Hand split or rent a splitter

[Woody912]

How much longer does it take wood to season in rounds and how far ahead of my usage do i need to stay ahead. As far as the beer goes i will split then sit in the woods and have a couple at the end.

some wood just won't dry inside the bark. Poplar, maple, locust all need to be split at least once. Hickory seems to be more vulnerable to the sawdust grubs in not split. I've split by hand for over 30 yrs, seldom over an hour at a time, when I get tired I walk away, maybe 3 times a day. Would not have a splitter

 

[tld400]

Started in the wood cutting in Sept. Had the good fortune of a friend asking if I knew anyone who wanted to drop 26 ash trees. My quest began. Bought a saw and went to work. Went halves on a splitter with a buddy ($700). Bought a maul and got busy. Upgraded to a X27 in November. Have Used the splitter for an hour total. I love hand splitting. I would unload my half of the splitter gladly.:biggrin: I am a teacher, but feel so alive for three months a year when I roof in the summer and anytime I am working with the saw, axe, etc.

Give hand splitting a chance before you spend money on a splitter. Noodling is great!

Rep

 

[tld400]

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.

My stove will take 28 inch pieces but I cut to 16. I think its easy to bring in the house and to handle than the larger stuff.

 

[tld400]

I'd strongly suggest that you not waste your time/money on Fiskars, having tested X27 against a really well-made maul and some cheapie 5 pounders modified to match its shape.

You'd be way ahead long-term with a maul from Wetterlings or Stihl, based on price. Stihl resells Ochsenkopf. 5 lb seems to be a general sweet-spot for maul-head weight- I'd agree with that.

Splitting axes might work for busting up kindling. (They're a lemming phenomenon.) Their heads are too brittle for hitting steel, sez their mfgs.

Dang you have to be the only person I ever heard that did not like the fiskars x27. Mauls are great too but swinging the x27 with half the weight is great and for just 39 bucks.

 

[MechanicMatt]

I've been hand splitting wood since I was in third grade. Ill be 32 this spring and doubt Ill ever buy a log splitter. I've been known to borrow one from time to time, but I like staying fit. The only time Ill borrow a splitter is after teaming up with my favorite BIL and stock pilling massive amounts of rounds. We'll grab a 30 pack of Coors Light and my buddies splitter and go to town.
As for Mauls, the x27 is a great tool, but I grew up on the metal handle-giant metal head mauls. I like them both, the x27 makes quick work of most stuff, but man swing one of those giant mega mauls as fast as you can into a round and watch it POP.

 

[Mac88]

I've been hand splitting wood since I was in third grade. Ill be 32 this spring and doubt Ill ever buy a log splitter. I've been known to borrow one from time to time, but I like staying fit. The only time Ill borrow a splitter is after teaming up with my favorite BIL and stock pilling massive amounts of rounds. We'll grab a 30 pack of Coors Light and my buddies splitter and go to town.
As for Mauls, the x27 is a great tool, but I grew up on the metal handle-giant metal head mauls. I like them both, the x27 makes quick work of most stuff, but man swing one of those giant mega mauls as fast as you can into a round and watch it POP.

I've NEVER split by hand. I used to have a neighbor down the road that split by hand (pre Fiskars). All I heard, all day long was, whatever splitting tool he was using going kachunk, kachunk, kachunk. Dayum, I got tired out just listening to him split. I'm all about machinery. I get my wood splitting exercise operating this thing right here:

 

[zogger]

I've NEVER split by hand. I used to have a neighbor down the road that split by hand (pre Fiskars). All I heard, all day long was, whatever splitting tool he was using going kachunk, kachunk, kachunk. Dayum, I got tired out just listening to him split. I'm all about machinery. I get my wood splitting exercise operating this thing right here:

Kinda weird I guess, but to me hand splitting is sorta like target shooting. And going out and felling and bucking is like hunting.

I liked running the big hydraulic as well, just in a different way.

Just like I enjoy sawing and loading the tote box or trailer with rounds, but I wouldnt be adverse to just taking logs and having a truck with a grapple on it either. Or the opposite, I could do OK back with just a bowsaw and axe and taking smaller wood.

Its the association with trees > to useful something that is enjoyable, all the procedures and equipment can vary, but it is all cool. I like working with finished wood as well, but dont do much anymore, got rid of most of my gear way back when I needed the scratch in a bad way.