Most wood hand split in a day....

[ArsenalDon]

So today, without killing myself and only using my Fiskars (with the exception of one round that had 8 branches that had grown out of it and I needed the steel wedge) in 3 hours I split 3/4 of a cord.......Which lead me to think, without killing yourself for 8 hours, by hand...what is the most you have split in a day?

 

[pen]

Sorta like asking how far / fast have ya run in a day. In general, this depends on how close the lion who wants to take a bite out of your ass is.

That said, I've had my most productive splitting when I knew there were thunderstorms coming, snow coming, on a time frame and need to get X number of loads done in a day and still have time for a few beers, etc.

However, there are a lot of variables. I have blown through a cord in an afternoon or evening easily before, when it cooperated. I've spent a whole afternoon or evening on a face (1/3 cord) of nasty beech working even harder.

With so many variables, the only thing I've ever measured is how much gas in my saw it takes to cut up a load worth of wood for my truck. In general, when cutting hardwoods, I've found that doesn't vary much.

Also, after a bunch of counting last summer, a good buddy and I who often cut / split together found on average, for the size of our splits, a cord was between 410-440 splits.

But for how long it will take to split up that truck load, well, that depends

pen

 

[Seasoned Oak]

Dont know, i never split any by hand, its tough enough splitting them with a machine let alone without.

 

[Pallet Pete]

Pft wow that's a tuff one ! I started at 6:30 am one day last winter and went till 9pm but I stopped drank beer Chatted with the neighbor in there too sooo I got no idea

Pete

 

[Stax]

Never measured after splitting. I'm sure it ain't even close to a cord. All of my wood is split by hand and done at a pace in which I'm not killing myself.

 

[bboulier]

Dont know, i never split any by hand, its tough enough splitting them with a machine let alone without.

If I recall correctly, the technical term for "splitting wood by hand" is the "karate chop".

 

[bogydave]

Was always to tired to measure.
Several wheel barrow loads for sure.

 

[red oak]

So today, without killing myself and only using my Fiskars (with the exception of one round that had 8 branches that had grown out of it and I needed the steel wedge) in 3 hours I split 3/4 of a cord.......Which lead me to think, without killing yourself for 8 hours, by hand...what is the most you have split in a day?

Unfortunately I can't think of any activity I can do for 8 hours straight, so I have no idea.

 

[tsquini]

It all depends on the wood you are chopping. With nice straight grain wood, I can do a cord a day. When I hit elm or dry locust I will be lucky to get half a chord. A few years ago I started using a tire to chop in. It saves a lot of time and energy.

 

[ArsenalDon]

I knew this was a question that had many variables. The only reason I knew exactly how much I split is that I was immediately throwing it on to a 9X4 foot pallet we got from the lumber yard so the measurement was easy. Today it was a steady diet of P Pine withe just a few rounds of Doug Fir thrown in for fun. Most of it was fairly knot free but a few of the rounds had the ol' Fiskars bounce right off.

 

[lukem]

I can do a cord in about 2-3 hours on average...If I were to go for 8 hours I might get 1.5 cord. Usually pretty gassed after the first one. I split 1/2 cord of black locust with the maul last weekend in about an hour, but it was nice stuff and most rounds only needed quartered.

Depends a LOT on the wood you are splitting (species, size) and how big/small you like your splits.

 

[Waulie]

I try to stick to a one tree at a time rule. Meaning, I don't start on another tree until I've downed, bucked, split, and cleaned up the previous one. So, I'd say I'll usually average splitting about a half cord in a day which is about an average haul from one tree. Sometimes more, sometimes less. I also don't tend to split for long periods at a time. I'll run a tank in saw, split what I cut, saw some more, etc. I like to change it up.

 

[Got Wood]

I would love to watch some one hand split at a rate of 1/2 cord an hour. Holy crap, you must be in some kind of good shape and that maul must be flying! My hand splitting days are over due to a shoulder injury which occurred while splitting. I loved the work and miss it....but I was no where near the productivity that some of you claim. I much prefer to work at a comfortable pace and for as long as I feel like it that day....could be all day or could be a 1/2 hour.

 

[mecreature]

I split and stacked a little better then a cord yesterday.
All the rounds were were stacked right there.
I used 6 chopping blocks and stacked as I went.

I held off the beer till close to quitting time.
I don't know how long it took cause I started and stopped several times.

mostly Cherry and Sycamore. Some hackberry and elm I had to start with a noodle.


And,

Yes I do walk a little funny today.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

I was completely exhausted from splitting with a machine for 8 hours,WHILE SEATED .I can imagine swinging an ax for the same time period.

 

[lukem]

I would love to watch some one hand split at a rate of 1/2 cord an hour.

Its not that bad if you have a big pile of rounds right there close, some easy splitting wood, and aren't stacking. I couldn't sustain that pace all day...maybe two hours tops with a 15 minute break in between.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

WHen im machine splitting i hire a guy to feed me the rounds on one side of me and stack the splits in between.very efficient.WHen im done splitting all the wood is already stacked.

 

[Shane N]

One day, I hand split 5 cords while drinking a 24 pack. The frustrating part is when I woke up the next morning, erm afternoon, someone stole all but a small pile overnight.

 

[lukem]

One day, I hand split 5 cords while drinking a 12 pack. The frustrating part is when I woke up the next morning, erm afternoon, someone stole all but a small pile overnight.

It only took a 12 pack?

 

[ScotO]

I've split 5 to 6 cord by hand in a day before......back when I was just dating the wife (mid-90's), her dad had a mountain of rounds laying in the front yard. It was a hot sunny day, and being a young buck out to impress the lady, I took my shirt off and had at it........all damm day!
Drank lotsa water, had lotsa blisters on my hands, got tanned to a dark brown, soaked my jeans and boots completly with sweat....but I did that whole mountain of rounds.

My ploy to get her hot and bothered worked too, as she was feeling frisky that night. Problem was, I was too damm tired to take advantage of that friskiness and I passed out around 7:30 that evening!! And MAN was I sore the next day!

 

[TimJ]

Was she wearing a straw hat and a blue checkered shirt and drinking an ice cold pepsi while she watched ya Scotty

 

[Shane N]

It only took a 12 pack?

Good point. Fixed.

 

[smokinj]

Spent a winter in northern Montanna dont know how much in a day but it was the only heat source.

 

[ScotO]

Was she wearing a straw hat and a blue checkered shirt and drinking an ice cold pepsi while she watched ya Scotty

OH, MAN I WISH! With 'dem Daisy Dukes on..

..DAMMIT...
Where was I?

If she would've had that get-up on, I'd have cut my toes off in an instant.....

 

[lukem]

Back when I was growing up...probably 12 or 13...I was out cutting wood with my dad one day (actually LOTS of days...but just this one comes to mind). He had (actually still has) a trailer that goes behind the tractor. It is 4x8 with 2' sides. He took off back to the house to empty the trailer and I had enough of a big cherry tree split up in that time to more than fill the trailer. Probably 30 minutes total.