One of the most healthiest obsessions ever

[excessads]

Started with a newer home we bought late last year with a clay chimney needs rebuild.
A little research and infrequent visits to this site led to buying our first insert and SS liner.
After reading more on this site, I started amassing and splitting from a birch tree being too closed to the house with a Fiskar X27, 8lb HART sledgehammer, and a borrowed mushroomed oldschool wedge splitted 1/2 cord of rounds. That was spring 2016.

As weather changes to the cooler side, I collected a few free pallets and about 1 cord of unsplit rounds/quarters from 3 free Craigslistings for next year. I just bought steel toe boots and kevlar chaps.

I saw a lingering ad on CL with about 10x 6-9' deleaved logs calling my name to buy hardhat/muff/screen, kevlar gloves, and a stihl. I am not sure about the chainsaw as we don't have enough property to stash more than 2 cords, may be 3 cords for next year, plus trimming surrounding trees higher than 6 ft is little out of my comfort zone.

I have always like convertibles and wagons, but now I am craving a fullsize pickup to haul wood!

We have natural gas furnace as primary source for heat over winter. I am constantly fascinated by homestead families in remote Alaska. I don't think I can ever do what they do as our lives depend on it........ but we do love processing wood! We get great workouts with me splitting and her stacking. I like to take my time and focus my breathing and swing on the log without getting hurt. It's extremely relaxing afterwards. Having come across this site is definitely the big bonus. Woodshed is definitely one of my favorite forums and must read before the day is over.

Thank you all!

 

[warno]

It is definitely a nice hobby/pass time. It's nice having a truck but don't let that convertible or wagon scare you. These guys on here stuff chucks of wood into cars that have no business being stuffed with wood.

 

[SawDawg]

I love splitting with an axe. Such a great workout. Hopefully my body keeps allowing me to be physically able.

 

[excessads]

I love splitting with an axe. Such a great workout. Hopefully my body keeps allowing me to be physically able.

Same here, the only thing I noticed is my back does suffer the day after the first couple times. Core exercise the day after always help to relieve further issues.

 

[Woody harrelson]

this is what is meant by "manual labor is good for the soul". welcome to the obsession

 

[Destructor]

I have a ton of work to do renovating the dump of a house I bought. It can be tough sometimes to keep at a weekend project but I have no problem at all grabbing a mall and wedge to split wood. I’ve also stuffed nearly all the wood I scrounged into my trunk, it’s a big trunk though, last of the full size rear drive dinosaurs.

 

[aansorge]

My tips:

Buy a 4 by 8 trailer and a hitch. A trailer is a lot lower than a pickup so it is easier to load and you can use your current vehicles.

Pace yourself. I like to put in 2 to 3 hours each time I work on wood but no more. Fatigue can cause injury or accidents plus I like working on the wood on a regular basis. Why rush it, enjoy it a little at a time.

 

[cachunko]

My tips:

Buy a 4 by 8 trailer and a hitch. A trailer is a lot lower than a pickup so it is easier to load and you can use your current vehicles.

I totally agree. I have a truck and rarely use it for hauling wood. I have a couple of small trailers that I use for hauling wood that I prefer a whole lot more. It's not to say I don't use the truck, but I'd much rather use the trailer that's lower to the ground.

 

[JSeery]

It is definitely a nice hobby/pass time. It's nice having a truck but don't let that convertible or wagon scare you. These guys on here stuff chucks of wood into cars that have no business being stuffed with wood.

Amen to that. I drive a hand me down 2001 toyota avalon. It's my car so it is what I use to scrounge. But, the trunk is huge and people are always shocked at how much wood I can cram in there. The back seat can even fit a full sized pallet if I tilt it just right. Yeah, a truck would be better but I don't scrounge often enough to make the switch. A good car load here and there really adds up over time.

 

[FaithfulWoodsman]

this is what is meant by "manual labor is good for the soul

Especially when it's splitting wood. Something very satisfactory about splitting wood God grew.........except for Elm. Those are more like growing you by testing your resolve.

 

[Dobish]

I totally agree. I have a truck and rarely use it for hauling wood. I have a couple of small trailers that I use for hauling wood that I prefer a whole lot more. It's not to say I don't use the truck, but I'd much rather use the trailer that's lower to the ground.

For a while, I was driving the minivan because I had to drop the kids off, now that things changed, i get to drive the truck to work again! This means i get to come home with all sorts of wood in the back!

 

[spirilis]

My only place to split firewood is at my father's property 20 minutes north of my workplace... which makes for the best extended lunchtime workout, as I come back to the office (after changing back into work clothes) with a clear head and zero stress. Definitely the healthiest hobby!

 

[Ashful]

I remember a kid I grew up with being permanently blinded in one eye as result of using a mushroomed splitting wedge. Those "hanging chads" can fly off at near-bullet velocity, when struck with a sledge. Do yourself a big favor and trim them off as they form, with a cutoff wheel on your favorite grinder.


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[peakbagger]

We used to haul wood in the trunk of Ford Maverick Two Door coupe

 

[excessads]

Especially when it's splitting wood. Something very satisfactory about splitting wood God grew.........except for Elm. Those are more like growing you by testing your resolve.

Speaking of elm, this CL ad has been relisted for close to a month, guess no one is up for testing one's resolve....me neither
http://newjersey.craigslist.org/zip/5763269247.html

 

[CheapBassTurd]

The first scroungemobile was a Dodge Stratus with a tow chain. LOL

On topic with OP:
I've been fascinated with hoosier life in this case. What started a "what's a hoosier?" question years ago led my brain there.
Other state mottos were obvious. Buckeye state, sunshine state. (so what is a Hoosier state? lol)

The group of people loosely defined as "self- sufficient frontiersman" were the peeps not doing the gold rush game and just
moving west of the Appalachians for the space and farmability of Ky north to Canada. There were no towns and these
families were their own doctors n' dentists, made and repaired what they owned. Felled and built their homes without
help, etc. Really tough heritage/ group of folks.

The furnace turned on once, maybe two times since starting the stove up last winter. I stay on top of it and the fam participates.
Even the kids now go to the toolbox before the telephone when something breaks, or at least that mentality.
Personally I get MUCH peace outdoors splitting, mowing, whatever. That's me n' God time.

I'd bet psychiatrists don't see many stovers who process. There's something pure and emotionally recharging about
doing this. Like the openness and freedom of riding a motorcycle on country roads. Just plain out there and doing it, whatever the
chore or hobby.

Excess,
Same here with this forum. I joined same time frame as you and learned stuff. Over time,
logging in keeps happening more and more often. I like the combo of information and friendly
banter over our common bond, Stoving.

 

[excessads]

The group of people loosely defined as "self- sufficient frontiersman" Felled and built their homes without
help, etc. Really tough heritage/ group of folks.

Personally I get MUCH peace outdoors splitting, mowing, whatever. That's me n' God time.

There's something pure and emotionally recharging about doing this. Like the openness and freedom of riding a motorcycle on country roads. Just plain out there and doing it, whatever the chore or hobby.

I like the combo of information and friendly banter over our common bond, Stoving.

You took the words right out of my mind
Truly, something spiritual spending time alone whether I am splitting or slinging the sledge outside, hot or cold, I love them all!
I can never imagine acquiring a wood stove insert would lead to a new found hobby which is good for the body and the soul!

 

[gerry100]

you might be right, but after 37 yrs of it sometimes I wonder

 

[JabaduGarfunkle]

you might be right, but after 37 yrs of it sometimes I wonder

I think when I get to the same point that's when I pick up a good 20 or 30 ton splitter. Not saying that's where you're at Gerry but i know my shoulders won't last forever.

 

[Ashful]

I split by hand until age 40. I did 10+ cords in each of those few last years. As much as I enjoyed the silence and peace of splitting by hand, with a 6 lb maul being my primary weapon, I suspect the damage I did to my shoulders may be permanent. Not really worth it, if you have any other hobby that requires shoulder movement... like getting dressed in the morning.


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[excessads]

I split by hand until age 40. I did 10+ cords in each of those few last years. As much as I enjoyed the silence and peace of splitting by hand, with a 6 lb maul being my primary weapon, I suspect the damage I did to my shoulders may be permanent. Not really worth it, if you have any other hobby that requires shoulder movement... like getting dressed in the morning.


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Yeah, being a newbie in honeymoon period processing about a cord leisurely per season, there's def no comparison on the bodily wear and tear for handling 10+cords per year. I would probably switch to pellet stove or use biobricks if I ever get there, but probably won't since I need my shoulder for vball and other sports.

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[peakbagger]

My solution to handsplitting was to figure out a way to split less wood. With the mini split, and 2 year seasoning I got down to 2.5 cords a year

 

[blades]

Yeah, being a newbie in honeymoon period processing about a cord leisurely per season, there's def no comparison on the bodily wear and tear for handling 10+cords per year. I would probably switch to pellet stove or use biobricks if I ever get there, but probably won't since I need my shoulder for vball and other sports.

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Depends on your priorities. correction it will depend on your better halfs priorities

 

[gerry100]

I think when I get to the same point that's when I pick up a good 20 or 30 ton splitter. Not saying that's where you're at Gerry but i know my shoulders won't last forever.

Over all these years I've developed a smooth, accurate and efficient swing and at 66 my shoulders actually feel better after a splitting session.

What's more noticeable is a decrease in stamina, 2-3 hours of hard labor is all I can take anymore.

and my splits are getting bigger.

Main issue is the aches and pains of age.

Didn't mean to imply I'm quittin', that wont happen until I cant swing the 8 pounder

 

[JabaduGarfunkle]

Over all these years I've developed a smooth, accurate and efficient swing and at 66 my shoulders actually feel better after a splitting session.

Wasn't implying you're slowing down at all , your comment just got me thinking and I think I attributed my own concerns to your situation.

I've been wondering if there's any threads or anybody has some good tips/videos showing what they think is a good swinging technique. There's no way a topic like this hasn't been discussed in the wood shed... I've spent some time trying to improve my form based on how my body feels but I've got (hopefully) a lot of swings ahead of me and I realize that a bad form could have me in bad shape in another 20 years.