Elbow don't like Mega Maul

[TreePapa]

My elbow doesn't like Thumper (mega maul clone). I was out a little earlier this evening straightenin' up some stray firewood and trying to split a little of the "unsplittables" - mainly some big, knotty pine - knots goin' right through, etc. Anyway, I was actually able to bash a few pieces into submission w/ Thumper, but it played H*ll w/ my left elbow. I think it was from with the maul twisted after glancing off the top of a pine round that was being particularly stubborn. Nothing long-term, I'm purty sure, but I'll have to take it easy for a few days. That's prolly alright, tho', 'cuz it's gonna be 99 deg. (F) here tomorrow (at least).

It's Fire Season here ... but the fires are in the hills, brushland, and forest, not stoves and fireplaces. I'm in the "flats" well away from any brushfires or potential brushfires, but the air is rather thick.

Peace,
- Sequoia

 

[Dune]

You might want to try a fiskars splitting ax.

 

[BrotherBart]

Mine was always the shoulders. Thought I had arthritis early like my dad. Bought the hydraulic splitter in 1988 and nothing has hurt since. Well, except for the time I went to help a guy split wood and we did it with mauls. I just couldn't resist doing the one handed red oak round splitting trick a few times.

I think they call it tennis elbow. Looked online at all the braces and a site said that you can wear braces or not and it takes 18 months for it to heal. Didn't wear braces and after 18 months it went away.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

You might want to try a fiskars splitting ax.

x2

 

[quads]

My elbow doesn't like Thumper (mega maul clone). I was out a little earlier this evening straightenin' up some stray firewood and trying to split a little of the "unsplittables" - mainly some big, knotty pine - knots goin' right through, etc. Anyway, I was actually able to bash a few pieces into submission w/ Thumper, but it played H*ll w/ my left elbow. I think it was from with the maul twisted after glancing off the top of a pine round that was being particularly stubborn. Nothing long-term, I'm purty sure, but I'll have to take it easy for a few days. That's prolly alright, tho', 'cuz it's gonna be 99 deg. (F) here tomorrow (at least).

It's Fire Season here ... but the fires are in the hills, brushland, and forest, not stoves and fireplaces. I'm in the "flats" well away from any brushfires or potential brushfires, but the air is rather thick.

Peace,
- Sequoia

Wow, how do you even lift that thing? They're like 12 lbs. aren't they? The others may be right, try the one of those Fiskars splitters, much lighter, or at least a lighter maul. You're a better man than me to use a 12# maul, I'd have more than a sore elbow.

I heard the fires were approaching the Mt. Wilson Observatory. You could see the smoke all around their webcam.

 

[TreePapa]

The smoke from the fires is now a big, gray brown haze over the entire north end of the San Fernando Valley. I'm sure it's beyond that, but that's what you see from my part of the world. I heard on the radio the smoke was visible and 'smellable' from Las Vegas, NV ! These fires

I keep meanin' to order the fiskars, but I'm not sure it will do what Thumper does, which is to bust up really stubborn rounds and chunks. OTOH, I can still feel the creakyness in my left elbow.

As for lifting and swinging Thumper, I certainly can't get a good fast swing like I cn with the ax or the "super splitter" ... mostly due to the 12 # head, but the short, heavy handle doesn't seem to help that either. Even so, a half-ass swing sometimes does the trick on wood that nothing else I have will make a dent in. I tend to hold my right hand much high on Thumper than on lighter tools so i can control where the head lands. I bet if I could get a better swing, it would bust up even more. OTOH (yet another hand), sometimes it will just knock the wood over instead of biting into it.

Peace,
- Sequoia

 

[LLigetfa]

I can't blame the hydraulic splitter on my elbow pain. It hurts simply from lifting and tossing the splits. I'm just moving my outdoor piles and stacking them in the shed and that hurts my elbow. I'm going to have to use both hands on one split rather than a split in each hand.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

FWIW - if you have tendonitis in your elbow the Fiskars will likely not help that much apart from being a superior splitting tool.

 

[John_M]

Years ago I recall reading about causes of tennis elbow. A main cause, obviously, is the one handed backhand grip in tennis. It is one of the reasons so many players have gone to the two handed back hand. Two other causes are pulling up crab grass and grabbing a split of wood, especially a large one, by the end, then swinging it up with one hand and throwing it into a wagon, etc. Apparently, the motion of picking up the split, and turning your arm so the wood can be launched into a wagon is very hard on the tendons attached to that elbow.

Having a case of tennis elbow is almost as bad as having a case of gout. Once you experience the pain you promise to never misbehave again. There are 2" wide bands available which wrap around the forearm just below the elbow and they do provide some relief.

Good health,

John_M

 

[LLigetfa]

...and grabbing a split of wood, especially a large one, by the end, then swinging it up with one hand and throwing it into a wagon, etc.
...
Once you experience the pain you promise to never misbehave again.

I must be incorrigible then. I always pick up rounds my hand can span single handed, actually two, one in each hand. Splits are pretty much always single handed. I cannot bring myself to use two hands on a single split and have to make a conscious effort to use two hands on rounds before the pain reminds me.

 

[Dune]

Well, I made my "Christiansen's Splitting Ax/Maul today" I took a six pound maul, cut most of the poll off, leaving enough for strength, then reshaped the bit, thinning it, squared the end a bit, gave it a nice hollow ground shape, pollished it brightly and made the edge razor sharp. Then I spent the rest of the day playing with my new toy, watching red oak and cherry splits fly apart, a bunch of twisted hard maple yeild to my will, and even tackled a few crotches with fair results. Wish I knew how to post pictures, I'd share it with you all. Oh yeah, I put a 36" handle on it too. The whole mod took less than an hour, including fitting the new handle.

 

[DBoon]

Two other causes are pulling up crab grass and grabbing a split of wood, especially a large one, by the end, then swinging it up with one hand and throwing it into a wagon, etc. Apparently, the motion of picking up the split, and turning your arm so the wood can be launched into a wagon is very hard on the tendons attached to that elbow.

I can attest to this - had a bad case of tennis elbow two years ago for this very reason. It took six months to heal. I am now very careful to toss wood by lifting from the bottom and not flipping it from the top.

 

[John_M]

LLigetfa, Is the pain in your right elbow? If so, has it gotten so bad that you cannot comb your hair, brush your teeth, fasten your seat belt, or use the computer mouse? If you havn't yet tried one of the adjustable forearm bands (available at most drug stores) I would suggest one while moving wood. In my case a forearm band provided some pain relief but I am not certain it did or did not speed up the recovery process.

Those who use DBoon's method of picking up and tossing by the middle or bottom of the split/round appear to have significantly fewer cases of tennis elbow because that motion places much less strain on the involved tendons.

TreePapa, Take it super easy on your left elbow for a while. Believe me, you do not want it to develop into a serious case of tennis elbow. That pain can be very severe at times.

Caveat: I have no medical training but have suffered many episodes of tennis elbow during my long life and spent much time studying the causes and remedies for that painful condition. BrotherBart reports that his episode lasted about 18 months. Many others would report the same time frame. In my case the pain seemed to last from 12 to 18 months and suddenly you wake up morning and the pain is gone. Go figure!

John_M

 

[savageactor7]

I've had tendinitis for 20 years or so and can vouch for those arm bands John M recommends. Those appliances help stabilize the tendon rubbing against the muscle also 800mg of ibuprofen provides relief too.

 

[LLigetfa]

LLigetfa, Is the pain in your right elbow?

No, it's in my left. I tend to use my left hand to load up my right hand/arm first, then I grab the last piece with my left and "flip" it. I use my left hand more to favour my right shoulder. I tend to toss backhanded toward my left, stack to the left, and unload my left first so I can use the left to aid the right.

I know what I'm doing wrong but as I said, I am incorrigible. It's hard to change lifelong habits. Was always told not to work with an empty hand. I remember working pipeline, carrying often three 4' long 4"x6" skids on my right shoulder and a fourth with my left arm. Some guys would carry four or even five skids on their shoulder and we'd heckle them for having an empty hand.

has it gotten so bad that you cannot comb your hair, brush your teeth, fasten your seat belt, or use the computer mouse?

The pain is not so severe that I cannot perform those functions. I feel mild to moderate pain while I'm working with the wood and then it aches all evening as I try to find a comfortable position to hold my arm.