What do you use to split wood? Tips?

[jaustin]

Hi folks. First post in a while.

Just wondering what you use to split wood. I'm talking axe/maul here, not a machine. Any brand/style/weight work better than another?

I've been splitting a couple of cords/year for a few years now, but I need to scale up a bit.

Thanks,
Jim

[hydro2]

Wood Grenades work great, but I have broken two of them within weeks.  I just keep returning them for a new one!!

[lucky_cutter]

My preference is an 8# maul with a plastic composite handle. I just can't get a wood handle to last. Occasionally, I will resort to wedges but sometimes they are quite a hassle. If the round doesn't cooperate i am not too proud to cut it in half with the husky. This also makes great shavings for firestarter. I have found that maple splits easier soon after being cut. I once let some 4' maple rounds bask in the 90 deg sun for a couple of weeks. They turned into rocks! Now days I prefer logs the size of telephone poles. As for larger rounds, study the faces and try to work on natural cracks. Tecnique can still win over brute muscle. Of course species and grain has a lot to do with production. Good luck and be safe.

[Furby]

For the tougher stuff I use a cheap cutting axe.
Stick it in the log and hold the handle with one hand while swinging a 8 - 15 sledge with the other.
Wouldn't do it with a "good" axe, but the handle allows you some control of the round. If ya have a helper that can hold it, you can get a real good swing with the sledge.
On the easier stuff that same axe will just go right through when ya try to stick it.

[cord_wood]

Hi all, i usually split 50 - 75 face cords of wood a winter.(maple,yellow birch) This year i tried the 6lb fiberglassed maul from canadian tire. Its not worth buying, too much vibration in the handle and not balance well, so im still using the 6lb factory maul with wood handle(no vibration) and a 8lb home made maul(made from sledge hammer) with wood handle. Ray

[Al_Smith]

I have a 5 lb. splitting axe,that was made,in the late 1890's,that belonged to my granddad .It is entirely different in design,than a felling axe.For me,it's about 2 or 3 handles per year.Hmm,let me see,3 times 25,oh yea,been through a lot of them. :D

[BC_coops]

If the wood is dry, try a dishwater bucket of soapy water and a sledge -- when wet with soap, the sides of the sledge will drive right into the wood with no friction.  No energy is wasted by heating up the sides of the wedge from side friction with the wood ... and the sledge will pull out easier when the log isn't blow apart by the first blow (fewer broken handles ... )

If you have stringy wood and a small backup saw, try putting a ripper chain on it and rip a good way into the ends of your logs, maybe a bar and a half. Then use a pair of wedges, an 8# hammer and a small boys axe -- I use 4 wedges sometimes, 1st wedge opens the log at a natural split or a rip cut, 2nd and 3rd wedges go in right next to prior ones, to really open the log and make room (A) to chip a boy's axe in there to cut the stringers, and (b) let the wedges fall out.  Otherwise too much energy is wasted popping out stuck wedges.  Light taps with a sharp boys axe is all that is needed to cut any stringers in the middle.

[Carl_B]

I use Log blaster log splitting maul from Brave products Inc. It is a 10 l.b. all steel maul . It will split most blocks in one blow and will not stick.http://www.braveproducts.com/  I see  that northen tool has them. I bought mine from a local dealer . I have had mine for over ten years.

[weimedog]

My ninteen year old son works best...give him the axe & maul with a wedge and a pile of split woods is on the way.

You have to know him to apreciate the humer in watching him explode a couple of cords of wood with that manual method...standing next to a hydraulic gas powered wood splitter

[beenthere]

jaustin  You said:
""I've been splitting a couple of cords/year for a few years now, but I need to scale up a bit.""

What have you been using that you feel you need to 'scale up' ?

Furby
As a friendly reminder, hope you both are wearing eye protection when hitting an axe with a maul with two people.  :)Even with one person, when steel meets steel, small steel projectiles can cause some eye damage quick. A friend of mine, went home to help his father split wood one weekend several years back, and a piece of steel lodged in his Dad's eye, and he never regained the eyesight back. Just felt a need to pass that on to all (even though most likely knew it already).

Last month I was drilling some steel on my drill press, and the thought crossed my mind that I should put on the safety glasses. About that moment, I felt something at my eye, but it was not much. I put on the glasses anyway, but a slight irritation in that eye kept reminding me that something must have hit me.  I looked, but couldn't see anything. I picked up a small but strong magnet, held it up to my eye real close, and thought I felt a piece come out. Under a magnifying glass, I found a very small steel flake on the magnet that I assumed was the piece. After that, no more discomfort.
The glasses are on for sure now.

[Stephen_Wiley]

Any of you consider or have used, "The Stickler"

www.thestickler.com

Mostly I use an axe, maul and technique.

[rebocardo]

I use two steel wedges, a 10 pound sledge with a fiberglass handle that has a handle protector, a small 2 pound sledge, and a wood grenade.

I used the wood grenade in birch and oak sometimes, usually I just use the two steel wedges I bought from Home Depot. I always wear eye protection (I have ansi safety glasses with side shields).

I do a lot of sweet gum so using a chain saw is almost mandatory. I split (more like ripped) a few cords of that by hand before I started using a chain saw.

Using a full comp cross cut or full comp ripping chain (10L/10R degree - anything else is too brutal). I lay a piece of round on its side and cut lengthwise (with the grain) to split it.
Throws up a ton of curls, they make good firestarters as noted earlier.

If the D section left is too big, I split that the same way. On larger rounds with the rip chain I might stand the wood up and rip it straight down, with a ripping chain this is pretty fast.
 
I set two pieces of wood up on two big rounds (about 24" x 24"), use the small sledge to pound a wedge into a crack on each piece of wood, then hit each of the two pieces of wood with the bigger sledge once I stand back up. That way I do not have the wedge pop out and hit me on a hard piece of wood. Plus, I cut bending over in 1/2.

[Furby]

Yep Beenthere, ALWAYS wear eye protection!
As well as other protection! ;)
I find that no matter how you split wood, there are always small objects flying trough the air.

When that thought passes through your mind, ALWAYS stop and take care of the problem, if it's not alredy too late.
Been there, done that! ;)

[hydro2]

You guys talked me into it, I just bought a Log blaster log splitting maul from Brave products Inc.  It will be coming in a couple of days.  I like the steel handle.

[Varmintmist]

I use a #8, red handled, one jack@$$ powered, mobile, splitting instrument.

 ;D ;D ;D

I dont split that much though. Most stuff will go into the OD woodburner without splitting. I split 4 cord for the neighbor though.

[Weekend_Sawyer]

 Starting about 15 years ago I had a weekend firewood business. The frist 2 years I split by hand but it was killing my hands. I built a log splitter out of parts off an old dozer in dad's back yard, that was fun. Recently I bought a nice 14Hp vertical splitter for the big stuff though the slabwood that i mostly burn these days I split with a short handled axe.

I don't sell firewood anymore, I found the best way to save money was to pay for a divorce!!!

[leweee]

Jon....I know what you mean .... just paid for mine. Splitten wood by hand helps relieve anxiety & fustration. An 8# maul, stump or chopping block & technic duz 90% of it. I rent a splitter once a year for the Ugly ones. Fresh air & exercise is the best part about the"by hand" part. You sleep well after a few Hours of splitting. As I grow older I find I have to pace myself , still enjoy the Physical part.Wear your PPE, Work safe & Enjoy yourself.

[lucky_cutter]

There is nothing more expensive than a woman who is" free" for the evening.

P.S.  Always wear your PPE

[hydro2]

Varmintmist,
What kind of OD burner do you have?  I just bought a Hardy this fall and love it.