Kindling maker

I want to make a hand operated kindling maker. When I split logs, I split some about 1? thick, kind of like planks. But I don't like using a hatchet, knowing me and the laws of probability will probably get me the nickname of Stumpy eventually.

Anyone see or could suggest a model for just splitting off small kindling sized pieces of wood? I was thinking of making a hand model like the old beer can piercers of the 1950's with a lever and a wedge, putting the piece of wood close to the attachment point of the lever, where there's the most leverage. Or make a hatchet that would have a bolt through the end of the handle, and just drop onto the end of a standing piece of wood to cut off a small slice.

Looking for something slightly automated, as carpal tunnel getting real bad.

Steve

Reply to
Steve B
Loading thread data ...

formatting link

jsw

Reply to
Jim Wilkins

My dad used a 12 year old kid to make kindling - paid him $0.10 an hour as I remember. (I've still got all my fingers :?)

Reply to
John B.

What you're looking for is the full-scale version of the old Ronco Veg-O- Matic slicer.

That sounds like a worthy metalworking project to me!

LLoyd

Reply to
Lloyd E. Sponenburgh

English "Captive hatchet"

formatting link

formatting link

Yeah, I'm Stumpy

Reply to
Stumpy

That for damn sure ain't live oak.

Reply to
Pete Keillor

Yup.

Recalling that we used an old bowling pin for a mallet.

Reply to
PrecisionmachinisT

Home built trip hammer with a splitting edge instead of a hammer head.

Reply to
Steve W.

"PrecisionmachinisT" wrote in message >

To be pedantic, you beat on a froe with a "beetle".

formatting link

jsw

Reply to
Jim Wilkins

I watched one at an antique engine meet. The operator ran it continuously and it looked like a fast way to lose meat. The froe keeps the wood from falling over with your steadying hand above the descending edge rather than below it. A slow-moving hydraulic splitter is dangerous enough as is.

jsw

Reply to
Jim Wilkins

Thats a pretty damned good idea!!

Thanks for posting that!!

Gunner, who lives in the desert where there is no wood.

The methodology of the left has always been:

  1. Lie
  2. Repeat the lie as many times as possible
  3. Have as many people repeat the lie as often as possible
  4. Eventually, the uninformed believe the lie
  5. The lie will then be made into some form oflaw
  6. Then everyone must conform to the lie
Reply to
Gunner

This one looks very very easy to make

formatting link

I LIKE IT!!!

The methodology of the left has always been:

  1. Lie
  2. Repeat the lie as many times as possible
  3. Have as many people repeat the lie as often as possible
  4. Eventually, the uninformed believe the lie
  5. The lie will then be made into some form oflaw
  6. Then everyone must conform to the lie
Reply to
Gunner

You bet.

The Nordic one you showed Jim would be easier to fabricate.

Reply to
Stumpy

Ive got a as yet uninstalled wood stove in my shop and while I need some stove pipe (expensive shit!!!) to go through a steel roof...I think Ill fab up a spltter like that. I run into some wood on occasion and while a lot of it is pine lumber scraps...I can snag a few cut down trees every now and then.

Anyone have any good ideas where to get stove pipe? And do I really need double wall, simply for a shop heater?

Gunner

The methodology of the left has always been:

  1. Lie
  2. Repeat the lie as many times as possible
  3. Have as many people repeat the lie as often as possible
  4. Eventually, the uninformed believe the lie
  5. The lie will then be made into some form oflaw
  6. Then everyone must conform to the lie
Reply to
Gunner

Ask your insurance company. You may lose all coverage if you don't.

Reply to
Michael A. Terrell

No, the double wall would route the heat outside. Save the double walled stuff for safely going thru walls/roofs. Devise a way to capture all of the heat from the pipe and blow it around the "shop". (Got full walls and a sealed envelope yet?) That keeps bare arms and hands away from the hot pipe, too.

Got a metal fabber and folder? Make your own tube from sheetmetal. Audel put out a handy book on sheetmetal work early in the last century and it's still valid.

Reply to
Larry Jaques

formatting link

Mine is set up like Type #2. Having the cleanout plug in line and outdoors makes cleaning it easy and neat. I spray-painted the chimney to match the house.

Reply to
Jim Wilkins

Ah... so you know about his POS "shop" and suspect that years later it's still not closed in. That's because you know how lazy slobs function, or more correctly, don't function. It's clear he doesn't know the first thing about woodstoves. Yet you're giving him advice on installing one? Even if he somehow gets it going he'll burn all sorts of crap in it. Do you really think he's going to clean his chimney every year? The fact is he's way more likely than the average guy to f*ck it up and burn down his dunny. Oh well, I'm sure his insurance company will be sympathetic about an amateur cheap ass woodstove installation. As if he pays insurance!

Arf arf. Projects like that are for people who are motivated, not people who spend their lives pretending that they might someday suddenly find motivation.

Reply to
whoyakidding

My insurance cares only that it was inspected, and doesn't have a creosote-collecting heat exchanger. The stack temperature needs to be at or above 100C to maintain a good draft. A lot of experimentation with thermocouples and a sensitive vacuum gauge merely confirmed that the recommendations on the flue thermometer were correct.

formatting link

The one section of commercial single-wall stainless steel flue pipe I have indoors was overlapped and spot-welded.

Reply to
Jim Wilkins

In the UK my local scrap metal places frequently have quite a selection of flue pipe in rigid and flexible, usually on the stainless pile and often on good condition. Might be the same your way.

Reply to
David Billington

PolyTech Forum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.