So the woodsplitter got uncovered over the winter. The 10 Hp engine sat out and I didn’t notice that the tarp had blown off of it…water had gotten into the carb and mice had eaten the spark plug wire insulation. (This splitter was homemade,  from parts sourced (likely) from industry. Hell of a big cylinder (like 8″) with a bunch of oversized rails and tanks and fittings. It is a cobbled together mess, that I bought 30 years ago at a sale but it splits wood like no tomorrow…. and I have replaced the worn out 10 HP Briggs with another (less) worn out 10HP Briggs engine).

But it needed the carb cleaned up or replaced…..And the magneto fixed…or an engine replacement…..

No problem, says I. I have another engine sitting in the barn from a Cub Cadet lawnmower that is identical to the one on the splitter. Should take about 4 hours to swap ’em out…Except I can’t find it. I had it 6 or so years ago, but not now…I either traded it or simply lost it in the clutter. I dunno.

So I raided my neighbor’s pile of scrap and found an engine in parts that used the same magneto. Stole that. (he’s good about that sort of thing. We swap stuff all the time…if he needs it and I have it it is his, same-same)

Looked on Amazon for a carb rebuild kit. Huh. Gasket, float and needle kits are $40 ish. New chinese copies of the carb were $19. So I bought a carburetor. .

Supposed to be an “Exact replacement”. Not really, but the throat size was the same, and the mounting bolts were in the right place….it would work. While not an “exact replacement”, it did fit and with a few washers and some filing, all the other parts fit onto to it.

Now I have a working woodsplitter.

Of course, the starter failed right after I got the engine running (corrosion from exposure kept the bendix from disengaging and it ate the gear) but I did have a starter that I had cleaned up from another engine sitting (where I could find it!!) on the shelf and it was a simple swap.

Runs like a champ now. I shall split wood with it this weekend.

So nice to have parts and such that can be repurposed.