We've been splitting wood all wrong

Mother Nature Network ^ | 1/28/14

[Kartographer]

The basic shape and design of the axe hasn't changed in, well, millennia, as attested to by archaeological discoveries from around the world. At least, that was true until an enterprising Finn decided to rethink the way we chop wood.

[digger48]

A couple years ago, one of those was $25,000.

Not counting the $60,000 Bobcat, of course.

[NonValueAdded]

Wallabe damned!

[tomkat]

It works :

             

[Georgia Girl 2]

Yeh we have a splitting axe but we are getting weary. We are getting ready to break down and get a splitter ourselves.

[tomkat]

(yes, on oak and gnarly old maple, and rock-hard locust too)

[MHGinTN]

Harbor Freight has a 5 ton that will do about all your turns, for $250 on six inch wheels. Save your back and elbows, get the ‘electric glide’.

[PGalt]

Very cool. Thanks for posting. HOORAY enterprising Finn!

GOOD - BETTER - BEST bump!

[Georgia Girl 2]

Mr GG2 has his heart set on a DR. Its got a flywheel that makes it faster. I personally have no knowledge of splitters except that I want one. :-)

[spokeshave]

But wait until the temperature is well below freezing, when the moist tendrils of that wood fiber are crystalized ice,

Freezing water expands...so the ice will crack the wood.

[Ditter]

I wouldn’t like it if I was buying propane. We have natural gas and it is the cheapest thing in my household budget.

[bobby.223]

I split a lot of wood each year up here. I enjoy the heck out of it! All by maul and wedges. It is a great workout as long as you don’t over do it.

[JIM O]

You did not split it the government split it.

[Born to Conserve]

Why do you insult me?

I’m splitting oak and hard maple mostly, and there’s even some beech.

Sounds like you need to work on your technique. (tit for tat).

[ABN 505]

Monster maul. one hit wonder but you better have some serious topside muscle

[knarf]

29 posts before intelligence snuck in.

My firebox can take a 24" X 10" log ... I useually cut 'em 22" out in the woods.

Anything 10" and smaller in diameter gets stacked as is and I NEVER split ANYthing so small ... there's plenty of kindlin' from the limbs that we DO gather and use.

Larger diameter logs will be split to as closely match that 10" diameter as possible.

Around 11PM, I stack my firebox, (which, btw, is sunken from the loading door so I can fill a 10X24 firebox), damp everything down and go to sleep for about 6 - 8 hours (older burner, a few leaks, etc.), and awake to a nicely warm to hot bed of coals.

That guy must be a craftsman making pine splits he'll shave to make bird houses ..

/8^)

[knarf]

Amen, Amen, AMEN !

After a few hours of maul and wedge splittin', I feel terrific !

The next day is an Aleve day, still feeling good with a lot of mobility

If I don't split every three or four days, I'll tighten up after about a week.

THAT'S when I take advantage of cabin fever ... and mama ...

/;^)

[9422WMR]

Osage orange ia another wood you can’t split. Also known as bois d’arc.

[dangerdoc]

Not meant to insult, I tried to post a picture, the post doesn't come across right without it. I've tried to post another picture with this post. Not sure why it's not working.

[dangerdoc]

I’m heating my house with hand split hedge.

[Fzob]

That is a thing of beauty.