I am new at this forum but have experience from Arboristsite Forum

[akkamaan]

Do you have any videos of splitting hardwood? Or stuff that doesn't split that easy? I don't think there is anything growing here that would split apart that easy, except maybe a chunk of windfall spruce with absolutely no knots. Usually needs more than one hit, or a deeper one that would make the handle hit the wood.

I only split Douglas Fir and occasionally Western Hemlock and Cedar.
But youtube is full videos people splitting all kind of hardwood
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=splitting+hardwood

 

[Diabel]

The hemlock here on the east coast is not easy to split. The 40" rounds will only give in to a hydrolics

 

[ambull01]

Do you have any videos of splitting hardwood? Or stuff that doesn't split that easy? I don't think there is anything growing here that would split apart that easy, except maybe a chunk of windfall spruce with absolutely no knots. Usually needs more than one hit, or a deeper one that would make the handle hit the wood.

lol. That's exactly what I was thinking. Those "swings" looked more like love taps. I think I would barely make an indent if I swung like that. Also, can't believe people are buying that freaking magic strap thing.

Putting the round on another round seems to make a big difference vs splitting it on the ground. That's about the extent of my splitting knowledge

 

[akkamaan]

lol. That's exactly what I was thinking. Those "swings" looked more like love taps.

I do not over swing, waste of energy. These logs are pretty easy to split

Also, can't believe people are buying that freaking magic strap thing.

So you don't agree the bungee is OK? You said "can't believe..." LOL

Putting the round on another round seems to make a big difference vs splitting it on the ground. That's about the extent of my splitting knowledge

Safety since you give hands a chance to be level or lower with axe head at impact , but also make the axe edge square to the log which improves efficiency

 

[sequoia]

Could you include a link to the arborist forum website?

 

[BrotherBart]

http://www.arboristsite.com

 

[ambull01]

I do not over swing, waste of energy. These logs are pretty easy to split


So you don't agree the bungee is OK? You said "can't believe..." LOL


Safety since you give hands a chance to be level or lower with axe head at impact , but also make the axe edge square to the log which improves efficiency

Oh I totally agree. Using too much energy to split something is a total waste. I'm just saying the stuff I run across would never split that easy. I have some white oak that is a pain to split. Sweet gum is nearly impossible to hand split. The easiest thing I've done so far is pine and maple.

The bungee is ingenious. I've been using a tire but I'll try a bungee or maybe a ratchet tie down strap. Can't tell if you're making a joke or if you're serious lol. If you're serious, paying for that contraption is a total waste of money.

I can see some added safety and improved efficiency with making the ax head square to the round. I was more referring to the fact that I feel more energy is driven into the round being split when it's sitting on another piece vs the ground. When the round is sitting on the ground I feel like some of the force is wasted

 

[akkamaan]

I was more referring to the fact that I feel more energy is driven into the round being split when it's sitting on another piece vs the ground. When the round is sitting on the ground I feel like some of the force is wasted

That's a very good point. Splitting on the "soft" ground, or ground that absorb part of the energy, instead of letting the axe head penetrate the log, is a total waste.
But, big logs do much better than small logs off the ground. That's because the mass of the large log creates more resistance from inertia than a small log.

 

[Jon_E]

Familiar name on AS. Welcome here.
Read many of your posts and watched the videos on the bungy cord splitting method.
I tried it and wrecked a couple of bungies. I use a hydraulic splitter most of the time but when I hand-split I like to use a tire.

 

[akkamaan]

Familiar name on AS. Welcome here.
Read many of your posts and watched the videos on the bungy cord splitting method.
I tried it and wrecked a couple of bungies. I use a hydraulic splitter most of the time but when I hand-split I like to use a tire.

Thanks Jon_E!
yes I admit I have cut 1 or 2 cords aswell, but now a days I use a 9ft 1" link chain, attached to the bungee. I can wrap the chain twice around and keep the bungee cord below the chain.
Got a PM from a new member at AS yesterday. He had gone through a lot of old threads about hydraulic on log splitters. He wantad my input...LOL...
And I thought all old threads were destroyed since the hacker crash...
He got my input btw... LOL

 

[ambull01]

Thanks Jon_E!
yes I admit I have cut 1 or 2 cords aswell, but now a days I use a 9ft 1" link chain, attached to the bungee. I can wrap the chain twice around and keep the bungee cord below the chain.
Got a PM from a new member at AS yesterday. He had gone through a lot of old threads about hydraulic on log splitters. He wantad my input...LOL...
And I thought all old threads were destroyed since the hacker crash...
He got my input btw... LOL

So if you wrap the chain above the bungee to protect it doesn't that leave your Fiskars vulnerable to a metal on metal strike? I think I would rather cut the bungee vs using chain to protect it.

 

[Mellery]

Welcome Can't wait to try the bungee cord method .. we are just a bit south of you and Douglas Fir has become my favorite wood to burn. We also chop and split cedar, pine, walnut, almond and assorted oak.

 

[akkamaan]

I think I would rather cut the bungee vs using chain to protect it.

Then you get a dozen bungee cords for $24+...
No I rather have my Fiskars to poke that chain a little...I mean that chain is not laying on a concrete pad or something, it will move easy down if axe occasionly should hit it, and on my axe it's not noticably ...
I admit I ma not the most ambitious when it comes to sharpening my splitting tools, my Fiskars performance might be even better with a razor blade edge..
I just a cpl days ago sharpened my maul so I don't get called for cheating when I do my performance comparison between Fiskars and the 8 bs maul...

My Fiskars have only been sharpened once i 7 years...

 

[Mellery]

I sharpen my Fiskars axe almost every time I use it. But I really need it to do all the work - I just lift it over my head with both arms and let it drop. Some how or other my aim has always been dead on, probably from so many years of playing tennis and developing hand to eye coordination.

 

[akkamaan]

I sharpen my Fiskars axe almost every time I use it. But I really need it to do all the work - I just lift it over my head with both arms and let it drop. Some how or other my aim has always been dead on, probably from so many years of playing tennis and developing hand to eye coordination.

And I bet you know how to apply wrist action to increase your tennis racquet impact speed...

 

[akkamaan]

So if you wrap the chain above the bungee to protect it doesn't that leave your Fiskars vulnerable to a metal on metal strike? I think I would rather cut the bungee vs using chain to protect it.