Roughneck ROU65504 Wood Grenade Splitting Wedge

Product Information

If you have a wood-burning stove, a pizza oven, or anything else that requires wood to run, then may only be a matter of time before you decide to trade in your trusty log splitting axe for a more efficient way to split wood. Location – Place the splitting wedge in the middle of the log or piece of wood, in the most central location possible. This will help you break the wood into even pieces and is most effective at breaking through the wood fibers.

There are also 3 Ib and 4 Ibs versions available and a regular wood splitting wedge option instead of the super wood splitting wedge. However, the price of this log splitter lets it down slightly. For a splitter intended for kindling, it’s a little expensive – if it were larger and versatile enough to split logs too, then fair enough. That said, there are also several aspects to this wood splitter that justify its price. It doesn’t require as much force to be used as some of the cheaper kindling splitters out there. The fact that it’s made from cast iron adds value too – not only will it last for decades without needing much maintenance, but it also looks good – you won’t need to hide it away in your garage each time you’re done using it. When it comes to price, this log splitter does cost slightly more than an axe, but it’s cheaper than the other kindling splitter I tested. While you are slightly limited when it comes to the size of wood you can split, it does make life so much easier (and less painful) if you use a lot of kindling. This isn’t a tool that you’re only going to use for a short while – it’s sturdy enough to last for years, and its blade can easily be sharpened at home once it starts to blunt.A splitting wedge is an investment in an easier cutting process overall. So to protect your investment, it’s useful to buy two wedges. Chances are, you’re more likely to need a second wedge than you think. For domestic jobs, hydraulic electric log splitters are generally sufficiently powerful and practical to use. While there weren’t any stand-out safety features incorporated into this log splitter, its simplicity means that these aren’t really needed. Keep your hands away from the log and follow the safety tips in the instruction manual and you should be just fine! I wouldn’t say that ear protection was necessary either; this log splitter is a little quieter than an axe, so it’s not particularly noisy. If you need to split large pieces of hard, wet, and knotty wood, then, while many manual wood splitters could handle this without a problem, life would be much easier with a hydraulic or kinetic model. Another term for a diamond wedge is a wood grenade wedge. As such, you’ll often see them used interchangeably. However, diamond is the more common of the two. Less commonly, you’ll see them referred to as a torpedo-type wedge.

The most important factor that you need to consider when looking for the best log splitter is the type of wood that you want to split. For heavier and knotty wood, err toward a larger and heavier splitting wedge. For softer woods, go with a smaller and lighter wedge. Cost Hydraulic splitters make use of a hydraulic pump to push a splitting blade into a log. These log splitters run on either electricity or petrol – those who need to travel around with their wood splitter usually tend to go for the petrol option. Size – Thinner and longer wedges are more effective than wider and shorter wedges. This is because the former is able to transfer more force from your swing into the wood. What makes this log splitter really stand out at first glance is its unique design, which is patented. It’s quite compact yet feels heavy and high quality since the whole single-piece unit is made from cast iron. It has quite a decorative quality to it, which is always a nice bonus.

Introducing the Splitting Maul and the Log Splitter

Once you’re done wood splitting, you can then cover the blade over with the metal safety cap that Forest Master has provided. This allows you to leave the tool screwed onto your base log even while it’s not in use, since you won’t need to worry about anyone accidentally falling on it and injuring themselves. Compared to the manual log splitters that I tested, this one is obviously a lot louder, to the point where Forest Master recommends wearing ear protection when using it. However, considering it has a 2200W motor, I didn’t find it to be particularly loud, although any nearby neighbours may disagree!

As electric log splitters go, this machine is very compact and lightweight. At the same time, it feels sturdy and high-quality. Its two wheels give it good portability, and its 175cm power cord offers flexibility. The only downside is its height. Being compact, this log splitter is just 45cm tall when standing on the ground, so you’ll need to use a stand or a bench of some sort. To be fair, Forest Master does sell a stand separately to help with log splitting. This electric log splitter isn’t overly complicated in any way. There’s only one button to press and one lever to push – it can easily be used by one person, although it does require both hands to operate.

No1: The Splitting Maul

There isn’t much assembly involved with this wood splitter. It comes with four screws that you use to attach the tool to a base log – choose one that’s relatively tall to save you from having to stoop over. Ignore the metal pipe that comes in the box – this isn’t needed unless you also have a tool called the Smart Splitter. There’s no assembly required for this log splitter. However, you do have the option of screwing it onto a base log (screws aren’t provided) to hold the unit steadier while it’s in use. If you’re working with heavy wood, then I would recommend doing so. Choosing a splitting wedge will depend on a variety of factors, such as your budget, needs, and current equipment. Splitting wedges range from basic models to more advanced versions, such as those with four-way splitting designs. There are plenty of different ways to split firewood. You can bust it apart by hand using a splitting maul, spend some cash on a hydraulic splitting machine (like the Forest Master FM5), or try out one of the hundreds of different ways to process logs into useable firewood. So, does this log splitter really require minimal force? Compared to the other manual splitters for kindling that I tested, with the exception of the Swedish Log Splitter, I would say yes, this one is the easiest to use. You don’t need to be particularly strong to use this tool, and you don’t need to own a hammer either – just place your wood into the ring and hit it with anything slightly weighty that you have to hand, even if this is just another piece of wood.

If you have numerous big rounds that need to be split into logs, the best splitter will be a hydraulic machine– you’ll save yourself a lot of time and energy. On the other hand, if you’re splitting logs on a smaller scale, or just want to make some kindling, a manual wood splitter will get the job done cheaply. If you just work with softer woods and are turning them into firewood, then traditional wedges will work. But if you’re working with hard or knotty woods and need them broken into smaller pieces, such as for kindling, then a diamond or grenade is the way to go. Size & Weight (Dimensions)

The quality of a splitting wedge is tied to the material it’s made of, but that’s not the only factor at play. Shape Keep in mind, expensive wedges aren’t necessarily the best ones. Price is tied to a variety of factors, not just quality. But compared to other woodworking equipment, such as the axes themselves or electric grinders, splitting wedges are cheap. Despite what modern media would show you, it’s not actually that easy to heft an axe and cut clean through a piece of timber. The most efficient (and effective) way to cut wood is to actually use a splitting wedge.