Man, I need a splitter

[Carl]

Well if you don't want to spend the money on a splitter buy a sledge hammer and 3 wedges you'll spend about $50. Thats if you don't mind swinging the hammer. I now have 3 cords and most of it was split by hammer and wedges. I think it easier than the maul.

Good idea as this works well. I have wedges but only used them on the tougher pieces which the maul wouldn't...er I ...couldn't persuade to split. Wedges have to be filed or ground and cleaned when the head you hit mushrooms. This doesn't happen a lot unless you really misabuse them.

Now that I am 62 I figured I could afford a splitter, especially if I want to get the bigger wood and burn constantly. I have even thought of selling cs and maybe delivered for a part of my retirement income when I retire in another 4 years or so. One older guy 83 cut and sold wood till a couple years ago and still burns, cuts, and splits for his own use.

 

[fossil]

...Now that I am 62 I figured I could afford a splitter, especially if I want to get the bigger wood...

I thought that's what certain prescription medicines were for...cheaper than a splitter, anyway, maybe. Depends on how much you take, I guess. :wow: Rick

 

[skinnykid]

well I sharpened my maul and "worked the edges" and it worked but now I have alot of weird shaped pieces. It still took alot of swinging and not alot of splitting. And the crazy heat and humidity did not help again. Tomorrow it could get close to 100 with near 100% humidity from what I hear.

 

[Jerry_NJ]

Well skinnykid, think how hot it must be "down south", like here in NJ. Come to think the forecast is 90 something, not 100 for tomorrow. The hot stuff must have jumped over NJ to get to NH, or maybe some of you wood burners forgot to put your stoves out

I purchased the Harbor Freight manual 10 ton hydraulic splitter today. It's normally $109 and was on sale for $79 (an 99 cents in both cases). I tried it on a couple of pieces of softwood...seems to work ok if I do a reasonable job of squaring up the "bucked cut", I hadn't taken a lot of care on some smaller rounds as I was going to burn them whole. Two lessons, don't cut too short, the hydraulic piston goes only to about 10" from the splitter wedge. This is ok if the piece is 15" or more (18" maximum).

 

[skinnykid]

Ya My G/F wanted to buy me a manual splitter for my B-day last month but opted out because she knows I want a auto. The logs that I bucked up the last 2 days are still wet on the inside, not rain wet but tree juice wet. Maybe if I cut them and let em dry for a while in the crazy heat then they will split easier. Who knows?

 

[Carl]

Ya My G/F wanted to buy me a manual splitter for my B-day last month but opted out because she knows I want a auto. The logs that I bucked up the last 2 days are still wet on the inside, not rain wet but tree juice wet. Maybe if I cut them and let em dry for a while in the crazy heat then they will split easier. Who knows?

For me, they have always split better when wet due to the lubrication of the moisture for the maul. Now, if they are really old then they may be easier but you want to burn them before that.

 

[burntime]

+1 wet is better. Oak almost pops when you hit it wet

 

[gerry100]

Best time to use your powered splitter is after a good breakfast of quiche.

Manual splitting is not as much work as it seems - IF you practice and develop a good technique.

It's more stroke and timing than muscle. The same reason a 6 ft, 150lb pencil- necked geek golf pro ( and some 100lb women pros ) can hit the ball furthere than any of us. Club head speed and impact angle.

- let the maul do the work. Raise it over head and drop it accurately on the cracks ( practice).

- nicking slabs of the sides also works on the big and or crooked ones. ( again, practice and accuracy helps).

- I don't have wedges, if a piece needs a wedge. I make sure it will fit thru the stove door, and put it aside for an extra year or two where it can dry. Then I burn it without splitting.


Who needs all that noise and exhaust when you can be out there in the quiet pretending the logs are little terrorists.

 

[Jerry_NJ]

gerry100, I like your spirit.

But, as I can't even hit a golf ball, practice may not be enough for me. I am 6'6" (shrinking with old age) and 240 pounds, not losing with old age, so there's plenty of power possibilities, just no accuracy. I purchased a couple of days back the manual 10 ton hydraulic splitter from Harbor Freight, same as the unit from Northern Tool, just on sale for about $60 less than what Northern gets. It is nice a quiet too, but a bit slow...may be good exercise for arms, upper body, pumping the valve.

 

[Adios Pantalones]

With a beer in the other hand- it's like a complete upper body workout.

On second thought- save the beer till the splitting is done

 

[fossil]

Best time to use your powered splitter is after a good breakfast of quiche.

I like quiche. I also enjoy splitting by hand. I like my hydraulic splitter too. I'm older and dumber than I used to be when I knew everything, I've got lots of things to do beyond processing firewood, so I take advantage of all the tools at my disposal. Rick

 

[BrotherBart]

- I don't have wedges, if a piece needs a wedge. I make sure it will fit thru the stove door, and put it aside for an extra year or two where it can dry. Then I burn it without splitting.

If I ever processed wimpy little door sized twigs that size I would hand split too.

 

[Adios Pantalones]

Brobahht- LOL- you can't just roll a round from the base of those 1.5-2 cord trees right into the firebox? What kind of wooss stove are you runnin there?

 

[skinnykid]

Adios: Love the avatar!

Happy little trees.

 

[BrotherBart]

Brobahht- LOL- you can't just roll a round from the base of those 1.5-2 cord trees right into the firebox? What kind of wooss stove are you runnin there?

Kinda small. The largest single split that will fit through the door is 11"H X 15"W X 19"L .

 

[fossil]

Brobahht- LOL- you can't just roll a round from the base of those 1.5-2 cord trees right into the firebox? What kind of wooss stove are you runnin there?

Kinda small. The largest single split that will fit through the door is 11"H X 15"W X 19"L .

I just buck the 12" diameter ones to about four feet and let 'em stick out the door and keep shovin' 'em in as they burn. I'll shut the door for the last foot or so while I go get another log. Rick

 

[BrotherBart]

I just buck the 12" diameter ones to about four feet and let 'em stick out the door and keep shovin' 'em in as they burn. I'll shut the door for the last foot or so while I go get another log. Rick

That is why I want a top loader. Just stick a six footer down in it and watch it disappear into the stove over a few hours time.

 

[fossil]

I just buck the 12" diameter ones to about four feet and let 'em stick out the door and keep shovin' 'em in as they burn. I'll shut the door for the last foot or so while I go get another log. Rick

That is why I want a top loader. Just stick a six footer down in it and watch it disappear into the stove over a few hours time.

Dang good point, BB. With the cathedral ceiling I could probably just jam in a 14-footer for a good overnight burn. Guess I need to go stove shopping again. :lol: Rick

 

[Jerry_NJ]

So much for the advantage of a pellet stove and its hopper

 

[gerry100]

I'm 58 and still think I know everything about some things.

One advantage of staying having 12 -18 months for your wood to dry means that you really don't have to split anything under 8" diameter. The rounds (when dry) seem to burn a little better because of the air flow around them.

Start with a 6 lb and a plastic handle ( othere wise you'll bust a lot of would handles during the learning process)

Impact energy the would is a product of (mass) x Velocity squared. Therefore adding the 33% more mass will easily be negated if your swing is slowed by 14% or more. Not to mention the loss in accuracy from the 8lb if you're not ready.

When your stroke is good and consisitent you can go to an 8 pretty easily.

By the time I'm 60 I hope to swingin' an 8pounder in each hand.

 

[CK-1]

Got this Ash that I started to cut into 14" lengths. So I cut up one BIG log and TRY to split it with my maul.

YEAH RIGHT! My maul just bounced off it like nothing! I need a splitter but they are SO expensive. I was really excited to get it split and stacked. But after that and with the 92 degree sticky mess today, I quickly gave up

Sounds like you just need to rent a splitter. It would get the job done. But if you plan to search CraigList ads, cut an occasional tree down, or help out removing trees after a storm....etc.. Then I would buy a splitter.. I prefer gas myself.


I own a Huskee 22-Ton from Tracter Supply. It serves its purpose...