Low Income Logging

My logging activities don't require me to make a living. I just need to make enough to pay for a few little luxuries now and then. That means I can be as inefficient as it takes to keep my expenses really low.

This woodsplitter actually belongs to my uncle ('Unc') who left it sitting in my Dad's field for a long time (> 10 years) until I appropriated it. It was homemade back in the '70's and it has split blocks that were four feet long and four feet in diameter. The hydraulic ram came from a trash truck and is rated at 100 tons. The axle is too far back for good balance so the tongue weight is high, but if it were further forward, it would interfere with using the splitter. I refilled the bald and dry rotting tires and had some hydraulic hoses made to connect it to my tractor's bucket controller. It has a slow cycle time, but since I have to manhandle the blocks into place for splitting, I can more than work up a sweat using it. If I decide to modify anything, the first priority will be to return the hoist to service with a set of log tongs and some more hydraulic hoses. I would also add more blades to the wedge to produce four or maybe six pieces with each cycle.

This is one cord of 75 inch bolts of northern white cedar. I estimate the weight around 2500 lbs. The F350 has a sturdy suspension and it only settled about 3 inches with all that weight. The handling on the road was fine, but since there isn't any heavy traffic near me, I routinely put this much weight on the truck and pull a trailer with up to another cord.