How long does it take to split a cord?

[BlueRidgeMark]

Okay, okay, I know there are a lot of variables. But give me some ballpark ideas. Using an average MTD or rental splitter, how long does it take to split a cord of hardwood? Let's say a mix of oak and locust rounds. Some green, some dry.

I'm looking at renting or buying a used one from a rental yard, and trying to get a radar fix on paying for the purchase compared to the cost of renting.

 

[LarryTheCableGuy]

Myself and one friend did about three cords in nine hours. We were using a neighbor's Harbor Freight vertical splitter (30 ton I think).

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[BlueRidgeMark]

That's the kind of feedback I need. Keep it coming!

 

[bottlefed89]

What length do you do?? Are you just splittingn it down to residential size??
I can do a cord down to the size we bundle in about 2 hours with our mechanical splitters. That is a full dictionary cord. If you were really hustling I'd say you could do it in 1.5 hrs, like you say - it depends on a lot of variables... I don't think you can split a cord in 1.5 hours, for 9 hours a day, and expect to split 6 cords... Also depends A LOT on what you're doing with the wood as you split it. My figures include stacking it on a trailer...

 

[sawinredneck]

Myself and a helper can split a cord every two hours and that includes stacking it. You get three people it goes faster, that is with the MTD 6hp. With 4 it's nicer yet, but then cycle times kill you!!!!
Five of us dropped the tree cut split loaded hauled back and stacked 11 cord of white Oak in two eight hour days, but that was humping and we are young and used to it!
Need to get my biggun up and running, should be able to do a cord an hour with it
Andy

 

[turnkey4099]

Then there is the other extreme. I am still working slowly on about 3/4 cord I hauled in a week ago. Do a few blocks manually every day in the morning before the heat gets up. Just something to get this old bod warmed up and sorta running each day.

Harry K

 

[SmokinDodge]

I figure it as one person is good for a cord in a hour and a half. That's decent wood, a reasonable size and stacked in the truck/in the wood pile. It isn't a blistering "my head is on fire" rate but one my family and I can sustain all day.

But, with good wood it is faster to split with a maul if it is an option.

What kind of price are they asking for a used one Mark?

 

[treeman82]

A few weeks ago we did a tree job where the guy wanted all the wood split and stacked. It wound up being over 2 cords of wood. Mostly elm, with a little bit of ash mixed in. I'd say it took 1 guy about 6 hrs to get it all split and stacked.

 

[Freakingstang]

I figure it as one person is good for a cord in a hour and a half. That's decent wood, a reasonable size and stacked in the truck/in the wood pile. It isn't a blistering "my head is on fire" rate but one my family and I can sustain all day.

But, with good wood it is faster to split with a maul if it is an option.

What kind of price are they asking for a used one Mark?

That's all I have ever done...Monster maul and the regular 8lber. I can normally do a cord in an hour if I spilt consistantly and that doesn't include stacking it. I am just a young buck, though. lol


-Steve

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

That's all I have ever done...Monster maul and the regular 8lber. I can normally do a cord in an hour if I spilt consistantly and that doesn't include stacking it. I am just a young buck, though. lol


-Steve

I assume your definition of a cord is different than mine.
Let me guess, you think a cord is 4 feet high, 8 feet long, and 16" wide, because there's no way you split a cord (4x4x8) in an hour by hand.

 

[DeanBrown3D]

Perfect straight, light wood that splits well (cracks open after 1 inched of wedge) such as poplar, 1 hour per cord if its all cut to the same length and all next to the splitter.

Regular wood some with knots, forks, etc, and stuff that needs the wedge to go all the way through (such as pin oak, which is much heavier) maybe 2-3 hours a cord.

Sweet gum rounds: ha ha, cannot be split properly, need to chainsaw up into quarters. 6-9 hours per cord! Dont ask me how I know!

Dean B

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

…. but that was humping and we are young and used to it!

I am just a young buck, though. lol

Alright – I’m startin’ to see a pattern here….


Knock it off, you young whippersnappers!

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

But, with good wood it is faster to split with a maul if it is an option.

What kind of price are they asking for a used one Mark?

$700, and I haven't seen it yet to know what kind of condition it's in, or even what size it is.

 

[johnha]

I can split a cord with my 26 ton splitter in about 2 hours. That's an average for say a 12-14" diameter log, and I cut my rounds 16" in length.

Bigger or smaller diameters I think slow the rate. Smaller because you're making smaller sticks, bigger because of weight and having to run a full down stroke more often with the splitter.

Bringing, taking, stacking all add time so assume that's just throwing a pile or having a helper.

 

[RaisedByWolves]

Hey Mark, Is the Locust dried yet?


If it is fully seasoned in rounds are the ends kinda black?


If so it wil take you twice as long to split as most other woods


The stuff I had was 1yr old, left in 18" dia rounds, took all the splitter had to split it and it went off like a bomb when it went through.



Violent, angry wood..... Burns nice though.

 

[CUCV]

Factoring on a 4x4x8 16" cord of wood it takes me on average 2hours with my 13 second cycle hydraulic splitter. I have heard numbers of 500 pieces in an average cord and then numbers work if it takes say 15 seconds per piece it would take 2 hours 5 minutes. In general I used the hydraulic splitter for the nasty stuff and use my Supersplit for logs under 18" in diameter and smaller knots. I can split an cord and hour with the Supersplit and have done on several occasions 8 cord in and 8-9 hour day. Not all that bad for a weekend warrior I guess.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

Hey Mark, Is the Locust dried yet?


If it is fully seasoned in rounds are the ends kinda black?

Not yet, RBW, but it's getting there. I want to get it split before it's too dry. I've been manually splitting some of it, and it's not too bad yet. Stringy, though.

I also have some BIG oak rounds from the same Arboristsite member. It was a dead one he took down, and it's quite dry. With the rounds running 24" or so and up, I don't think I could split a cord of that stuff in an hour manually!

I"ve got some other big wood that is green and tough as all get out. My 8 pound maul just bounces off. Dunno what it is. Bark looks like oak, but I've not had a look at any leaves to confirm that.

So, with all this big stuff, I think it's splitter time. I'm running out of time to get it split and dry. Some of it may be next year's wood.

 

[ray benson]

5 or 6 cords per year - splitter run time about 15 hours, one person.

 

[RaisedByWolves]

Not yet, RBW, but it's getting there. I want to get it split before it's too dry. I've been manually splitting some of it, and it's not too bad yet. Stringy, though.

There are a few different types, the stuff I had wasnt stringy just HARRRD. Good stuff either way

I"ve got some other big wood that is green and tough as all get out. My 8 pound maul just bounces off. Dunno what it is.

Hey, I have some of that too!


I call it sum????? oak, as its Sum????? to split.


I thought my axe was broke as it was bouncing 2-3" off of it.:jawdrop:

 

[Freakingstang]

I assume your definition of a cord is different than mine.
Let me guess, you think a cord is 4 feet high, 8 feet long, and 16" wide, because there's no way you split a cord (4x4x8) in an hour by hand.

Sorry, You got me. I was still half asleep. lol. I mean to say FACE cord. My bad, honestly.

round here, no one knows what a face cord is, let alone a real cord. I have heard the term "rick" a time or two. People around here judge and sell firewood by the amount of truckloads it takes... seriously


I still find it faster to split the rounds on the ground than to load them in the splitter. The couple times i used the neighbors, it seemed like it took forever, although i was less tired when it was over. lol.

-Steve