I was watching Mountain Men last night and they were using one of these to split hardwood trees for fence rails. Anybody ever use one of remember Grandpa using one. My Papaw was a logger, Miner among other things, but never heard tell of this. Probably for good reason ,, Wolfy grin.................................
Werewolf_tc88
I think I'll just use the last 19 rounds of HSM Bear Loads in 45-70 Gov in 430 gain +P. Just drill hole and set off with an auto body hammer LOL... Just kiddin.
Oh I bet. We used to fool around with Carbide lamps & such. A few rocks in a mason jar, spit twist and into the highwall strip pit pond .
I would venture to say that most of the people who used such a device did not survive to reproduce, but I could be wrong.
DD
DD
I'd bet they had their share of blunt force trauma and burns. But I'd also bet that many of them were used and used safely. We hit the Steam shows around here. I love the steam run saw mills and all. Not many of those old timers can wave at you with all their fingers. But they got respect for the machine and taught a lot of people what happens when you become careless.
Appears to basically be a 'shaped charge. Appears to be one piece of steel with about a 1/2" hole drilled toward the 'breach' with a cross hole of fuse diameter drilled into the 1/2' hole. It also appears that the wedge portion is somewhat sharp in order to engage into the end cut of the log. I would think that the 'back up' log is an essential element. I LIKE it! Thank you for the video! AC
Wolf,
The older and simpler version would be called a, "splitting gun."
The "gun" was solid on one end and hollow on the other. with a hole through the side into the hollow portion of the gun.
Black powder was placed in the hollow end, along with some newspaper or ?? shoved in to keep the powder in place. Then the gun was driven into the center of the piece of wood needing to be split after which a fuse was put in the side hole.
Light the fuse and stand back.
The group I was with to get wood had two of them. One worked fine, but after a shot or so shot departed to parts unknown while the other did not have a fuse size hole all the way into the powder chamber. That one was not reliable and the powder needed to be dug or or cooked off a time or two until it too departed.
Had they both had the full sized fuse hole into the powder chamber AND both had a solid ring welded to the solid head of the gun for the attachment of a good rope, they could have saved a lot of work on some of those big Ponderosa pine rounds.
This was back about 1958 or 59.
Very likely they are now buried under 50+ years of forest accumulation back in those Eastern Oregon hills between Dayville and Mitchell Oregon.
Crusty Deary Ol'Coot
The older and simpler version would be called a, "splitting gun."
The "gun" was solid on one end and hollow on the other. with a hole through the side into the hollow portion of the gun.
Black powder was placed in the hollow end, along with some newspaper or ?? shoved in to keep the powder in place. Then the gun was driven into the center of the piece of wood needing to be split after which a fuse was put in the side hole.
Light the fuse and stand back.
The group I was with to get wood had two of them. One worked fine, but after a shot or so shot departed to parts unknown while the other did not have a fuse size hole all the way into the powder chamber. That one was not reliable and the powder needed to be dug or or cooked off a time or two until it too departed.
Had they both had the full sized fuse hole into the powder chamber AND both had a solid ring welded to the solid head of the gun for the attachment of a good rope, they could have saved a lot of work on some of those big Ponderosa pine rounds.
This was back about 1958 or 59.
Very likely they are now buried under 50+ years of forest accumulation back in those Eastern Oregon hills between Dayville and Mitchell Oregon.
Crusty Deary Ol'Coot
NB4 someone asks can ya use smokeless powder
I think I'd like to try that. Any legality problems using one these days?
I think I'd like to try that. Any legality problems using one these days?
Only downside I see is that you have no control over how it splits. In half, 3, 4,5 pieces etc. First thought would be a better version would have an X shaped nose so that it would start the split as quarters. Also like the idea of a rope or chain on it spiked to the back up log or to the ground to "keep a leash on it".
You'd be correct Dave, but at least in the situation of making wood and some of it from BIG pine rounds, getting that first split is the hardest part. At least that was the goal with the "splitting gun."
As you indicate, there was no directional control, just the big impact of the black powder opening up the big round.
CDOC
As you indicate, there was no directional control, just the big impact of the black powder opening up the big round.
CDOC
I have owned one since about 1985. It became a necessity when cutting up a 5 ft diameter oak. Worked like a charm and I still have all of my fingers.
They can be made in many sizes depending on the job at hand. Mine is 13" long x 2 1/2" diameter with a 1" hole bored in 6" deep. Fully charged it holds 1/3 lb of powder for the big stuff. For small logs....say 3 - 4 ft diameter I cut them in 12 feet sections and split the log the full length.
For best results, Place the wedge over a split in the end of the log. If the split is running a couple of different directions place the wedge at the point where they meet.
Before placing powder in the wedge, I drive it into the log 1/4" or so. The wedge is then loaded with powder and placed back into the log with the touch hole facing up and a log is rolled against the back end. An 8" long cannon fuse is inserted so that it is hanging down, below the touch hole. No chance of the powder per igniting that way.
Once the fuse is lit, walk, don't run, at least 50 feet away and stand behind a tree if one is available.
Sometimes, I end up with 3 to 4 12 ft long log sections if the grain / cracks are running right.
w30wcf
They can be made in many sizes depending on the job at hand. Mine is 13" long x 2 1/2" diameter with a 1" hole bored in 6" deep. Fully charged it holds 1/3 lb of powder for the big stuff. For small logs....say 3 - 4 ft diameter I cut them in 12 feet sections and split the log the full length.
For best results, Place the wedge over a split in the end of the log. If the split is running a couple of different directions place the wedge at the point where they meet.
Before placing powder in the wedge, I drive it into the log 1/4" or so. The wedge is then loaded with powder and placed back into the log with the touch hole facing up and a log is rolled against the back end. An 8" long cannon fuse is inserted so that it is hanging down, below the touch hole. No chance of the powder per igniting that way.
Once the fuse is lit, walk, don't run, at least 50 feet away and stand behind a tree if one is available.
Sometimes, I end up with 3 to 4 12 ft long log sections if the grain / cracks are running right.
w30wcf
I know a fella that has one of the black powder splitters and uses it a fair amount. I asked him what one would cost a few years ago and they were $50 then I know he got his from a demolition man that used mostly black powder , so I'm assuming they were being produced somewhere.
They are not as dangerous as some seem to imply. A mix of black powder, green cannon fuse and a lot of the all to rare common sense will turn this into a very useful tool. I like the rope idea even though when used properly it just stays within a foot or two of discharge.
They are not as dangerous as some seem to imply. A mix of black powder, green cannon fuse and a lot of the all to rare common sense will turn this into a very useful tool. I like the rope idea even though when used properly it just stays within a foot or two of discharge.
I worked several years as a licensed powder monkey in the state of Illinois(before 9/11}. I suggest checking with your local Dept. of Mines and Minerals first? Chunk of wood he blew looked to long for burning in any fire place I know of? Maybe better to use chainsaw and shoulder mussel to get you fire wood?
Steve
Steve
Hi, I have been looking everywhere i can possible think of for a while trying to locate and buy a powder wedge for splitting huge logs, rails and huge wooden rounds and I have found a variety of pictures but nothing for sale. I did find some specifications , and on Google there is a article called "Splitting Gun, by Carlton Lewis"AKA log gun AKA Shooting wedge AKA Black powder log gun and probably other things too.. Couldn't find oa wedge to buy , so I am having some made at a machine shop/toolmaker. This design is made out of 4130 chrome moly,, which is the same steel commonly used for rifle barrels. It is round, 16 inches long, 1 1/2 inches in diameter,has a 3/4 inch hole bored 9 inches deep,has a fuse hole, and is sharpened on the open end. There is a long , heavy safety chain welded on. Now BECAUSE OF LIABILITY ISSUES THIS WILL BE SOLD AS A PAPERWEIGHT,FOR DISPLAY PURPOSES ONLY>NOT TO BE USED AS A TOOL IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM. Must be over 18, proof of age required, release of liability form must be signed. With all this in mind, I am getting bids from 5 machine shops at this time to fabricate these paperweights, and its a lot cheaper if I have them fabricate 10 or even 20 of these all at once IF ANYBODY WANTS TO BUY A VERY AUTHENTIC LOOKING PAPERWEIGHT LIKE THIS contact me Joseph Henry Joe5js222@gmail.com
My son Curley Dan did i9t a little different, since some of the wood around here is real hard to split with a maul, he drills a 1 inch hole into the end of the log, pours in some powder (pyrodex r/s), puts in a fuse , and pounds in a stick to plug up the hole. then he sets some old railroad iron on top to hold the stick in and lights the fuse. I dont know how much labor it saves, since you have to go out in the field and find the split pieces. we are going to try putting a tire around the log next.
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