6 Great Log Splitter Upgrades, Mods and Accessories

Log splitters are an amazing help just as they come, but who wouldn’t want to make one even better?

Improvements, mods, upgrades – this is what i’ll be talking today on this article. Enjoy!

Catcher

A catcher, or as some might call a table, cradle is a side attachment that lets you rest half of the round you just split, without it dropping to the ground.

Not only does this save time, but also protects your back from all that unneeded bending; and we all know just how tasking this job can be…

You could make such a thing yourself, but instead may also consider purchasing one that is already made. It’s all about whether or not you want to mess with the welding, and have enough steel.

If you will indeed go for an already made, be sure that it’ll align with the holes your splitter already has. If not, you may need to drill new ones!

Cover

A log splitter that is left outside often, if not all the time should be covered with something.

A tarp can work good, but the problem with one is that it won’t fit snug enough on the machine. Yet enough you’ll have to find one that is just the right size, and if not, mess with weighing it down with stuff, etc.

Therefore it’s best to get a cover specifically made for splitters. I like this Classic Accessories one from Amazon (link) as it’s not too expensive. (Amazon also offers different size alternatives, so make sure one can actually fit yours before purchasing!).

---

Whatever option you decide to go for, be sure to first soften all the sharp corners of the log splitter, as they can wear and puncture through the material over time. You can use cut pool noodles, foam to soften those spots.

Focus on the contact points, which are normally the hitch, wedge, handle and the valves.

Log lift

Are you tired of getting those large rounds on your horizontal splitter? If so, you may want to build a log lift.

What it does is basically help you get the wood right up to the wedge level, without any need of lifting the weight with your back, if you know what i mean.

There are all sorts of videos on YouTube of guys showcasing their creations, but i think this simple manual type can get you on the right path:

With that said, there are those who even utilize the return stroke of the ram to lift the rounds fully mechanically. This guy got it right, i think:

The only question is is are you truly capable of building such a thing? Well, one thing for sure is that i wouldn’t, i’m just being honest…

4 way wedge

Out of the factory, most log splitters come built with the standard wedge, which only splits rounds in half.

But if you didn’t know, you can buy a slip-on one that has additional two wings, in turn shortening the time it takes to split a round significantly.

This one from Amazon (link) seems to do the trick for most people.

The thing you have to keep in mind is that it probably won’t fit as it is on all of the splitters. Some kind of retrofitting, like grinding of your splitter’s wedge or the one purchased may be needed.

Shorten the stroke length

Don’t you hate to see the ram going all the way back to the cylinder once a split was made? You can avoid that from happening by installing a stroke limiter.

So for example, if you mostly work with 16 inch rounds, i’d be definitely better if the ram would stop somewhere around 20 or so inches, instead of going any further.

As far as i’m concerned, it is best to build a unit that sits on top of the cylinder that engages the handle whenever you see fit. Here’s a video that shows what i mean:

There are other “methods” of achieving the same result, but i would highly discourage from putting any spacers, drilling into the hydraulic rod, as that can make the wedge break off, if not ruin the cylinder in general, costing hundreds of dollars to repair.

Guards for the engine, oil tank

Considering that now you’ll have a log table installed (i hope so), the chance of the splits landing on the crucial log splitter’s parts increase, so you should figure out a way on how to protect them.

Welding some sort of cover, rack that sits on top is the best thing to do: