screw type log splitters

[treequip]

Look, I don't want to cause an argument, but someone who has broken his thumbs 10 times is not experienced, he is very inexperienced.

 

 

Not inexperienced just bad experience(es)

 

 

Cone splitters generally don't have an emergency stop and the nature of the design requires you to have your hands in the mix. When they bight, they really do bight.

 

I saw an old boy try to kick a stubborn log onto the cone, he missed and the cone screwed itself between the sole of his boot and his foot. He couldn't stop the machine and just had to wait (and scream) until it bust his boot off his foot breaking many of those little bones in his foot as it went.

 

When there have been enough accidents (reported) the HSE will inevitably turn their gaze to these machines as they did with the chipper in feed situation.

 

On the up side a cone mounted on a crane or 360 is a magnificent tool.

[bobh]

Not inexperienced just bad experience(es)

 

 

 

 

I saw an old boy try to kick a stubborn log onto the cone, he missed and the cone screwed itself between the sole of his boot and his foot. He couldn't stop the machine and just had to wait (and scream) until it bust his boot off his foot breaking many of those little bones in his foot as it went.

 

Then he was an idiot! Not a lot anyone can do to stop people like that trying to kill themselves.

On a hycrack if you keep the point of the cone just to the left of the centre of the log and only place your hands at the back and left of the log it WILL NOT bite you, in fact most of the time you end up letting go of the log as soon as the point has taken hold, it then just pulls itself on.

As I say this is on a hycrack, can't speak for other types of cone splitter.

[LoadhandlerUK]

There are well over 6000 Hycracks out there in the UK - and I would reckon from the feedback we have that the majority are in constant use. They've been around for over 30 years and we have people every day of the week asking how to convert the old, obsolete styles: Spenco, Sparex, Wilson, Bark Buster etc to accept Hycrack cones and tips.

 

As I said in an earlier post, they are the Marmite of splitters and posts like this run on every forum that has an interest in machinery. They are efficient and well built and as I've said before the plethora of copy cones, open shafts and bearings and all sorts of drive mechanisms are the real concern if a d.i.y. machine is sold on (as some have been) - we saw one recently that had an imported cone welded (out of true) to a shaft with plummer blocks bolted to a plate and the customer brought it to us 'to try and see why the bearings were worn out'. As a pure side issue, the Hycrack is one of the only machines I know that in a well worn state, some twenty years after it was purchased, is worth almost twice what the original owner gave for it.

 

I see both sides of the story but it's each to his own; you either love 'em or hate 'em

[treequip]

Then he was an idiot! Not a lot anyone can do to stop people like that trying to kill themselves.

On a hycrack if you keep the point of the cone just to the left of the centre of the log and only place your hands at the back and left of the log it WILL NOT bite you, in fact most of the time you end up letting go of the log as soon as the point has taken hold, it then just pulls itself on.

As I say this is on a hycrack, can't speak for other types of cone splitter.

 

It matters not how stupid he was or wasn't, what's important is the fact that you have to have your hands in there and there is no emergency stop in the event it does go wrong.

[Logsnstuff]

Look, I don't want to cause an argument, but someone who has broken his thumbs 10 times is not experienced, he is very inexperienced. The Hycrack is a fantastic piece of very simple engineering. All it needs is regular greasing and a new tip every few years. And I've been cutting firewood for almost as long as your friend, sad to say.

 

you are assuming its a hycrack hes using I have no idea what brand, I'm simply putting forward what happened to someone who used that style of splitter, you have been lucky with no injury he was unlucky with many I'm indifferent to what splitter you use just think you should be aware of what can happen, maybe as someone else has posted his is out of allignment.

 

there was a contractor 12 15 miles from me who died when a stick came through the floor of his county or my grandfather lost a kidney when he was hit with a log skylining back in the 70's its not to say drive a county your guaranteed to get a log in the crotch or try skylining you will lose some organs just be aware possible dangers is all.

[Cosmiccrofter]

It matters not how stupid he was or wasn't, what's important is the fact that you have to have your hands in there and there is no emergency stop in the event it does go wrong.

 

No you don't need your hands in there, and there is an emergency stop.

[Cosmiccrofter]

you are assuming its a hycrack hes using I have no idea what brand, I'm simply putting forward what happened to someone who used that style of splitter, you have been lucky with no injury he was unlucky with many I'm indifferent to what splitter you use just think you should be aware of what can happen, maybe as someone else has posted his is out of allignment.

 

there was a contractor 12 15 miles from me who died when a stick came through the floor of his county or my grandfather lost a kidney when he was hit with a log skylining back in the 70's its not to say drive a county your guaranteed to get a log in the crotch or try skylining you will lose some organs just be aware possible dangers is all.

 

No I haven't been lucky, I'm just experienced with the Hycrack and know how to operate it safely. Every piece of machinery attached to a tractor has the potential to harm you, it's all about knowing them and avoiding them.

[richardwale]

We had a hycrack. They split anything, occasionally you would need to tap a knarly bit off but generally it was superb. You really do need to watch that wood EVERYTIME you feed it onto the spike. I never hurt myself, but by god, there were times I was bloody close. My fault of course, but my advice would be just be very very careful and you'll be fine. But like using a chainsaw really, treat the kit with loads of respect and you'll be ok.

[mendiplogs]

Our experience of selling many, many Hycracks a year is that there is no substitute for the real thing and horsepower.

 

Those of you on here with Hycracks will know that their longevity is legendary - the same cannot be said for the copy cones and tips. We've not seen any 'copy' cone that's 10 years old - let alone 30 years. We register the age of every customers machine when they come for spares and many are over 20 years, needing only a tip or bearings. We have several eBay cones brought into us every year that are worn out and the customer wants to convert using a Hycrack cone. Yes it's more expensive - but you buy them once.

 

I would say that although we have sold to customers with 12 and 17hp Kubota or John Deere type compacts - and lots to grey fergie owners we warn them that the lower the hp, the smaller wood you can split.

 

Equally the torque must be there. I recommend that people start off at 300-350 rpm and see how it goes. Increasing to 400-450 on good splitting woods. Try splitting tough and knotty at 540 and you'll have a tiger by the tail.

 

So assuming that price is key over quality and you are going Polish or German - which is fair enough but you'll get what you pay for - make sure you can vary the speed (it's essential in my book) and you can get some low down bangs for your buck torque wise.

 

And p.s. build it properly - your limbs depend on it.

HI UK we had a hydcrack years ago when i 1st got into logs on my mf135 mate we did run a ROPE STOP OFF THE PULL STOP at the time it was a good splitter as you said it was a one mans splitter it was no good if your mate come over to you and started talking i had to run the splitter on my own you soon get no how to use them but now we run a posch splitter thanks jon

[treequip]

No you don't need your hands in there, and there is an emergency stop.

 

The one I owned needed the operator to lift the log onto the plate and push it on to the cone until the cone bit in. It was pto driven and the only way to stop the cone was to stop the tractor or disengage the PTO, you cant do either from the operators position, particularly if it has your hand trapped and if its under load disengaging the PTO is going to be difficult

 

How do you get the log onto the cone and what's your emergency stop?