ziggy2b
ArboristSite Member
humm.,.
anybody out there try the jaws of life on big round???
anybody out there try the jaws of life on big round???
Beating wedges vs. Chainsaw splitting - tough rounds???
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starter
ArboristSite Operative
I don't have a splitter so use a light axe and can get through most of the wood (but I don't get the bigger wood you guys talk about, mostly 8" to 14" poplar, oak, maple, ash, elm). Gonna get a maul, any suggestions?
Last week I took down some trees (standing dead for about three years). I used some online ID links and figure it is white elm (American elm). Anyone have experience with white elm?? The stuff splits OK (smooth straight grain)compared to other elm I have messed with... there is some my uncle brought over three years ago that I cannot split with the 4#'er, I think it is elm but have no leaves, etc, for ID. That is some nasty stuff, probably would have split better green??... It is like iron, tha axe won't bury even after repeated back drops.
I regularly contemplate getting a hydraulic splitter but do enjoy axe splitting and am cheap, so...
grunt... swing...
up, up, up ...
thunk.... (dayum, it didn't pop)...
repeat as required...
smile through the sweat when it goes...
ahhh, wood heat, can't beat!
Later
habanero
ArboristSite Guru
That echoes my experience. I feel like it's a lot easier swinging twice the weight half as much (or less) than it is swinging half the weight twice as much.
You don't have to be that big to effectively swing a 13-15 lb monster maul, either. I'm not all that big (5'10", 150 lbs soaking wet) and heck my wife even swings the monster and she's 5'8" and weighs 125. It's all about technique, not brute strength.
starter
ArboristSite Operative
Hmmmm.... time to see what the local hardware stores have in a monster maul, I think...
I do love my hand tools...
I have a "chainsaw split" pile going. Seems some of it is just not worth hitting with a splitting axe..and i got my wedge stuck already and don't really want to deal with that again. Maybe i will save some of it for the fireplace...
Stew
Stew
Al Smith
Addicted to ArboristSite
I have a 5 pound splitting axe,hand forged,well over 100 years old.This was made for splitting,not one of those 4 pound camping axes.In addition an 8 pound maul,several sledges ranging from 7 to 10 pounds and 8 or 10 steel wedges.
I was given for free a little hydraulic splitter that I have coupled to a 5 HP electric motor that does pretty well considering it's small size.It starts with the old axe and progresses to the chainsaw.Nothing escapes from going into the wood stove no matter how tough it is.
I was given for free a little hydraulic splitter that I have coupled to a 5 HP electric motor that does pretty well considering it's small size.It starts with the old axe and progresses to the chainsaw.Nothing escapes from going into the wood stove no matter how tough it is.
starter
ArboristSite Operative
HTML:
Nothing escapes from going into the wood stove no matter how tough it is.You got that right, just some of them have to wait until I get my energy back (sometimes that takes a couple of years...or a trip to a friends splitter)
A couple of nights ago I tackled some big nasties that I had to take a break on last year, knarly, crotchy oaks, not normally too hard to split but even after the extra long seasoning they were mean, plus I was too lazy to go get the wedge and sledge.
JBinKC
ArboristSite Operative
I use a wedge and a sledge to split my firewood but I have been forced to disc with a chainsaw elm, sycamore and gum before. I really don't like to do that because I have a very limited storage space where I am at and really don't want the oddball pieces taking up much room. This April I was forced to disc some dry elm rounds as I ran out of firewood.
Personally, most of my firewood is of the variety where you only have to cut and stack but I do keep some rounds on hand for frustration therapy and preferring the species where you know are going to easily win the war.
Personally, most of my firewood is of the variety where you only have to cut and stack but I do keep some rounds on hand for frustration therapy and preferring the species where you know are going to easily win the war.
PA Plumber
Addicted to ArboristSite
I have heard how tough Black Gum is. This year we split some up that has been laying since April of 2005. That stuff was unbelievably tough. Never really split, just tore. Without the use of a hydraulic splitter, I'm sure I would have been sawing up those rounds.
Al Smith
Addicted to ArboristSite
A lot of splitability has to do with the condition of the wood and temperature.American elm splits hard no matter what the condition.Wood cut in the spring when the sap is runnng is especially reluctant to give it up at that time.
If you wait untill it's about ten below,most will yield to a well placed blow blow of a good axe or maul.All will surrender to a healthy hydraulic splitter or chainsaw that has some grunt behind it.
If you wait untill it's about ten below,most will yield to a well placed blow blow of a good axe or maul.All will surrender to a healthy hydraulic splitter or chainsaw that has some grunt behind it.
anybody out there try the jaws of life on big round???
I don't think it will work....but the cutters I know will cut a 6" tree down very fast.
starter
ArboristSite Operative
Maybe it's not American elm then...
I'll try to find some leaves but most are on the ground now, they won't answer me when I ask which tree they fell off of.
As to the "ironwood" I've tried at temperatures from +30C (OK maybe only +20C) to -30C all to no avail.
I'll try to find some leaves but most are on the ground now, they won't answer me when I ask which tree they fell off of.
As to the "ironwood" I've tried at temperatures from +30C (OK maybe only +20C) to -30C all to no avail.
SWI Don
ArboristSite Guru
30 tons of splitter will generally split anything.
If you can read the wood there aren't many pieces that can't be broke up with 20 ton unit.
Unless there is a large metal object in the middle of the piece a chainsaw will chunk up anything.
I have split a fair amount of wood by hand with a 16lb brave maul. Usually just for fun anymore. With a 5 sec cycle time each way my splitter is usually waiting for me.
Don
If you can read the wood there aren't many pieces that can't be broke up with 20 ton unit.
Unless there is a large metal object in the middle of the piece a chainsaw will chunk up anything.
I have split a fair amount of wood by hand with a 16lb brave maul. Usually just for fun anymore. With a 5 sec cycle time each way my splitter is usually waiting for me.
Don
ziggy2b
ArboristSite Member
jaws of life
Has anyone out there used the jaws of life on these big rounds?? I'm talking about the spreaders they use to spread the steal in cars. About the size of a grease gun, northern tool??
Has anyone out there used the jaws of life on these big rounds?? I'm talking about the spreaders they use to spread the steal in cars. About the size of a grease gun, northern tool??
ziggy2b
ArboristSite Member
jaws of life
Has anyone out there used the jaws of life on these big rounds?? I'm talking about the spreaders they use to spread the steel in cars. About the size of a grease gun, northern tool??
Has anyone out there used the jaws of life on these big rounds?? I'm talking about the spreaders they use to spread the steel in cars. About the size of a grease gun, northern tool??
Fuzly
ArboristSite Operative
I've split a few with the saw, but Grandpa always said it was bad for the saw and not what that tool was for.
I think it was Don who mentioned "reading the wood". It seems to be a dying art. I remember several times when I was a kid, whacking away on a hunk with a splitting maul, and Dad would come along and turn the piece a little bit or flip it over and say "hit it right here" and the darn thing would split.
So for the little bit of wood I sell, I split 'em all with a 6#maul, 8#maul, and a couple wedges. It gives me big gunboats like Popeye:biggrinbounce2:
When I was growing up and we heated with wood only, we would rent a splitter one day a year and go all day. That was when Dutch Elm disease was killing off most of our elm trees, and only a glutton for punishment would split all those big p..s elm rounds by hand.
I think it was Don who mentioned "reading the wood". It seems to be a dying art. I remember several times when I was a kid, whacking away on a hunk with a splitting maul, and Dad would come along and turn the piece a little bit or flip it over and say "hit it right here" and the darn thing would split.
So for the little bit of wood I sell, I split 'em all with a 6#maul, 8#maul, and a couple wedges. It gives me big gunboats like Popeye:biggrinbounce2:
When I was growing up and we heated with wood only, we would rent a splitter one day a year and go all day. That was when Dutch Elm disease was killing off most of our elm trees, and only a glutton for punishment would split all those big p..s elm rounds by hand.
Al Smith
Addicted to ArboristSite
Ha,you don't split elm,you tear it apart.That is the toughest stuff on the planet to split.
grandpatractor
Addicted to ArboristSite
I do have to attest to that. You could use a little lead in your shorts:hmm3grin2orange: I thought that 7900 was gonna knock ya back on your rear on the upcut last spring:hmm3grin2orange:
Keep doing what your doing tho cause thats what I do too sometimes
Fuzly
ArboristSite Operative
So true. A lot of them would still have a few tough strands of fiber holding them together after the splitter went all the way through.
We would put on leather gloves and pull like crazy or whack them with the maul to tear the pieces apart.
ciscoguy01
Addicted to ArboristSite
Maul and Saw
I use'm both dude. The maul on the right is mine, the one on the left is the one I altered for the wifey. I've had mine since I was about 16 yrs old. There is NO ONE out there that can split EVERY block. It's almost as fast to just cut'em with the saw... I can split a Face cord fast than most splitters, but can't do it near as long or near as many. I still enjoy the exercise. A wood splitter is a significant investment unless your going to be splitting hundreds of cords every year. I normally cut/split in the neighborhood of 60+ face cord, 20 full cord. With this amount, I'd never get back and ROI for spending the money to buy it... Good luck guy.
Dude
I use'm both dude. The maul on the right is mine, the one on the left is the one I altered for the wifey. I've had mine since I was about 16 yrs old. There is NO ONE out there that can split EVERY block. It's almost as fast to just cut'em with the saw... I can split a Face cord fast than most splitters, but can't do it near as long or near as many. I still enjoy the exercise. A wood splitter is a significant investment unless your going to be splitting hundreds of cords every year. I normally cut/split in the neighborhood of 60+ face cord, 20 full cord. With this amount, I'd never get back and ROI for spending the money to buy it... Good luck guy.
Dude
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