A log splitter is a tool or machine used to split lengths of trunk wood lengthways into smaller pieces of firewood. Splitting is done along the wood grain, not across it as with sawing. By splitting with the grain, the wood comes apart with relatively little force.
Log splitters come in various forms, from simple hand tools to powerful machines.
Types
- Splitting axe (maul) — a heavy axe with a wide, wedge-shaped head that drives the wood apart rather than cutting it
- Splitting wedge and sledgehammer — a metal wedge that you drive into the block with a sledgehammer, handy for thick or tough pieces
- Hydraulic log splitter — a machine that uses a hydraulic cylinder to press the block against a fixed blade; available in horizontal or vertical versions, with splitting force usually expressed in tonnes
- Automatic splitter — for large quantities, often driven via the power take-off of a tractor
Working and safety
- Preferably split on a solid chopping block or base, not loose on the ground
- Turn the block so that you follow existing cracks or the pith: the wood splits most easily there
- Wear safety boots and safety glasses, and keep hands away from the blade of a machine
- Splitting fresh (“green”) wood is often easier than dried wood, but it must then still be dried
Related terms
- Wood
- Tools
- Wedge
- Sledgehammer
- Wood species
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