Splitting Firewood Book -- What I Learned

[WarmGuy]

Just finished a good book called "Splitting Firewood" by David Tresemer. The author did a lot of careful testing to determine the efficiency of different splitting methods. Thought I'd pass on some of his conclusions.

TOOL COMPARISON (Time to split 1/5 cord)

Hydraulic Splitter: 30 minutes
Splitting maul: 34
Monster Maul: 34
Chopper 1: 35
Wedge on Handle: 46
Felling Ax 46
Sledgehammer and Wedges: 49
Wedge on Stand: 52

SHOULD YOU SPLIT FROM BOTTOM OR TOP (i.e. in direction of growth or not)

Conclusion: No, it makes no difference

SHOULD YOU SPLIT ALONG CHECK LINES (i.e. split along cracks that are appearing in the log)

Conclusion: Yes, it's a good idea

DOES FROZEN GREEN WOOD SPLIT BETTER THAN THAWED GREEN WOOD

Conclusion: No. However, knotty pieces split slightly faster when thawed, and straight-grain split slightly faster when frozen)

HOW LONG DO YOU NEED TO DRY THE WOOD?

1 foot long split wood reached equilibrium dryness (by measuring weight) after only about 3.5 months. This is for wood that is stacked off the ground, and covered. He doesn't mention humidity. See graph.

 

[BrotherBart]

I take exception to his findings in only one area. Sections with crotches or where limbs have been definately split better bottom up.

Well, that and the fact that the guy with the splitter will be splitting wood for hours after the guy with the maul has had to flop on the couch. Or in my case go to the ICU.

 

[johnsopi]

The numbers don't sound right - Hydraulic Splitter: 30 minutes for 1/5 of a cord that 2.5 hour per cord. That seems slow.

 

[BrotherBart]

The numbers don't sound right - Hydraulic Splitter: 30 minutes for 1/5 of a cord that 2.5 hour per cord. That seems slow.

Around here that is about right with the splitter. Three beers.

With a maul. A week or so. A case.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Perhaps that chap (or lady) does not know very well how to split wood! Especially using a hydraulic splitter. If it took that long to split a cord of wood, I certainly would find a better way. Methinks most of his figures are pretty sad, but we don't know much about the fellow or lady who was doing the splitting. Also, what length was the wood that he was splitting? It certainly is easier to split a 12" log versus an 18" one.

Did that author by any chance state what wood he was splitting? Did he state that some wood splits better through the heart and others on the edge?

 

[titan]

Interesting results.Either his splitter is slow or I'm tougher than I thought.I'll bet a seasoned cord of sugar-maple I could outdo that particular splitter with my 8lb. maul; if I had a good night's sleep, and a good breakfast, and a load of gun-barrel pinewood,and there wasn't a cold beer in sight. :smirk:

 

[Charlie Z]

I remember that guy's name from a book on scythes. Googled and got... (broken link removed to http://www.thestarhouse.org/Ministers.html#Anchor-35882)

From that, I will imagine there is a minor bias against "the buzz, flash, panic, rush, and race of modern life" that your splitter may represent.

 

[jpl1nh]

Some nice info along with the stats about drying.
Most of us that have cut our own for heating do it many ways. Good beer is usually a vital part of the process.....that's why the splitting tools take time. :wow:
How is it that our tiny tiny wimpy electric/hydraulic splitters were not in the mix in this tome ? Our DR baby 4 ton replaced an oh-so-big 12 HP gas monster in 2000. It has , yes slower, split 95% of the 5-7 cords/year with enjoyment. No noise, no fumes, no high maintenance. Plug it into a regular 15a, check the hydraulic oil level, place butt ( the wood %-P ) on the DR, press controls, split. Place micro brew on the table, find a good FM station, sing if able, stop anytime. The DR is a well-made tool ( Italy) , safe since you need both hands on the controls, backup by DR with great support and parts (needed only once), and rugged enough for the heavy use each year. It is over used for its design and function, but performs. Frankly, I don't give a D about speed.
After spending a good part of every winter felling, clearing, brush burning, bucking for firewood and 4' pulp, carrying, transporting the butts to the "pile", I'm not ready to split until late summer or early fall. You do harvest in the winter don't you ? So the "pile" sits proudly until the next stage of splitting, stacking in the pole woodshed and house shed. The extra few months of drying in the fall do the job enough for the winter's fuel.
The unsplittable 5% SOB's get the monster maul or wedges and sledge treatment. Some of the real B_____d's just get thrown to be Semtexed, "fire in the hole".
...and that's all folks.

Do you imply that cutting, splitting, stacking could fit in with the rythym of life, even be enjoyable? What about compulsion to get er done! What about obsession??!! My world is about to crumble.. I know I can do it faster, better, bigger ! Don't give a damn bout speed, what's wrong with people,, geez...fm radio...microbrew..hmmph..

 

[Gooserider]

I would think it would be obvious, one can easily split a firewood book as long as one does so with the pages. If you attempt to go accross the pages it will just make a big mess!

I don't know why you need to READ the book to figure this out! :lol: %-P

Gooserider

 

[NewtownPA]

What I found interesting was the graph. Wood doesn't take one full year to "season" according to that graph. I also notice that the months "June" and "October" are mysteriously absent from the X scale...

 

[WarmGuy]

I also notice that the months "June" and "October" are mysteriously absent from the X scale...

The data points are 36 days apart. So, for example, May 29 is one data point, and July 4 is the next.

His point was indeed that wood doesn't need a full year to season, at least in that test environment.

 

[WarmGuy]

Some further tests he did:

 

[PA. Woodsman]

It might help to report that the book was printed in 1981, so a lot of things have changed since then as far as splitters, technology, etc.

 

[begreen]

Sounds like the splitter they used had a 30 second recycle time.

 

[Gooserider]

Sounds like the splitter they used had a 30 second recycle time.

Are you sure it had an engine? It might have been one Like this :exclaim:

Gooserider

 

[slowzuki]

We have a single stage splitter on the tractor and it is very slow. I'm way faster with the ax on anything clean grained. Knarled stuff off course the splitter is faster.

 

[stangds]

it takes a pretty big splitter to split wood faster than a man in good physical condition can split it.

it's all about cycle time, if you have some nice straight grained stuff that splits easily, you can outrun most "affordable" splitters.

me, i'm not far from the ICU these days, like was mentioned above!