Splitting wood

[doctor phreak]

ok this may seem stupid but how does everyone split their wood...reason i am asking is that i don't have a tree stump and i have a lot of pecan that i would like to split but i really don't know what to use without damaging the ax or hurting myself...any ideas

[Richtee]

The ground? Lay a hunk of plywood out on the ground and have at it. Keep your legs apart, and your strong hand up on the handle. As you come down, slide the strong hand against the other JUST before impact. A SLIGHT twisting motion will usually help "pop" a seasoned log too.

Wood warms ya 3 times... cutting, splitting and burning :{) Mainly the splitting and burning tho heh!

[erain]

and the colder outside it is the better it will split. below zero the best!!! and then you dont need the plywood either cause the ground be harder than the plywood ever be. course you down in them tropical states may have to resort to the plywood.

[Gunslinger]

Forget all that. BS. These guys don't have a clue. They've obviously never split a stick of wood in their lives. WHAT A CROCK!!!!
Use a hydraulic log splitter. Dah.
Actually, their advice is pretty solid. I'd add one thing though. Hickory is tough no matter how strong you are. It, and most other wood will split easier if it is green. If possible, I split green then season. Oh, and another thing that helps is a 14 y/o son.
Other than that, a log splitter is the way to go. I am in the process of building one. I have the I-beam portion almost done and it's all done with scrap and stuff I have laying around. I work on it between loads. I have way too many irons in the fire here at home to work on anything frivolous, so that has to be done at work.
Here are a couple of pics I took with my cell phone a few weeks ago to prove to my son that I'm actually making progress. He hates splitting. Now I have the cylinder mounted, and am working on the trailer, tank, motor mount and hydraulic system.
I was going to build it for tractor mounting, but I need it to go anywhere I cut wood. And sometimes it's other property. So the plan is take it to the tree and split as I cut and load, leaving the bark mess there, instead of in my yard.

I've had this chunk of I-beam laying around for years. And the wedge and end are cut from a cutting edge from our loader at work.


Don't pay too much attention to my welding. A welder I'm not. I am a bit better than proficient, but definitely not an artist. And anyone that doesn't think good welding is an art form, has not picked up a torch, and I don't care what lie their peddlin'.

The motor I'm going to use is a Tecumseh, off of an old Massey Ferguson garden tractor with very few hours. My pump is a front pump from a front-end loader I replaced years ago, and the tank is actually where everything is mounted. It is made of 12" X 12" X 1/4" angle welded together into a box shape. When I'm done, I'll post some pics of it, and it all make sense. After all said and done, I'll have maybe 100 bucks into it.

[Richtee]

Forget all that. BS. These guys don't have a clue. They've obviously never split a stick of wood in their lives. WHAT A CROCK!!!!
Use a hydraulic log splitter. Dah.

Damn... I never thought of that.

[davidmcg]

ok this may seem stupid but how does everyone split their wood...reason i am asking is that i don't have a tree stump and i have a lot of pecan that i would like to split but i really don't know what to use without damaging the ax or hurting myself...any ideas

Well if your fond of your sidewalk, driveway or patio blocks don't use them. Go to your local home improvement or nursery and get a solid concrete block about 6" thick and about 1' square. It will hold up to the repeate impacts and be large enough to center any log you run across.

Next, you'll need a good splitting maul. Don't mess with an axe. An axe is too light and you will need wedges. A good splitting maul will be heavy and a wide enough head to just split a log right open without wedges.

As you impact that log, let the handle twist a little. You'll be surprised how much that little twist helps pop that log right open.

[davidmcg]

and the colder outside it is the better it will split. below zero the best!!! and then you dont need the plywood either cause the ground be harder than the plywood ever be. course you down in them tropical states may have to resort to the plywood.

Colder the better I agree. Keeps ya from working up to much of a sweat and generally helps ya get in the right frame of mind to get it done so you can go back in and be warm.

We do all of our splittin by the end of April. After that it is too hot until November. That is unless Mother Nature comes along with a severe storm or an early snow and we get more fun to trim trees and such.

[davidmcg]

Forget all that. BS. These guys don't have a clue. They've obviously never split a stick of wood in their lives. WHAT A CROCK!!!!
Use a hydraulic log splitter. Dah.

You got that right, manual splitting is no fun.

Oh, and another thing that helps is a 14 y/o son.

No denying or doubt about that.

Other than that, a log splitter is the way to go. I am in the process of building one. Don't pay too much attention to my welding. A welder I'm not. I am a bit better than proficient, but definitely not an artist. And anyone that doesn't think good welding is an art form, has not picked up a torch, and I don't care what lie their peddlin'.

Gunny I think the welding looks fine. Better than some of mine. Don't matter around here how pretty or ugly of weld as long as it works and don't leave ya stranded or break and clean your clock. My son always tells me I am running to much juice and moving the stick too fast. Well, I guess but I am still alive and haven't been stranded from a broken weld yet. What does he know, he is one of them artist welders, stick/mig/tig and all that good school taught stuff.

[erain]

a log splitter is the way to go. I am in the process of building one.

gunny, forget the logsplitter.... you wanna really get it done????? make a phone call...

'Hello, is this the Sheriff's Office?'
> >
> > 'Yes. What can I do for you?'
> >
> > 'I'm calling to report 'bout my neighbor,
> > Virgil Smith(whoever has the wood needin to be split).....He's hidin' marijuana inside his
> > firewood! Don't quite know how he gets it inside them
> > logs, but he's hidin' it there.'
> >
> > 'Thank you very much for the call, sir.'
> >
> > The next day, the Sheriff's Deputies descend on
> > Virgil's house. They search the shed where the firewood
> > is kept. Using axes, they bust open every piece of wood, but
> > find no marijuana. They sneer at Virgil and leave.
> >
> > Shortly, the phone rings at Virgil's house.
> >
> > 'Hey, Virgil! This here's Floyd... .Did the Sheriff
> > come?'
> >
> > 'Yeah!'
> >
> > 'Did they chop your firewood?'
> >
> > 'Yep!'
> >
> > 'Happy Birthday, buddy!'

LMAO, this showed up on my email today...

[jbchoice1]

^ that's funny... saw that a few years ago... still funny... nice timing erain...

hey gunny, have you thought about an add on that goes 90 degrees to what you already have? splits for at a time that way...

[Gunslinger]

^ that's funny... saw that a few years ago... still funny... nice timing erain...

hey gunny, have you thought about an add on that goes 90 degrees to what you already have? splits for at a time that way...

I've seen those, and decided not to. It takes lot of force to do that, and I don't think the cylinder I have would handle it. Maybe after I have to change the cylinder.

[travcoman45]

This is how were gonna be splitten wood here this summer!







An yup, that be a wisconsin V4 ta power that thin! This should be the logsplitter from H*** when it's all done!

Otherwise, I use a stump an a splitten maul. Nieghbor uses a couple a railroad ties strapped tagether.

[RowdyRay]

Geez Tip, you think you'll "get 'er done?" What are ya planning to split....granite?

[travcoman45]

Well the price was good, get some yard work done an back to it, got the engine mounted, fuel tank is built, my boy is healed up enough ta get back ta weldin. Hope we have er finished say mid summer?!

[erain]

i seen a splitter with one a the v4 wiscos on it, and it had the cross blade and would split in four pieces like jb said. that thing didnt come from he!!, it came from a place deeper than that. almost looked like a monster garage creation. lets just say tip.... you will not be underpowered!!!