Why I Prefer This Type of Single Wedge Firewood Splitter

After decades of using wood splitters, I believe this is the best type of single wedge wood splitter. In this video I show you why and demonstrate how fast I can split using this type of splitter. I am using a homemade wood splitter that was built over 30 years ago. I am splitting grand fir and a little bit of Douglas Fir for my bundled firewood business.
A multiple wedge log splitter is probably faster, but I believe this is the best configuration for a single wedge splitter.

[@RangerRage69]

Your reasoning is the same as mine for the wedge on the piston instead of the ram. I watch other channels and they seem to fight with the billets when they’re only using a single wedge. My wife and I were just talking about mounting an umbrella yesterday.

[@obiorah1]

you have a nice inventory of wood keep up the good work,

[@WilsonForestLands]

Yes the inventory is building up. Thank you for the comment.

[@abrielonsurez4051]

I use the same exact method splitting large rounds of eucalyptus. Slucing it then turning it 90 degrees amd slicing again. Works great for me and its fast. Gets really good sized firewood aswell clean (little stringy) square managable pieces.

[@BillHale-bh7fh]

I never really watched how you split and I do it yes I think I wedge on ram. Is much better !I have been looking at splinters. More to think about !😳

[@noelstractors-firewood57]

I like your thought there. Would like to see it doing a good hard, hardwood. That stuff was easy to split. And like you say, messy on the clothes.

[@WilsonForestLands]

I have thought about showing some hardwood, now that I have moved onto that. People might be getting bored with watching me split wood by now. Thanks for the comment.

[@TheOldManAndTheSaw]

This video brought back memories of my years of splitting wood; just not fond memories. At any rate, it was a good video. Dave

[@WilsonForestLands]

Thanks Dave. A few cords a year I don’t mind, I wouldn’t want to do more than that. I have a few years where I did more than that, those were less than fond. Once we get some rain again here I can get back on the sawmill where the real fun is.

[@TheOldManAndTheSaw]

@@WilsonForestLands Best of both worlds; put your firewood log on the mill and cut it in half, rotate and cut the halves in half. Remove here (a grapple would be ideal) and buck into already-split firewood. Easy peasy.

[@WilsonForestLands]

It’s a good idea. My dad does that with logs he has with knots that are difficult to split. If only I had my mill at this property. Maybe next summer.

[@gladebrosi6587]

A foot petal would be a nice feature, to keep your hands on the work I enjoy your videos Thank you

[@WilsonForestLands]

That is actually a great idea. Someday if I get into a tinkering mood I might have to come up with something. I appreciate your comment, I’m glad you are enjoying them.

[@bwillan]

For a DIY splitter, it has a reasonably quick cycle time. Usually that style of splitter moves at the speed of a glacier. However you seem to be doing your demonstration with nice straight grain, easy to split firewood rounds. How does you splitter work when dealing with stringy woods like elm or knotty gnarly crotch wood?

[@WilsonForestLands]

I am only running the engine at about half speed. It can go faster. Yes that was easy splitting wood, it’s what I was working with at the time. Stringy hardwood does slow the process down but it goes through most of it just fine. Occasionally a very tough crotch will stall the pump. It doesn’t happen often. But then I don’t have access to Elm and some of the other East Coast woods that may be tougher than ours. You bring up a good point, I should do a demo with tougher hardwood. I should be getting into some of that in the next few days.

[@joeyrector934]

I see that you have got quite a bit of firewood already split. There's good money in firewood

[@WilsonForestLands]

Yep I’m building up A little inventory to dry for next year.

[@joeyrector934]

@@WilsonForestLands that's a smart thing to do. I'm planning on starting a firewood business myself

[@jamesacuff5176]

I’m thinking about building a wood splitter like yours and was wondering what size pump (GPM) you have and the engine horsepower. It looks like you have a 4” ram.

[@WilsonForestLands]

I do have a 4 inch ram. 24” long. A 16 GPM 2 stage pump. It’s an 8 horse engine. I am only running it less than half speed. I used to have a 5 horse engine. It was plenty, even at low speed.