Any of you use a Maul?

[Adirondack]

I was using my friends log splitter and split about a cord of wood. I had plans to buy my own splitter in the future.
I was at the store and they had a 13 lb. maul for 16.00 so I got it just for back up. I tried it on a few logs and found it to be much easier to split the wood than I thought. It was good exercise and fun as well. From then on I did not use the log splitter any more. I think I can split as fast or faster considering the work maneuvering the logs in the splitter. I was just wondering how many of you prefer a maul to a splitter? With the right technique even the really big stuff is not that difficult with the maul.

 

[sloch24]

I use both...

I just bought a splitter last year. Before that I always used a maul or wedges and a sledge. It depends on the wood, how dry it is, how many crotches are in the tree, and what the grain is like. There is some wood that I can split faster with a maul, but for the most part, I use the splitter for just about everything now. The maul is just there for the occasional use, or to bust up something that the splitter didn't finish (stringy grain).

Then there's loading the truck. If there's something that's too big for me to load in the truck, I'll knock it in half with a wedge or two to make it easier to load.

 

[Longwood]

I use a maul as an accessory to the logsplitter. If a piece of wood gets hung on the blade of the wood splitter I hit it with the maul to break it loose or finish splitting it.
Some wood splits easy with a maul, but if you ever have to split Sweetgum or Sycamore you'll find the maul just bounces off and after awhile the wood seems to be laughing at you.

 

[JONSEREDFAN6069]

i use a 6lb and a hammer, split 10 cords this past summer, dry pine and birch
no use for a splitter, my arm's are alot bigger now and back is great i had a race against a freinds splitter 24 inch pine i could split 4 16 inch long peices in quarters to his 2 with the splitter so ya a little more work but quicker and less expensive, work out is good too.

 

[Edge & Engine]

I love splitting wood by hand. When I was young I liked a go-devil (6lb?), but now I use a 15lb maul. Whenever I try a lighter axe, I find that it just doesn't split as well.

 

[mtngun]

I enjoy splitting wood with a maul. I store wood as rounds and only split a little at a time, so it isn't tiring. In the morning, it takes me 5 - 10 minutes to split enough wood for the day, then I might have to split for 5 - 10 more minutes in the evening.

If a round is too big or too knotty to split easily, then I saw it into shorter lengths or even cookies. The cookies are easy to shatter with the maul, and the chunks are easy to carry upstairs in a bucket.

 

[Wet1]

This is probably in the wrong section, but...


Back in my hydraulic splitter days, I frequently swung a maul since I found it was simply faster with most wood. Since I got the Super Split, the maul hasn't seen much action. I still throw it around every so often, but the SS is so much more productive when there's a lot of work to be done.

 

[Pablo26]

I don't have a splitter and all wood has been split with an 8lb maul and a wedge.
Watch out for tennis "maul" elbow, I messed mine up real good.

 

[Kogafortwo]

I use a maul as an accessory to the logsplitter. If a piece of wood gets hung on the blade of the wood splitter I hit it with the maul to break it loose or finish splitting it.
Some wood splits easy with a maul, but if you ever have to split Sweetgum or Sycamore you'll find the maul just bounces off and after awhile the wood seems to be laughing at you.

+1
Same is true for popcorn tree wood which is an invasive species down here in SC. It's like hard rubber, impregnated with kevlar.

 

[harrygrey382]

maul all the way (but I've always heard it called a blockbuster). Very rare I find something I can't split, but then out comes the wedges and sledge hammer. Unless you're a commercial outfit, I think a powered splitter is not needed, or the sort of thing you buy if you have everything else. Keeps you fit too. Kind of in the same class as power steering, decomp valves (on small saws), turning the heating up rather than putting on a jumper etc. opcorn:
oops did I go too far there?

 

[lmalterna]

I do not have a splitter and enjoy using the maul. If I am cutting something for firewood that has heavy crotches- I cut it accoringly- mybe cut that section in 4" sections. If using a wooden handle maul, I mix a thin layer of epoxy for the first 4" below the head and wrap with thin wire, then brush a little epoxy over that- this keeps the jagged edges of splits from gouging the sides of handle. I also seal the end with boiled linseed oil.

Use gell padded gloves to protect joints of fingers from jarring.

2Door

 

[TRI955]

I don't use a maul or a splitter....just a 4lbs. splitting axe. I just cut for firewood though. It's good exercise that I need more of!!

 

[litefoot]

I'm faster with a maul than 2 people running a splitter on lodgepole pine and russian olive. Post your question in the Firewood, Heating and Wood Burning forum here on AS for even better response.

 

[harrygrey382]

I don't use a maul or a splitter....just a 4lbs. splitting axe. I just cut for firewood though. It's good exercise that I need more of!!

always thought splitting axe=maul?

 

[Mitymouse]

If it is too big or tough to split with a maul, just rip those pieces with a saw.

 

[woodbooga]

i use a 6lb and a hammer, split 10 cords this past summer, dry pine and birch
no use for a splitter, my arm's are alot bigger now and back is great i had a race against a freinds splitter 24 inch pine i could split 4 16 inch long peices in quarters to his 2 with the splitter so ya a little more work but quicker and less expensive, work out is good too.

LOL. Summons images of John Henry driving steel.

 

[Brian S]

I like an 8lb maul and a 8lb sledge to drive it. I cut almost only oak, if it is green and I can use the splitter then I will but once it is dry then the maul is great and faster than fiddling with the splitter.

I like the shock absorbing fiberglass handles, I don't have one for the maul but I did just install one on the sledge and man is it nice.

 

[Fastcast]

I'm faster with a maul than 2 people running a splitter on lodgepole pine and russian olive.

I've did it both ways....Started off with nothing but an axe and maul.....Picked up a used homemade splitter for cheap, that needed some TLC and in my opinion there's no comparison!

With all the hardwoods around here and knots all over 'em, there's no way in hell the maul and axe is faster......I can see that it may be faster with smaller, knot free, easy splitting softwoods but no way in the world is it faster around these parts, with the specimens I'm splitting!

Long live the hydraulic log splitter!

BTW....It also depends on how much at a time you are wanting to do. If it's 10-15 small to medium logs, than sure, I just use the axe/maul.....If I'm staring at 2 cords, the splitter wins, hands down.

 

[poulson01]

At the nursery, we use a 3 point hitch splitter and a maul/wedges. Here, at my house, I use a maul only. What I like the most, apart from what's already been said, is that it scares the hell out of the neighbors. I catch people glancing over, all sly. I see 'em! The women especially . I'm a pretty burly lookin' dude and to see me swinging an 8 or 10 pounder, like I've been doing it all my life, is pretty intimidating in this neighborhood of bankers and insurance brokers.
:greenchainsaw:
I have to +1 the exercise though. Very good aerobics.

 

[fsfcks]

Has anybody used a Chopper 1 splitting axe? (http://www.chopperaxe.com/customerservice.htm). It has rotating levers that pry the wood apart as the head falls, and the videos are impressive.

I am looking for something that my 13 year old son and I can use so heavy mauls are out of the question (for him).