Solved: Exploding splitting wedge

[Texas Ranger]

Boys and girls, y'all got way far to much time on your hands.

[Jeff]

No idea either eh Staples?

somewhere between one of budmans posts combined with some of Toms ravings lies the answer.

[Gordon]

A shingle remover.

A whale blubber cutter thingie. Or maybe just maybe it's a gas lamp.

Gordon

[Jeff]

It has to do with wood or it would not be on here. ;D

Its about 10 or 12 inches long.

[DanG]

Could it be a felling jack? I thought they were squatty looking lil' ol' thangs, though. :-/

[Corley5]

A gadget for splitting firewood?

[Jeff]

Corley5. sorta kinda but not really. You think small boy. ;)

Its to bad those guys over on the sawmill portion of our site that NEVER GET OUT OF THIER LITTLE SAWING WORLD ;) dont stop by and have a stab at this, it will interest them when they find out what it is. the date for this is around the early 1930s. These are unused.

[Jeff]

Now for way to much help.

Accesories ;D

[Tom]

nah-h-h   your never going to convince me it's a Rope Pusher  :

[Ron Wenrich]

Powder wedge

[Jeff]

Hmm...

I think you might know what it is.  Define what you mean by powder wedge.

[Ron Wenrich]

Powder wedges are used to split logs. Usually they are too big for sawing.  You drive the wedge into the log end, fill with black powder, insert fuse, light, and run like hell.  

There are Amish around here that just put a slice in a log with a chain saw, then fill with black powder, and light.  They might put on a mud pack.  Supposed to do a pretty nifty job in short order.

[Jeff]

Bingo! I mean Booom!
Here is the documentation for mine.

Front side

Back side

[Ron Wenrich]

 8) 8)

I've never seen one before, but I've heard about them.  The guys that didn't read that little brochure before using were called Lefty.

[Don P]

So, let me see if I got this right. You fill the thing with powder, then wail it into place. Cautiously stepping a grand 100 feet away this pipe bomb goes off, trailing a length of logging chain just in case the projectile were to happen to miss you in flight.  But don't worry. In the event its found to be defective the company will make all neccessary adjustments...I assume with your heirs :D.
I'm thinkin
8)
Whoa there, I just looked at my trees, this makes me uncomfortable in a lightning striking kinda way...can I be a forum bod?

[Jeff]

I got two of these Don, Just let me know if you got a huge log and you want to play. :D

[KiwiCharlie]

G'day Jeff,
Now thats facinating. Ive never seen anything like that, not surprising however, as I was born in the 60's
Will you actually use it??!!  I got some humungous stumps that could probably foil it!  Wonder if you could put a larger charge in it some how...........  Maybe not!
Cheers
Charlie.

[Corley5]

Hmmm...  OSHA approved?  I was close ;D

[Frank_Pender]

I have some powder wedges also, but they sure don' look like that.  They were used by a neighbor lady who is now 86 years young.  She made Oregon Oak fence posts with them and then rolled them around on a red hot bed of coals to char the outside of the post before placeing them in the ground.  Many of the posts on this place, she put in the ground 50 years ago are still quite sound.   8)

[Gordon]

What happens when you get a piece of tough whale blubber? Ya get out the ole power wedge. ;)

Gordon

[Bibbyman]

Yep,  that's what I though it was but I didn't want to say.  

Dad said his family had one made one out of an old car axle when he was a kid.  Said it had a counter bore in one end big enough to hold a couple tablespoons full of black powder.  They'd auger a hole in the end of a log and fill the cavity in the end of this axle with black powder and then drive it in the hole and set it off.  Don't remember how he said it was fused.

I watched my Uncle Ed attempt to blow a large sycamore log apart with dynamite once.  He bore a series of holes along one side and put some amount of explosives in each hole.  It didn't work too well and only blew out a large chunk about the size of a car engine off'n one end.

[Eggsander]

Kinda brings a whole new meaning to the term "Power Tool"  :D
Jeff, I suppose a guys got to have two in case you get one stuck!   I see in the brochure that they sold for $5 new, I'd probably give you $3 a piece, since they look like they're still in good shape.  ;)

[Texas Ranger]

Jeff, I was wondering, does the ATF know about your ownership of these destructive devices? ;D

[Jeff]

Don, do they know about the unregistered pistol you got off that deceased hispanic tree planter that you keep under the seat of your truck?

I suppose you guys are going to want a "Exploding splitting wedges in action video".  Sorry, it aint goona happan , althought on second fault if the formentioned Texan wants to come up and try one out, I would'nt mind taping that.:D

 I wonder if I can still get new fuse plugs for 15 cents in stamps?

[DanG]

Don! I'm surprised at you!!   Just how long has that deceased Hispanic been under the seat of your truck, anyway?

 :D :D :D :D