allstihl
ArboristSite Guru
ill be 59 this sun . i do 25 -30 face cord a year. i hand split it all. keeps me young.
Well I'm new(not that it is an excuse) and I can't get a feel for your humour yet. I'm sure you'll get me broke in!
There are a couple terms on AS that you MUST familiarize yourself with. Pro Saw, and Fiskars. Until you own and use both you will find yourself at the very bottom of the AS totum pole. If you buy a Super Split (or whatever the current rage is), it may move you up a notch or two.
I believe the OP DID say 4 cords, period. I was pokin' fun at all the Pro Saw-natics and Fiskar-holics who think that one can't process firewood without owning both. In my opinion, it's good to let people know that you don't necessarily NEED those items to successfully process fire wood. I don't, and I put up 20+ cords of firewood this year, with a 15 yr. old homeowner saw and a 30+ year old farmer-built hydraulic splitter. I've never felt the need to use a wedge when felling. But then, I don't drop many trees bigger than 30" or so DBH. Just sayin'.
Well I'm new(not that it is an excuse) and I can't get a feel for your humour yet. I'm sure you'll get me broke in!
So Mac, your going to be breaking in guswit. How are you gonna brake him in:msp_biggrin:?
That's how I look at it too.Hand splitting is good exercise!
The shorter round the quicker it will season.............:msp_biggrin:
Unless you're into that damn Elm, you should be able to split what you have with a maul or ax(I think. I don't know what the hell else you've got wherever you're at). We all sucked with a maul when we started out. It takes practice my friend. Get a good technique down. Stand with your feet at shoulders width. Lift the maul over your head however is comfortable, and bring it down so the striking edge is in line with your nose. Eventually you will learn how to strike a round where you're looking with concentration, and then without even thinking about it. Perfecting these skills will help you when you get into the 40" diameter oak rounds and you can run a straight line down the outer edges. You can split this way in a tire or with a rope tied around the round faster than you can with the hydros. You'll run into stuff you can't split by hand. Throw this stuff in a pile for chainsaw work if there's not much, or for rented/purchased hydraulic splitting if you've got a pile. There's nothing like splitting by hand. Unless you have no interest in learning. In which case, buy a splitter if you plan on doing this for the long run, or keep renting if you're only going to be doing it for another couple yearsFor the past 2 years i have rented a splitter and split 4 cords in a weekend have cut it all up into rounds. My stove takes up to 22” splits but i cut everything i can to 20” bar length. I have tried splitting with a maul but it kicks my tail, I am a rookie at this. My thinking is that if i cut everything 15” i could split it but that's a lot more fuel, sharpening and ware on the saw. Is it worth it for my manliness and my excuse to get out of the house “I gota go split wood” and drink beer.
For the past 2 years i have rented a splitter and split 4 cords in a weekend have cut it all up into rounds. My stove takes up to 22” splits but i cut everything i can to 20” bar length. I have tried splitting with a maul but it kicks my tail, I am a rookie at this. My thinking is that if i cut everything 15” i could split it but that's a lot more fuel, sharpening and ware on the saw. Is it worth it for my manliness and my excuse to get out of the house “I gota go split wood” and drink beer.
My only thinking is if your stove holds 22" and your cutting to 16" your wasting space and loading more than you need to.
I like to cut to fill the stove. More heat with less reloads.
As for by hand or machine, I like machine hands down.
• Sent from my screen to yours.
Buy a good splitting axe like a Fiskars! For 4 cord I wouldn't bother renting a splitter, even if it takes you several nights after work to get it processed and stacked. Even though I have a monster splitter, I still split plenty by hand just to work off a couple of those canned pork chops.
I believe the OP DID say 4 cords, period. I was pokin' fun at all the Pro Saw-natics and Fiskar-holics who think that one can't process firewood without owning both. In my opinion, it's good to let people know that you don't necessarily NEED those items to successfully process fire wood. I don't, and I put up 20+ cords of firewood this year, with a 15 yr. old homeowner saw and a 30+ year old farmer-built hydraulic splitter. I've never felt the need to use a wedge when felling. But then, I don't drop many trees bigger than 30" or so DBH. Just sayin'.
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