"cyclone" wood splitter

[jakeesspoo]

I bought a wood splitter I believe its called a "cylcone" it hooks up to your 3 point hitch and pto and splits wood. I got it at a local farm auction knowing nothing about it it was only like 20 bucks. I was going to try to use it on my AC WD-45 eventually but was told they were discontinued because they are so dangerous. Does anyone have one of these and use it? I know all machinery can be dangerous and Im very cautious I cant see why I couldnt use it... It looks like a unicorn head that spins with a bar on the side...

[Rudi]

Jake:

Got a pic? Email it to me and I can post it..

[WKPoor]

Sounds like the Stickler which is still made and sold. The only person I know of to have and operate one is George Willer. He has posted pics here before showing his rig he uses on a 9N I believe. I wouldn't want to get wound up in one for sure.

[Rick Prentice]

Hi Jake. Here's the picture of Mr. George Willers set-up that WKPoor was talking about. Rick
http://photos.toast.net/slideshow.asp?user=gwill&album=wood%20splitter&index=6&timer=&PictDisp=0

[Virginia Mike]

They were sold as "Bark Buster" around here. They are fast. A three man crew can do twice the work of a hydraulic splitter, if you have enough tractor to pull it. Use a small axe to cut the splinter holding the split sticks together.
They are dangerous. Have at least 2" of wood hanging over the bar. Dont wear loose fitting Clothes. Tie a string to the coil wire or stop button and run it to the rear where you can reach it.
My step-son called mine" The Back Buster".
Best,
Mike

[jakeesspoo]

thanks for the replies guys and mine looks similar to the one in the pics but Im still not really sure how to use it. I understand how to hook it up to my wd 45 but not how to load the wood onto it

[George Willer]

thanks for the replies guys and mine looks similar to the one in the pics but Im still not really sure how to use it. I understand how to hook it up to my wd 45 but not how to load the wood onto it

Jake,

Seek and ye shall find!!! Just come over and although I'm not able to do the actual splitting, I'll be happy to talk you through splitting the very few remaining pieces of wild cherry I have. I don't see the hazzard most people seem to see. It's actually a pretty gentle operation. My gear box slows the cone to half speed and I usually run it at slightly more than idle speed. Practicing on mine will prepare you for running yours.

That screw doesn't really spin... it just slowly rotates.

Those hydraulic splitters scare me!

[beaconlight]

This splits by screwing in to the wood from the side. you push it against the spinning cone, an end fetches up against a steel bar in the one pictured. The cone just screws in and is fat enough to split the piece. They scare the linning hell out of me. Then again I am a sissy. I play with girls. Matter of fact the same one for over 50 years.
Bill

[Jim Hudson]

My chainsaw is much more dangerous than one of these splitters. Some people are dangerious with a hammer. If you have quicktime you can see a movie of it in action here. Get quicktime here
http://www.thestickler.com/media.cfm?type=movie&name=stickler.mov
http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/

I have one of these.
http://www.recall-warnings.com/cpsc-content-91-91060.html
I have some pictures here after the poor man's roll back.
http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=5647922&uid=3969

[WKPoor]

I just figured out why George's splitter has a gear box. Those units are designed to bolt on to a car or truck axle and they turn opposite a PTO. The gear box turns it around the right way. I called sticlker a few years back and the man selling them told me they were thinking of making a unit for tractors. Maybe they have by now but that made me think of the main reason for the gearbox on your unit. The video I saw some yrs ago made it look extremely easy. My question is how does it do on real firewwod. You know, the stuff that is all narley notted up and stuff like elm or something real stringy. The video looks like he is splitting oak or ash-real straight grained and will open right up easily. Thats always been my question.

[Jim Hudson]

I have screwed mine into some stuff that I had trouble getting it out of. I have used hydraulic splitters that did not split a piece good also. Bad splitting wood don't split good with anything.
QUESTION. Will the Stickler split hardwood and knotty rounds?
The true value of the Stickler is best demonstrated by difficult rounds. It literally
sucks the knots apart. It allows you to make firewood out of rounds that you might otherwise throw out.
QUESTION. Is the Stickler safe to operate?
The Stickler is designed to be used as a power tool and it warrants the care and respect given when using any power tool. We strongly recommend that you carefully read the operators manual and view the accompanying video prior to first time operation.Under any circumstances, when properly set-up, the Stickler is much safer to operate than the chainsaw used to cut the logs into rounds. Amen!

[ljw]

I just recently bought a used screw type log splitter called a "Unicorn". The log splitter was made by the Thackery Co., Columbus, OH in 1979. I haven't tried to use it yet, I use a tractor mounted splitter. Also, I may be a little scared of it. But I do have a manual for it, which is pretty good, really. It explains all of the do's and don'ts. I'll copy and send it to whoever wants it. I haven't looked at Rudi's site in a while. Maybe Rudi has a place for it, if there's any interest. Just let me know. Larry

[Rudi]

Talk about dangerous pieces of equipment.

My father-in-law being the inventive guy that he is, built himself a splitter many years ago. It is powered by either a belt from a PTO or the rear wheel of a car with a leather belt or by using one of them new fangled things they call a small engine of say 5 or 6 hp -- you know Briggs and Stratton or Tecumseh.....

Neat piece of equipment. Will try to get a picture for you all...

Basically it is constructed with a very large and very heavy flywheel upon which is welded an old axe head. Sharpened up, this thing will whiz through Albert County Rock Maple that makes gnarly hardwoods of any type seem soft.

However, as this thing sort of spins/rotates etc., the object is to insert the log to be split just prior to the axe head coming in contact with said log, and by firmly maintaining your grip upon said stick, remove it quickly once the axe head has finished its pass through the stick and continues on to its next go round.

Not sure how fast this thing runs, but I guess it makes a complete pass every 30 seconds or so...

Scares the bejeepers out of me, and I don't scare easy....

Anybody picture this

Will try to get a pic this week if I can....

[jakeesspoo]

now that sounds scary rudy!

[beaconlight]

Rudi your father in laws invention is an improvement on that used in the French Revolution. "Off with their heads".

Bill