Left home feeling like a badass...

[mcstatz5829]

...returned totally defeated.



Is it okay to use the chainsaw with the grain?

 

[TheAardvark]

Absolutely fine to cut it in smaller pieces with the saw. I do it all the time.

 

[begreen]

Looks like you need a splitting maul and some good, large steel wedges to add to your arsenal. Some wood splits easily with an axe but there are times when heavy duty leverage works best. I have had to use 4 wedges on some big rounds. FWIW, I am not a big fan of the grenade style wedge. If it splits that easily let me have at it with the Fiskars.

 

[mcstatz5829]

I AM A GOD



Okay so I know the orange wedges aren’t the proper tool. I’ll get the right ones

 

[mcstatz5829]

Looks like you need a splitting maul and some good, large steel wedges to add to your arsenal. Some wood splits easily with an axe but there are times when heavy duty leverage works best. I have had to use 4 wedges on some big rounds. FWIW, I am not a big fan of the grenade style wedge. If it splits that easily let me have at it with the Fiskars.

Splitting maul? What do you call that 8lb monster?

 

[Kevin Weis]

Looks like you need a splitting maul and some good, large steel wedges to add to your arsenal. Some wood splits easily with an axe but there are times when heavy duty leverage works best. I have had to use 4 wedges on some big rounds. FWIW, I am not a big fan of the grenade style wedge. If it splits that easily let me have at it with the Fiskars.

 

[Kevin Weis]

Yes, it's fine to use the saw. Not unmanly at all. Kevin

 

[mcstatz5829]

Looks like you need a splitting maul and some good, large steel wedges to add to your arsenal. Some wood splits easily with an axe but there are times when heavy duty leverage works best. I have had to use 4 wedges on some big rounds. FWIW, I am not a big fan of the grenade style wedge. If it splits that easily let me have at it with the Fiskars.

The grenade wedge kept popping OUT when I hit it with the fiskars or the 8lb maul. I’m not sure when or how to use that particular tool yet.

 

[begreen]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014M9LQGG/?tag=hearthamazon-20 and several of these

 

[SpaceBus]

Those are pretty gnarly. Makes the green spruce I was splitting today seem like nothing in comparison. I drove a wedge all the way into a red spruce round and into the splitting stump before it let go. If I were in your shoes, I would try the really long splitting spikes. You can use it as a lever in addition to a wedge. I've never used one of those four sided wedges.

 

[begreen]

I've split some big fir rounds where I buried 2 wedges, had to flip the heavy sucker over and drive 2 more wedges in on the opposite side, then whack away with the maul.

 

[mcstatz5829]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014M9LQGG/?tag=hearthamazon-20 and several of these

View attachment 234057

I just bought a 8 lb maul - is that one worth dropping an extra $50?

Definitely getting the wedges

 

[mcstatz5829]

Those are pretty gnarly.

Yeah. Free isn’t what it used to be

 

[SpaceBus]

Yeah. Free isn’t what it used to be

Hahaha, that's the truth! I bought a new faucet for the house we just moved into. Four trips later and the $50 faucet turned to $230 after the tools I needed. The previous owner clamped everything down excessively tight. At least I have a small assortment of plumbing tools now.

I have the Fiskars 8 lb maul and it is a beast If the splitting side can't make it through, it works well as a sledge to push wedges. I too have a 4 lb hammer for setting the wedges in, or when the splitting axe won't work, but the maul is too much. You will never be sad for more quality tools. They will pay for themselves in time, especially when heating with wood.

 

[Dataman]

Hahaha, that's the truth! I bought a new faucet for the house we just moved into. Four trips later and the $50 faucet turned to $230 after the tools I needed. The previous owner clamped everything down excessively tight. At least I have a small assortment of plumbing tools now.

I have the Fiskars 8 lb maul and it is a beast If the splitting side can't make it through, it works well as a sledge to push wedges. I too have a 4 lb hammer for setting the wedges in, or when the splitting axe won't work, but the maul is too much. You will never be sad for more quality tools. They will pay for themselves in time, especially when heating with wood.

That's why I got Splitter. So much easier when I did firewood. 900 bucks for Dirty Hand with shipping. Now it's 600lb box when it arrives for you to build.

 

[Rich L]

The grenade wedge kept popping OUT when I hit it with the fiskars or the 8lb maul. I’m not sure when or how to use that particular tool yet.

I don't like those Grenades,The best grenades/wedges that I endorse are the Oregon Splitting Grenade.You can find them on ebay.Get two if you can.

 

[SpaceBus]

That's why I got Splitter. So much easier when I did firewood. 900 bucks for Dirty Hand with shipping. Now it's 600lb box when it arrives for you to build.

Trust me I want one

 

[CentralVAWoodHeat]

Trust me I want one

It is more than worth it. I went for years splitting by hand. After buying a splitter, not only did I reduce my processing time to about a fourth of what it had been, but my yield became 100%. Every round I cut can be made into splits pretty much whatever size I want. I also no longer have any hand, neck, back or shoulder pain at the end of the day.

I still split some by hand but have gone mostly to the world of hydraulics. I would consider it an indispensable part of wood heat at this point.

 

[Tar12]

Big gnarly rounds and the 660 comes out and makes short work of it..

 

[SpaceBus]

It is more than worth it. I went for years splitting by hand. After buying a splitter, not only did I reduce my processing time to about a fourth of what it had been, but my yield became 100%. Every round I cut can be made into splits pretty much whatever size I want. I also no longer have any hand, neck, back or shoulder pain at the end of the day.

I still split some by hand but have gone mostly to the world of hydraulics. I would consider it an indispensable part of wood heat at this point.

I am fairly young, but medically retired and do suffer more than another guy my age from splitting wood. It feels like I split twice as much as I did yesterday. When I have the money for a splitter, believe me I will get one.the house we just bought needs a lot of work, so we have been focused on that.

 

[Simonkenton]

That is a pretty big stick of wood. What kind of wood is it?

Get one of these German wedges. I bought one three years ago I like German stuff.

http://www.baileysonline.com/Forest...00-Twisted-Aluminium-Splitting-Wedge-Oval.axd

It costs 75 bucks but it will split the wood.

 

[wooduser]

Yep, just get yourself the right tool....

 

[mcstatz5829]

I don’t know if it’s me or this split. I just precut a 1” deep groove to seat the wedge. I can’t even get the wedge to the bottom of the groove. I can’t even get it to feel tight.

The wood feels made of concrete. It’s not budging at all to let the wedge in. I know I can saw it half through and then wedge it, but I feel I’m missing something technical here.

 

[mcstatz5829]

I don’t know if it’s me or this split. I just precut a 1” deep groove to seat the wedge. I can’t even get the wedge to the bottom of the groove. I can’t even get it to feel tight.

The wood feels made of concrete. It’s not budging at all to let the wedge in. I know I can saw it half through and then wedge it, but I feel I’m missing something technical here.

I finally was able to get it in with the 8lb maul. Seems like getting the right weight and velocity is tricky. Too little and you don’t go anywhere too much and it bounces in and out. Just right it wedges in just a bit deeper and let’s you take a bigger swing next time.

 

[FaithfulWoodsman]

Those kind get personal real fast. Lol. Splitter is best, but if you work from the outside (sometimes chipping thin spits) eventually you can crack it all with a lot less headache. Glad to hear it didnt get the best of you.