Just a few simple things Mar 29 '01    Write an essay on this topic. Tweet Popular Products in Garden Annovi Reverberri RMW2.2G24 EZ SX Washer Pump From $84 Sportcraft LGAF5SF1G Swimming Pool Ladder From $149 The Bottom Line It's not too difficult to operate log splitters. But you should be cautious, as they can cause injury if used carelessly. The first thing to realize when you are working with a log splitter is that it is a machine that is much more powerful than you and can injure you if used carelessly. But if used wisely, it can do an efficient job of what it is intended for--splitting wood. The first step, of course, is starting the splitter; I'll assume most people know how to do that. It's much like starting a power mower. Then, you need to lift the piece of wood into place. Here is a time to be careful. Lifting too heavy a piece of wood or lifting it improperly can cause injury. Get help lifting the wood if it is heavy; if there is no help readily available, use a plank to roll the piece of wood up to the splitting platform. A nice feature on some of the larger log splitters is a hydraulic lift with tongs to pick up the heaviest pieces of wood. When you split the wood, you want to split it lengthwise. I know, it seems like common sense, but hey, there are some novices out there. If there is a fork or knot in the piece of wood, do not try to split through it, since the wood will be much harder there. The hydraulics of the splitter do all the work. Either there is a fixed blade with a ram that pushes the wood toward it, or a fixed ram with a moving blade. All you have to do is position the wood properly and pull the hydraulic control lever. A bonus of hydraulics is that they move slowly, so there is little chance of someone being too slow to move their hand out of the way. But still don't put your hands in the path of the ram or the blade. Accidents can and will happen if you are careless. Sometimes, the splitter has problems getting through the wood on the first try--maybe it hits a knot or something. Don't try to move the piece of wood while the splitter's hydraulics are still pushing. Back the hydraulics off, move the piece of wood back to its place and reposition it if necessary, and then engage the hydraulics again. One added word of caution: sometimes when a piece of wood splits, it suddenly snaps in two or moves quickly. Make sure the piece is split all the way through and the hydraulics are disengaged before you try to grab the split wood. Log splitters are not overly dangerous; if used carelessly they can cause injury. But slow and cautious operation of these machines is the key to an uneventful and productive session of splitting wood.

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