Hand splitting wood

[JerseyGirl]

Hello again,

My neighbor had taken down a large tree and has offered me the wood. issue the pieces are about 18- 24 inches long and that big across. I can not lift them. no superwomen here. some are large y's (i think they are call the crotch)

I have a splitting maul and a 12 lb mallet. I can split with ease the smaller under 10 inch across logs but can not even think of those larger ones. Can someone suggest a way to do this without power tools? (i have none)

pictures included. one shows the slope that i am working on - the other show the larger pieces of wood that i want to split - the tree was cut in november.

i counted the ring - this tree was about 80-90 years old.

thanks again

JZ

 

[Streyken]

Try working the edges, moving around the block. Aim for 3"-4" pieces to start. It will get easier after the first few slabs are off, then you can take bigger pieces.

Another way is to line up a check mark (crack in the wood) and keep hitting it along that line across the entire diameter, from the far edge to the close edge, as long as there are no knots, it will give eventually.

 

[treeseer]

Try working the edges, moving around the block. Aim for 3"-4" pieces to start. It will get easier after the first few slabs are off, then you can take bigger pieces.

Another way is to line up a check mark (crack in the wood) and keep hitting it along that line across the entire diameter, from the far edge to the close edge, as long as there are no knots, it will give eventually.

Sounds about right. Save the forks for last; they often are not worth the trouble. You'll want to plant a wedge in the cracks and then whack. Great exercise, great way to learn tree anatomy.

 

[turnkey4099]

You need to add one or two wedges to the artillery. For the bigger stuff start a wedge in a check (crack) about 1/3 from the edge of the block and hit it with your sledge. I take that your '12 pound mallet' is a steel sledge hammer?

For the crotches you can take slabs off of each of the sides but don't try to split through the crotch itself. Those I section the remains with a saw or just discard.

Harry K

 

[ShoerFast]

JZ
Pull up a chair and sit a spell, let the chainsaw lore rub off, once you cheat a rip down the middle of a huge ol gnarly stump with your new (or used) saw, you will be hooked.

You will learn a lot of splitting tricks here, but there is nothing like swinging a nice axe, while packing a chainsaw.

It would be the difference of a few arm loads, to a few truck loads!

 

[JUDGE1162]

Go to your local rental store and rent a chain saw and cut slits in them to get them started or even better buy a saw and some ripping chain and just cut them

 

[ehgauss]

Splittine by hand

You'll need at least two steel wedges along with your maul and sledge hammer. If you can sink the maul into the end of a piece (sometimes requires a mighty swing - beware of bounce back), try driving it further with your sledge. Then try to extend the split you've started by driving your wedges with the sledge. If you can't sink the maul with a good swing, try sharpening the steel wedges as sharp as you can and try driving them and then extending the crack as described above. Don't try to split the crotches themselves - just slab off as much as you can from the sides as someone else described. (Where in NJ? I was born and raised in there - now live in rural upstate NY). Gene Gauss

 

[DGG]

I use two/three wedges and 8# sledge. I can do lots of damage with these without killing myself.

You can see in your picture a natural crack running across one of the logs. Your wedges must be sharp and you place a wedge in the log/crack and just keep tapping it in with the sledge. You are not trying to split the log with one or two whacks. Let the wedges do the work. All you have to do is tap them in. You don't have to wind up with the sledge (accuracy and backs suffer for most folks with this technique).

An axe or hatchet is good for separating the split pieces that are attached by cross-grain (or whatever it is that jumps the gap).

This is so easy a cave-man and my kids can do it.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Here is a pile that i was able to get started on. (pic) The crotches are 26-38 inches across and to heavy ever to move for me. I might attempt to chip off but due the the angles of the cuts that may be dangerous (cut at 45 angles) - i have no power tools so a chain saw is out of the question, don't have one, don't know how to use it, so any cutting will be done with a bow saw. some of the pieces were not cut into manageable sections (18-20 inches) and are longer then 24 inches, when the tree was cut so i would have to cut them by hand or just leave. (doing the later) I am using a 8 pound log splitting maul (as noted on the label) that i tap with a 12 pound sledge hammer. get workout.

i was able to split several of the larger pieces by, as suggested, chipping off the side. so this is my wood for next winter.

i will post other pictures as i get the wood move to my house (200 yards up hill) and stacked.

ps for question about location in NJ - Rahway

 

[A. Stanton]

Save the biggest and meanest pieces and go rent a log splitter for half a day. The cost will be about $40 for 4 hours. A nurse lives around the corner from me and tried to split some wood by hand. She ended up taking a week off from work when she fell and twisted her knee while splitting. You know what they say: "Save a buck and call a tow truck!"

 

[stevew]

I just got done splitting about 28 rounds that averaged 22 - 30 inches in diameter. Like stated above have 2 wedges(not plastic ones). an 8 -10 pound sledge hammer and your splitting maul.

To start a round...take the Splitting maul and strike the round in the center. You wont split the round just sink the maul into it a 1/2 to 1 inch, then remove the maul. This provides you with starting indent in hte round to place the wedge into....hold the wedge in the start indent and hold the sledge with one hand close the top and tap the wedge till it stands on its own in hte round. Then take the sledge in both hands and hit the wedge with quarter wacks...this should get the wedge in the round. Then if feel confident take full swing or two...but remeber be accurate or you might knock the wedge out of the round with an errant hit. Once the round is split you can wack at with the maul on angles and just split of sections for for fire wood...if not keep using wedge to make smaller sections so that you can split them with one of two wacks from the maul.

Good luck...it is EXCELLENT exercise and you will sleep like a baby.

 

[computeruser]

My vote: 8lb maul from a reputable maker + 15lb maul from Iron & Oak (the splitter people). This combo seems to work really well for the bigger stuff.

 

[DWittenbreder]

save your back

that's white oak your splitting there. Those big rounds the maul will just bounce back at you. Listen, rent a saw and a splitter for one day get everything split, cut then you can stack. If you can get high school kids to give you a hand you should have no problem. Believe me it will be worth the money and no blisters!


Pocono Mountain Firewood

 

[Kate Butler]

Don't forget

the PPE - safety glasses and gloves, heavy weight gloves.

 

[JerseyGirl]

fire wood cut - look what a few days can do

Thanks to all - i have wood - i was able to do a lot and here is what was done

with all your suggestions - still a lot left - carried a lot out that can wait to be split or was of the size that i can burn without.

pile is four stacks - about 5 foot high and 9 foot long - 5th stack is just started

all done by me by hand - tools used are in the picture - bragging here -

I slept the best in months

thanks again

Time for the BEER

 

[ehgauss]

Good Job

I'm impressed! If I had known Jersey produced girls that would split wood like that, I would never have left (hometown was Union, almost a neighbor of yours).
Gene Gauss

 

[rebelman]

A job well done JerseyGirl!