Log splitter and a flying log - safety

[fatjay]

I have done the same thing a thousand times, and never had a log come flying at me. I've had some pop's and it jump to the side, but never with any force. Good to know it can happen though. Hope you have a speedy recovery.

 

[The Deerslayer]

Sorry this happened to you and hope you have a short recovery. Definitely appreciate you sharing this here.
Like you, I always wear safety goggles when splitting but now wonder if I should start wearing my logging helmet with face shield.

I have had logs pop, but nothing as significant as what happened to you. Usually they pop to the side, and the target tends to be my "family jewels" as they say. As a result, I have gotten into the habit of placing my hand over the log but not touching it (away from the wedge) whenever the splitter starts to strain on a log. Figure that if it pops, my hand may absorb the force and reduce the chance of a more "sensitive" e.g. face, jewels, getting the brunt.

 

[fruitcakesa]

My splitter has a removable 4 way wedge that under the right circumstances has popped of the main wedge.
Usually due to an angled cut on on end of the log the allows the piece to slide up.
Have not had just the log pop free though.
I pay close attention to this and stand well clear when operating the splitter.

 

[oosik]

When I split wood I had the log "pop" many, many times. NEVER came flying off the splitter. In my case it was a knot in the log that caused pressure build up and a "pop" when the wedge finally split the knot.

 

[Cycledude]

I have lots of experience splitting wood using horizontal position but about a month ago had a piece get stuck because my splitter couldn’t force it all the way through, well I used my hand to lift one end of the block to work it loose, it popped loose and flew back about 6 inches to the push plate and smashed my fingers ! Hurt so bad at first I thought broken fingers but no nothing broke thankfully just hurt a lot for a couple weeks . There ain’t nothing cheap about burning firewood !

 

[Code54]

Thanks to all! I appreciate the well wishes and thoughts!
I will be more careful in the future. I looked at the green oak log last night, and the split appeared rather "normal" with straight grain and no knots. The end did have a little angle but nothing too major. I had a bunch pop and sort of bounce over the years but never launched upwards and out with force. When it happened, I was beside the splitter to the side of the log, maybe a 1' -1 1/2', working the valve and getting ready to grab the split section and place it on the stack. I don't recall anything straining or hearing the splitter "working" to get through the small log (the log was only about 15-16" and maybe 10" across)

 

[ponytug]

Thanks to all! I appreciate the well wishes and thoughts!
I will be more careful in the future. I looked at the green oak log last night, and the split appeared rather "normal" with straight grain and no knots. The end did have a little angle but nothing too major. I had a bunch pop and sort of bounce over the years but never launched upwards and out with force. When it happened, I was beside the splitter to the side of the log, maybe a 1' -1 1/2', working the valve and getting ready to grab the split section and place it on the stack. I don't recall anything straining or hearing the splitter "working" to get through the small log (the log was only about 15-16" and maybe 10" across)

Wow. What a story. I hope that you have a speedy and full recovery! An acquaintance had a similar injury due to a different cause, and it was a long road back to normal, so give yourself time not to be 100%. Even without bone injuries, concussions are big deal.

Thanks for the heads up to the rest of us. In the future, I will certainly be wearing my logging helmet when I'm splitting.

All the best,

Peter

 

[dodge man]

I wear glasses and like a lot of people falsely assume it’s some sort of eye protection. My new to me log splitter is pretty loud so I wear ear protection. It just seems to make sense for me to wear my loggers helmet with the built in ear muffs and lower the face shield.

 

[cqaigy2]

I've never used a log splitter before this summer. Neighbor has one on tractor and brought it up and we split a pile of wood. One thing i noticed was a piece that doesn't have a square end, you want to put it on the wedge end and orient it so that it wants to push it down into the rail and not pop up and out.

 

[ruffdog]

Thanks to all! I appreciate the well wishes and thoughts!
I will be more careful in the future. I looked at the green oak log last night, and the split appeared rather "normal" with straight grain and no knots. The end did have a little angle but nothing too major. I had a bunch pop and sort of bounce over the years but never launched upwards and out with force. When it happened, I was beside the splitter to the side of the log, maybe a 1' -1 1/2', working the valve and getting ready to grab the split section and place it on the stack. I don't recall anything straining or hearing the splitter "working" to get through the small log (the log was only about 15-16" and maybe 10" across)

In your first post..."I heard a pop, then saw a flash of a log flying"...Could have the "pop" been something like a broken weld on the splitter? I think you should at least give it a good once over looking at welds and bolts.