Hycrack

Hycrack (Hy-Crack) refers to a British designed and built logsplitter. First built over 25 years ago it is unusual in that the log is split not by the action of hydraulic wedge but by a rotating hardened conical screw that draws the log over a fixed wedge.

The screw is rotated by a drive shaft connected to a tractor power take-off (PTO). Stable and continuous rotation is achieved by mounting the shaft and cone assembly in a tubular bearing housing built into a steel fabricated platform. The whole machine then connects to the tractor via fabricated mountings and pins to the three point linkage.

The Hycrack Logsplitter is finish painted in a vibrant orange colour.

Three sizes of splitter exist: The standard HC1X, the HC1XW (with a wider platform) and the much larger and heavy duty HC2X.

The Hycrack is GeneRally not used in the average domestic environment as it requires coupling to an agricultural tractor of a minimum of 17 hp - 20 hp upwards but is popular with farmers and smallholders, agricultural contractors, firewood and log merchants and country estates. As the price of oil increases, the burning of logs becomes attractive and economic. Firewood is a biomass fuel and relatively environmentally friendly. Burning it results in virtually no additional carbon dioxide being added to the environment compared to it rotting away. This is not the case when gas, oil or coal is combusted.

Firewood is also a renewable resource and [...] firewood through thinning and coppicing can re-establish traditional woodland management. The supply of firewood can also sustain local and rural jobs and the revenue can assist towards reversing rural economic decline.

Hycrack logsplitters can be used to split most firewoods including oak, elm, chestnut, ash, apple and beech wood. Generally, as the splitting action is continuous, they are seen to be more efficient and less cumbersome than the wedge type that has a return stroke. The machine can comfortably be operated by one man and is simple to operate as the log is placed upright on the platform and pushed into contact with the tip of the cone.