Cone wood splitters

ning · Sep 2, 2021

I first ran across these probably a few years when watching movies of really sketchy (probably eastern European) wood cutters.

I already have a typical stand-alone 25-ton hydraulic log splitter which works well for me (bought surprisingly cheaply second-hand, starts on the second pull after not using it for 2 years and on the first pull since then), but I'm definitely curious about these, because they look so simple.

Does anyone here have one (and are you willing to admit it

)?

They're just so simple, though I have to say before I used one I'd grab a whole chicken from the fridge and see how quickly it would grab on and how tough would it be to pull it off... just in case... (probably clean the cone first and then make chicken soup with it after)

Here's a "nice" one in action -

the first ones I saw were definitely bubba jobs, typically someone bolted the cone to the left front wheel of their (almost) wrecked compact car that was up on blocks...

ptsg · Sep 2, 2021

It's also called screw type wood splitter.

Still used daily by several people around here. It's a very cheap alternative to the common wood splitter at around $400, however can be very very dangerous if attention is not being taken. It's very easy to get pulled and spin with it.

The one on the video is missing a very important part to make it 100 times safer. A simple wedged under the screw, welded to the table. This prevents the log from slipping and just rotate around.

I heard these weren't allowed to be sold anymore in my country, however I keep seeing them for sale in OLX, our Craigslist.

Rustyiron · Sep 2, 2021

Ning that "bubba job" was how they were marketed back when they came out here.

nyone · Sep 3, 2021

Has anyone ran one of these on a auger attachment?

jeff9366 · Sep 3, 2021

I believe the sale of cone splitters has been prohibited in the USA by OSHA.

Some parts are available on eBay but no complete units.

cqaigy2 · Sep 3, 2021

I remember there was one you could buy that you would attach to a vehicle. They showed a truck jacked up with one on the back axle, where the wheel would be attached.

ptsg · Sep 3, 2021

nyone said:
Has anyone ran one of these on a auger attachment?

I've seen those on mini and midi excavators adapted to an hydraulic post hole digger for excavators. It used a bigger screw of course and was used mainly to split stumps in place to make it easier to pull out.

Those are available commercially.

ruffdog · Sep 3, 2021

Here are ones made for a 3pt auger.

Wood log splitter screw auger type - farm & garden - by owner - sale

etpm · Sep 4, 2021

I remember seeing ads for these over 50 years ago in Popular Science and Popular Mechanics. The ads would always be the same, showing either a pickup truck or a car with one wheel removed and the cone bolted in place. The vehicle would be on jack stands I suppose but I don't remember. Even as a kid I always thought that the things were crazy dangerous, and I engaged in plenty of risky behavior at the time.