"Back " into it.

Just finished bucking and drawing 5 pickup load of rounds, hardwood. Paid $250. cash for the lot and figure it'll pile out around 8 face cords. I haven't cut for a couple of years and it sure did feel good getting back running the saw , but now as I pull out the maul, my lower back is beginning to talk to me...
Think I may just rent a splitter, buy a box of beer and call my 2 brother-in-laws...

I plan on buying/cutting another 8 truck loads, just not this week.

Having to bend over to use the splitter bothers my back much more than the maul. I'd rather split with the maul for 2 hours than with my father's splitter, unless it's elm...then bring on the splitter.

mainstation when you come down with the power stroke try tilting forward at the waist while keeping you back straight and bending your knees as you unwind on those rounds. Practice with a baseball bat first...back straight, tilt forward, bend knees to as you unload to help keep the back straight.

I got that from a Physical therapist many years ago. Also always bend with the knees rather than the waist. I know you familiar about lifting with you legs so I'll spare you that.[/b]

Savage- Thanks, I usually do the knee bend/piston swing, but then setting up a dozen or so blocks and just givin'er is also a technique.
Just finished for the day, split and piled 20' L and 4' high, the block pile has'nt begun to shrink yet.
Cold beer time.

Good move only save the brew for after the work is done.

On vacation this week and same situation, 3 truck loads of rounds for 250 bucks. Finished splitting yesterday thanx to my neighbors splitter. I did 20% with axe and maul before I got the splitter. My brother helped 1st day with splitter and I finished the 2nd day. Got 2 piles but cant stack until some of this snow melts. Then i'll be getting some more rounds. Got about 60% red oak in del and my back is 4 aspirin's away to recovery.

Jack, you are just plain splitting all wrong. I use a splitter but do not bent at all. I simply sit! I can just roll a log onto the bottom plate and let the splitter do the work. What I use is an old milk crate and put a hot seat on it. Then I just sit there and split. When I run out of wood, I move the splitter or just roll a few more logs to it. That standing while splitting is no good for me.

Your assuming he has access to a vert/horiz. spiltter and it sounds like he only has a horiz.

It's a horizontal. I've seen pictures of splitters here that have a "tray" that the wood falls on after it is split rather than fall on the ground. Are they better??

On another subject .... every time I post something, no matter how many times I read it , there is always a typo and I have to go back and correct it. Anyone else have this problem???

Yes, before I switched to Firefox which has a built-in spell checker.

An out-feed table would be nice but I get by OK without one. I stand a large round on the far side of the beam and set one half of the split on it while catching the other half to re-split.

To save your back, definitely split vertical. For your spelling challenges, Chrome also has a built in spell checker. I used to be a die hard Firefox fan but am using Chrome more and more these days.

On the contrary, I was not assuming anything other than that he is doing it all wrong! If the splitter is horizontal, it is all wrong! One has to handle the wood enough as it is so I can see no reason for making the job any harder than necessary. Vertical is the only way to go. Thank you.

I tried running vertical and it was murder on my back with all the bending. Sitting down's no good either as you need to get up to get the next round and then sit back down and that's murder on the knees. If I can lift the round, it goes on the horizontal beam. 99% of my splitting is horizontal.

LLigetfa, I do not have to stand up to get the next round nor do I lift it. I simply reach with my left hand and roll it onto the splitting plate. 100% of my splitting is vertical...with no lifting.

3 Pickup loads of White Ash & Black Birch.

Cost; Not one thin dime. What are you people doing paying for firewood? :lol:

Must be nice having wood fairies roll the wood to within your reach or having really long arms.

If my father was still alive and caught me sitting down on the job, he'd kick my butt so hard I wouldn't be able to sit for a month.

LOL
Why don't you bring me some of that Black Birch. I'd sure like to try some. I promise not to pay you a dime.

Sawing logs on the ground is much harder on my back than swinging an ax or maul.

Nope.

I'll drop some in the mail for ya... Postage due. :coolsmile: