Alternative to a stump?

[Deron]

Anyone have any ideas what I can use as an alternative to a stump to spilt chunks and kindling?

I've been tearing the heck out of my yard.

 

[fossil]

I don't really use a "stump"...just a sizeable round. There's one in my avatar. I have one outside my shop and another one in an open corner of my woodshed. They're ~16" long, which is the length of wood I typically burn, and I've become quite comfortable splitting other 16" long rounds set on top of these. When they finally begin to fail, I just split them up and burn them and replace them with new ones. Rick

 

[LLigetfa]

^
Ja, like fossil said, except not as affluent. I only have one left at my woodshed.

 

[savageactor7]

If you can cut an elm stump out that will make a good splitting platform.

 

[heppm01]

I use old oak cookies. I like my rounds about 6" off the ground when splitting.

 

[Wood Duck]

Same idea here. I use a large diameter round about 12 or 14 inches long. Pick a knotty piece and it lasts longer, but eventually ends up in the stack. I miss occasionally and make a deep dent in the yard, but overall the damage is minor.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I simply use the ground. If you do it right, no splitting block is necessary.

 

[Tony H]

I am not skilled enough to use just the ground so until then I use a short round but I used to use a short round with a couple of truck tires over it the tires work great to lean smaller rounds against and absorb the misses ... just practice a few misses so you get the idea of the rebound off the tires before you get an maul to the head.
A few more years of practice and I will be able to toss them in the air and split them on the way down like Dennis :lol:

 

[LLigetfa]

A few more years of practice and I will be able to toss them in the air and split them on the way down like Dennis :lol:

Dennis just gives them a real stern look and they split by themselves. If that doesn't work, the hydraulic log splitter sure does, even for kin'lin. Somehow I can't picture splitting kin'lin on the ground without a block.

 

[quads]

I simply use the ground. If you do it right, no splitting block is necessary.

I am not skilled enough to use just the ground so until then I use a short round but I used to use a short round with a couple of truck tires over it the tires work great to lean smaller rounds against and absorb the misses ... just practice a few misses so you get the idea of the rebound off the tires before you get an maul to the head.
A few more years of practice and I will be able to toss them in the air and split them on the way down like Dennis :lol:

You have to use the right tool:

1) Splitting your rounds out in the woods, on the ground = splitting maul.

2) Splitting your rounds at home, on a designated splitting block = splitting axe.

I've heard that they both split firewood just fine, but work best in different situations.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Hey guys, you ought to see my wife splitting that wood!

 

[LLigetfa]

Hey guys, you ought to see my wife splitting that wood!

With a stern look no doubt! >:-(

My wife just gives me that I look and I split the wood.

 

[Danno77]

how tall are you guys that say you are splitting on the ground? There is just no way i could handle that for very long. I like my rounds to be around 12-20 inches off the ground. If I'm standing up straight (or even in some sort of athletic stance) and the round is on the ground then my maul is headed back towards me instead of down, seems like a waste of momentum/energy.

 

[bsimon]

You have to use the right tool:

1) Splitting your rounds out in the woods, on the ground = splitting maul.

2) Splitting your rounds at home, on a designated splitting block = splitting axe.

I've heard that they both split firewood just fine, but work best in different situations.

That makes a lot of sense. I tried an old splitting axe the other day, just for giggles & was shocked at how well it worked. This isn't some fancy fiskars, but an old, rusty, loose-handled axe that's been sitting around for several decades. It is my new go-to tool for splitting.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

how tall are you guys that say you are splitting on the ground? There is just no way i could handle that for very long. I like my rounds to be around 12-20 inches off the ground. If I'm standing up straight (or even in some sort of athletic stance) and the round is on the ground then my maul is headed back towards me instead of down, seems like a waste of momentum/energy.

5'10"

If that maul is headed back towards you, then you are definitely doing something very wrong!!

Rather than a waste of momentum/energy, it is actually an increase and not a decrease of momentum/energy. I had one son who liked to use a splitting block, so we tried a little experiment. Indeed, both he and I could split easier and much faster with the logs on the ground. One thing I used to do would be to stand maybe 5 or 6 logs up (rather than just the one you going to split then) and split all of them before throwing them on the pile. That really speeds things up.

Sorry folks, but I'll still use Mother Earth.

 

[savageactor7]

Yeah for me it is easier when you can split off the ground...can't always do that. This area is the cloud graveyard and a lot of times the ground is way too soft that's why a splitting platform comes in handy.

 

[quads]

how tall are you guys that say you are splitting on the ground? There is just no way i could handle that for very long. I like my rounds to be around 12-20 inches off the ground. If I'm standing up straight (or even in some sort of athletic stance) and the round is on the ground then my maul is headed back towards me instead of down, seems like a waste of momentum/energy.

With a short-handled splitting tool, you have to use a splitting block or that's exactly what will happen. Most mauls have at least a 36" handle, designed for splitting on the ground. If your handle is shorter than that, or the head of your splitter is swinging back at you because you are so tall, you better use a splitting block to prevent injury, or buy a longer handle.

 

[Danno77]

5'10"

If that maul is headed back towards you, then you are definitely doing something very wrong!!

Rather than a waste of momentum/energy, it is actually an increase and not a decrease of momentum/energy.

ok, well it's not like you are short. I'm 6'2", maybe that 4 inches make a difference.

As for wasting energy/momentum, yes it IS an actual decrease in VERTICAL momentum. Because a swing is something of a circular motion, once the maul/axe is not straight out in front of you it is starting to transfer that energy from downwards to horizontal. if your legs (or ground if you are short enough) don't get in the way then it will be traveling perfectly level to the ground at some point.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I don't take much to theories but what we find in practice is what we go by. In practice, it simply gives you a better swing with the log on the ground rather than perched on another log. All that does is give you extra work to do and wastes time. Of course, after seeing that Fiskar's axe, you definitely would be forced into using a splitting block with that but it looks too dangerous to me. I'll stick with a real ax or maul with wedges.

 

[rphurley]

I am not skilled enough to use just the ground so until then I use a short round but I used to use a short round with a couple of truck tires over it the tires work great to lean smaller rounds against and absorb the misses ... just practice a few misses so you get the idea of the rebound off the tires before you get an maul to the head.
A few more years of practice and I will be able to toss them in the air and split them on the way down like Dennis :lol:

I would imagine that moving tires around must double your work. Do you put the splitting round inside of the tire, and the piece that you are splitting on top of that?

 

[joshlaugh]

I am 6'1" and use an old basswood stump right about 22 inches high to split all my wood. It works good for me and the kids can jump off of it all summer long for their entertainment.

 

[mn_jon]

I have to use a round to bring them up about 18 inches. I use the fiskars splitting ax. The only other thing is, maybe some of you guys are standing with you feet 4 feet apart or swinging that maul one handed.


jon

 

[Ratman]

old plywood scraps from the dump.