Any type of firewood is suitable to keep the fire burning. It is better to light a stove or fireplace with small logs. To prepare them you will need a good ax. This is the most common tool in household use. It takes a lot of effort to prepare firewood for the entire winter. After cutting the stumps, calluses may appear on the hands, and many people’s backs begin to ache. There is a way out. Modern technologies make it possible to automate this hard work. A wood splitter will come to the rescue.
There is a wide range of manual and electric wood splitters on the modern market. These devices make human work easier. They will help you get a lot of work done in a short time. The tool minimizes physical stress and saves a lot of time. There will be no need to swing a heavy ax or cleaver when cutting thick stumps. The hydraulic device will do the most difficult work. It will split wood of any diameter into equal logs.
The editors of the site have compiled a rating of the best wood splitters. Experts took into account reviews from professionals and the opinions of ordinary users. Based on them, recommendations are made that will help you make a choice. There are a large number of manufacturers from different countries on the market who compete with each other. The best models that are worth focusing on have been selected.
Top 3 wood chippers
Planing wood chips is sometimes no easier than cutting wood. took care of safe tools for this. The operating principle is based on the principle of increasing force by increasing the length of the lever.
Kolundrov “Standard”
The chipper is attached to a wall or other strong vertical base in such a way that it is convenient to use your body weight in the work. For average height it is 110 or 120 cm. The log is placed on the tooth of the frame and cut with a knife with a long blade. There is no point in trying to cut thick logs. The maximum thickness of chips should not exceed 4-10 mm.
At one end the blade is connected to the frame. The connecting wings can be easily unscrewed if you need to chop branches or sharpen the blade. The handle on the other end of the knife is firmly fitted and made of non-slip material. If you combine the blade and the frame, you can block access to use with a padlock through a common hole.
Easy to use.
Durable steel.
Access protection.
Comfortable handle.
Kolundrov "Economy"
The wood chipper frame is a steel profile pipe with dimensions of 40x20 mm, to which support steps for the log are welded. Depending on the size, the workpiece is placed so that the angle of the blade with the frame is no more than 90 degrees. The allowed log length is 25-40 cm.
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Together with a knife with a width of 40 mm and a blade thickness of 4 mm, the tool weighs 2.55 kg. In damp weather, in an open place, the chips should be covered with a cover, and during long periods of inactivity, put away in a dry place. The junction of the lever and the frame is lubricated with lubricating oil to prevent rough movement.
Inexpensive.
Functional.
Elementary design.
Neat appearance.
Kolundrov "Premium"
An original looking wood chip with a wooden oak handle will come in handy when lighting a fire, stove, or will make an impressive gift. The peculiar decoration with openwork cutouts in the wall mounts and in the blade, painting on the frame makes the chipper not just a tool, but also a decoration for the bathhouse and barbecue area. Dimensions are 290x600x130 mm, and weight is 5.25 kg.
4 ledges of a fixed base are designed for log lengths from 25 to 40 cm. The wood chipper copes with a wood width from the edge of up to 10 mm. It should be taken into account that knotty logs, logs with a compacted structure, and boards with nails can damage the blade.
Stylish appearance.
Access protection.
Strength.
Ergonomic handle.
Types of wood splitters
The equipment, depending on the type, is driven by muscular force or by engine traction.
Manual
The design is based on the application of physical laws that increase the applied force several times.
Crowbar cleaver
It is a pipe through which a sharp metal rod moves. The upper end of the rod is attached to two handles. The cleaver is installed on a block of wood. The crowbar is lifted by the handle and dropped with force. A crowbar is convenient for breaking large logs that do not fit into a mechanical wood splitter.
Spring
The mechanism consists of a frame, a stand and a lever with a cleaver at the end. The connection between the frame and the lever is movable. The spring holds the cleaver and ensures its free movement to a certain height. The cleaver is pulled back and released.
Inertial
The impact of the cleaver increases the acceleration of free fall, so the heavier the cleaver, the faster it accelerates. The design consists of a metal vertical pin or pipe with thick walls. The cleaver is fixed to a frame, which, in turn, is fixed to the pipe with rings or a larger diameter tube. The diameter should ensure free movement of the cleaver, but not allow lateral vibration. The cleaver is lifted by the frame and sharply lowered onto the log.
Mechanical
According to the type of drive, wood splitters are divided into:
- electrical;
- gasoline or diesel fuel;
- on tractor traction, that is, connected to the engine or hydraulic system of the tractor.
Further transfer of pressure to the workpiece differs fundamentally depending on the type of device.
Screw or cone
A wood splitter with a cone-shaped splitter is effective and valued for its reliability and ease of repair. The cone has a cross thread that makes it easier to separate the wood fibers. The reverse function helps to free yourself from a stuck workpiece.
Hydraulic
A wood splitter is used to create force by converting the potential energy of a liquid into kinetic energy. Hydraulics are quite expensive, but in terms of quality and speed of splitting they are ahead of other types of equipment. The circuit includes a gasoline or electric engine. A flat knife or a cross-shaped one can be used.
Geared
The device of a geared wood splitter is based on the conversion of torque into the translational motion of a crank mechanism. The connecting rod moves along a guide on the frame and pushes the log towards a permanently installed knife.
Rack and pinion
The wood splitter is characterized by a simple mechanism and high speed of operation. The pusher moves using a metal rack coupled to a gear through a gear train. The return of the pusher is ensured by a return spring. The splitting knife can be flat-cut or cross-shaped to divide the lump into 4 parts at once. The wood splitter operates from any source that transmits torque.
Mechanical spring cleaver
A modified version of the hand cleaver is a mechanical spring device. The wood splitter operates on the principle of centrifugal force, the main purpose of the design is to hold the splitter 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 device made by yourself must have a height corresponding to a person’s height for the least load.
Spring mechanical wood splitter
Making a log clamp is 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.
What characteristics to look for when choosing
Technical characteristics determine not only the cost of the equipment, but also ease of use. High-performance models at home are unprofitable.
Working position
According to the location of the working surfaces of the installation, there are:
- Vertical, which are considered the most compact and powerful. They are used mainly for industrial purposes. Despite their compactness, they are heavy, but they have the highest productivity. Allows you to separate long logs.
- Horizontal, which are distinguished by a more bulky design, reduced productivity and limited maximum log length. However, compared to vertical wood splitters, they are lighter and safer, which is why household equipment is usually horizontal.
- Universal, in which the position changes depending on working conditions and raw materials. They are characterized by heavy weight and high cost.
An effort
For household wood splitters, a force of 4 to 6 tons is sufficient. Installations of higher power are used only on an industrial scale. It is not safe to use them at home.
Workpiece dimensions
The parameter is influenced by the piston stroke reserve in hydraulic models, the length of the rack in rack and pinion devices, or the table area for screw ones. The power of the force generated by the machine plays an important role.
The standard length of the workpiece for a horizontal wood splitter is limited to 52 cm, for a vertical one - about a meter. Screw log splitters can process logs up to 70 cm long and any log thickness that can fit on the workbench. The limitation in this case is dictated only by safety.
The diameter of the block for hydraulics and rack and pinion mechanism depends on the specific model. In mini versions it is 25 cm, but most mechanical splitting splitters are capable of splitting logs up to 50 cm thick.
Additional functions
In addition to the basic equipment, for convenience and increased productivity, wood splitters can be equipped with:
- wheels;
- pusher movement limiters;
- a cross-shaped knife for dividing the deck into 4 parts;
- loop for coupling with equipment for transportation.
Screw cone
The easiest to manufacture and most reliable design is a self-made screw wood splitter. Two varieties are used; they differ only in the presence of threads on the rotating element. The breaking of a pig occurs due to cutting into its middle; for larger ones, the edges break off first, then the middle.
Screw log splitter diagram
Before assembling the structure, it is necessary to catch the component parts. The splitting part must be machined according to the drawing of the cone splitter. If you use a tool without threads, you will have to apply sufficient force when splitting wood. The threaded tip bites into the wood, thereby making the process easier. The tip is manufactured on a lathe with certain parameters. Usually such work is ordered in a turning shop, but if you have experience and equipment, it is possible to make a device for a cone log splitter with your own hands.
The electric motor for operation must be selected according to power parameters and number of revolutions. Direct connection is possible if the motor parameters are as follows:
- The shaft rotation speed is 300-500 rpm, a lower number will be too low for work and will delay the process, and a higher number of revolutions is dangerous, as it can tear the workpiece out of your hands.
- Engine power of at least 2 kW, for uninterrupted operation of the engine with hard wood.
There are times when it is impossible to find an engine with identical parameters. Then it is necessary to install a gearbox or belt drive. Installing additional equipment allows you to use the engine with the required parameters. The transmission is also of the chain type, it is more reliable, but produces increased noise during operation.
How to choose a wood splitter for your home and garden
The scheme for choosing a home tool consists of several stages:
- First of all, it is determined how much fuel will be needed for the season. If the house has stove heating, then you need to heat the rooms and also provide a reserve for a bath or sauna, and also take into account cooking in the summer kitchen or on the grill. The more requests, the more powerful the aggregate should be.
- If you plan to bring in logs and chop them in the yard or garage, a model with an electric motor will be more appropriate. Hydraulic equipment is suitable for people with limited mobility. For strong men, you can save money on a wood splitter and purchase a screw or manual wood splitter. A gasoline wood splitter is not very environmentally friendly, but it is indispensable for working outdoors.
- It is more profitable to buy equipment from a well-known manufacturer. It's not just about quality and guarantees. Large manufacturers are opening a network of service centers. There will be somewhere to turn in case of breakdown or wear of parts.
- Additional equipment often solves many problems in handling equipment. For example, limiting the pusher stroke allows you to save time and costs when the logs are cut short. Wheels, especially on heavy equipment, will help move the wood splitter.
For a healthy person, swinging an ax a little does not mean working hard. When we are talking about a firewood machine, and a person is not physically prepared, one inevitably has to think about a mechanical assistant. We hope our review will help you make your choice.
