Questions on wood splitter

[mbcijim]

I'm sure this has been asked before, just don't have the time to research it, so my apologies.

I have a lot of wood I've split by hand. 5-6 Cords probably in the last 2-3 months.

I have probably 1 cord I couldn't split by hand so it's in a pile of rounds a lot of Y's, knotty wood, some elm, etc... I also have another 5-6 cords left to split.

I was thinking of making a weekend out of it and getting caught up by renting a wood splitter. I would have at least one helper, and could probably get 2 helpers (both kids). My wood is scattered about, I'd have to move the splitter 3-4 times.

Can I split 6 cords in one long weekend? How many helpers should I have? Is my 1 cord of hard to hand split wood a problem?
I probably won't stack it right away.

 

[smokinj]

I'm sure this has been asked before, just don't have the time to research it, so my apologies.

I have a lot of wood I've split by hand. 5-6 Cords probably in the last 2-3 months.

I have probably 1 cord I couldn't split by hand so it's in a pile of rounds a lot of Y's, knotty wood, some elm, etc... I also have another 5-6 cords left to split.

I was thinking of making a weekend out of it and getting caught up by renting a wood splitter. I would have at least one helper, and could probably get 2 helpers (both kids). My wood is scattered about, I'd have to move the splitter 3-4 times.

Can I split 6 cords in one long weekend? How many helpers should I have? Is my 1 cord of hard to hand split wood a problem?
I probably won't stack it right away.

yes you can get it done in a weekend 2 people splitting is idea but with 2 being kids 3 would be better (put you running the splitter one kid feeding you the rounds and the other stacking the splits)

 

[mbcijim]

Thanks smokinj.

Do you think I'd be trying to do too much?

 

[SolarAndWood]

It takes me 2-3 hours to split a cord by myself. That is with all of the rounds in a large pile and tossing the splits into another. You will have a good and tired crew by the end of the weekend but it is doable.

 

[smokinj]

Thanks smokinj.

Do you think I'd be trying to do too much?

no its very do- able should be able to run a cord an hour give or take a little may get bottle neck at the stacking if you do just pile it up and come back to it after everything is splitt

 

[WES999]

I split 3 or 4 cords in one day with a 13 ton rented splitter, working by myself.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/20591/
You should not have a problem splitting 5 or 6 over a couple of days with some help.

 

[Jags]

With one adult and a couple of yung un's you will probably get ~1 cord or so per 1.5 hours (your gonna start out strong and then start to slow down as the day goes). And don't plan on working those young guns more than a few hours per day. Just say'in. If they aren't used to makin' wood, they are gonna wear out on ya.

5-6 cords in a weekend. Very do-able.

 

[BucksCounty]

Yes, you can get it done. I used a splitter last weekend for the first time (if someone told me before using a splitter that I could to it, I would not have believed them). My father, brother, and myself split that much wood in a weekend. We rented a splitter and got it all done. We were sore, but I am set for next winter. Put some cold ones on ice for when you are finished!

 

[gerry100]

If you've already got 5-6 cords split and can leave the the " uglies" to season longer you may not need the expense of a power splitter.

Creative use of the saw and splitting maul should get them small enough to to fit in the door an dthey'll be ready by the time you burn the hand split stuff.

 

[bill*67]

imo, anything can be done in a certain amount of time. just dont over do it , and dont work them little ones to much! let them go at there own pace! i agree with bucks country, keep some cold ones on ice and some sodas for the little guys. above all else, just have a great day!

 

[savageactor7]

Can I split 6 cords in one long weekend?

Oh yeah no problem.

 

[mbcijim]

Thanks guys, appreciate all of the input.

Due to the responses here, I really focused on cutting into rounds and moving everything to one location the last 3 days. You guys are right, I do have enough cut for at least one year, & maybe even 2.

I cleared about an acre of trees for my new house. At least 3 tri-axles worth were hauled off site. But still cutting a few, and many trees were just laying in the woods. I want to get it all cleaned up before the topsoil & landscapers come. I'm going to get everything centralized, then worry about splitting. So no more splitting until everything is cleaned up. Then the long weekend.

I had 3 helpers yesterday. All 13 & 14. I agree about not over working them. I let them drive the skidloader where it was safe. That kept them VERY happy. I do most of the loading & unloading. They do something new for a while and they enjoy it. And have a campfire with smores & soda when done. They love that! They were fighting over driving it. I have a good friend who has two boys 13 & 16 and he has taught me a lot about motivating & disciplining kids.

 

[Brian VT]

no its very do- able should be able to run a cord an hour give or take

I borrowed a Huskee 22 ton yesterday. In 4 1/2 hrs. I didn't have much more than a cord split.
I couldn't have gone much faster. I was limited by the speed of the splitter.

 

[DBoon]

I've done about 1 cord/hour on a splitter, but over several hours, you definitely slow down.

If the rounds are big around, long, and/or fresh cut and wet, it makes for a long day of moving rounds to the splitter, and you can get really tired fast. Having a few people rotate on and off that activity would be good. Also, the most productive way I use a splitter is one adult person working the hydraulic lever and another adult person putting the rounds under the hydraulic wedge. The person working the handle has to be paying attention, and should be someone who has worked the other side also (i.e. putting rounds under hte hydraulic wedge). Then, all that person does is move the wedge up and down, not wasting any time in having it travel the full path ever. This is definitely not OSHA approved, but it is faster. And I wouldn't have a kid doing this part - I worry about the wandering attention and short attention span.

Be careful how you move splits from the splitter to the pile. The first time I used a splitter, I must have split about 2-1/2 cords in an afternoon. I developed a nice flip of the split away from the splitter and the next day and for six months after that, I had the worst case of tennis elbow you can imagine.