Best way to split large volumes of logs with a digger

[Woodwanter]

As the tittle suggests, I am trying to work out what fittings could be used on a 7.5t machine best to process a mix of logs, rings and trunks.

 

i have found two options, a cone screw or a log cruncher, basically a set of grabs that pinches the log to split it. Both can pick up logs and move but the cruncher is best for this.

 

is anybody out there using anything similar? For clarity, I don't really need to cut anything down, just split open to facilitate drying.

 

TYIA

[Celtictimber]

F

[Matthew Storrs]

Can’t imagine the ‘pincer’ really being able to cope with trunks. Iv see the cone splitter on excavators (you can get a cone splitter to run off an auger driver like Augertorque), they look quite good for splitting up trunks but perhaps a bit tedious for big rings- I think you mind need a jig or some way of securing the ring easily to stop it being spun before it splits...

[Matthew Storrs]

10 minutes ago, Celtictimber said:

F

Insightful ?

[SbTVF]

If you’re going to ring them up why not just use a concrete breaker on them?

If you put a wider sharper bit on the end it’d be pretty quick to knock them down to a handleable size.

[Matthew Storrs]

Would the breaker be any use on trunks? Wouldn’t have thought it would unless it had a particularly wide splitting wedge....

[Bolt]

13 minutes ago, Matthew Storrs said:

Insightful ?

That moment when you a think you are going to comment..... but then you can't be arsed.

[SbTVF]

Would the breaker be any use on trunks? Wouldn’t have thought it would unless it had a particularly wide splitting wedge....

Stand the log on its end then do it? [emoji23]

I find quartering big logs to then put through processor tends to make a lot of waste.
Ringing and then splitting makes better product with less waste. Although probably more time consuming admittedly.

[Woodwanter]

Thanks everyone.

 

there will be no waste, everything gets moved by Jcb and 2m3 bucket.

 

the  videos I have Seen of the pinchers do seem to do the job but it's hard to get an idea of scale. How meany tons of force are needed on the bigger splitters I wonder?

 

the cork screw can make them spin but if working on the stack it looks like with all the machine's weight on the arm nothing spins.

 

i don't want or need to ring any up just open them up for drying. The breaker may work on the rings that come in but I'm not so sure on the trunks!?

[Woodworks]

9 hours ago, SbTVF said:

Ringing and then splitting makes better product with less waste. Although probably more time consuming admittedly.

 No doubt this makes the very best logs but sadly it is time consuming. Had a load of oversized beech last year and cursed ringing and splitting it all but made me a proud log seller when delivering it.

 

Did see a clip of someone using a pecker on rings and looked pretty affective.