Bent splitter foot, darn live oak!

[BlackOakTreeServ]

Finally bent the foot on my splitter which is 1 1/2" thick...boy that live oak is some nasty stuff. The round that bent it had taken 4 tries and finally got it...or did it get me...lol

Got a hold of 3/4 plate and arc welded it with 7018 rod...made sure and V it out to get strong weld. 2 1/4 inch now, if I bend it the splitter police will take it away...

At the stressed paint is were its bent...

V'ed it out,

got 6 passes on bottom were 3/4 meets I-beam

got er painted, and ready for more oak!

 

[jbighump]

that thing should be bulletproof now, live oak also claimed another members splitter foot must be some nasty stuff.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

Yeah, it was some old, dry oak that bent mine. That stuff is HARRRRRRD!


Glad you got it fixed up!

 

[LAH]

3rd picture, nice weld...............Creeker

 

[cat-face timber]

Wow,

I sure am glad we do not have your live oak out here.

I love it when a man fixes a problem with his own knowledge/skills and tools.
That to me is the American way?

 

[isaaccarlson]

nice welds! Those will hold for sure. Have fun with that live oak!

 

[aokpops]

not a vertical person seen another splitter broke like that please get off your knees go horizontal get away from the back brakers

 

[bsearcey]

Just recently saw on the chimneysweep BTU chart that live oak (36.6)was at the top over hedge (32.9). I think this is updated because I'm pretty sure hedge has always been at the top.

Nice work on the splitter.

 

[blades]

Get the size of your rounds down to no more than the height of the foot plate, and generally you will not bend it. If the rounds are way over the top that is when this damage occurs. Put a straight edge on your beam, you might have bent that down slightly also as that is typical in this type of damage issue.

 

[gink595]

I don't know if you solved your problem by welding the plate in the front, the weak area still isn't reinforced. I think you would have been better off putting that plate behind the plate over the spot where is showed stress. Moreless a fish plate.

 

[BlackOakTreeServ]

I don't know if you solved your problem by welding the plate in the front, the weak area still isn't reinforced. I think you would have been better off putting that plate behind the plate over the spot where is showed stress. Moreless a fish plate.

Wouldnt work...this is a vertical splitter and foot would hit and not be flat on ground if I put steel on back side. If I bend 2 1/4 inches the splitter police will make me use a maul only...

 

[BlackOakTreeServ]

Get the size of your rounds down to no more than the height of the foot plate, and generally you will not bend it. If the rounds are way over the top that is when this damage occurs. Put a straight edge on your beam, you might have bent that down slightly also as that is typical in this type of damage issue.

Didnt bend beam, its straight as an arrow.

I wont limit the size of oak that im splitting, it was my fault that I didnt beef up that foot from the start....2 1/4 thick from now on.

 

[blades]

from experience, i bent a 2" thick foot plate + the beam, so just a word to the wise. Its the crotch and twisted ones that will bite back.

 

[Haywire Haywood]

Noodle your rounds in half before splitting. That will take half the load off the splitter.

Ian

 

[Nosmo]

Noodle It

Noodle your rounds in half before splitting. That will take half the load off the splitter.

Ian

This is exactly what I was going to suggest. Adding this --those quarters and halves are much easier to move around if you're splittling vertical and of course much easier to lift if splitting horizontal.

We've got some pretty tough stuff around here too. Sweet Gum and Elm.

Nosmo

 

[Valkyrie Rider]

Is that a Miller Dynasty and a watercooler?

 

[JimiLL]

Noodle your rounds in half before splitting. That will take half the load off the splitter.

Ian

This. It takes more than half of the load off.....

My 22t can have a hard time with the larger cherry rounds that go through it.... so I noodle them first and then its a breeze the rest of the way with the splitter..

Noodle your rounds when their fresh too it will help them dry out before spllitting!

 

[BlackOakTreeServ]

Is that a Miller Dynasty and a watercooler?

Yes, miller die-nasty 200 with water cooler...awesome tig and arc welder, very impressed with it. Have miller 251 mig as well...there making me some $$$

 

[BlackOakTreeServ]

This. It takes more than half of the load off.....

My 22t can have a hard time with the larger cherry rounds that go through it.... so I noodle them first and then its a breeze the rest of the way with the splitter..

Noodle your rounds when their fresh too it will help them dry out before spllitting!

You dont want live oak to dry out , split it when its wet...dry stuff is nasty to split.