How long does it take you to split a few cords?

[NapalmDeath]

Ok, maybe I'm not as young as I used to be but I'm in good shape and have been weight training for many, many years. Anyway it took me a little over 7 hours to split 2 1/2 cords with a 20 something ton rented logsplitter. I don't take breaks and try to work at a good pace. I was splitting Red Oak, Hickory, and Sassafras. Now, the Sassafras was a pleasure to split as it pretty much breaks nice and clean when it splits so even though I had alot of 24-28" sized rounds it was much easier then the Hickory and the Red Oak that were about 14-20". The Oak and Hickory required the Logsplitter to sort of tear through each piece after the initial break. Perhaps, that is why it took so long I don't know. I do know that my back was totally spent and it was raining and I was exausted. I'm just curious as to how long it takes other people to split a few cords in comparison.

 

[blis]

i can split 2 meters of firewood (1mx2mx1m) in 2-3 hours with axe...

 

[windthrown]

Not much time on that...

With an outdoor wood boiler, we do not have to split anything smaller than 18 inches in diameter. So all I do is split the big rounds. I use a chainsaw and noodle cut them 1/3 the way, and then split them open with a wedge. Then I quarter the bigger stuff by cutting it half again.

 

[Highclimber OR]

I am not to sure about a splitter, but I can do about three cords in about nine hours by myself. Mainly if it is something like fir or something along those lines. Perhaps i am not a good measuring stick as I am 24 and have been doing this since I was 7 years old and cannot count how many cords of wood I have split.

 

[Highclimber OR]

Looks like blis is about on the same page as me. A shot out to Finland.

 

[yooperman]

With an Iron & Oak splitter with 4 way wedge I do a cord(128cf) in 1hr. 45min. Maple mostly some cherry and yellow birch. 5 full cords takes 10hrs. with the same machine but I'm pretty used up after a day of that.

 

[JUDGE1162]

It all depends on the type of wood!!!

I split a cord an hour with aspen but I did a really big (30" rounds) of elm and it took several hours to split a cord.

With Oak and maple 1/3 to 1/2 a cord an hour, birch and aspen 3/4 to 1 cord an hour

To respond to some PMs yes by hand and 18" lengths and mostly quarters except the really big stuff which I eighth

 

[Husky137]

A cord an hour with my TW-5 w/ 4 way & 6 way wedges.

Big wood of any species is slower to split with any splitter in my experience. A rental unit probably has pretty slow cycle times.

 

[NapalmDeath]

I guess it all depends on the species of wood and the cycle time of the splitter. The rental unit seemed pretty slow. While I could possibly agree with a cord an hour with wood that splits easy I cannot believe anyone being able to do that with the Oak and Hickory that gave me difficulties with the Logsplitter.

 

[treeman82]

One guy who worked with me last year did 3 cords of ash by himself in a day by hand. I saw it myself.

 

[IndyIan]

In nice straight grained wood where I'm getting 1 or 2 firewood pieces per swing it goes pretty fast with an axe/maul. In knotty crotchy curly grained wood then production drops way down:bang:
I look at some of the pieces I burned this year and laugh because the grain is so messed up that I can't believe I split them by hand....

In a week or two I will be cutting a couple nice straight grained ash trees that have blown over. I bet if i set up all the main trunk rounds on the ground after I cut them I can split at a rate of a cord an hour. If I'm spliting the crotches in the tops its probably going to be a rate of 1 cord/5hours...

At some point I just start sawing ugly pieces until they will fit in the stove and throw them on top of the stacked wood at the end. An 8"x12"x16" block of white oak crotch keeps the house warm for a long time!
Ian

 

[GRAYSTONE]

Wood Spliting Time

I can do 1 cord in 2 1/2 hours using my splitter which has a relatively slow cycle time. I am splitting rounds from 6" up to 16" at that rate. Once I have to use my crane to lift the bigger rounds up to 22" my rate goes to 3 1/2 hours per cord. 128 cubic feet per cord. I am now 51 years old and in good shape. I too am tired at the end of the day. I try not to do more than 2 cords per day.

 

[Mr. Firewood]

it just depends on what machine I am using, anywhere from a cord in a half hour with 2 guys making large splits to 2 hours a cord myself with a maul

 

[Husky137]

I guess it all depends on the species of wood and the cycle time of the splitter. The rental unit seemed pretty slow. While I could possibly agree with a cord an hour with wood that splits easy I cannot believe anyone being able to do that with the Oak and Hickory that gave me difficulties with the Logsplitter.

You have never run a timberwolf with a 6 way wedge. My old MTD style splitter would take about 2 1/2 hours a cord. That was a single wedge w/a 17 sec. cycle time. 6 way wedge or even 4 way wedge w/ 8 second cycle time makes a cord an hour easy. I can cut and split a full cord in about 2 hours.

 

[Sprig]

If the machine is 'me' I can stumble though a cord in a day or two, (no time constraints here ).
Payed work is a bit different, a young guy with balls and a decent work ethic can do 2-4 cords of wood (knot knarly carp) in a long day, if splitting is all to be done (I know, been there).
You did a good day, no shame lol



Serge

 

[ShoerFast]

Making firewood would make a fun speed event!

My bet would be on an axe or splitting maul in frozen straight-grain wood.

As for timing it, it sounds a little like timing fishing or golf, or keeping track of hours spent in a tree-stand, I really enjoy making firewood, the rewards are more then monetary!

But for sport, this geezer would be up for a little friendly competition!

 

[jdboy9]

I just did a cord today took me about an hour, that is strickly splitting though. What I try to do is pile everything up next to the spliter before I start so I'm not walking halfway across the field to get a single piece while its running. Plus for me its easier to stay in a bent over position as long as possible I am only 25 but my back feels a lot older.

I agree with an above post anything bigger than say 18" in diameter seems to be a pain in the butt to split I guess its more dense. I was doing stuff 12" and smaller today which is why it went so fast. Red oak and maple are one of the better woods to split I have found. That unpopular wood is okay too but who burns that....Oh wait I do

 

[stihl 440]

splitter

I can split a chord an hour with my troy-built 33 ton splitter, w/ modified wedge. I wanted to get a iron and oak splitter, but the troybuilt was cheaper. I am going to put a faster pump and maybe a bigger motor on it sometime. My stihl dealer has a super splitter, it has a 2 second cycle time and it takes 4 guys stacking to keep up with it. It is a 14 ton splitter, gear driven. I am surprised that nobody on here has one.

 

[FDB]

I just did a cord today took me about an hour, that is strickly splitting though. What I try to do is pile everything up next to the spliter before I start so I'm not walking halfway across the field to get a single piece while its running. Plus for me its easier to stay in a bent over position as long as possible

I am like jdboy, i stack all my rounds around the splitter, doing this I can split 1 cord per hour and a half with my 20 mtd. Did a cord and a half today in about 3 hours and there was beer drinking and smoke breaks involved.

 

[upandcommer]

I can fell 2 20" 60 foot sugar maple stems limb buck and split the trunk in one hour timed it. then another 1/2 to back and load that all up on the trailer and 1/2 to stack it on the pallets out back at home came it at just over one full cord for the two trees so i would say the big time eater in any operation is the load unload times and stack times, Once I hit my rhythm I can split the 20"-6 pieces in about 45 seconds that is 5 whacks with the 8 pounder per round the wife just sits and watches after she is done limbing then she helps drag the brush and stack the trailer pretty efficient if you got good help.