I have a Stickler that I bought at least 25 yrs. ago. I've split many cords of wood with it,without incident. Like working with any power tool one must be vigilant! I run my tractor at idle speed with the PTO on,I figure the screw speed to be 150 RPM. The single most important rule is,don't split anything shorter than 3'. I generally split my wood at 4' lengths.
Screw Type Log Splitter
- Thread starter BillyBoy
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I can't speak much about Stickler log splitters but don't immediately dismiss all screw type log splitters as dangerous or unsafe. I've got a Hydrocut screw type log splitter which is 3 point linkage mounted and runs off the PTO. It's very different compared to the Stickler though. I've never had any safety concerns with my Hydrocut. I even let my teenage kids use it with supervision and as long as you use it correctly it's very safe. My Hydrocut splitter is an HC2X model and it can split some big old logs let me tell you. It doesn't look very impressive as the cone must be roughly only 10 inches long and 5 inches wide at it's widest part. When you see it working it's pretty unbelievable what it's capable of. I've split all different types of wood with it including some really knotty stuff and it breezes through it no problem. You can split small stuff on it as well which I couldn't do with my ram splitter. I'd never go back to using my ram splitter now. The ram splitter was so crap in comparison and it was more expensive to buy too. I honestly can't recommend this screw type splitter enough. Definitely one of the best things I've invested in.
Just a quick follow up to my last post. I've just watched the video footage of one of those Stickler splitters in action. OH MY GOD! That thing looks lethal. I can't believe those things meet health and safety requirements?! What if you get some clothing wrapped round it or a log somehow twists your arm round it? How do you stop it? Is there an emergency cut off switch somewhere cause I can't see one? My screw log spltter is part of a welded machine with a platform bed underneath the splitting cone. It has a shear pin to prevent tortional overload and a guard rail to grab incase you trip. Most importantly it has a safety cord you pull as an engine cut off switch incase you get into difficulties. The platform on my splitter is there to place the log onto and because the log is touching the platform underneath it prevents the log being spun around by the cone. What stops a log windmilling round on this stickler thing? Is it only for big heavy logs? Seems like a pretty dangerous bit of kit to me. Very different to my Hydrocut splitter. Know I understand why people were saying screw splitters are dangerous. I'd never let my kids use that Stickler thing. I don't think I'd fancy giving it a go myself! I'm sticking with my Hydrocut screw splitter!
MicroPilot
Veteran Member
...and Oh 70 mph freeways? Life is fragile use it with care whatever you do.
70 MPH freeways are back again!
J_J
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Those screw type splitters have been around since at least the early 50's. The one I saw working was bolted to the rear wheel of a truck. The rear wheels were jacked up, and the other wheel was locked down. They pushed the log sideways into the splitter with a 2X4 and it did it's job. The only reason to get close was to pick up the split pieces.
CurtC
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That hydrocut does look pretty sweet. If I could find one, and it was significantly cheaper, I'd give it a go.
Looking like I'm going to have to spend a bit more than a grand on a hyrdraulic tow behind.
Looking like I'm going to have to spend a bit more than a grand on a hyrdraulic tow behind.
Willl
Elite Member
Don't remember where I found this, but here's another pic.
Last edited:
here is a link for a hycrack splitter in operation....didn't look to bad to me.
YouTube - HyCrack Log Splitter in action.
YouTube - HyCrack Log Splitter in action.
J_J
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To the math experts out there, how would you ever figure the power/force for one of those splitters?
DanD78
Platinum Member
I bought a Stickler about 25 years ago and used it for several years on my pick up. I looked at the instruction book before posting and it said to keep the point 10" above the ground. It also had a safety/kill string that went to a switch you had to wire to the engine coil.
As far as operating it was ok for a guy in his early 20s. It worked best with three people. One handing logs, the operator on his knees and another guy taking split wood away. I only remember having a log start flipping around once when I let someone else run it. It didn't work on crotches or knotty wood very well. You had to choose what you split and some times an ax was quicker. Some times if the log didn't split before you ran out of screw the log would be stuck with the screw spinning inside the split.
I haven't used it in 20 years and have had different hydraulic splitters sense. My favorite is a 3 point hooked to the power beyond on my JD 3320. It is just as fast as my 6 horse hydraulic with a two stage pump but stronger. I looked at mounting the stickler on my tractor but the cone is threaded the wrong direction to feed the log on.
I have never ran a PTO screw splitter but my stickler worked the same way. Not sure how you would shut it down in an emergency or split shorter stuff with the brace arm so far away from the screw. Like everyone else has said It's a machine and has no care for human life.
Dan
As far as operating it was ok for a guy in his early 20s. It worked best with three people. One handing logs, the operator on his knees and another guy taking split wood away. I only remember having a log start flipping around once when I let someone else run it. It didn't work on crotches or knotty wood very well. You had to choose what you split and some times an ax was quicker. Some times if the log didn't split before you ran out of screw the log would be stuck with the screw spinning inside the split.
I haven't used it in 20 years and have had different hydraulic splitters sense. My favorite is a 3 point hooked to the power beyond on my JD 3320. It is just as fast as my 6 horse hydraulic with a two stage pump but stronger. I looked at mounting the stickler on my tractor but the cone is threaded the wrong direction to feed the log on.
I have never ran a PTO screw splitter but my stickler worked the same way. Not sure how you would shut it down in an emergency or split shorter stuff with the brace arm so far away from the screw. Like everyone else has said It's a machine and has no care for human life.
Dan
cartod
Platinum Member
Eagleview
Veteran Member
Willl , That's probably one of the most dangerous thing's i have ever seen . With no way to shut the PTO down from where you are working , anything could happen .
.
Slackdaddy
Gold Member
Brad_Blazer
Veteran Member
You just had to ask! I just wasted 10 minutes figuring it out!
Let's say the screw diameter increases 1/4" per turn and splitting force is 10 tons.
20,000lb x 1/4" divided by 12 inches/foot = 417 ft-lb of work per turn.
Imagine a 1ft lever turning the shaft. It will travel 6.28ft in one turn.
417/6.28 = 66.31lf of force on the lever which means 66.31 ft-lb of torque. Pretty nice!
What about friction? Let's say the screw diameter is one inch and the friction factor is 0.5. The drag force of 20,000lb x 0.5 moves a distance pi inches or 0.26 feet. The friction work comes out to 2,618 ft-lb. Divide by 6.28 like above and the torque to overcome friction is 417ft-lb. (not so nice!)
Luckily the biggest force when splitting happens when the diameter is small!
Feel free anyone to check my math/logic. The numbers sound about right. If it wasn't for friction you could just about hold the log to keep it from turning (not that you would want to!)
A friend of mine bought a used 3-pt Unicorn splitter some years ago and I helped him split some wood with it with his Kubota at idle. A few logs snubbed it and a couple spun. Exciting stuff!
J_J
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Although your math is probably correct, I don't think you answered my question. What I was expecting was something like this. Based on the number of threads, and a cone base of 8 in diameter, and an rpm of 540, gives a force of so many tons.
You started out with 10 tons, where did that come from.
The friction would decrease as soon the log starts to separate.
I would think the most friction and the most torque would be in the first several inches of the screw type splitter.
I don't want to argue about this, I just want to know. how they compare to a hydraulic log splitter.
Otherwise, how does the splitting force compare to say a 20 ton splitter?
You started out with 10 tons, where did that come from.
The friction would decrease as soon the log starts to separate.
I would think the most friction and the most torque would be in the first several inches of the screw type splitter.
I don't want to argue about this, I just want to know. how they compare to a hydraulic log splitter.
Otherwise, how does the splitting force compare to say a 20 ton splitter?
Brad_Blazer
Veteran Member
Hi J.J.,
All of the "givens" in my calculation were assumed. Force really relates to torque and not RPM but RPM does let us convert HP to Torque. In my example above the total torque was about 480ft-lb which requires about 50hp at 540RPM. My 1/4" per turn assumption would require 32 turns to reach a diameter of 8". Check out this closeup:
http://www.hycrack.co.uk/images/hycrack_home2B.jpg
They use a smaller pitch at the tip where the splitting force would be highest.
My 10 ton value was an assumed spreading force to split a log. Hydraulic splitters have a nice shallow blade angle but with friction the spreading force is probably similar to the rated pushing force.
There are lots of big assumptions here but it looks like it takes the spiral splitter about 5 PTO HP per ton of splitting force. Assuming a diesel tractor has a flat torque curve, a tractor with enough rated horsepower should be able to run the splitter at any speed.
Now I don't know how many tons it really takes to split a log but my guess is typically less than 10. My 3ph hydraulic splitter rates about 15 tons and it doesn't seem to slow down when it cuts into an oak burl across the grain. One big advantage of a hydraulic splitter is the knife action which cuts through the strings, etc. Just like when using a Go-Devil, squirrely, stringy wood grain might be something of a pain on a spiral splitter.
Brad
All of the "givens" in my calculation were assumed. Force really relates to torque and not RPM but RPM does let us convert HP to Torque. In my example above the total torque was about 480ft-lb which requires about 50hp at 540RPM. My 1/4" per turn assumption would require 32 turns to reach a diameter of 8". Check out this closeup:
http://www.hycrack.co.uk/images/hycrack_home2B.jpg
They use a smaller pitch at the tip where the splitting force would be highest.
My 10 ton value was an assumed spreading force to split a log. Hydraulic splitters have a nice shallow blade angle but with friction the spreading force is probably similar to the rated pushing force.
There are lots of big assumptions here but it looks like it takes the spiral splitter about 5 PTO HP per ton of splitting force. Assuming a diesel tractor has a flat torque curve, a tractor with enough rated horsepower should be able to run the splitter at any speed.
Now I don't know how many tons it really takes to split a log but my guess is typically less than 10. My 3ph hydraulic splitter rates about 15 tons and it doesn't seem to slow down when it cuts into an oak burl across the grain. One big advantage of a hydraulic splitter is the knife action which cuts through the strings, etc. Just like when using a Go-Devil, squirrely, stringy wood grain might be something of a pain on a spiral splitter.
Brad
HI Randy. My Name is Garry Doney and I would love to have that Stickler log splitter. If you could send me the cost to ship it to 2907 Skeena St Terrace BC V8G3K3 Canada. I will send you the money. I realize the danger involved. Thanks again. Garry Doney
