Greetings all - Nice and cool here in the Jersey "Alps" so I took out my new X25 to do my first serious day of splitting.
Working with mostly rounds from a 60-70' dead Ash dropped in my yard a month or so ago (been dead standing for a while).
Took the largest piece of Ash as my manly intro work. 15-16" round cracked with two whacks...yeah - fears of the other pieces defeating me fade.
Was pretty easy going (for a 64 yr old sedentary guy with an ample middle). Got a good sweat going and got into a pretty good rhythm. Learned a few things that I did not get from reading here (which was most everything else). I was a bit surprised how easily my aim came, regardless of the size of the round. I attribute this partly to the nice balance of the Fiskars. I was a bit surprised that most of my trouble rounds were not the larger ones but mostly smaller pieces about 6." wasn't a matter of striking the wood on target but more about force used. I had as many pieces that size that took more than one strike as 12"+ pieces. With some more practice I'm sure I'll figure the power needed for those pieces.
I also had a few old Oak rounds 16-18" that were here when we moved in 4.5 yrs ago so these were at least five years dried. I've read some of the debates about cutting wood wet or aged and which Is easier. I had NO experience splitting Oak PERIOD. But after taking the Fiskars to these puppies I would have to guess I would fall into the fresher is easier category. Either that or Oak is not for out of shape old guys to split. They scoffed at me and my tool. I dealt them some serious flesh wounds but I suspect, though dead, they will recover. They now are resting in the later pile, for when I have a wedge to assist me.
The wife offered to stack the wood as I was splitting but I declined...my best feeling was watching the split piles grow around me.
I saved the biggest piece for my last triumph of the day. Another lesson learned here. Round was about 13" and about 18" long and the other end was cut at the juncture of two large branches so there were two 8" branch stubs forming the other end. Think of a giant slingshot with everything cut down to the smallest
size. I hit that piece 16 times with minimal effect. I assume there are serious wood grain issues in a piece like that. Also tossed into the later pile, I think probably for butchering with the cs if I ever I the get parts I ordered to fix the 16" electric.
Keeping the faith in the wilds of Joisey,
Littlalex
Working with mostly rounds from a 60-70' dead Ash dropped in my yard a month or so ago (been dead standing for a while).
Took the largest piece of Ash as my manly intro work. 15-16" round cracked with two whacks...yeah - fears of the other pieces defeating me fade.
Was pretty easy going (for a 64 yr old sedentary guy with an ample middle). Got a good sweat going and got into a pretty good rhythm. Learned a few things that I did not get from reading here (which was most everything else). I was a bit surprised how easily my aim came, regardless of the size of the round. I attribute this partly to the nice balance of the Fiskars. I was a bit surprised that most of my trouble rounds were not the larger ones but mostly smaller pieces about 6." wasn't a matter of striking the wood on target but more about force used. I had as many pieces that size that took more than one strike as 12"+ pieces. With some more practice I'm sure I'll figure the power needed for those pieces.
I also had a few old Oak rounds 16-18" that were here when we moved in 4.5 yrs ago so these were at least five years dried. I've read some of the debates about cutting wood wet or aged and which Is easier. I had NO experience splitting Oak PERIOD. But after taking the Fiskars to these puppies I would have to guess I would fall into the fresher is easier category. Either that or Oak is not for out of shape old guys to split. They scoffed at me and my tool. I dealt them some serious flesh wounds but I suspect, though dead, they will recover. They now are resting in the later pile, for when I have a wedge to assist me.
The wife offered to stack the wood as I was splitting but I declined...my best feeling was watching the split piles grow around me.
I saved the biggest piece for my last triumph of the day. Another lesson learned here. Round was about 13" and about 18" long and the other end was cut at the juncture of two large branches so there were two 8" branch stubs forming the other end. Think of a giant slingshot with everything cut down to the smallest
size. I hit that piece 16 times with minimal effect. I assume there are serious wood grain issues in a piece like that. Also tossed into the later pile, I think probably for butchering with the cs if I ever I the get parts I ordered to fix the 16" electric.
Keeping the faith in the wilds of Joisey,
Littlalex