be done when planning to manufacture such a device yourself is to decide what quantity of firewood it is needed to harvest and in what climatic conditions. Various options are possible:
- For regular procurement of large volumes of wood fuel necessary for heating a large house located in a region with a harsh climate.
- For preparing small amounts of firewood for homes in regions with mild winter climates.
- For periodic splitting of firewood, which is used in addition to the main fuel - coal, briquettes, etc., or for heating commercial non-residential premises.
- For preparing a small amount of fuel for the fireplace or heating the cottage in winter when visiting it on weekends.
* * * * * * *
To make your own installation for splitting firewood, provided you have already developed a diagram, have the material and the necessary tools, it will probably take two to three days. But in the future, much more time and effort will be saved when preparing fuel reserves for the winter.
In conclusion, a video that shows a very small screw-type wood splitter and demonstrates its considerable capabilities. By the way, the argument that the logs are fed for splitting exclusively vertically will be clearly visible there.
Video: Small homemade screw wood splitter in action
