Electric log splitters.

[Gramaisc]

Does anybody have any experience of the smaller electric log splitters, the more "domesticated" kind? This sort of thing..

My father spends a good bit of an afternoon every months splitting logs. He quite enjoys it, but he is ninety and we might need to be thinking of a bit of assistance. I just wonder though, if these are a great deal of help - do they really work, do you spend all day standing there holding a button down whilst it inches along - that sort of thing?

 

[Katniss]

This might seem like a silly question but I am going to ask it anyway. Why doesn't he buy them already chopped up? I know you said he enjoys chopping them up but he could always do a jigsaw or something less tiring that's what my Dad does and he is only in his 70's.

 

[Lucy]

I tend to use a mitre saw, but it's no good for big logs, and I await the day I chop my finger off...

 

[Trumpet]

My neighbour uses one, I'll have a word and report back. He's only in his 40s lazy git.

 

[Gramaisc]

This might seem like a silly question but I am going to ask it anyway. Why doesn't he buy them already chopped up? I know you said enjoys chopping them up but he could always do a jigsaw or something less tiring that's what my Dad does and he is only in his 70's.

They are chopped, in the sense of being cut to length - just that he wants to further split a few now and then, depending upon how things are burning.

Jigsaws are not his thing.

I tend to use a mitre saw, but it's no good for big logs, and I await the day I chop my finger off...

I keep one of these to hand when chainsawing - if you need anything bigger, then you're going to die anyway and might as well get it over with quicker.

 

[Katniss]

I am surprised my Dad likes jigsaws tbh because he used to be a Technical Engineer before he retired.

 

[Gramaisc]

I am surprised my Dad likes jigsaws tbh because he used to be a Technical Engineer before he retired.

I was a Design Engineer (I'm nearly better now) and I'm not a fan of jigsaws - I'm happy to look at the picture on the lid and put it back.

My neighbour uses one, I'll have a word and report back. He's only in his 40s lazy git.

I would be interested on his views regarding wood that is a bit drier than the recently cut stuff.

 

[stoofer34]

Jigsaws? 4 Candles?

S

 

[Trumpet]

I was a Design Engineer (I'm nearly better now) and I'm not a fan of jigsaws - I'm happy to look at the picture on the lid and put it back.



I would be interested on his views regarding wood that is a bit drier than the recently cut stuff.

Noted that.

 

[Katniss]

I was a Design Engineer (I'm nearly better now) and I'm not a fan of jigsaws - I'm happy to look at the picture on the lid and put it back.

He likes the 3d jigsaws.

 

[ChrisLewis]

Does anybody have any experience of the smaller electric log splitters, the more "domesticated" kind? This sort of thing..

My father spends a good bit of an afternoon every months splitting logs. He quite enjoys it, but he is ninety and we might need to be thinking of a bit of assistance. I just wonder though, if these are a great deal of help - do they really work, do you spend all day standing there holding a button down whilst it inches along - that sort of thing?

yes - purchased one from Buxton's a few years ago, certainly a lot quicker than using an axe, however my one suggestion is to get one mounted on a frame so you don't spend the day bending down

 

[Trumpet]

Had a word with neighbour and had a quick demo. His is a Clarke 5, says it's the best £200 he ever spent. The ram moves at a reasonable pace so no hanging around. The weighty motor and pump end is on wheels and there's a handle at the other end so it's quite well balanced for moving it around. Takes up to about 20" lengths of wood. Two triggers which have to be used jointly as a safety feature.
Regards well seasoned wood, we split a piece that was about a foot across and had been sawn to about a 9" length. he had to have several bites at it from different angles but it got there in the end, personally I reckon two attacks would have done it if positioned right.

 

[Gramaisc]

Right, so I got one of these from Screwfix.

I was keen on getting a smallish one, to avoid storage issues and was surprised how large even this one was - and truly substantial, too.

It's hard to see how somebody can sell these for £150, having shipped them half way round the world. I'm always tempted with this kind of thing to take it to the Post Office and find out how much the postage would be to send it back...

It is quite efficient and effective - a few day's worth of a stash has been created.

 

[Gramaisc]

And combustion is in process.

 

[Glam]

And combustion is in process.

Real toast too??

 

[Gramaisc]

Right. I had a totally unnecessary 'issue' with this tonight.

Stupidly, in order to have a little fire running this evening, I split a log that had fallen before the chainsaw had gone right through it, leaving a little 'tongue' of tapering wood sticking out at one end.

I, daftly, placed this tongue on the slide, facing the moving 'driver' face. The sliver, obviously, lodged under the slider, jamming the whole thing solid, to such an extent that there was no way to budge it in either direction and I had to dismantle the driver to release things.

Half an hour's work, but I won't do it again.

Ever.


Other than that, the machine has been a great success.

 

[Lucy]

We have recently (well pre lockdown) split a load of logs using one from Aldi. It did the job very well, although the switch was very sensitive.