Splitting logs may look easy but do not ever feel easy, does it? You like the task for the first few minutes and then get irritated seeing how far you have come- not much. As a result, you feel the need for a log splitter but a log splitting machine is quite expensive.
However, you should feel happy knowing you can make your own log splitter, that too quite easily. So, we will introduce you to 8 easy homemade log splitter plans. They are usually made of things that are easily available around and are also easy to put together. So, let’s make your life more efficient!
Don’t forget to check out How to Make a Log Splitter with a Hydraulic Jack
8 Easy Homemade Log Splitter Plans
- The Wheel of Debt Plan.
The main idea of this plan has the axe head attached to a stationary wheel. And, you can pretty much imagine what happened next. Find a metal wheel, attach an axe blade to it, connect it to a motor, and use a few more available and cheap products to build this machine.
However, this plan will probably need a kickback shield as the risk is high. You have to be quite careful when using such a splitter plan. In fact, you have to bring the wood towards the splitter multiple times when you turn the motor on. Make sure you attach the ax head firmly to the wheel as well.
- A Four-Blade Wood Splitter Plan.
Want to get done with your job fast? Well then four blades are surely supposed to help. You can just deal with one piece of the log at a time. And, it is quite easy to make as long as you have some metal handling tool like a welding machine, cutter, etc.
In order to build such a wood splitter you just have to separate the blades of four axes. Then, you have to build a rectangular structure and attach the blades in the middle, all facing upwards. You can split your log by just passing them through these blades. No need to lift an axe!
- The Screw Splitter Plan.
The name is quite straightforward for this plan. Apparently, this kind of wood splitter uses electric energy and a screw to deal with your log. What it does is, has a screw-like structure, that moves in the screw-like fashion with the help of an electric motor.
Then, you just let the screw pass through the log you wish to split and the screw by drilling a hole in the log, splits it into different parts. Very simple, isn’t it? As long as you get the electric motor connected- you will not have trouble building this unit.
In fact, this is also called the Unicorn wood splitter because the screw looks like a unicorn horn.
- A Foot-Operated Plan.
You are unwilling to use your hands but not your feet. Apparently, it is more convenient to use foot, isn’t it? In fact, a foot-operated machine will only require you to use your foot to pressurize a lever that will lift the log up towards the blade. The blade will then split the log apart.
What you may find difficult is finding the strong metal pieces and putting them together. It will involve cutting, welding, and also an axe blade.
- The Hydraulics Plan.
Do not want to spend even an ounce of your energy on splitting logs? Then, build a wood splitter dependant on hydraulics. In fact, the hydraulics will take care of all the manual labor.
What you have to focus on is getting the right size of it and building the right structure using the right materials. For example, the power of the engine, the pressure of the pump, the diameter of the cylinder, etc matters. You will also have to connect the hydraulic pump to the machine perfectly.
In fact, you can use the scrap metal in your workshop to build this kind of splitter.
- The Chainsaw and Splitter Plan.
If you are going to make a splitter yourself, why make it with boundaries? You can choose to make your wood splitter versatile by including both a chainsaw and a splitter in the main plan.
In fact, you have to cut and weld metals anyway- just do so using a clever design. Furthermore, make sure you take safety measures for a kickback. You can use a motor or the chainsaw itself to power through. Such a design will really help with splitting firewood.
- The Scandavinian Plan.
This plan is mainly encouraged from a homemade wood splitter working n Norway. The main idea of this splitter is to use a car engine to power the hydraulic pump and a cylinder that also comes from a truck.
So, you do not have to buy anything separately- you do not have to be an engineer either. It deals with the hardest parts which are the pumps and power. Then you can attach the ax to a structure you build based on your own design. You can even choose to move the ax from top to bottom- dropping it vertically on the log.
- The Old Wood Splitter Plans.
While new splitters may be expensive, old ones are thrown away or cheap. You can modify the old ones easily to make them more effective than ever. In fact, if you can build a splitter up from scratch, modifying an old one is no big deal.
You can copy the design when you build a new one and you can use the parts of the old one easily. This is not only cost-effective but an easy option as well.
Read Also: How To Properly Maintain a Log Splitter
In conclusion
If you can imagine a design, you can build a wood splitter. Now, there are many options you have out there so you have to decide which type of design suits you best. Furthermore, you need some common tools like a metal cutter, welding machine, axe blade to make a wood splitter. You may have to buy them but it is still more useful and cost-effective. So, choose your wood splitter plan to make your own wood splitter.