Author Topic: Wedges  (Read 952 times)

0 Members and 2 Guests are viewing this topic.

Offline armorer77

  • GBO Sponsor
  • Trade Count: (8)
  • A Real Regular
  • ****
  • Posts: 541
  • Gender: Male
Wedges
« on: September 24, 2012, 09:27:22 AM »
Some time ago there was a thread about powder fired splitting wedges . I have several blocks of wood that are too big to handle and would like to try such wedges . I am having no luck with the search function . Could anyone help? Thanks . Armorer77

Offline Cat Whisperer

  • Trade Count: (2)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7493
  • Gender: Male
  • Pulaski Coehorn Works
Re: Wedges
« Reply #1 on: September 24, 2012, 09:40:27 AM »
I referred to mine as a powder wedge.
Be glad to loan it to you if needed.

Tim K                 www.GBOCANNONS.COM
Cat Whisperer
Chief of Smoke, Pulaski Coehorn Works & Winery
U.S.Army Retired
N 37.05224  W 80.78133 (front door +/- 15 feet)

Offline armorer77

  • GBO Sponsor
  • Trade Count: (8)
  • A Real Regular
  • ****
  • Posts: 541
  • Gender: Male
Re: Wedges
« Reply #2 on: September 24, 2012, 09:46:51 AM »
How much is shipping ?  The blocks I have are over 48" dia. Ed

Offline Cat Whisperer

  • Trade Count: (2)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7493
  • Gender: Male
  • Pulaski Coehorn Works
Re: Wedges
« Reply #3 on: September 24, 2012, 10:23:33 AM »
How much is shipping ?  The blocks I have are over 48" dia. Ed

I'll ship it one way, you ship it back.
(I'll weigh it tonight & send pix)

48" dia sounds like what it was designed for.  My step-dad said to put it between the log to be split and a BIG stump.  Wrap a chain around it as it had a propensity to go airborne.  It has a powder chamber, standard cannon design.

:)
Tim K                 www.GBOCANNONS.COM
Cat Whisperer
Chief of Smoke, Pulaski Coehorn Works & Winery
U.S.Army Retired
N 37.05224  W 80.78133 (front door +/- 15 feet)

Offline flagman1776

  • GBO Supporter
  • Trade Count: (3)
  • A Real Regular
  • *****
  • Posts: 795
  • Gender: Male

Offline onegreatshot

  • keep their heads down til help arrives
  • Trade Count: (2)
  • Avid Poster
  • **
  • Posts: 171
  • Gender: Male
  • Proud owner of 3 brooks USA cannons, look'g 4 more
Re: Wedges
« Reply #5 on: September 24, 2012, 01:19:22 PM »
All I can say to the you tube videos "amazing"

Offline Cat Whisperer

  • Trade Count: (2)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7493
  • Gender: Male
  • Pulaski Coehorn Works
Re: Wedges
« Reply #6 on: September 24, 2012, 02:17:36 PM »
Here are pix of mine.  A commerically produced one.

14" long, 2" diameter

first chamber is 1" diameter 3" long, powder chamber is about 1/3 of the 2" OD and is 3-1/2" long.

Tim K                 www.GBOCANNONS.COM
Cat Whisperer
Chief of Smoke, Pulaski Coehorn Works & Winery
U.S.Army Retired
N 37.05224  W 80.78133 (front door +/- 15 feet)

Offline Cat Whisperer

  • Trade Count: (2)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7493
  • Gender: Male
  • Pulaski Coehorn Works
Re: Wedges
« Reply #7 on: September 24, 2012, 02:19:56 PM »
and this side.

rib has a hole in it for a wire

Tim K                 www.GBOCANNONS.COM
Cat Whisperer
Chief of Smoke, Pulaski Coehorn Works & Winery
U.S.Army Retired
N 37.05224  W 80.78133 (front door +/- 15 feet)

Offline armorer77

  • GBO Sponsor
  • Trade Count: (8)
  • A Real Regular
  • ****
  • Posts: 541
  • Gender: Male
Re: Wedges
« Reply #8 on: September 24, 2012, 10:19:57 PM »
Thanks CW , that is what I needed . I have a piece of 4140 that will be perfect for that . Ed

Offline Cat Whisperer

  • Trade Count: (2)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7493
  • Gender: Male
  • Pulaski Coehorn Works
Re: Wedges
« Reply #9 on: September 25, 2012, 01:12:31 AM »
Thanks CW , that is what I needed . I have a piece of 4140 that will be perfect for that . Ed

Good.  Investment in a tool is much better than an investment in postage!

 ;D ;D ;D
Tim K                 www.GBOCANNONS.COM
Cat Whisperer
Chief of Smoke, Pulaski Coehorn Works & Winery
U.S.Army Retired
N 37.05224  W 80.78133 (front door +/- 15 feet)

Offline flagman1776

  • GBO Supporter
  • Trade Count: (3)
  • A Real Regular
  • *****
  • Posts: 795
  • Gender: Male
Re: Wedges
« Reply #10 on: September 25, 2012, 03:06:33 AM »
Weld gusset to 'wedge', shackle a length of tractor chain to it...  other end to a tree so you can find it after.

Offline Cat Whisperer

  • Trade Count: (2)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7493
  • Gender: Male
  • Pulaski Coehorn Works
Re: Wedges
« Reply #11 on: September 25, 2012, 03:22:02 AM »
Weld gusset to 'wedge', shackle a length of tractor chain to it...  other end to a tree so you can find it after.

Not bad advice.

Tim K                 www.GBOCANNONS.COM
Cat Whisperer
Chief of Smoke, Pulaski Coehorn Works & Winery
U.S.Army Retired
N 37.05224  W 80.78133 (front door +/- 15 feet)

Offline armorer77

  • GBO Sponsor
  • Trade Count: (8)
  • A Real Regular
  • ****
  • Posts: 541
  • Gender: Male
Re: Wedges
« Reply #12 on: September 25, 2012, 09:33:53 AM »
Got it mostly done today . I am bolting the tether chain to it . Ed

Offline Cat Whisperer

  • Trade Count: (2)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7493
  • Gender: Male
  • Pulaski Coehorn Works
Re: Wedges
« Reply #13 on: September 25, 2012, 10:09:46 AM »
I want to see smoke and flame!

The long-thin powder chamber will give max focused pressure along it's axis - just where you want it.

Tim K                 www.GBOCANNONS.COM
Cat Whisperer
Chief of Smoke, Pulaski Coehorn Works & Winery
U.S.Army Retired
N 37.05224  W 80.78133 (front door +/- 15 feet)

Offline The Jeff

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 255
Re: Wedges
« Reply #14 on: September 25, 2012, 10:13:46 AM »
Here are pix of mine.  A commerically produced one.

14" long, 2" diameter

first chamber is 1" diameter 3" long, powder chamber is about 1/3 of the 2" OD and is 3-1/2" long.


Do you fill both chambers with powder? Or just the 2/3" x 3-1/2" chamber? If you only fill the smaller chamber, what happens with the bigger one?


That's a really neat device and I'm halfway tempted to make one myself!

Offline Cat Whisperer

  • Trade Count: (2)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7493
  • Gender: Male
  • Pulaski Coehorn Works
Re: Wedges
« Reply #15 on: September 25, 2012, 12:28:38 PM »
I would fill ONLY the small one.  Then a bit of newspaper to hold it in place.

That would leave the larger opening to be filled with wood when it was hammered into the log.

It also puts the powder into an area surrounded by an adequate thickness of steel to handle the pressure.

Tim K                 www.GBOCANNONS.COM
Cat Whisperer
Chief of Smoke, Pulaski Coehorn Works & Winery
U.S.Army Retired
N 37.05224  W 80.78133 (front door +/- 15 feet)

Offline The Jeff

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 255
Re: Wedges
« Reply #16 on: September 25, 2012, 01:15:39 PM »
Ah I see. I didn't consider needing the larger chamber to allow the wood somewhere to go when you hammer it into the log.

Offline Cat Whisperer

  • Trade Count: (2)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7493
  • Gender: Male
  • Pulaski Coehorn Works
Re: Wedges
« Reply #17 on: September 25, 2012, 01:57:45 PM »
I had not measured it before, but now that I know that it has a 1" bore I'll have to attach (temporarily) some trunnions.

 :) ;)
Tim K                 www.GBOCANNONS.COM
Cat Whisperer
Chief of Smoke, Pulaski Coehorn Works & Winery
U.S.Army Retired
N 37.05224  W 80.78133 (front door +/- 15 feet)