Kindling machine

[Jimbob87]

Any1 ever tried converting a log splitter to do kindling? My mate is a welder / engineer and he recons he could build one based on the principle of a vertical splitter by changing the base plate for a box with a grid of knives then changing the splitting head for a solid plate that would push your timber through the new base and in theory out will com kindling. Has any1 tried this and will it work.

[treedave]

Don't want to snuff the flame of invention...... but every kindling machine I've seen allows for the increased volume occupied by the split wood i.e. block of wood takes up more room after splitting than before. will the box allow for this?

Might be worth looking at chip makers for detail (like they us down the chippy!).

[Chris Sheppard]

Plenty have tried but if it worked, surely it would be in production already.

 

The pressure required and the forces exerted to split a piece of wood that many ways in one go are huge.

[renewablejohn]

I use my palax log processor for kindling with standard 6 way head. Not the fastest of machines but quicker than an axe.

[sandbach-sticks]

I tried and it worked provided there were no knots, then it jammed and bent one of the six blades i made, ended up with a kindlet

[gensetsteve]

At the risk of sounding sexist firstly you need a good woman then you need a kindlet. My wife runs the kindlet and sells wholesale in arbtalk directory. There is no heavy work involved and you can stop and start with the flick of a switch. If you sell wholesale which you need to do to pay for the kindlet the margins are so small you would not want to be distracted from log processing. Better to find someone local doing wholesale and just double your money for no effort.

[Robied]

I tried several types of boxes and knives etc massive force needed or very expensive hollow ground knives I ended up with a kindler too so much easier

[Big T]

I have thought about doing this but using non treated palletwood instead of "proper" wood, I was thinking this would prob work as the palletwood is already split one way and is quite soft.

[detritus21]

Pallet wood tends to be full of knots. Ask my finger which got sliced by an axe whilst chopping pallets as the axe bounced of several knots.

[Daniël Bos]

Would it work to take just one slice at a time like that?

So rather than a whole grid of blades, just one big strong "slice-blade" with divisions in?

A bit like the Tempest splitter, but smaller divisions?