Homemade firewood cleavers and their drawings. Instructions for making a wood splitter with your own hands

In any economy where wood-fired boilers are used for residential heating, the procurement of the required reserves of such fuel and preparing it for use traditionally takes a lot of time and physical effort. Therefore, some zealous owners are trying to somehow facilitate and speed up this process by mechanizing it. And great solution becomes 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: it is precisely the persistent two-thread that is needed, if you use a single-thread, you will have to force the block of wood onto the carrot cone. Ask your dealer for a two-start thrust thread. Otherwise, when using a single-start thread, you will have to push the logs onto the threaded cone with great effort!

Making a wood splitter with your own hands is not an easy task, but still for a good, skilled owner it is quite solvable. It can be a purely mechanical version, or a unit equipped with a hydraulic drive, electric or oil motor. Many different models of home-made wood splitters have been developed that have significant differences in principle of operation, in dimensions, design complexity, designed to transfer horizontal and vertical forces, etc. In order to decide which particular cleaver will be the most acceptable and for self-manufacturing, and in further operation, it makes sense to consider several options available for assembly in a home workshop.

Existing varieties of wood splitter designs

Chopping a lot of wood by hand may be healthy, but it is by no means a very pleasant experience. In addition, this process takes a lot of time. Therefore, a wood splitter on the farm will never become superfluous.

When choosing the design of this device for self-production, you should not completely focus on the varieties offered for purchase in specialized stores. There are a lot of them, and each of the wood splitters requires compliance certain rules security that is not always feasible at home. In this regard, the first thing to do when planning the manufacture of such a device on your own is to decide how much firewood and in what climatic conditions it is necessary for harvesting. There are various options:

• For the regular procurement of a large amount of wood fuel needed to heat a large house located in a region with a harsh climate.
• To prepare a small amount of firewood for houses in regions with a mild winter climate.
• For periodic splitting of firewood, which is used in addition to the main fuel - coal, briquettes, etc., or for heating utility non-residential premises.
• For the preparation of a small amount of fuel for the fireplace or for heating the cottage in the winter when visiting it on weekends.

* * * * * * *

To make your own installation for chopping firewood, subject to an already developed scheme, the availability of material and necessary tools It will probably take two or three days. But on the other hand, much more time and effort will be saved in the future when preparing fuel supplies for the winter.

In conclusion, a video showing a very small screw-type wood splitter, demonstrating its considerable capabilities. By the way, the argument that the logs are fed for splitting exclusively vertically will be clearly visible there.

Video: A small homemade screw wood splitter at work

For some, chopping wood is an old Russian pastime. And in many regions of vast Russia, this is a way to survive and not freeze in winter. Yes, and in more civilized regions, in the country there are stoves and fireplaces. Buying ready-made firewood saves time, but not money.

Therefore, under a canopy in many firewood there are sawn logs, and they are waiting for the owner with an ax.

To facilitate this troublesome task, the Russian "left-handers" began to make a wood splitter with their own hands. Such devices are also sold in stores, but 90% of people living in rural areas with furnace heating use homemade tools.

Types of devices for splitting logs

Homemade hydraulic wood splitter

The principle of operation - the pusher, driven by a hydraulic drive, delivers a log to the wedge system. It needs a compressor to work. It can be electric or assembled for internal combustion. The design is efficient and quite reliable, since there are few mechanical parts. Only the hydraulics themselves need maintenance.

Industrial wood splitter hydraulic

It is quite problematic to make it yourself, unless you can get a hydraulic drive from decommissioned agricultural machinery.

In the video, an example of the work of a homemade wood splitter. As you can see from the video, there is nothing super complicated in its design. The main hydraulic cylinder from the auger of the combine harvester has a stroke of 50 cm.

The pusher is driven by a gear-rack pair, the mechanism is clear from the illustration. The drive can be electric or petrol. The torque from the motor shaft with the help of a gearbox is multiplied many times.

With the help of a lever, the gear rack is pressed against the rotating traction gear, feeding the pusher onto the log. Then the spring returns the mechanism to its original position. Such a wood splitter is not as powerful as a hydraulic one.

However, it is quite suitable for home use. The cost of the device is quite democratic. The disadvantage is that the working gear wears out quickly and the pair needs to be replaced.
Such a device can be made by hand.

This video clip shows a homemade rack-and-pinion wood splitter with a belt drive. Nothing fancy, simple and efficient design, performance, which is higher than that of a hydraulic wood splitter.

Screw (conical) wood splitter

Homemade screw wood splitter

The most popular design of this device. Available in various sizes and price ranges. The principle of action is simple - the log is fed to a rotating cone, made in the form of an Archimedean gimlet.

A wood splitter (it is also called a wood harvesting machine) is a mechanism by which large chocks are trimmed and mechanically split into small logs that are convenient to use in everyday life.

The advantages of such a product are obvious:

• it is an excellent replacement for heavy mechanical labor for chopping firewood;
• the device lasts a very long time;
• the mechanism is simply arranged - it does not have complex elements, which makes it easy to maintain;
• the mechanism is mobile - it can be transported to different places.

Varieties of wood splitters

Wood splitters differ from each other in several ways. Depending on the work performed, there are 2 large class settings:

• wood splitter (also often called a cleaver) - with its help you can only split large chocks into small logs; these mechanisms are mainly used at home;
• a wood splitter, which, along with the function of splitting chocks, is capable of trimming blanks; more commonly used in industrial production.

According to the scope of application, wood splitters are distinguished:

• household (it is these wood splitters that are easiest to make with your own hands);
• industrial.

Mechanisms can work due to different types of energies, according to which they distinguish:

According to the features of feeding the workpiece, there are wood splitters:

Depending on whether the device can be moved, there are:

• mobile wood splitters (designed for small production volumes, as well as for domestic tasks);
• stationary (used on an industrial scale).

Finally, according to the principle of operation of the mechanism, there are:

Specifications

Wood splitters made by hand or at the factory, as mechanisms, have their own parameters that characterize their production capabilities:

1. Splitting power is measured in revolutions per minute; in industrial devices, 500-700 or more rpm is achieved.
2. The speed of the piston is measured in centimeters per second (5-8 cm/sec).
3. The speed of the reverse movement of the piston (usually no more than 7-8 cm / sec).
4. Engine power on electric drive (1500-2000 W and higher is achieved as a standard).
5. Working length - usually from half a meter to a meter.
6. Additional features - wood splitters are often equipped with a 4-cutter nozzle, due to which the productivity of the installation increases dramatically. Also, some models are equipped with a mechanism for raising the table, which allows you to adjust optimal height working surface.

At home, it is quite possible to make both the simplest conical and hydraulic wood splitters with your own hands.

Benefits of home installation

Such installations, as a rule, are inferior to factory devices in terms of power and appearance. However, for small volumes of home production, they are the best fit. The advantages of home mechanisms are as follows:

• they are much cheaper than professional machines;
• it is easy to assemble them from the most common materials;
• since the assembly is done independently, you can take into account all the features of the mechanism that you need, according to your needs;
• assembling such a product by hand, you will gain valuable experience that can be useful in other business affairs.

mechanism requirements

Basically, any wood splitters (both handmade and factory-made) must meet a set of minimum requirements:

• Engine power not less than 2 kW
• All stationary and moving elements are made of solid steel.
• The minimum distance from the floor to the cone is 80-90 cm.
• AT living conditions the number of revolutions per minute is sufficient 400-500.
• Dimensions are selected approximately, in the standard version they are approximately equal to 85 * 40 * 65 cm (length, width and height, respectively).

Making a screw wood splitter: step by step instructions and video

The simplest version of a wood splitter that you can do yourself is a screw one.

The device can easily split chocks of almost any diameter, which is clearly shown in the video.

To make it, you need a minimum of tools and materials:

• steel frame (the base to which all elements of the installation will be attached);
• engine, the power of which is selected according to individual needs;
• reduction gear;
• threaded nozzle cone (its drawing is presented below)

A schematic drawing of the device is shown below.

The sequence of actions will be as follows:

Video review, which describes in detail the purpose of the part

NOTE. It is very important to choose the size of the drill and the optimal value of the angle of inclination of the cone. It is these factors that determine the size of the log - small cones may not be able to cope with some of them. An indicative table is shown below.

How to work with a screw splitter

Before you start working with the device, you need to run it at idle to make sure that all elements work without failures and the engine gains the necessary power.

When working with a screw wood splitter, you need to follow a few simple rules:

1. Chock is brought to the mechanism in a vertical position.
2. The height of the working surface of the table must first be adjusted to the desired level. If necessary, a board is placed.
3. Chock is brought in a state pressed to the surface (it is wrong to work on weight).
4. If the chock is large, then the bark can prevent the split - it can be chopped off beforehand (this is especially true for birch bark).
5. If there are knots in the chock, it has an uneven internal structure, it is better to start splitting from the place where the inner layers of the tree are simpler.

NOTE. If the drill firmly stuck into the surface of the tree, but the split did not occur, you must immediately turn off the device. The cone is removed manually or by turning it in the opposite direction using a gas wrench (the installation is disassembled beforehand). Such cases are rare and are associated mainly with knotty trees. It is better to help with a manual split, and then process the chock again on a wood splitter.

DIY hydraulic wood splitter: step by step instructions and video

Unlike a screw splitter, a hydraulic wood splitter operates in a fully automatic mode, and the task of a person is only to monitor the progress of the operation and correct the chocks in time, if necessary.

AT this case The chock moves not due to human strength, but by a hydraulic mechanism. It can be connected to the tractor's power plant or to another power source.

Video: do-it-yourself assembly technology for a hydraulic wood splitter mounted with a tractor.

A hydraulic wood splitter has more power, respectively, and is more difficult to manufacture than a cone splitter.

IT IS INTERESTING. Using such a device of standard power, you can split about 7-10 chocks per minute (respectively, up to 60 per hour). You can compare this with the pace of manual production to feel the difference in time and effort expended.

The drawing of the device is shown below.

You will need the following mechanisms:

• hydraulic pump;
• sleeves;
• mechanism engine (hydraulic pump drive) - can be either electric or gasoline powered;
• hydraulic tank, hydraulic distributor.

Schematic diagram - in the figure.

The performance of the entire system directly depends on the power of the drive - it is this parameter that should be oriented at the design stage of the mechanism.

In the very simple version the sequence of actions will be as follows:

1. The hydraulic jack is rigidly fixed on the frame.
2. A wedge-shaped blade is installed from the opposite end of the bed, which will help to successfully split even large chocks and chocks with a complex internal structure (multi-layered, knotty).
3. The jack is connected to the engine - electric, gasoline or tractor traction.

The principle of operation of the device is that the press presses on the chock, shifts it to the blade in the form of a wedge, and due to further mechanical pressure, it splits against the wedge. In order for the jack to return to its original position, it is equipped with conventional springs. As a result, the whole process is fully automatic.

Features of the work of a do-it-yourself gasoline-powered wood splitter:

Professional wood splitters: champion lsh 5000 review

Along with the fact that it is quite possible to make a wood splitter with your own hands, you can also purchase a factory model. Products are usually characterized by greater power, durability and performance.

Consider the operation features and technical parameters of the device using the example of a champion lsh 5000 wood splitter operating on an electric motor.

Specifications

The wood splitter belongs to hydraulic mechanisms operating on electric traction with an engine power of 2700 W. Its main characteristics are as follows:

1. Chock dimensions: in diameter from 50 to 250 mm, in length up to 520 mm.
2. Product dimensions 950 * 280 * 520 cm (length, width, height, respectively).
3. Product weight 43 kg.
4. The volume of oil is 3.5 liters.
5. Pressure in the hydraulic system (average) 20 MPa.

Device diagram

The constituent elements of the structure are shown in the diagram.

The numbers indicate:

1. A lever that controls the hydraulic drive.
2. protective surface.
3. Pusher.
4. The plate that guides the movement of the tree.
5. Device for splitting chocks.
6. Transport handle.
7. Support elements.
8. Electric traction engine.
9. Lever to turn off.
10. Block with control elements.
11. Wheel.

The side view shows the bolt that controls the oil level in the system (1) and the screw that lets air into the hydraulic system (2).

Terms of Use

The log splitter is used under the following environmental conditions:

• temperature regime from +5 to +40оС;
• 1 load cycle lasts within 10 minutes;
• the maximum operating time under constant load conditions is 4 minutes, after which a break is made for 5-6 minutes.

It is better not to use the wood splitter in extreme weather conditions (hard frosts), as well as in places with constantly high humidity.
To take into account electrical safety, grounding is done using:

• metal pipe(diameter from 50 mm, length from 1600 mm);
• a metal rod with a minimum diameter of 20 mm, a minimum length of 1600 mm;
• sheet of iron coated with zinc, with dimensions from 900 * 400 mm.

NOTE. It is not allowed to use residues from pipelines containing flammable liquids (oil, gasoline, etc.) as ground electrodes.

Preparing the wood splitter for work

Before switching on for the first time, make sure that the protection plate is correctly installed and mounted securely. Next, you need to prepare the wood splitter for work:

1. First you need to inspect all the elements of the equipment to make sure that there are no bolts, nuts and other foreign elements.
2. If defective parts are found, it is better to replace them.
3. The mechanism is installed on a flat surface approximately 50-70 cm high from the floor. The place to work should be wide enough.
4. Make sure that the wood splitter stands securely and does not swing; if necessary, ensure its stable position with improvised means.
5. Before starting work, you need to slightly loosen the position of the air plug (screw) so that air can enter the oil tank. At the end of the work, the screw, respectively, is tightened back.
6. Before starting work (especially after a long break), you need to make sure that the device is functioning properly - for this, you need to idle it for 1 minute. If there are no extraneous sounds and noises, you can get to work.

Features of working on a wood splitter

While working, you need to follow a few rules:

NOTE. Knocking out a stuck chock with a hammer, ax, crowbar and other similar items is quite risky - such actions can lead not only to damage to the working surface of the device, but also to its accidental start. In this case, the wood splitter may fail, and it will not be possible to fix such a breakdown with your own hands.

Oil change

Along with periodic inspections and replacements of failed elements of the mechanism Maintenance wood splitter is to change the oil in a timely manner. You need to do this in this order:

NOTE. During operation, it is important to regularly check at what level the oil is. The reference position is between two grooves on the bolt surface.

Possible malfunctions

type of problem	alleged causes	remedial action
wood does not split	incorrect position of the chock	the chock must be laid flat on the work surface
	the chock exceeds the allowable dimensions	you need to take a log of other sizes or reduce the chock
	cleaver blade worn out	sharpen the blade
the pushing element does not move evenly, but jerkily, extraneous noises are heard	insufficient hydraulic oil	check the level and add until the oil reaches the line between the grooves of the control bolt
	air has accumulated in the hydraulics	bleed air from the system
the engine runs normally, but the cleaver does not move	valve does not open	verify. how does the valve work
	levers are deformed	give them correct form or replace with new ones

You can clearly see how to work on this wood splitter model with your own hands:

For the owner of a country or private house, an indispensable tool is a cleaver. It can be mechanical or manual. You can buy a similar device in a store, but mechanical devices are expensive, so not everyone can afford it, although they can greatly facilitate the process of harvesting firewood.

Before making such an expensive purchase, you need to think that such designs are not difficult, so you can make them yourself. But first, decide whether the cleaver will be mechanical, or it is better to supplement it with an engine. In the latter case, you will have to look for spare parts somewhere, as well as use the services of a turner. Well, if you have such skills yourself.

Varieties of devices for chopping wood: an ax with a displaced center

On sale today you can find an ax-cleaver with a displaced center. For the Vipukirves Leveraxe model, you will have to pay 16,000 rubles. With the tool in a short time it will be possible to prick a large number of firewood. This is possible thanks to the curved foot located at the top of the blade. It clings to the remaining elements of the log and forms a lever. As a result, the tool does not slip after impact, and the legs remain safe. The design at the same time assumes a free grip of the ax.

The hatchet is made of Finnish birch, which is able to absorb shock. In winter, the handle will not freeze, it will not slip in your hands even in rainy weather. Due to the fact that the design of such an ax is unique, the blade does not get stuck in the wood, because the displaced center of gravity instantly takes the ax to one side, so a section of the log breaks off with one blow. Blade thickness is 8 cm and weight is 3 kg. The material used is steel, and when folded, the dimensions of the tool are 91 x 23 x 9 cm.

Things to Consider Before Manufacturing

Before performing a cleaver, it is important to think about the fact that they will have to swing not a few, but a lot of times. It follows from this that the weight of the tool must be appropriate physical form person. For example, on sale you can find cleavers, the weight of which varies from 2 to 5 kg. However, using a light tool, it will be possible to split only small logs, so the size of the firewood must also be taken into account.

The handle of the tool, which is called an ax handle, should be made of wood like elm or maple, in extreme cases it can be birch. After all, inaccurate and strong blows will render the tool unusable. It is also important to consider the length of the ax - it should not be too short. If you decide to make a cleaver with your own hands, then it will be more convenient to have two tools. One of them should be a powerful ax with a long handle, while the other is a wedge-shaped classic cleaver. The latter is suitable for fresh chopped wood with high moisture, while the other will cope with dry logs. Different types of wood will behave differently. And if you have two cleavers on hand, you can find an approach to them.

Before you make a cleaver with your own hands, you should choose a suitable design. Homemade tools are hydraulic or screw, the latter are also called conical. The most common are homemade screw or factory options. The main part is a cone with a large thread, which is driven by an electric motor. The master will only need to move the deck to the cone, as the latter will begin to screw into it.

The conical wood splitter has a corresponding shape, from which the wood splits into 2 parts. If we are talking about hydraulic cleavers, then they will have a higher performance compared to the above, but it is more difficult to make them. The principle of operation will remain the same as that of Wood will be pressed through a special form that splits the element into logs of the desired size. The mechanisms of the machine are a hydraulic drive that operates from a gasoline or electric engine. A cone wood splitter will be more convenient when compared to a conventional ax. Making such tools is simple, but on sale you can find ready-made kits for assembling such devices.

Making a screw cleaver

If you are thinking about how to do it, then first you need to prepare the following materials and details:

• electric motor;
• pulleys;
• drive belt;
• sheet metal:
• engine mounting plate;
• shaft with bearings;
• working cone;
• profile pipes;
• metal corners.

When choosing an electric motor, you need to pay attention to the one that has a power of 2 kW. The sheet metal must be 3 mm thick.

Homemade can be made much easier if you can find a low-speed powerful electric motor that will be capable of delivering 500 revolutions per minute. In this case, it is not required, and the cone can be put on its shaft.

The number of engine revolutions, in principle, can be any, but it is necessary to calculate the belt drive pulleys in such a way that the speed is 500 revolutions per minute. On the market, you can buy a ready-made shaft with bearings for an electric cleaver, but pulleys and a threaded cone can be made by contacting a turner.

Work methodology

If you decide to make a cleaver with your own hands, then carbon steel will act as the material for the cone, it is better to use the St45 brand. When preparing a thread, it must be borne in mind that it must consist of two runs. The pitch is 7 mm, while the height of the turns is 2 mm.

Pulleys can be machined from ordinary St3 grade steel, and the dimensions of the grooves will depend on the selected belt. Specialists use a chain instead of a belt drive. This is more reliable, but more difficult in the manufacturing process. It is important to choose the stars in size, which is not very convenient. In order to assemble the cleaver with your own hands, you need to weld the frame by installing a plate for mounting the motor under the tabletop. A shaft with bearings should be located on it. A pulley and a cone are fixed on it. Next, the master has to put on and pull the belt. Connecting the motor to the network is carried out in the next step, then you can proceed to the tests.

Making a hydraulic splitter

The hydraulic cleaver has a design that differs from the previous one. The drive and the working part, which is used to split the material, act as a feature. The bed has a different shape, although it is welded from corners, pipes and sheet metal. The press cleaver works due to the pressure in it provided by the oil pump. It is necessary to install this element on the same shaft with an electric motor, while the assembly can be located separately from the bed, but it must be connected to the cylinder using hoses.

The nuances of the work

If you decide to make a hydraulic splitter, then first you need to find all the details and take care of making the mold. It is made of metal, and the base will be a cruciform shape. Its dimensions can be chosen individually, because there are no clear restrictions. The main condition in this case is that the power of the cylinder is sufficient to split firewood when their dimensions are too large.

The form must be fixed on the frame, its transverse axis must coincide with the shaft of the hydraulic cylinder. It is installed along the frame and connected to the pump, while the nozzles should be used. Such a mechanical cleaver can be mobile; for this, the wheels should be strengthened to the frame.

Harvesting firewood requires considerable effort: they need to be sawn, chopped, folded in to dry. Most of the energy goes into chopping wood. A wood splitter can facilitate and speed up the process. They are presented in sufficient quantities, but they cost solid money. At the same time, you can make the simplest wood splitter with your own hands from scrap metal - pipes, corners, etc. Everything will require literally several thousand - if there is no metal, it will have to be bought.

Mechanical wood splitters

If the volumes of firewood harvesting are small, a mechanical wood splitter can easily handle them. They are distinguished by their simplicity of design, the minimum number of complex nodes, and the fact that the costs are minimal, even if there are no suitable pieces of iron on the farm.

Do-it-yourself simple wood splitter: mechanics

The simplest mechanical wood splitter resembles a well crane. The design is one to one, only instead of a bucket a cutter and handles are fixed. The connection of the rack (racks) and the crossbar can be made the simplest - articulated. All you need is a good lubricant.

The principle of operation, probably everyone understands. The block of wood is placed on a stand, the lever is sharply pulled down, due to the force of inertia, the cutter gains significant strength and splits the block of wood. The process is repeated until logs of the required thickness are obtained.

It is easy to assemble such a mechanical wood splitter with your own hands, and, literally, from what is - pipes, a corner of any size, even an ax can be used as a cutter. In addition, such a design can be made collapsible - so that it can be carried.

There are many cons. Chopping firewood requires a lot of effort. Moreover, more effort is applied to stop the course of the cleaver after the log has fallen apart. The second minus is that such a wood splitter occupies a solid area, because the longer the lever, the less effort must be applied. However, even such a primitive mechanical device greatly reduces the complexity of the process.

One of the options - the cleaver is welded to a square pipe filled with concrete

In this design, the cleaver must be heavy. Therefore, the blade itself is welded to an all-metal blank. More affordable option- weld to a pipe (round or square) and pour it with concrete. Agree, to make such a wood splitter with your own hands is within the power of anyone who knows how to handle

Spring splitter

There is a modified design of a manual mechanical wood splitter, which, with smaller sizes, splits firewood better, requires less effort. In this model, the main working unit is a spring, which is fixed on the frame, and its upper part rests against the stationary crossbar, on which the cleaver is fixed.

In this design, the main force - to hold the cleaver after the log has split - is assumed by the spring. Accordingly, the main thing is to choose a spring and an emphasis so that minimal efforts are applied, but they are sufficient to split even complex, knotty logs. The stop under the spring can be made movable. Then you can adjust the parameters for specific conditions. In reality, "reconfiguration" is required for a specific person. If one person will work with the tool, then you can do everything stationary, choosing the height empirically.

It is equally important to make a movable articulation of the frame and the lever on which the cleaver is fixed. The best option is bearings. They must be of high quality, preferably self-levelling.

The minimum height of a homemade wood splitter is about 800 mm. But then you either have to work bending over, or install the machine on a table / bed. A more comfortable option that requires minimal effort - made to fit your height. Determine at what height it is convenient for you to stand a log, add the height of the log itself to this figure, you get the height of the bed. In this case, you will also have to bend over, but only when you install the chock on the stand, and not every time the cleaver is lowered.

You can work with one hand or come up with a clamp for installing logs (more safe)

To add mobility designs, a frame is welded, on one side of which wheels are fixed, and stops are welded on the second. Making such a wood splitter with your own hands is somewhat more difficult, but if there is a spring and bearings, this is such a difficult task.

Wood splitter inertial vertical

Another easy DIY option. To make such a wood splitter with your own hands, you need two pipes of a larger and smaller diameter. You will also need a heavy plate - the base, and, in fact, the piercing part - the cutter / splitter.

The design is one of the simplest, little effort is required. A thick-walled pipe is fixed on a massive platform, or better, a pin. Height - about a meter. This is the lead pipe. A cleaver moves freely along it, which is welded to the rings of a pipe of a slightly larger diameter than the leading pipe. He splits firewood as follows: lift up the cleaver and release it. You can give a little acceleration down. Due to the force of gravity, the log splits.

A heavy cleaver is the key to success in this model

But this mechanical wood splitter does not immediately split all logs. To increase its effectiveness, a weighting agent can be made on the cleaver. It can be "added" as needed. The second option is to hit the column with a hammer a couple of times. This method is good if the cutter is stuck in the wood. An alternative is to lift the block together up and down sharply. But it's easier to swing a hammer.

Wood splitters with electric drive

A manual wood splitter, of course, facilitates the preparation of firewood, but it still requires solid physical effort. Not as much as they are spent waving an ordinary cleaver, but still ... An electric motor helps to make efforts even smaller. Based on it, wood splitters of various designs are made. But making such a wood splitter with your own hands is more difficult. Here the device is more complex, and at least minimal knowledge of electricians is required, preferably.

Screw (conical)

One of the most common models is a cone or screw wood splitter. The difference between them is only in the absence / presence of a thread on the piercing element, which in this model is made in the form of a cone.

Blocks of wood split due to the fact that the cone rotated by the motor crashes into the wood, gradually tearing it apart. In large logs, the edges are first chipped off, then the middle is torn.

Cone and Thread Options

First, the cutting part was turned into a smooth cone. If you use a smooth cone, when working, you have to lean quite heavily on the block of wood so that the cylinder "bites" into the wood. The process is much easier if a thread is cut on its surface. In this case, the log is, as it were, screwed onto the screw, and then splits.

The main thing is to correctly make a cone with a thread. If you have a lathe and work experience, you can try to do it yourself. If not, you will have to order. The thread is made different, but the following parameters are recognized as optimal: pitch 7 mm, depth 3 mm (minimum - 2 mm). Another important point is the depth of the seat on the motor gearbox - at least 70 mm.

If there is a cone with threaded threads, making this wood splitter with your own hands will not be difficult.

Electric motor and gearbox

We need an electric motor powerful enough (2 kW and above or 5-9 l / s), but with a low speed: 250-600 rpm. At 250 revolutions and below, it punctures very slowly, and if the revolutions are more than 500, it is dangerous to work, as it can tear the log out of your hands.

If you managed to find an engine with such parameters, you can put the spike (screw) made directly on the crankshaft (pictured above). If there are more revolutions, it is necessary to install a reduction gear or make a chain or belt drive to reduce the speed.

The ratio is calculated depending on the engine speed. For example, there is a 900 rpm engine. Having made a 1:2 gearbox, we get 450 rpm. Just the best option.

Gears can be belt or chain. Chains work many times louder, require constant strokes, and it usually costs more to grind sprockets with the required parameters. The belt drive is desirable double (as in the photo above). In this case, there will be less slippage.

Chain transmission is noisier, but more reliable "Extension" for the screw - in order to workspace was away from the motor or belts / chains

Where to place the motor

If the design provides for a gear, it is better to put the motor at the bottom, and fix the screw itself on the work surface. Choose the height of the work surface according to your height so that you do not have to work on an incline.

More safe model. To make such a wood splitter with your own hands is to make your life much easier

There is also such a parameter as the height of the screw above the work surface. The gap from the table to the cylinder should be in the region of 8-20 cm. You should not place it higher - it can turn blocks of small diameter. The optimal distance is 8-12 cm. Even small logs do not turn.

Hydraulic wood splitter

The hydraulic wood splitter is the most powerful, but also the most complex and expensive to manufacture. In addition to the bed, motor and cutting blades, you need a hydraulic cylinder with sufficient power. They are not cheap. In addition, an oil tank and a pump are also needed.

The hydraulic splitter for firewood develops solid efforts, therefore, in its manufacture, metal of considerable thickness is used - 6-10 mm, depending on the drive power. The developed effort is quite enough to break up the chock into 6-8 logs at a time. Because knives are made in the form of an "asterisk".

In the manufacture of knives, they are separated from each other by several centimeters. So that there is only one in operation. For example, first - horizontal, then - vertical, then - right and at the end - left. At the same time, reinforce each of the knives by welding reinforcing plates on the back. Steel is desirable to use hard, after sharpening it according to the same principle as on cleavers.

Related videos

In the old days, people used firewood, which they chopped by hand, to heat their homes. The main tool for this was a special ax - a cleaver. To date, a large number of mechanical, electrical and hydraulic human assistants have appeared, with the help of which you can effortlessly cope with the preparation of firewood for the winter. Devices have different kind, but the principle of their work is the same - they immediately split the log into several parts. But not every owner of a private house can afford to buy such a device. However, for home use, the simplest models of cleavers can be made by hand.

All wood splitters can be divided into two types:

In turn, wood splitters for home use differ in the principle of operation and in the type of their power source.

Hand tool - cleaver

The woodcutter's tool is designed for chopping wood. In order for the cleaver to serve for a long time, it must be forged and well-hardened.

The best and comfortable handle tools - wooden. A cleaver equipped with a metal and plastic handle work harder. With an incorrectly directed blow, such a handle may even burst.

Cleaver weight and handle length must be selected individually. Since the device will have to be waved so many times, it must be chosen so that it can be held confidently.

As "workplace”, where firewood will be chopped with a cleaver, it is recommended to choose the widest and largest deck. It must be placed on a flat place, around which there should not be anything that could be hurt during the swing of the wood splitter. And, of course, when chopping firewood, it is imperative to observe safety precautions.

Such devices are similar to machines on which a block of wood is fixed.

A sufficiently large mass of cleavers is driven by levers, which greatly facilitates the process of chopping logs. The load on the woodcutter is reduced by a spring mechanism that facilitates control and compensates for the severity of the blow.

With the help of such devices, it is most often possible splitting logs of various lengths. To do this, you need to adjust the position of the spring by changing the distance from it to the working body.

Having fixed the block, with one hand you need to lift the wood splitter up and lower it onto the log. The cleaver will cut the prepared workpiece, and the spring will return the mechanism to its original position. Efforts during such work are applied very little, therefore, productivity increases.

Devices can have a different type and principle of operation. Some divide the log at first only into two parts, and some at once into several. In households, you can find factory-made mechanical cleavers and their do-it-yourself counterparts.

Cleaver hydraulic

Such a device for chopping firewood is arranged according to the principle of the previous one, however, the force in it is created by a hydraulic jack. The principle of its operation is in the pressure injected through the liquid, which is transmitted to the working piston that exerts pressure on the log. More clearly, the mechanism of operation of such a device can be seen in the video clip.

The design of the hydraulic splitter:

The bed in this design should be made of a sufficiently thick steel channel.

Hydraulic wood splitters can be of different configurations and different power. Their selection in stores is quite large.

Do-it-yourself electric wood splitter. Video

From the video clip you can see how you can easily chop wood without an ax. This is done with the help of a cone, which is screwed into the log and splits it. The simplest model of such an electric cleaver is quite simple to make with your own hands.

It is more difficult to make a cone in such a device. It, according to the drawing, which can be found on the Internet, must be machined into lathe. In addition, a left-hand thrust thread must be cut on the cone.

In the absence of a lathe, use a metal grinder by putting it on the pulley of the electric motor. After the grinder begins to rotate freely, metal should be removed equally from all sides.

In addition to the cone, for the design you will also need:

• drive shaft block;
• Electrical engine;
• metal sheets and corners.

Having made a cone with your own hands, you can start assembling the structure:

The cone splitter is ready. During its manufacture, consider some recommendations:

• chain or belt drive must be equipped with a protective cover;
• for greater design performance, the nozzle must rotate at a speed of 250 rpm;
• it is impossible to connect the nozzle to the engine directly, as it is dangerous due to the large number of revolutions;
• It is better to entrust all work related to electricity to a specialist.

In addition, do not forget that when working with an electric wood splitter, safety precautions should be observed. Injury can be guaranteed even with one wrong move.

With mechanical, hydraulic or electric cleaver You don't have to worry about storing firewood for the winter. With his help, this will be done quite easily. And if you also construct a device for chopping firewood with your own hands, then you can save a lot of money in the family budget.

For some, chopping wood is an old Russian pastime. And in many regions of vast Russia, this is a way to survive and not freeze in winter. Yes, and in more civilized regions, in the country there are stoves and fireplaces. Buying ready-made firewood saves time, but not money.

To facilitate this troublesome task, the Russian "left-handers" began to make a wood splitter with their own hands. Such devices are also sold in stores, but 90% of the inhabitants of rural areas with stove heating use home-made devices.

Types of devices for splitting logs

The principle of operation - the pusher, driven by a hydraulic drive, delivers a log to the wedge system. It needs a compressor to work. It can be electric or assembled for internal combustion. The design is efficient and quite reliable, since there are few mechanical parts. Only the hydraulics themselves need maintenance.

It is quite problematic to make it yourself, unless you can get a hydraulic drive from decommissioned agricultural machinery.

In the video, an example of the work of a homemade wood splitter. As you can see from the video, there is nothing super complicated in its design. The main hydraulic cylinder from the auger of the combine harvester has a stroke of 50 cm.

The pusher is driven by a gear-rack pair, the mechanism is clear from the illustration. The drive can be electric or petrol. The torque from the motor shaft with the help of a gearbox is multiplied many times.

With the help of a lever, the gear rack is pressed against the rotating traction gear, feeding the pusher onto the log. Then the spring returns the mechanism to its original position. Such a wood splitter is not as powerful as a hydraulic one.

However, it is quite suitable for home use. The cost of the device is quite democratic. The disadvantage is that the working gear wears out quickly and the pair needs to be replaced.
Such a device can be made by hand.

This video clip shows a homemade rack-and-pinion wood splitter with a belt drive. Nothing fancy, simple and efficient design, performance, which is higher than that of a hydraulic wood splitter.

Screw (conical) wood splitter

The most popular design of this device. Available in various sizes and price ranges. The principle of action is simple - the log is fed to a rotating cone, made in the form of an Archimedean gimlet.

The cone is screwed into the workpiece, and, thanks to the wedge-shaped shape, splits it. The simplicity of the design allows you to make such devices yourself.

IMPORTANT! The speed of rotation of the shaft with a gimlet should not exceed 500 rpm. Otherwise, the device becomes dangerous.

Many do-it-yourselfers neglect the gearbox, and put the cone directly on the motor shaft. In this design, you have to add a device to hold the log, or put it vertically.

It is better to make the gearbox geared, since the force on the axis is large, and the pulley can slip. Therefore, in the belt drive, double amplification is made.

How to make a wood splitter with your own hands, and which design is more practical

It has simple design, therefore, we simply give the drawings, and consider the structural elements:

• The engine must be firmly fixed, since the force on the shaft is serious, especially when wedging the cone;
• The gearbox is made at the rate of 200-300 rpm;
• The cone gimlet shaft is mounted on powerful bearings;
• It is desirable to install an additional wedge under the gimlet. He will help in splitting, and fix the log from turning.

Making a rack wood splitter with your own hands is much more difficult. However, this design allows you to work with more complex and large wooden blanks. In addition, the quality of cutting logs is higher.

The bed is welded from a channel with a thickness of at least 4 mm. Special attention fastening the wedge splitter. The main force is applied to it, so it makes sense to weld it permanently. To sharpen the cutting plane, you can use the "grinder" with an emery wheel.

The knife itself is made from the remains of agricultural machinery using the same angle grinder.

A pair of rack and pinion used from a broken steering gear of some decommissioned truck. Several teeth are worn off, so with a lot of effort, the rack sometimes slips. The eccentric lever mechanism is welded from steel sheet 3 mm.

Electric motor from a Soviet-made ventilation system, 2 kW. A set of pulleys, together with a belt, was taken from a rusting harvester from the time of raising virgin soil.

The pusher simply slides along the channel. No lubricant is used as it will immediately become clogged with sawdust.

Return springs can be taken from anything, for example, those that were previously used as door closers.

The cost of such a design tends to zero, especially if you use components from old trash or decommissioned equipment.

Video how to make a screw wood splitter with your own hands

Part one

The process of making the working part of a screw wood splitter with your own hands from scrap metal.
From this video you will learn all the dimensions of the shaft taken from the hydraulic cylinder. Dimensions of auxiliary bushings and flanges, as well as how to save on the manufacture of keyed connections. How to make a pulley, a bearing housing and the main working part - a “carrot” yourself.

Part two

From the second part of this video, you will understand how to make a frame for a wood splitter with your own hands, how to fix the working part on the frame. You will learn the manufacturing features and dimensions of the base for the wood splitter, as well as the engine power and the method of transmitting torque.

Winter is coming, which means that you need to start thinking about firewood now. Let's leave the option manual labor in the last century and turn our eyes towards the hydraulic (and not only!) wood splitter. This device will become great help if you need to chop a dozen cubes of firewood. Also consider 4 circuit diagrams homemade wood splitters.

Briefly about the device of the wood splitter and the principle of its operation

The main elements of a standard hydraulic wood splitter are a frame with a knife fixed to it, a hydraulic piston and a drive. The knife plays the role of the tip of the very cleaver, which has to be brandished in the absence of the equipment considered here. The necessary force is created by the operation of the engine in conjunction with the hydraulic piston, which pushes the workpiece onto the knife. Everything is quite prosaic and looks something like the video below.

The vast majority of factory products work on this principle. When studying the information, you may surely catch the eye of the so-called screw (cone, carrot, etc. names) cleavers. They have gained great popularity due to the simple device and the possibility of making it yourself. We will talk in detail about the design features of such wood splitters in the last part of the article.

How to choose a hydraulic wood splitter

The main characteristics of modern wood splitters and their description are presented in a small table below.

Selection criterion	Varieties and capabilities of devices
Construction type	The most popular devices are hydraulic wood splitters, the force in which is created by a motor and a hydraulic piston, due to which the workpiece is pressed against the knife. A screw splitter (carrot wood splitter) is another common solution due to the fact that you can do it yourself. The axis of the drive rotates the screw cone, which, when the workpiece is fed, is literally screwed into it and breaks the layers of wood. The rack splitter is simple to use, but quite dangerous to use. In such a cleaver, the workpiece is pushed due to the force transmitted to the rack from a rotating gear. If all of the above options are equipped with a drive, then an inertial or spring wood splitter already requires some use of manual force. With a large shoulder and spring, it modernizes the approach to traditional tuning.
Drive unit	Devices based on electric motors (220 V / 380 V) and gasoline engines are used. The choice is determined solely by the convenience and working conditions.
Maximum splitting force	Determines the magnitude of the force of the piston pressure on the workpiece - typical for hydraulic and rack wood splitters. In private, it is enough to use models with a force of 4 to 6 tons. More powerful models are suitable for working with long logs and on an industrial scale.
Working position	Determines the position of the axis of the workpiece when working. There are cleavers with a horizontal, vertical and combined position. The first option is the most common when used privately and is used in most hydraulic and rack structures due to convenience and safety.
Log sizes	The length of logs when using hydraulic wood splitters is limited by the piston stroke and the maximum splitting force. Usually this value is limited to 0.52 m. The thickness of the blanks can vary from 0.25 to 0.5 m, depending on the model of the cleaver. In slatted solutions, the length of the log is determined by the dimensions of the slat and, again, by the force generated. The use of screw wood splitters allows the use of chocks of a larger diameter - up to 0.7 m, but this increases the complexity of the work.
Options	Height adjustment. This option has a positive effect on the convenience of work, but at the same time increases the cost of the product, its absence can be compensated for with a homemade stand. Availability of wheels, preferably large. Provides ease of transport. Safety system, usually a double-lever type, in which the operator must simultaneously use two hands on the console - is an integral part of all modern factory products.

Of course, the speed of his work can also be considered as a parameter when choosing an assistant in the wood splitting business, but it is believed that even the minimum values ​​\u200b\u200bare more than enough.

TOP 10 Home Solutions

General recommendations for choosing a domestic cleaver include the following requirements: an electric hydraulic device with a horizontal workpiece and a maximum force of up to 5 tons. Pay attention to the safety of the unit, it is desirable that the model is equipped with a two-lever locking system. However, discrepancies with the generally accepted approach are possible, as evidenced by our selection of the best wood splitters.

1. Champion LSH5000 - from 17500 rubles.

A strong steel frame covered with a special anti-corrosion coating, high engine power and the presence of wheels make the Champion LSH5000 electric wood splitter a strong, durable and mobile solution for seasonal firewood. This device is designed for horizontal loading of logs and is one of the most popular for private use. The Champion brand itself is good china, the trademark belongs to the St. Petersburg company "Wald".

You can evaluate the operation of this compact device in the following video. Among similar solutions, one can also name such models as RedVerg RD-LS 25-37E, PATRIOT CE 5322, etc.

2. AL-KO KHS 5204 - from 19,000 rubles.

AL-KO KHS 5204 is another representative of electric wood splitters, in fact with the same characteristics as the previously considered product, but made in a slightly different version. The frame is located higher (adjustable in height), which, on the one hand, makes working with the device more convenient, on the other hand, when using large logs, it can affect the balance of the cleaver. This model is produced by a famous German company, so you don't have to worry about its reliability and durability.

We invite you to look at this hydraulic cleaver in action on the example of a similar model with an index of 5200.

3. Texas 520 H - from 20,000 rubles.

Another relatively inexpensive, but durable and powerful device for its modest size is the Texas 520 H cleaver from a Danish manufacturer. This is an option for those who are not in a hurry and, above all, appreciate the safety of work. With a low power of the electric motor, the device produces a force of up to 5 tons, splitting chocks up to half a meter long. According to the reviews of the owners, the model has been serving for more than 3 years, it is easily modified (installed on a stand), the protective cover can be dismantled.

We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the capabilities of this unit in the following video.

4. Raptor t700 - from 25,000 rubles.

A conical screw 250x80 made of steel 45, an AIR 80B2 electric motor, a control unit, a flywheel and a stand - in front of you is a model of a Raptor t700 screw cleaver of small-scale production. Compared to hydraulic devices, this is a more productive solution, the effectiveness of which is largely determined by the quickness of the worker. The absence of hydraulics makes the unit simpler and more durable. At the same time, the safety of work and the quality of splitting are somewhat affected. Chocks are fed perpendicular to their axis.

How it looks like working with a Raptor t700 screw splitter can be seen in the video below.

5. AL-KO KHS 3704 - from 19,000 rubles.

Powerful compact solution adapted for chopping firewood for fireplaces. Those. with all the mobility and small dimensions of the AL-KO KHS 3704 electric wood splitter, there are some restrictions on the raw materials used - chocks up to 0.37 m long. The design is characterized by a high degree of stability due to the low landing.

To a large extent, the KHS 3704 is intended for seasonal use and for splitting small quantities of raw materials. If firewood is the main type of fuel for year-round living, then you should look towards other units.

6. PROFI PLS 700E - from 19500 rubles.

The Russian electric cleaver PROFI PLS 700E of Chinese origin is made in a classic compact design: the design is notable for its low height, with a horizontal working position and a pair of wheels for transportation. It is completed with a special nozzle, thanks to which it becomes possible to split into four parts. According to reviews, it is distinguished by its unpretentiousness and considerable effort, due to which even strong wood species split.

What is this electric cleaver in work - judge for yourself by watching the video below.

7. Texas 600VG - from 55,000 rubles.

The Texas 600VG model differs from all of the above in the first place in that it is a stand-alone solution that requires only high-quality gasoline, logs and straight arms. This is a powerful installation with a vertical working position from a well-known Danish manufacturer (and, like many other equipment, it is produced in China). If the worker is alone, then the vertical design is much more convenient horizontal installation. However, it takes up more space and is heavier.

How is work carried out with the Texas 600VG gasoline firewood splitter? You can find out by watching the short video below.

8. CHAMPION LSV6000 - from 38,000 rubles.

Another model with vertical chock feeding is CHAMPION LSV6000, but with 220 V power supply. The device is reliable and safe, provides high speed and does not require special skills. Just move the unit to a convenient place and in an hour you will be able to admire the impressive result!

9. Gorynych 6T - from 120,000 rubles.

The youngest model in the range of hydraulic cleavers Gorynych of domestic production is a unit with an index of 6T. A feature of this installation is the fast piston stroke, which achieves high productivity. This can be useful on the scale of harvesting firewood for sale - overpaying for speed in normal conditions impractical. And in general, the design is designed for almost continuous operation, which makes it indispensable for large volumes. The knife position is adjustable so that the operator can quickly choose between cutting two or four logs in one pass.

The Gorynych lineup is represented by three more quite popular models. All of them are designed for a maximum force of 9 tons, differ only in the mass of the units, the length of the split logs, the power and type of engine (gasoline, 380 or 220 V), respectively, and the price. What is the Gorynych wood splitter in action can be found in the following video.

10. MTD LS 550 - from 220,000 rubles.

For those who are thinking about purchasing a serious autonomous unit for themselves or harvesting firewood in industrial volumes, the MTD LS 550 wood splitter model is suitable. As you might have guessed from the preamble, this is a rather large unit with a gasoline engine. Moreover, it is also the most powerful in our review - it is capable of developing a force of up to 25 tons. Among the design features, it is necessary to mention two possible working positions: vertical and horizontal. This is actually a convenient solution that allows you to vary the operation of the unit depending on the conditions. The frame is mounted on an axle with two large wheels, the wood splitter is adapted for transport by car.

You can learn about the features of the MTD LS 550 from a short English-language video.

Editor's Choice

All the presented units are good, but the editors chose two models: and. The first wood splitter is good for its compact size, the ability to adjust the position of the working plane, and sufficient power, which is enough for annual fuel harvesting. The second model is more universal, it will allow you to chop firewood not only for yourself, but also for your neighbors - it opens up opportunities for earning money. Plus, do not forget about renting the device. Thus, in one season, you can beat off the cost of equipment.

About homemade

When getting acquainted with factory products, some might have a completely logical thought: “Why not save money and do something similar on your own?”. In the presence of right hands and a bright head everything is possible. We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the most interesting schemes of wood splitters that you can really do with your own hands.

It is an evolutionary step in the development of classic cleavers. The use of a spring wood splitter requires the use of muscular strength, but to a lesser extent due to the spring mechanism, large arm and additional weight. On the diagram, it looks like this.

The design of such a homemade product includes a metal pipe or profile (this will be our shoulder, which increases the gain in strength, with a blade at the end), a metal support and a swivel between them. Spring type return mechanism, can be used old shock absorber. In the video below, an example of working with such a mechanism.

"Carrot"

A mechanism with such a simple name also does not require the use of high-tech parts. To make it, you need a drive, a simple gearbox with a belt drive, a pair of bearings, a shaft, a threaded cone and a frame table. A drive with a power of more than 2 kW, at least from the old washing machine not a problem to find. Paradoxically, the most complex part of the system is the cone. It must either be bought ready-made, or ordered by an experienced familiar milling machine. The scheme of the screw cleaver is shown in the figure below.

The splitting of the chocks is carried out by screwing in the cone, due to which the wood fibers are literally torn. The main thing is not to earn money by feeding logs - this is a rather unsafe design, and a carrot can just as well screw up the sleeve of your clothes. How it works is in the next video.

Rack construction

For all its effectiveness, the rack splitter is a controversial decision. And first of all it concerns safety. It is necessary to carefully calculate the speed of rotation of the gear, the force from which is transmitted to the rack. As a rule, splitting with such a wood splitter is carried out very quickly. By pressing the rack against the gear by pressing the handle, the operator sets it in motion. Releasing the handle, contact with the gear is reduced due to the spring, the return mechanism is activated and the rack returns to its original position. The rail must be placed on the carriage, which will move along the bed. Actually, it is necessary to fix the pusher plate on it. Schematically, it looks like this.

It turns out that maximum attention should be paid to the frame, i. its stability, as well as the quality of the rail - it will not work to carve one without special skills. Otherwise, at least some experience in welding and the use of electric drives will help. The end result may look like this craftsman from the video.

Hydraulic splitter

In our opinion, this is the most technically difficult solution, but it is also the safest. Armed with Pascal's law, a hydraulic cylinder, a drive, a pump and an oil tank, with the help of an experienced hydraulics, you can create a system that develops a force of 5 tons and more. Schematically, the device of such a product is as follows.

The person from the video did it, can you do it too?

Instead of a conclusion

If you do not have the necessary materials and parts to build a wood splitter, then think several times whether it is worth buying them and wasting your precious time on “reinventing the wheel”. Indeed, for a fairly adequate amount, you can immediately purchase a finished factory product, safe and with a guarantee!

The wood splitter helps in household when preparing firewood. A sufficient amount of time is lost on chopping firewood and setting it to dry. There are several types of mechanical wood splitters that allow you not to apply great physical effort during work.

Mechanical wood splitters

A small amount of work can be done with a simple device. The wood splitter is distinguished by a simple design and the possibility of manufacturing from any material at hand. The performance of this device is low, but it makes it possible to safely carry out work on the preparation of firewood with your own hands. There are few perfect devices for chopping firewood that can be made at home.

The easiest and easiest option for assembling a do-it-yourself wood splitter is similar in design to a well crane. Racks are connected in a hinged way, instead of a container, handles with a cutter are installed. Such a mechanism works due to physical strength. The assembly can be made from any improvised means, you will need corners and several pipes, you can use a broken ax as a cutter.

A do-it-yourself mechanical cleaver has a number of disadvantages. For a more simplified process, an elongated lever should be used, which affects the dimensions of the mechanism. The most common option is to install a lever system with a more powerful cleaver. Due to the increased mass, the structure is easiest to pour concrete into the ground. This device is more compact, more efficient than its competitor.

Wood splitter classification

Harvesting firewood on the farm is a frequent business that requires a lot of effort. Before production homemade device for chopping firewood with your own hands, you need to decide on the volume, purpose of the device. The proposed equipment is divided into main categories:

• Mechanical device - the presence of an engine, as a drive for a screw or hydraulics, electric and spring volatile wood splitters.
• Design features - rack, vertical, conical, horizontal and so on, there are a lot of designs for chopping firewood.
• The operating principles can be hydraulic or pneumatic, in the form of a screw.

The cheapest design option is a mechanical type cleaver, consisting of a rack and a support table. For more complex designs, such as a conical wood splitter, you will need equipment for connecting the engine and the rotating element itself. This machine will significantly increase productivity compared to a mechanical device.

Using the appropriate drawings, it is possible to make a more complex rack structure with your own hands. The principle of operation is based on the conversion of rotational energy into translational movements, based on this, you will need Additional materials for manufacturing.

Wood splitter inertial vertical

A manual vertical wood splitter, the mechanism of which consists of a metal pipe hinged to a support, contributes to the rapid splitting of firewood. A cutting element for splitting is installed at the end of the pipe, which enhances the force of the load.

Homemade of this type the wood splitter works by sharply lowering the pipe down, which, under the influence of the load, splits the wood. The advantage of the machine is the availability of composite materials that can be found at your own or neighboring garage.

The disadvantage is the increased weight of the cutting device, for a long time a person will not be able to work due to fatigue.

Wood splitters with electric drive

Hand tools and mechanical devices help to cope with everyday tasks. However, if mass production of firewood is required, it will not be easy for a mechanical wood splitter to make a large quantity due to the physical fatigue of a person. For an easier and faster process, it is possible to use electric motors on the structures of wood splitters. It is more difficult to make an electric wood splitter with your own hands, but if you correctly fit the parts according to the drawings, it is possible to achieve a design that does not differ from those sold on the market.

Screw cone

The easiest to manufacture, reliable design is a hand-made screw wood splitter. Two varieties are used, they differ only in the presence of threads on the rotating element. The breaking of the ingot occurs due to cutting into its middle, for larger ones, the edges are first broken off, then the middle.

Before assembling the structure, it is necessary to catch the components. The splitting part must be machined according to the drawing of the conical wood splitter. If you use a tool without a thread, you will have to apply sufficient force when splitting firewood. The threaded tip bites into the wood, thereby making the process easier. The tip is made on a lathe with certain parameters. Usually such work is ordered in a turning shop, but if you have work experience and equipment, it is possible to make a device for a conical wood splitter with your own hands.

The electric motor for operation must be selected according to the parameters of power, the number of revolutions. Direct connection is possible if the motor parameters are as follows:

• The shaft speed is 300-500 rpm, a lower figure will be too small for work, it will delay the process, and a larger number of revolutions is dangerous, as it can tear the workpiece out of your hands.
• Engine power not less than 2 kW, for uninterrupted operation of the engine with hard wood.

There are cases when it is impossible to find an engine with identical parameters. Then you need to install a gearbox or belt drive. Installation additional equipment allows you to use the engine at the required parameters. The transmission is also of the chain type, it is more reliable, but it makes increased noise during operation.

Hydraulic wood splitter

Hydraulic type models are heavier to manufacture. For manufacturing, you need a diagram of a hydraulic wood splitter; when assembling, many parameters must be taken into account:

• The location of the ingot can be horizontal or vertical, depending on the type of material.
• The dimensions of the unit are selected according to the average dimensions of the processed workpieces.
• The size of the hydraulic cylinder and the power of the drive depend on the force of splitting the log.

Making a hydraulic wood splitter with your own hands is somewhat harder than the rest. Distinctive features is uniform output parts, splitting speed. The tool can be used both for domestic purposes and for small-scale production of firewood for sale on the market. The force applied during the process is large, so the material in the manufacture of a hydraulic wood splitter with your own hands must have sufficient thickness. The cutting blades are set in the shape of a square or an asterisk to cut the ingot into several pieces in one process.

Mechanical spring splitter

Modified version of the manual cleaver - mechanical spring device. The wood splitter operates on the principle centrifugal force, the main purpose of the design is to keep the cleaver with an impressive mass at the end of the cycle. The spring must be made movable to adjust the force applied to stop the cleaver. A do-it-yourself device should have a height corresponding to the height of a person, for the least stress.

The log clip is made for safety reasons. The frame mechanism experiences constant loads, so it is necessary to make it from double material. For possible mobility, it is possible to install wheels on one of the sides for movement.

Simple do-it-yourself wood splitter mechanic

A common type of wood splitter is a rack type mechanism. The principle of operation consists of starting the cycle, after which all the elements are coupled, the pusher rests against the workpiece and the cutting process takes place by connecting to the knife. To make a homemade wood splitter, you will need the following items:

• Drive, usually an electric motor is used. In places where there is no electricity, it is possible to use an engine powered by combustible mixtures.
• The transmission pulley is on the shaft, the transmission is connected by a belt.
• Gear gear located at the end of the secondary shaft.
• Deck frame, cutting knife, control lever.

The engine must be selected with a large margin of power. A do-it-yourself rack type wood splitter can be used with all types of wood. Control over the safety, load on the engine is achieved through improved transmission and smoothness of effort.

Also, the mechanical wood splitter has a simple design with a screw design. The smallest amount of manufacturing costs make it indispensable in the economy. With my own hands, it is possible to make a tool with an old electric motor, a prepared conical screw, basic knowledge in electrics to connect the engine to a starting device.

How to make a wood splitter mobile

A mobile log splitter is necessary in situations where the device needs to be moved to long distance. Attached wheels make the wood splitter mobile.

It is necessary to take into account the weight of the manufactured structure, calculate the load on the axle.

For safe work it is necessary to block the wheels or use the footrests while using the tool.

How to choose a wood splitter product features

The choice of device model depends on the intended use. A hand-made tool will be budget option, and bought on the market will save time and has a guarantee. The price of powerful models of wood splitters in stores can be up to 100 thousand rubles.

A self-made tool can be used for its intended purpose. The ability to add or remove features can save a lot of money in production. The only major difference will be the appearance, since a self-made device is not so neat and harmonious.

For industrial or commercial use the best option there will be a purchase of a finished unit. There are models on the market with different type engines and options for sawing ingots.

Advantages and disadvantages of using a wood splitter

Before making any unit with your own hands, you should ask yourself if it is so necessary on the farm. Buying or making a device yourself will require a lot of financial costs and effort, you need to weigh all the advantages and disadvantages. The advantages of the device include.

1. Physical activity per person. The machine operator only performs loading, controls the process, the main physical work performs the wood splitter mechanism.
2. A device that includes an electric drive will cope with the tasks faster than doing the work manually.
3. Convenient use preserves health and physical strength.
Wood splitter application

There are noticeably fewer drawbacks during operation, but still they are present, like with every device.

1. Complex design of some models. For a more even log, a hydraulic log splitter is used in the end result. To make such a mechanism at home with your own hands is expensive and takes enough time.
2. High price finished structures. Buying a ready-made wood splitter will save time on manufacturing, however, the cost of some models is so high that it does not justify itself during use.

It must be understood that for small area purchase of equipment is not advisable. Having a clear purpose and constant sale of firewood, you should think about buying or making a wood splitter with your own hands.