Video - use a bungee cord when splitting wood

[theora55]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoAOYLMU1Wc
4 minute video. Fun to watch, and a pretty good idea.

 

[Danno77]

ok, there is the proof I was looking for. I must be a wuss. at the end of the swing that guy is nearly in a seated position. That axe is too short for me. no way am i splitting for several hours while bending over that much. my back would be killing me. How can you split on the ground with that thing? and if it's on a round or stump then you cut clean through it or something that thing will be coming back at you.

good idea with the bungee, though. I've seen that suggestion here before, along with old tires, etc.

 

[LLigetfa]

Ja, "hit the far side for maximum safety" it says... That handle is way too short and more than once I saw the axe land next to his foot. Good thing it comes with a warranty because hitting the far side with a wood handle is downright abuse.

 

[peterc38]

Good thing it comes with a warranty because hitting the far side with a wood handle is downright abuse.

Where is the wooden handle? He is using a FSS.

 

[LLigetfa]

Good thing it comes with a warranty because hitting the far side with a wood handle is downright abuse.

Where is the wooden handle? He is using a FSS.

I know he is using a Fiskars and I didn't say it was wood. What I said was good thing it isn't wood (and is warranted against breakage) or else he could be arrested for axe abuse.

 

[Duetech]

That had to be something other than elm. More like oak which splits well most of the time when there are a few to no knots..
Still it's a good video. Look at the hair on the guys head. He is either premature gray or really doing well for his maturity. I have looked for the Fiskars axe and never seen one in the store.
As far as nearly hitting his foot that has happened to me whether the wood is on the ground or on a chopping block with a splitting maul but I don't think he came that close and he didn't ever bury the axe head in the ground which I have done with my splitting maul.
Bending at the knees wil actually spare your back and give make a better use of your swing by delivering more power to the axe head. The body position in relation to the wood being split will also help prevent body parts injury by the axe head as the force of the stroke is not being pulled in (as is normal for more of a straight legged stance) but is being pushed more of out then down. The cardio workout from the bending of the legs is more of a whole body workout rather than an upper torso workout and probably more beneficial.
All that said though I read in the forum here that Fiskars was asked why they didn't have a longer handled version of their axe and they replied that they were happy the axe and had no intention of lengthening the handle. I'm not really tall but I can imagine a 6'+ person getting tired of doing squats to split wood with the current model let alone having to pick up the wood that has been split afterwards.

 

[billb3]

My lower back won't let me work bent over like that either.
I'd rather pick up or roll a round anto another, wrap the bungie cord around the round and have at it with wedges and a maul. Not too much longer and I've done everything with my knees, including hefting a whole or half round (all split up)onto the stack that I'm splitting right next to..removing the bungie cord on top of the stack.
No more piles for me except for where I've dumped rounds with the front end loader.
Tires to contain work OK too, but I tend to move the round down the row I'm stacking into.
That's a bit more setting up. Works, though.

I'm getting older, so have to work a little while this way and then a little while that way. I strain things less it seems.

Avoid bending over to pick things up.

 

[katwillny]

That Dude rocks. I feel like a total wuss now, Im 35 and i complain about splitting, that dude looks at least 50 and is strong LIKE BULL.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Sorry folks, but I was not amazed with that video. Looks like the guy hasn't handled an axe very long and there is now way on God's green Earth I'd use that short handled excuse for an axe. He could do so much faster and easier with a double bitted axe... And give me a break! A bungee?! Well, I guess it works for some, just not for me.

So there is my opinion (even my wife agrees). Tear into me now.

 

[LLigetfa]

Tear into me now.

What, not even a word of support for the "splitting on the ground" aspect?

 

[quads]

Someone here showed me that video before. Here's a video of me splitting oak without a bungee cord:

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Tear into me now.

What, not even a word of support for the "splitting on the ground" aspect?

lol. Actually that was the first thing I noticed and laughed. I decided to not post about it to see if anyone else might catch it. lol

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Someone here showed me that video before. Here's a video of me splitting oak without a bungee cord:

And watch the body language. You could split like that for hours without tiring; well, at least without tiring too much.

 

[rphurley]

Looks cool and seems efficient, but I think I'll continue to rent a spltter!

 

[LLigetfa]

Here's a video of me splitting oak without a bungee cord:

I did notice the long handle and the round was up on higher ground than where your feet were planted.

 

[Duetech]

The bungee is a good idea if you have ever had to reset a piece of wood to continue splitting but it's not a "gotta have" thing. For clean rounds though it could save a lot of chasing.

 

[Archer39]

i prefer a tire my self. i have a 265/75/16 tire that i have screwed into a round that sits about 20" off the ground and it works great with the fiskers axe. I will have to take a video of my set up. I think it is faster than most normal splitters as long as the wood is not to knotty

 

[rphurley]

i prefer a tire my self. i have a 265/75/16 tire that i have screwed into a round that sits about 20" off the ground and it works great with the fiskers axe. I will have to take a video of my set up. I think it is faster than most normal splitters as long as the wood is not to knotty

If you get a chance, I'd like to see that.
Rich

 

[WOODBUTCHER]

That's good if you buck your straight grian rounds of pine or ash 12" long or under, I'd like to see him go to town on a cord of 20" long rounds of ShagBark Hickory or Sugar Maple.
Better yet .......you'd probably throw that fiskars in the dumpster after a few rounds with a twisted Swamp Maple trunk and pull the tarp off your splitter.

WoodButcher

 

[quads]

and the round was up on higher ground than where your feet were planted.

Could be, I think that round was setting on some brush and sticks that were scattered there, so it probably wasn't setting down on the solid ground. I split them wherever they will stand up on end and I can reach them with the maul.

 

[quads]

And watch the body language. You could split like that for hours without tiring; well, at least without tiring too much.

I do, sometimes daily.

 

[Duetech]

That's good if you buck your straight grian rounds of pine or ash 12" long or under, I'd like to see him go to town on a cord of 20" long rounds of ShagBark Hickory or Sugar Maple.
Better yet .......you'd probably throw that fiskars in the dumpster after a few rounds with a twisted Swamp Maple trunk and pull the tarp off your splitter.

WoodButcher

There have been many short rounds splitting videos lately and they have all let me wondering about the 20" rounds I choose/have to split. For demostration purposes I have never any of them choose red elm or some gnarly twisted apple. As far as that goes a lot of the firewood I have seen is tops from logged wood lots and they are usually loaded with knots.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

And watch the body language. You could split like that for hours without tiring; well, at least without tiring too much.

I do, sometimes daily.

Oh, to have a few of those days again.....

 

[quads]

And watch the body language. You could split like that for hours without tiring; well, at least without tiring too much.

I do, sometimes daily.

Oh, to have a few of those days again.....

I think those days are the only thing keeping me out of the nursing home! A long time ago a cow kicked me into the wall, hard, and I smacked my elbow kind of bad. It bothers me to this day, but only after I haven't been splitting wood for awhile (like now since I'm on break during hunting season). As soon as I start splitting again, the pain goes away in a couple days and I feel GREAT!

 

[Backwoods Savage]

quads, I know what that feels like. I'll never forget that kick! She knocked me right out and I had a headache for days. Still suffer from those danged headaches.

I do occasionally split a block or two but not much because of my bad back. Three times I've had surgery on that thing and it just does not take kindly to very much of that type of work. I suffer all winter long with the cutting and loading but in the long run I think it does help. I just have to use lots of heat after working in the woods.