"Steve" wrote in message
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On Oct 12, 12:25 pm, "SteveB" toquerville@zionvistas wrote:
"Steve" wrote in message

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Hello,
I am considering buying a McCullugh (called a Woodchuck) electric wood
splitter. It has a 4 ton force and supposedly can split a 20 inch
long piece of wood up to 12 inch diameter. I am thinking of keeping
it in my basement to split pieces of wood down to kindling size when
needed. My question is does anyone on here have one of these
splitters and, if so, what do they think of them??? They sell around
my area for about $230. Made in China, of course........
Thanks,
Steve

I have a Honda 5hp 26 ton splitter. I love it. Yet, still, I need a
kindling splitter like you. I'm thinking of making one out of a maul.
Drill a hole in the end of the handle for a pivot point. Insert bolt so it
will rotate 90 degrees, falling onto a stump on which to sit smaller
pieces
of kindling. Starts vertical, ends up horizontal. Then let gravity do its
work. Maybe attach a bungee to add a little oomph. I can make the
framework out of steel tubing, as I weld. Stumps are a dime a dozen around
here.

Or make some kind of sliding device that drops like a guillotine. I think
you could come up with something for less than $230.

Trouble is "It has a 4 ton force and supposedly can split a 20 inch long
piece of wood up to 12 inch diameter". Sounds like you may use this for
your main splitter, and one day overwork it. If you just use it for
kindling and small pieces, it should be okay. But if you're like me, you
tend to push the envelope.

Steve

Most of my firewood is already split at least in half so it would be
mainly to reduce the halves down farther if needed to fit into my wood
stove. It might be used probably a few times a day at the most. Up
until now I have been using a small hand size metal splitting mall to
do what I am talking about and am just thinking of trying to make my
woodburning life a little easier in my older age. I still split all
my major size firewood outside by hand with a large metal splitting
mall. Sounds like you have a pretty good idea to try too though.
Thanks!
Steve

I have to split about four cords of wood that's stacked outside in rounds
right now. Like you, I will split it down to stove sized pieces. But, I,
too, want some small apparatus that I can quickly sit some small pieces
into, and split into kindling. Lots of the time, it goes flying, or I'm
just edgy about breaking a nail. (Or losing a finger.) So, I am going to
build something simple. Something I can just sit the wood into, and it will
stay put, then drop the maul and know exactly where it will land.

I will post a picture on flickr when I get something made. I have a few
days of projects to do here soon, and that's one of them.

Steve