Yep, 30 years ago me and another hillbilly sawed a 10 inch sycamore log in 13 seconds using a crosscut saw. Doubt I could anymore…maybe 26 seconds.
(This was in Rupp Arena in a competition. Second best time around 18 seconds.)
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Why is it dangerous? I’ve never actually seen a electric or gas splitter work. Only on videos. Thats a lot of hp though. The nephew gas is only 6.5 hp.
I’ll probably end up going with a corded electric powered. I’d like to hear about experiences in using them. There is many to choose from. Maybe specific models. I know that they are only intended for smaller wood, but that’s okay.
My shoulders hurt too much to be swinging an axe with the amount of wood I have.
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When wood is cross-grained enough to bind in a 20+ HP wood splitter, It keeps building pressure until the wood gives, sometimes explosively. Wood chunks can be flung with enough force to break legs… or heads.
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the wood dealers speed up the hydraulics to process more in less time. it only takes a second to put your hands in the wrong place.
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they have shields welded into the tables of these splitters to protect the workers. the wood can only be inserted / removed from 2 spots. one on each side. the operator and worker that removes the split wood stands behind the shields while splitting. still a chance that wood could go flying up but much less of a chance.
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After thinking about it, seems to me that I once read about a warning that the hydraulics hoses could be dangerous. Something about a leak and then a stream. That would be an added danger. Unlikely maybe.
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they generally over engineer these things because of the heavy pounding they take but like everything else if not properly maintained any piece of equipment could be dangerous.
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I’ve been doing plenty of research lately and some of the electrical stuff confuses me. I’ve looked at the store’s info on log splitters and the YouTube videos explaining circuitry.
One of the electric log splitters that I’m looking closely at requires a 20amp circuit.
When I go to the fuse box, I see that the fuse for the outside receptacle is rated ‘20’ meaning that it should support a 20amp receptacle. Yet when I look at the outside receptacle it is clearly 15 amp marked two ‘|’ and a hole underneath. On YouTube I see that it should have two ‘-|’ signifying a 20amp receptacle making it compatible for a 20amp log splitter.
My question is what would I need to do to convert this to a 20amp outlet so that a log splitter requiring a 20amp circuit would work?
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First check the wire. You must have 12 gauge to run 20 amps. Second, replace the receptacle with one rated for 20 amps.
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Thanks!
I went in the attic to try to determine the gauge of wire. They all looked the same to me. Of course, I probably could not tell the difference between the two even if I saw it.
I’ll probably just go with one that just works with a 15amp circuit. Labor is so expensive these days knowing that I would most certainly have to have an electrician to convert.
It will be my luck that with a splitter rated 15amp circuit will trip the breaker enough that I will have to hire an electrician anyway.
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