Steel Wedge sizes

[Arran Turner]

Need some steel wedges.. going to get some made up has anyone got any sizes what work well before I base them off my plastic wedges for size

 

ta

 

Arran

[agg221]

Steel wedges were around for a long time before plastics were developed enough to cope with the job. That meant there was a lot of time went into refining the design.

 

I have two types of steel wedge, both inherited and probably over 100yrs old. One is about 4" long x 2.5" wide and tapers up to 1" thick. I use this like I use my plastic wedges but can give it more abuse. The others were probably 8" long originally, 2" wide and 2" thick. These take serious punishment. Note the taper on both is the same.

 

I tend to use plastic wedges to hold cuts the width I want them but metal wedges when I actually want to open the cut. The taper is about the same on both types but the wider wedge tends to grip better and not dig in to the wood so much. They don't have any features on them to stop them slipping out, so it's all down to friction. With a 7lb sledge I can drive them hard enough to make most things move, although I was defeated by a 3'6" parkland open-grown oak which wasn't having any of it and I couldn't hit the wedges hard enough to persuade it. What you can also often do is drive one on top of another to widen the opening as unlike the plastic ones they will drive into a zero gap, but for that you really do have to look after them well and grind off any peening as soon as it happens, not just when it gets sharp.

 

If you carry around half a dozen steel wedges in addition to your other kit, you do notice it! Mine only come out if I know I will need them which tends to mean felling something that I want to tip.

 

Alec

 

Edit, forgot to mention that they do also come out occasionally for cleaving timber which is too big for the froe.

Edited March 20, 2021 by agg221

[5thelement]

What are intending to use them for?

If felling, forget it and use plastics/hi lifts, the steel wedges weigh a tonne.

I use Brades steel wedges for cleaving Sweet Chestnut and Oak post and rail, proper British steel and you can pick them up in decent nick fo £15 each on flea bay, they will last you years if you look after them.

The picture attached is of two 8” Brades, the length is stamped on the wedge, and width is indicated with the tape.

[Arran Turner]

5 hours ago, agg221 said:

Steel wedges were around for a long time before plastics were developed enough to cope with the job. That meant there was a lot of time went into refining the design.

 

I have two types of steel wedge, both inherited and probably over 100yrs old. One is about 4" long x 2.5" wide and tapers up to 1" thick. I use this like I use my plastic wedges but can give it more abuse. The others were probably 8" long originally, 2" wide and 2" thick. These take serious punishment. Note the taper on both is the same.

 

I tend to use plastic wedges to hold cuts the width I want them but metal wedges when I actually want to open the cut. The taper is about the same on both types but the wider wedge tends to grip better and not dig in to the wood so much. They don't have any features on them to stop them slipping out, so it's all down to friction. With a 7lb sledge I can drive them hard enough to make most things move, although I was defeated by a 3'6" parkland open-grown oak which wasn't having any of it and I couldn't hit the wedges hard enough to persuade it. What you can also often do is drive one on top of another to widen the opening as unlike the plastic ones they will drive into a zero gap, but for that you really do have to look after them well and grind off any peening as soon as it happens, not just when it gets sharp.

 

If you carry around half a dozen steel wedges in addition to your other kit, you do notice it! Mine only come out if I know I will need them which tends to mean felling something that I want to tip.

 

Alec

 

Edit, forgot to mention that they do also come out occasionally for cleaving timber which is too big for the froe.

Thanks.. i'll work with them measurements as a start.. every 4 inch tapers up to 1 inch.. ive seen steels wedges all shapes and sizes will take a bit of playing to get right.. the backing up with plastics is a good idea.. hopefully at that size they will stack well aswell..  ta

Edited March 20, 2021 by Arran Turner

[Arran Turner]

4 hours ago, 5thelement said:

What are intending to use them for?

If felling, forget it and use plastics/hi lifts, the steel wedges weigh a tonne.

I use Brades steel wedges for cleaving Sweet Chestnut and Oak post and rail, proper British steel and you can pick them up in decent nick fo £15 each on flea bay, they will last you years if you look after them.

The picture attached is of two 8” Brades, the length is stamped on the wedge, and width is indicated with the tape.

Will use them for felling weight is not an issue for me.. thanks for the photo will be handy.. already use plastic wedges and have never got on with high lift wedges sadly 

[openspaceman]

6 hours ago, 5thelement said:

If felling, forget it and use plastics/hi lifts, the steel wedges weigh a tonne.

Yea but tipping over a big oak that needs 3 or more wedges steel gets the job done.

 

I'm surprised at that 1" in 4" measure, that's about 30 degrees and I would have thought less than half that. I'll dig one of mine out.

 

PS I just looked at that again and it is around 14 degrees and not 30 so about what I was thinking.

 

The main thing about steel wedges is they must be softer than the hammer you use to knock them in, this means over time they mushroom and need cleaning up, oxy-acetylene is favourite else a cutting disk in angle grinder. The reason is to avoid shards pinging off when knocking them in hard, they are known to take eyes out.

Edited March 20, 2021 by openspaceman
correction of steel wedge angle

[5thelement]

1 hour ago, openspaceman said:

Yea but tipping over a big oak that needs 3 or more wedges steel gets the job done.

I have Bolle hi lifts that do a far better job than any other wedge that I have used, including steel, personal preference I suppose.

If your steel wedges are only 14 degrees, that would mean that you would have to drive it in 8 inches to open up the kerf 1 inch, which wouldn’t finish many of my trees off.

[Stubby]

2 hours ago, 5thelement said:

I have Bolle hi lifts that do a far better job than any other wedge that I have used, including steel, personal preference I suppose.

If your steel wedges are only 14 degrees, that would mean that you would have to drive it in 8 inches to open up the kerf 1 inch, which wouldn’t finish many of my trees off.

Yea but you can stack em .

[agg221]

2 hours ago, 5thelement said:

If your steel wedges are only 14 degrees, that would mean that you would have to drive it in 8 inches to open up the kerf 1 inch, which wouldn’t finish many of my trees off.

14 degrees is 1 in 4 so driving 8" gives 2" of lift.

 

And as Stubby says, they stack.

 

Alec

Edited March 20, 2021 by agg221

[5thelement]

1 minute ago, Stubby said:

Yea but you can stack em .

You can stack most wedges if the profile is right.

If I think I may need to start stacking wedges I usually just put a line up before I even start the cut and winch it over.

I have not heard that familiar sound of someone pounding steel wedges in for at least 15 years.