Splitting maul jack hammer ?

[normspanners]

After reading the thread re the splitting maul it gave me an idea or a question has anybody used a jack hammer for splitting logs I did have two, one full sized air and a smaller hydraulic one I have Boulster chisels for each. I was going to test the theory, but my air one has grown legs and I havnt got a power pack for the hydraulic one as yet. (But could modify the tractor hyd)
I was not sure re the operation with wood being soft and would poss absorb the force ? Then thought I bet someone on here has been mad enough to try.
The problem is I have broken bones in my Wrists and it hurts to use the maul now.
I used to use an 18lb sledge all day knocking pins out ETC but now its a pain.
but if this would work, It would save me making a splitter

 

[pedrobedro]

I used to use an 18lb sledge all day knocking pins out ETC but now its a pain.

Do you still have this 18lb sledge and any pictures of it ? I ask because we used to use a 12lb one for breaking core irons, 10 minutes maximum at the foundry and anyone who can use a 18lb one all day is officially my hero I think it would probably work if you had something with a thicker profile than a bolster.

 

[Woody.v8]

Do you still have this 18lb sledge and any pictures of it ? I ask because we used to use a 12lb one for breaking core irons, 10 minutes maximum at the foundry and anyone who can use a 18lb one all day is officially my hero I think it would probably work if you had something with a thicker profile than a bolster.

I have a 28lb sledge hammer bought in for knocking 3"x3' pins out, Makes you sweat when you've been on the end of that for a few hours I will tell you

 

[Paul99]

Yep I've tried it with a 15kg and 29kg Breaker - don't waste your time it just doesn't work the logs just absorb the impact and the chisel slowly works it's way into the wood before getting stuck long before anything splits - not what I expected to happen especially with the big breaker.

 

[pedrobedro]

I have a 28lb sledge hammer bought in for knocking 3"x3' pins out, Makes you sweat when you've been on the end of that for a few hours I will tell you

Biggest I've ever seen for sale is a 20lb, not that I'd like to use one. My limit nowadays is a 4lb I use for splitting with wedges and the 6lb maul I recently lightened by a few oz . Anything that big I would not get it above shoulder height to let it fall never mind actually swing it.

 

[gordon stephenson]

When serving my time(So long ago) in the rolling mills of a local steelworks, The 28lb sledge hammer was often in use, It was always called a Mundy Hammer, Next step up from that was the Tupp, weighing in at about 400lbs hanging on the crane and controlled with a tail rope, Happy Days!!

 

[Shox Dr]

I thought there were only 3BFH

7lb use in one hand or both hands
14lbs for light work
28lbs for I want this *&^%@ to move

I lost my 7lb somewhere, but still have the other two along with a 4' pair of stilsons

 

[normspanners]

Yep I've tried it with a 15kg and 29kg Breaker - don't waste your time it just doesn't work the logs just absorb the impact and the chisel slowly works it's way into the wood before getting stuck long before anything splits - not what I expected to happen especially with the big breaker.

See I told ya somebody wouldve tried it !! thanks for that.
I made a tupp years ago,10" dia 36" long, great bit of kit had two chaining points to keep it stable and a rope fastened to the none hammering end, two people to pull it back or if you needed a REALLY big bang we roped it to the fork lift and pulled it a long way then let it go. we used to have to weld the drift to the pin coz for some reason nobody would hold it.!!

 

[Bsmith]

I remember a 28lb hammer on a site where I worked, I used it once, always thought I could hit harder with a 14lb.

 

[normspanners]

The mad thing is I now have seemed to adapted my hands to be able to cope with the holding and using a sledge the shock/ring of the hit hurts a bit, but the real pain comes when you miss or with the logs it splits easily and the hammer follows through past where I'm expecting, then trying to stop it gives the most pain as my wrists are forced to articulate.
I used to love log splitting best way to get anger out of the system by far, when the missus p***ed me off I would have a shed full in no time !!! when I used to get telegraph poles I could do the double, two logs 12" long on top of each other and split the two with one hit.

 

[Paul99]

As it sounds like you already have a tractor why not make yourself a splitter? - once you have one you'll never go back to an axe. I always said I was happy enough (and I genuinely was) splitting by hand but having used the splitter for 5 minutes you realise just how much time and effort you've wasted over the years using an axe.

Look for the log splitter kits flowfit do on ebay (£230 for a 10tonne) of course would be a lot cheaper to source 2nd hand bits but it's more hassle. Another £80 or so on RSJ, plate, bolts, welding rods/wire etc and you're away - again could be cheaper if you're recycling what you already have to hand.

 

[Wendelspanswick]

Make a vertical tractor driven log splitter and it can double up as a cider press with the addition of a stainless tray and a pressure pad!

 

[normspanners]

Do you still have this 18lb sledge and any pictures of it ? I ask because we used to use a 12lb one for breaking core irons, 10 minutes maximum at the foundry and anyone who can use a 18lb one all day is officially my hero I think it would probably work if you had something with a thicker profile than a bolster.

as requested, but this is my 20lb and for comparison of size one of my splitting mauls