The day after chopping wood, even if your health allows you to load yourself with such physical activity, you feel, to put it mildly, not very well. Anyone who has ever split wood remembers this feeling – your arms can’t lift, your back is splitting. What can we say when you have to prepare for winter! Before the start of the season, you need to chop at least 5-6 cubes of logs. Not everyone has assistants ready to help out and do the hard work for you. For such cases, a separate tool for chopping wood with a foot pedal has long been invented. It significantly reduces the load on the back and arms, while increasing labor productivity. Is it possible to make such a tool with your own hands, what you need to know about the design of the cleaver and the nuances of its use, we will tell you in this review of the editorial site.

The basis of wood splitters of any type: mechanical, electric, gasoline - is based on the same principle. All of them consist of a cleaver, with a sharp blade sharpened to approximately 30˚, and a mechanism that sets it in motion. Moreover, the ways of creating this force can be different: piston thrust, or maybe physical effort created by a person. By the way, mechanical cleavers with manual pull also exist.

This cleaver is one of the simplest devices designed for mechanical splitting of firewood. Let's consider all the variations of devices in more detail.

For your information! The weight of the “head” of a traditional hand cleaver usually starts at three kg.

Mechanical devices for splitting firewood: from the simplest attachments to lever models

Most often, in home workshops, two types of mechanical wood splitters are used: spring and gear. Let's look at the designs of the main ones to decide which device will be easier to make at home.

Advice! For some types of work, you can get by with a regular wood chipper. Crushers usually consist of a protective casing, a demarcation strip, a sieve, a housing, and are most often equipped with an electric drive.

So, let's look at the types of mechanical wood splitters:

• Spring-loaded. The operating principle is based on the reverse energy of a compressed spring. There is usually a pedal or lever present. Working with such a mechanism requires physical human effort.

The version of the cleaver in the photo consists of a metal frame. The structure must be provided with supports. The boom acts as a lever, the system is mounted on a hinge. It, as can be seen in the photo, rests on a spring, which is sandwiched between two cups. On the other side of the lever there is a cleaver and a handle.

Important! The frame design must be such as to prevent possible overturning of the cleaver.

This design has a number of advantages:

• does not require connection to electricity;
• simplicity of design;
• available materials;
• allows you to chop logs of different sizes.

Among the disadvantages are mandatory monitoring of the condition of the cleaver fastener and accurate calculation of the length of the lever mechanism. Otherwise, you may get injured.

Let's get back to discussing the types of mechanical wood splitters. So, the second type remains.

• Geared. In this case, the cleaver is driven by a gear and a toothed wheel. Sometimes this type of wood splitter is called rack and pinion, since its mechanism consists of a long rack equipped with a gear or worm gear.

For your information! The log splitter can have two different types of blades: flat. It chops the log into 2 parts and cross-shaped. In this case, the log is divided into 4 parts.

Mechanical wood splitters are distinguished by their compactness. Typically, home craftsmen prefer foot-powered devices. They are safer.

Electric firewood splitter

Electric wood splitters are more advanced units. They can be either vertical or horizontal. Most often they work with a conical nozzle, which is simply drilled into the log. It makes sense to use such units for large volumes of wood harvesting.

Vertical wood splitters are considered the safest. However, despite all the convenience, there is one caveat: the machines operate on a voltage of 320 Volts. In addition, any unit requires a certain operating skill. It is important to ensure the free movement of all mechanisms and carry out regular maintenance to prevent jamming and damage to the device.

Gasoline units for chopping wood: features of use

Gasoline-powered devices are considered even more professional. Such equipment is installed at logging enterprises. The operator is only required to monitor the progress of the work. Such devices are not suitable for installation in. They are quite large and noisy.

Why are foot-powered wood splitters attractive?

Mechanisms for splitting firewood with a foot drive are optimally suited for home, seasonal wood harvesting. They can easily split medium-diameter logs and relieve your back from excessive stress.

If we talk about mechanical models of wood splitters, then it is almost impossible to cause injury with them. This tool is intuitively easy to use and suitable even for older people; in fact, even a teenager can handle it.

Important! The smaller the diameter of the cleaver, the easier it will be to work with the mechanism. However, remember that logs should be selected exclusively for the working diameter of the unit.

The device folds easily, does not take up much space, and is suitable for use on or. If necessary, you can simply put it in the shed.

For your information! On average, the weight of a mechanical foot splitter is from 8 to 10 kg. It is made mainly of durable steel.

Review of the most popular models for chopping wood

You can buy tools for chopping wood in specialized stores of special equipment or household goods. Usually they are not brought in large quantities, so it is better to talk to a store representative in advance to find out if the device is in stock.

Most often, Russian consumers praise special tools from the Logmaster brand.

Logmaster mechanical drive log splitter

The wood splitters in this series are distinguished by high build quality and amazing performance.

Briefly about the characteristics:

• weight – 9.5 kg;
• drive type – foot;
• working force – 1200 kg;
• price – from 4,000 rubles.

Logmaster mechanical drive log splitter

Mechanical log splitter ZIGZAG from Yardworks

The ZIGZAG mechanical wood splitter is one of the lightest mechanisms for splitting firewood. Provides simple and quick splitting of logs without. By pressing the foot pedal on the steel wedge, a pressure of 1200 kg is created. Dimensions of the processed log: diameter up to 25 mm, length 45 mm. The cost of this model is 4900 rubles.

Mechanical log splitter ZIGZAG from Yardworks

Hecht 6 splitting splitter with foot drive from the popular manufacturer of municipal equipment and special tools Hecht

A convenient tool for those cases when you urgently need to prepare firewood. All elements are made of hardened steel.

According to consumer reviews, the device is practically trouble-free in operation and copes even with damp firewood. However, remember, it can lead to rotting of the wood, in addition, such canvases lose a lot in volume as they dry.

Hecht 6 wood splitter with foot drive

How to make a homemade hydraulic wood splitter: drawing and step-by-step guide

Simple diagrams for making a wood splitter with your own hands can be found on the Internet. The easiest way is to create a spring mechanism. Here are some diagrams (both of the entire unit and of the cleaver) that may come into play.

However, many craftsmen set themselves an even more difficult task - to create a hydraulic wood splitter. We will help with this too. We offer you an overview photo-instructions for making such a unit.

Advice! The feed speed of the log onto the blade of the hydraulic splitter is up to 5 cm/s.

After you have decided on the drawing and studied the photo of the hydraulic wood splitter with your own hands, you will need a small overview photo instruction:

Illustration	Description of action
	The first stage is the manufacture of the frame. In our case, the rear suspension from a Volkswagen Golf car was taken as a basis. The device turned out to be mobile.
	2 U-shaped channels are welded on top to the base as guides. In some cases, metal corners can be used to strengthen the frame.
	A platform is welded to the rear of the hanger, on which the engine and other working elements are located. The oil pump will ensure uninterrupted operation of the machine.
	The knife has a very interesting design. It is capable of cutting logs into 4 even pieces. The nozzle can be removable.
	The device has a universal device and allows you to quickly cope with a large amount of firewood. In addition, it can be transferred from place to place.

And if you want to learn more details about the hydraulic cutting device for firewood, watch this video.

Owners of country cottages, who heat their homes using a solid fuel boiler or stove, annually prepare up to 12 cubic meters of firewood, depending on needs. It will take several days to prepare such a volume. To speed up the process, you can make your own cleaver - a special device for mechanized chopping of wood.

A mechanized cleaver will speed up the time of chopping wood and also save your energy

Types of designs

A cleaver is a modification of an ax with an extended handle (up to 1 meter) and a changed blade angle - about 35°. This tool is designed for cutting along the grain of wood. It will be ineffective to cut logs with it. The total weight of the product varies between 2−3 kg.

Mechanical analogues, in turn, have some of the same characteristics as manual ones. Today, private farms use both manual and automated models. They are mainly divided into 3 types:

• hydraulic;
• spring (manual);
• electric (screw and rack).

Based on the characteristics of each model, it is necessary to decide which one to make, based on the required volume of firewood and the price of components.

Spring cleaver review:

Spring models with lever

This model of mechanical wood splitter works by increasing the impact of a manually stretched spring. A stand is pre-installed under the blade of the structure, on which the material for cutting is laid out. It is not difficult to work with such a tool. It is enough to place the log under the blade with one hand and split it with the other.

The design includes the following elements:

• a frame made of a profile or round pipe with a mandatory horizontal extended support;
• a lever connecting the support and the cutting element;
• on the side of the support (frame of the structure) a spring is attached to the lever, which will intensify the impact during operation;
• On the back side of the lever there is a weight attached (also to enhance the blow), a cutting element and a handle for convenient cutting.

Mechanical spring cleaver:

Moreover, the design can have not only such components and shape. The main thing is that during operation the firewood is held firmly on the stand and does not tip over. For example, you can do without a support and attach the lever to adjacent structures or a wall.

A homemade cleaver for chopping wood has a number of significant advantages:

• easy production;
• low cost of materials and components;
• the product can be used without electricity;
• Frequent vibrations of the structure thanks to the spring mechanism make it easy to chop wood into any pieces.

The main disadvantage of the design can be considered the low level of safety. During operation, you can automatically place your fingers under the cutting element. Also, although using such a product makes the work process easier, you still have to work hard: you need to swing the lever and quickly add firewood.

Overview of the crowbar cleaver:

Cutting logs with knots and so-called “slingshots” is much more difficult. To do this you need to go to one place several times. But even this does not always help, so you have to turn the log over to the other side and strike several more times.

Electrically driven products

Mechanical models of wood splitters with an electric motor, compared to manual ones, significantly facilitate the worker’s work. But the cost of such products is much higher. You will have to spend a significant amount on an electric drive and all the necessary components.

Do-it-yourself conical threaded wood splitter:

Such products have two varieties - screw and rack. They consist of the following elements:

1. Screw models. The cutting element is a metal cone with a thread. It is cut in the opposite direction relative to the rotation of the shaft. During operation, the cone, thanks to the screw, goes deep and splits the log into two parts.
2. You can make a firewood splitter with a rack and pinion transmission. The operating principle is complex, as is the design itself. The blade is installed in a horizontal position on the table top. A log is applied to it, and on the reverse side it is pressed with a toothed rack. Due to the rotation of the gear, the rack presses the deck against the blade and splits it.

The rack model has only one element of the classical design - the cleaver blade. As an alternative to an electric motor, you can use a conventional single-cylinder gasoline engine. It can be removed from an old motorcycle. You can also install a power take-off shaft from an agricultural walk-behind tractor.

When making a mechanical cleaver with your own hands, you will have to spend money on the production of a cone and a guide rail. All other elements, such as an electric or gasoline motor, a tabletop, can be found on the farm, removed from old equipment, and the like. But you won’t be able to make the cone and guide rail yourself without special skills; you’ll have to order such work from a turner or mechanic.

If we talk about safety during operation, then the rack and pinion version is more preferable in this regard. The log is always under the frame, and you just need to take care of your hand. The cone version is much more problematic.

The deck can vibrate and spin randomly, while a person will not be able to hold it, since the motor remains on. There are times when clothes get twisted onto the log. The consequences can be severe. Therefore, special care is required during operation.

Ax cleaver:

If your budget is small, it is not recommended to make this type yourself due to the high cost of components. It is better to purchase factory analogues. The basis of the structure is the support frame. Besides, The hydraulic splitter consists of the following elements:

• Electrical engine;
• high pressure hydraulic cylinder;
• oil pump;
• oil tank with filter;
• blade, mostly cruciform;
• iron pusher.

1. The motor starts. The pressure in the system rises to the required value, and the remaining oil is returned back to the tank.
2. When you press the control handle, the liquid presses on the cylinder, which, in turn, pushes the guide with the log towards the blade.
3. After the deck has split, the device operator moves the handle to reverse mode. The liquid begins to put pressure on the piston from the other side, which returns it to its original position.

Labor costs when performing the work are minimal, since the operator simply places the decks and turns on the drive. Safety is also at a high level, since the person’s hand is far away while the device is moving.

Nuances of choice

The most difficult thing to make yourself is the rack design. It is necessary to grind the guide rack and the gear drive to it. You also need to correctly calculate the subordinate number and rotation speed. Other models of cleavers are much simpler to make, which is why it is recommended to make them at home.

The design and its type should be selected depending on the working conditions, the availability of materials and the budget for construction.

1. If there is no electricity in the house or it appears only from time to time, then it is better to choose a simple budget model with a manual drive.
2. The construction of a cone model with an electric drive is a little more difficult. To do this, you need to prepare a motor with a power of 1-3 kW. This way you can get an automatic cleaver model for relatively little money.
3. For people with limited physical capabilities, such as pensioners, it is better to make hydraulic models. But the difficulty lies in the expensive components. You can weld a metal reservoir for liquid yourself.

Self-production of a wood splitter

Making a mechanical cleaver for firewood with your own hands using a spring mechanism is not a difficult task, especially if a person has initial experience with welding. Although, on the other hand, bolted connections can also be used. In this case, the tools you will need are a grinder and a drill. They are not difficult to work with, so even without previous experience, making a wood splitter will not be difficult.

The design of the cleaver can be any, the main thing is its power, quality of production and stability. But before production begins, it is necessary to make correct calculations and prepare drawings. In this case, it is not difficult for even a novice craftsman to make a firewood splitter with his own hands, and the quality will be quite good.

It is important to calculate what the optimal length of the lever will be in relation to the load on the blade. It is also important to adhere to the correct location of the spring and hinge, the distance between them.

If you incorrectly calculate the dimensions of the structure, the product will not fully perform its function. For example, a cleaver can be very weak, so you will need to put in a lot of effort. The operating principle is easy to understand. The farther the spring is fixed from the hinge, the more power the cleaver will have, but at the same time the length of the lever should increase equally. You need to find the ideal place where the spring will have sufficient force, and it will not be difficult to subsequently raise the lever and tension the spring.

To produce a simple lever wood splitter, you can use available materials:

• shock-absorbing spring from a passenger car (VAZ or similar);
• a ready-made blade for a cleaver or a steel blank for self-production;
• a pipe whose diameter coincides with the diameter of the spring;
• steel pipes, profiles and other rolled metal for the manufacture of frames.

Conical threaded wood splitter:

To make hinges, it is not necessary to use a mechanism on bearings. The design itself turns out to be quite massive, so an ordinary shaft and bushing is sufficient. The same mechanisms are installed as hinges on gates.

The manufacturing process is also simple. In each individual case, it is necessary to rely on prepared calculations and drawings, and they may be different. All actions must be performed in the following sequence:

• measure and cut frame elements using a grinder;
• assemble the frame using welds or bolted joints;
• bowls are made and a spring is installed;
• At the last stage, the weight and the cleaver blade are attached.

If the structure is not very stable, then additional pipes are welded to the bottom to increase the supporting area.

Correct cleaver with your own hands:

The main thing is to adhere to general manufacturing recommendations and follow the drawing. For a simpler option, you can make an ax-shaped cleaver, but with an elongated handle and a heavy cutting part. Even the most primitive model will help the owner in preparing firewood for the winter.

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

Making a wood splitter with your own hands is not an easy task, but for a good, skilled owner it is completely solvable. This can be a purely mechanical option, or an installation equipped with a hydraulic drive, electric or liquid fuel motor. Many different models of homemade wood splitting machines have been developed, with significant differences in the principle of operation, dimensions, design complexity, designed to transmit horizontal and vertical force, etc. To decide which cleaver will be most suitable for both self-production and further use, it makes sense to consider several options available for assembly in a home workshop.

Existing types of wood splitter designs

Chopping large quantities of firewood by hand may have health benefits, but it is by no means a very enjoyable activity. In addition, this process takes a lot of time. Therefore, a wood splitter will never be superfluous on the farm.

When choosing the design of this device for self-production, you should not rely entirely on the varieties offered for purchase in specialized stores. There are quite a lot of them, and each of the wood splitters requires compliance with certain safety rules, which are not always feasible at home. In this regard, the first thing that needs to be done when planning to manufacture such a device yourself is to decide what quantity of firewood it is needed to harvest and in what climatic conditions. Various options are possible:

• For regular procurement of large volumes of wood fuel necessary for heating a large house located in a region with a harsh climate.
• For preparing small amounts of firewood for homes in regions with mild winter climates.
• For periodic splitting of firewood, which is used in addition to the main fuel - coal, briquettes, etc., or for heating commercial non-residential premises.
• For preparing a small amount of fuel for the fireplace or heating the cottage in winter when visiting it on weekends.

* * * * * * *

To make your own installation for splitting firewood, provided you have already developed a diagram, have the material and the necessary tools, it will probably take two to three days. But in the future, much more time and effort will be saved when preparing fuel reserves for the winter.

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

Video: Small homemade screw wood splitter in action

Cleavers are qualitatively different from an ax - a traditional device for chopping wood. An ax is considered a more universal tool, while a cleaver is capable of performing only one task - chopping wooden blanks into small pieces. Axes are also actively used in jewelry work.

Types of cleavers

Screw electromechanical wood splitter

Modern wood processing technologies have gone far in development, as a result of which various “helpers” for woodcutters have appeared:

• A mechanical cleaver is used for industrial purposes where high speed wood processing is required. The mechanism is driven by a special machine and additional weighting (from 100 kg to 1 ton, depending on the model). Mechanical apparatus is often found in the household. And some of them are made by local craftsmen with their own hands. The mechanism is driven by a spring, which is attached to the operating handle. After the final movement, the spring creates resistance, due to which the counterweight returns to its original position. The device for chopping wood is driven by the mechanical force of the hand.
• Mechanical cleaver with drive. In common people, this type of cleaver is better known as an electric cleaver. The principle of operation is no different from that described above. The only thing that indicates their difference is the electric motor that powers all the equipment. Mechanical devices for splitting firewood are often made by hand in rural areas or at dachas.
• Hydraulic wood splitter. This type of mechanism uses the energy of compressed fluid. The mechanism is based on the principle of a hydraulic press. Most models are equipped with additional blades, due to which the workpiece is split into several parts at once.
• Wood splitter on a screw drive. This type of device operates on a screw drive, that is, its operation is based on converting the rotational movement of a cleaver with an external screw into the translational movement of a nut. This firewood cleaver does its job well. This model is characterized by high productivity and accuracy. Making such equipment with your own hands is almost impossible and even dangerous.

Self-production

Not everyone has the opportunity to purchase an expensive model, so most summer residents and rural residents prefer a homemade firewood splitter. Practice has shown that you can do a lot of things with your own hands. So let's get started.

For manufacturing you will need: drawings of the device, a thick sheet of steel (about 10 mm), welding, a hammer and pliers. A thick sheet of steel is sharpened on both sides at an acute angle on a sharpening machine. The end result should be a blade with a double-sided sharpening. It is worth noting that working with a sharpening machine takes too much time, so to speed up the work you can use a grinder - cut off unnecessary pieces of steel at an angle. The scrap is ground on a sharpening machine to the required parameters.

On a homemade cleaver, you need to weld two metal pipes on both sides of a small diameter (30 mm is enough). This is done so that the device, made with your own hands, does not get stuck in the chocks. Remember, the more securely the workpieces are secured, the easier it is to remove the firewood splitter from the bars.

The side plates, which are also welded onto the steel plate, are made from a stainless steel sheet 5 mm thick. Both edges are sharpened at an angle of 45 degrees. This is done so that at the moment of impact there is no strong resistance from the homemade device. To weld metal plates, you will need an assistant to hold the workpiece with your hands while you work on the weld.

Homemade firewood cleaver

To add additional rigidity to the structure, the plates can be secured with an M8 pin. Do-it-yourself plates are placed on the canvas at an angle of 45 degrees; this is the main requirement. A stiff spring must be put on the inserted pin, which will act as a shock absorber during impact. The spring is secured with nuts of the same size as the stud.

Wood splitter

The firewood splitter is almost ready, all that remains is to weld the eye into which the ax handle will be inserted. As a blank for the eye, you can use a water pipe with a diameter of 40 mm and a length of 80-100 mm. To cut such a thick pipe, you will need the help of a partner - he holds the pipe with his hands while you cut.

The round pipe must be flattened using a hammer. It is necessary to hit the metal pipe until it begins to take on an oval shape. After struggling a little and getting an oval-shaped hole for the ax handle, we weld it to the workpiece.

As for the handle, you can also make it yourself. There are no special requirements for the ax handle, the main thing is that you feel comfortable working with it. A long handle reduces accuracy but increases striking power.

The principle of operation of such a cleaver is quite simple: when the end part hits a wooden surface, the sharpening point penetrates inwards. As soon as the blade goes deeper than 20 mm, sharpened side plates are additionally dug into the wood. The deeper the cleaver goes into the wood, the more the side plates move apart, tearing the wood into two pieces. This model is good because it does not require its owner to adapt to the device for a long time. After just a few blows, you will learn to cut a log in one stroke.

Thus, making a cleaver is not a complicated process and does not require a person to have special knowledge or skills in using tools. All that is necessary is to strictly adhere to the drawing and carefully re-read the instructions before doing anything.

Video: Mechanical ax - cleaver on a spring

With stove heating, the need to swing an ax every day quickly becomes a chore and takes a lot of time. This is where the question of mechanizing the process arises - you need to make a wood splitter with your own hands! There are many options for making homemade automated cleavers - from the simplest to semi-professional. Use step-by-step instructions and helpful tips from those who have forgotten when they held a regular ax in their hands to assemble your tool.

Simple mechanisms for splitting firewood from scrap materials

Types of wood splitters:

• mechanical (usually consists of a knife, frame and spring);
• screw (splits wood by screwing inward);
• hydraulic (has chisel knives that allow you to chop the log).

Wood splitter for home

Manual mechanical wood splitter of simple assembly

A mechanical (or manual) unit for chopping wood does not involve connecting a motor. It only allows you to apply less effort when splitting logs.

Here is the safest way to make a wood splitter with your own hands:

1. Weld a round frame slightly larger than the diameter of the logs (optimally 23 cm).
2. To do this, you need to take a circle of thick metal as a base and weld two pipes 35 cm high to it.
3. Weld a ring on top of the structure to form a cylinder.
4. Attach the metal knife at the bottom with the tip up.
5. Drill holes in the base for mounting.

The log in such a log splitter must be placed on top of the knife. By hitting it with a sledgehammer, you make your work safer. After all, there is no possibility of getting hurt with an axe!

Attention! This mechanism is only suitable for soft wood that is easy to split. The resulting firewood is suitable for lighting a fireplace. For oak or elm this device will be useless.

Safety manual wood splitter

Scheme for making a spring cleaver

The next idea on how to make a wood splitter at home is to make a mechanism on a spring. Components:

• channel section;
• metal corners;
• spring (from the car);
• plate-knife (can be from an old cleaver);
• a piece of pipe slightly smaller in diameter than the spring;
• hinge joint
• weighting agent (rail).

Tool basis

Manufacturing process:

First of all, it is necessary to make a support for the wood splitter using welding.

Prepare a platform for the spring.

Sawing a hole

Weld the platform, spacers, and pipe to the support.

Welding parts

Make a cutout to attach the beam to the support.

The beam is welded into the hole

Hang a beam with a hinge unit onto the support.

The support must be mounted on hinges

Weld the beam, maintaining its mobility.

Hinges provide mobility

Attach the beam and cleaver horizontally.

Cleaver position

Weld the handle and weighting material to the tool.

The weighting agent is the rail

It is better to paint the resulting mechanism to prevent rust.

Forcefully falling onto the log, the cleaver splits it into two parts. And immediately returns to its original position. This significantly saves human energy.

Carrot wood splitter in step-by-step instructions

This mechanism received the affectionate name “carrot” due to the cone-shaped shape of the knife. Screwing into the log according to the principle of a self-tapping screw, it splits the wood from the inside. The wood splitter is powered by an electric motor.

Manufacturing process of a screw log splitter

Make a screw log splitter with your own hands using drawings and step-by-step instructions:

1. Make a cone from grade 45 steel, 13 cm long and 5.5 cm in diameter (thick part) at an angle of 30°.
2. On a lathe, cut a persistent left-hand thread 2 mm deep in increments of 6–7 mm. The nose of the cone should be very sharp.
3. Install the shaft in the bearings and weld the flange (asterisk) on the back side.
4. Place the cone tightly onto the shaft and secure it with a pin (an M8 bolt will do).
5. Weld the supports of the car universal joint to the bearings (the mechanism will be attached to the table on them).
6. Make a spacer between the shaft and the engine, with which the chain will be tensioned. For this purpose, bending the pipe and nuts is suitable.
7. Make a table from thick boards (an old door will do) with iron legs 40 cm high.
8. Fix the cardan supports and the electric motor with a power of 2 kW or more. Pull the chain.

Cone knife drawing

Attention! The direction of the thread is not of fundamental importance. But when cutting right-hand threads, there is a high probability of damaging the tool or cone.

Drawing of the shaft and support for the cone

Important operating tips:

1. When making a cone log splitter with your own hands, it is worth remembering that the distance from the cone to the table should be minimal. Then the log will not be pulled out of your hands.
2. The splitting log can only be installed vertically. Otherwise, wood may get stuck between the cone and the table and bend the shaft.
3. The chain and motor should be protected with a casing. This will reduce the risk of injury during operation.
4. Logs should not be longer than 0.5 m and wider than 0.6 m in diameter.
5. The rotation speed can be from 150 to 800 rpm (optimally 400–500). To do this, you should use a gearbox (for example, from an old motorcycle).

How to make a hydraulic wood splitter - aerobatics

If you have accumulated a lot of firewood and need to chop it constantly, you should build a hydraulic wood splitter with your own hands.

Video: DIY hydraulic wood splitter

Components - budget calculation

The operating principle of the hydraulic mechanism is as follows. The log is fed to the knives on a sliding platform. Under the pressure of the cylinder, the log splits into 2, 4, 6 or 8 parts, depending on the design of the knife.

For the hydraulic mechanism you will need:

• petrol engine (from 6 hp);
• hydraulic cylinder;
• gear pump;
• hydraulic distributor;
• pump bracket;
• metal for knives (MAZ spring will do);
• channel 80 mm;
• profile 60x60 and 30x30 mm;
• pipe 50 mm;
• I-beam (for support beam);
• metal plates;
• wheels (car);
• pulley;
• belts;
• oil tank;
• fittings, adapters, couplings, bolts, screws, nuts, etc.

Wood splitter drawing

The budget that will have to be allocated for the purchase of components is approximately 60,000 rubles. Buying suitable scrap metal can reduce the cost of the finished product.

The basis of a wood splitter - how to assemble the frame

The first step is to assemble the front and rear axles to which the wheels will be attached. Since all the emphasis is on the rear axle, car tires must be placed here.

Front and rear axles

Step-by-step instructions for assembling a hydraulic wood splitter with your own hands with drawings and photos:

1. Weld hubs from a 30x30 mm profile to a 50 mm pipe so that you get two triangles. Weld the base of the future frame to the hubs.
2. Weld spacers from a 30x30 mm profile to the front axle made from a 60x60 profile. Attach small wheels to the axle.
3. Weld a base for mounting the engine to the rear axle.

Now it's time for the frame:

1. Weld a frame for a movable structure from two channels.
2. Assemble a moving platform from an 80 mm channel onto a cylinder rod.
3. Weld a triangular platform from the same channel. She will push the log towards the knives.
4. Install stops on the sides of the platform to prevent logs from falling.

Advice! Instead of a sliding platform, it is better to use a cart on wheels. To do this, bearings must be installed inside the channels from which the platform is made. In this option, the wood splitter will last longer, since the friction force will be reduced.

Motor and pump mounting base

The heart of a wood splitter - how to make a splitting knife

For the knife, scraps of an I-beam or a spring from MAZ are suitable. Operating procedure:

• cut a piece of wood with an angle of 60°;
• sharpen the metal like a chisel;
• fold the hexagonal knife using the workpiece (installing it between the segments);
• weld the knife to the frame.

Hex knife

The central (vertical) knife should enter the log first, then the upper side ones, and only then the lower ones. Otherwise, the load distribution will be incorrect. As a result, the wood splitter will not be able to cope with viscous wood.

Oil tank assembly

Driving Force - Motor and Oil Tank Assembly

An empty propane tank will fit under the oil tank. Operating procedure:

1. Fill the bottle with water.
2. Use a grinder to cut off the valve without draining the liquid.
3. Make a sump: separate ¼ of the cylinder using a 10 cm high steel partition cut inside.
4. Install a filter mesh with a magnet at a height of 5 cm from the bottom. It will catch metal shavings, which will extend the life of the motor.
5. Weld a pipe through which the pump will suck in oil. The pipe needs to be deepened so that the intake does not occur from the very bottom. After all, all the garbage that gets into the tank settles on it.
6. Install the tank at a level higher than the pump.

Pipe insertion

When all the elements are ready, it's time to assemble the structure. A self-made wood splitter should be painted.

Life hack from a Finnish farmer - how to split a log with a minimum of effort

Movement with an ax is one of the most balanced loads for the human body, so chopping wood by hand is undoubtedly useful. But this work can be improved! How? Reduce the number of unnecessary movements.

What makes chopping wood uncomfortable? Constantly flying chips and a cleaver stuck in the ground. Solving this problem is very easy.

You just need to install the log into a car tire! Select a rubber wheel with a diameter slightly larger than the log. Or take a large tire and put some logs in it. And there will immediately be less housework!

Advice! You can increase the tire diameter by cutting off the side parts so that only the tread ring remains.

Using an old tire

Video: Wood splitter with a washing machine engine

Assembling a wood splitter is a troublesome and costly task. But, if you have the skills to work with metal, this is a justified way to save money and your own effort. It will take you half a day to make a simple mechanism. Whereas a complex unit will take 1–2 months. However, you can always turn to professionals! This is a sure way to save time. What is more expensive is up to you to decide!