Thread: Black Powder wood splitter/log cannon

Yes the logs would fall half each side of the blade and then the loader would hit each half again to create quarters and then as much more breakdown as we required.

People have concreated a big bit of sharpened flat steel into the ground and then they push logs into that to split them.

This is the one I've got. Split a 3mx1m old man pine log in half the other day. Good fun. Didn't have any fuse so had to resort to the old gen set, extention lead and some 5amp fuse wire. "Fire in the hole"!

Originally Posted by Woody

The method I had in mind is one we used for splitting large red and silver beech and some places in Oz used it for splitting large gum logs. No explosives. Just a large splitter blade mounted pointed forward on a steel yoke on loader or bully forks / blade by two forward arms. Logs placed one end against a bulwark and the large blade bunted against the other end. Works a treat and not a lot of impact required, just driving weight.

Pretty sure Kinleith had a big digger with a knife on it for splitting logs to big for the chipper.
Never seen it, but apparently it was impressive to watch in action.

Originally Posted by rotto

Attachment 172948
This is the one I've got. Split a 3mx1m old man pine log in half the other day. Good fun. Didn't have any fuse so had to resort to the old gen set, extention lead and some 5amp fuse wire. "Fire in the hole"!

How much BP does that hold?

A fair amount. Have never measured to be honest. Been using holy smoke ffg and works well. The bore is 260mm deep and 18mm in diameter just fill it to the hilt and with a bit of news for paper wadding, tape up the fuse hole then smack it in the the sledgehammer. Good to go.

Originally Posted by rotto

Attachment 172948
This is the one I've got. Split a 3mx1m old man pine log in half the other day. Good fun. Didn't have any fuse so had to resort to the old gen set, extention lead and some 5amp fuse wire. "Fire in the hole"!

Thats what I've been looking for

Not helpful but I found my grandfathers one a year ago in some boxes of old stuff. Too scared to use the thing, but it's cool to have around with the stories of him using it in a semi residential area.

This thread has really interested me as I acquired one sometime ago. But never had any idea of what it actually was for. Now that I've been educated (reading this thread and YouTube) I'm going to try it out. I've got some stumps to try and break up. Sorry but not for sale.
Sorry if the pictures are too large