ryan_marine
ArboristSite Guru
I would like to have both the 11 and the 27. I would use the 11 to pound wedges while droping trees and the 27 to split some wood. Or move a tree to where I wanted it with wedges.
Ray
Ray
I've never had a problem hitting a toe with ground level, maybe I've just grown efficient at it, dunno. Maybe I just spread my feet on the swing or I'm naturally aiming through the wood to the ground, not at my feet.
When I put a round up on a block, I feel like I'm not getting the same speed out of the swing because the distance the head falls is shorter. This is another big reason I now split on the ground. When I was a wee whippersnapper, my dad taught me to split on a block and that was the way I always did it for a long time. I think the reason I switched was that I began trying to split rounds into quarters in the field after cross-cutting (before moving them at all ) which was usually much easier on the ground right at the cutting site. I then noticed how easy it was on the back to do it this way and noticed the swing was usually more powerful to boot. Now it feels awkward for me up on a block.
Another thing that always makes me cringe a bit is people picking the axe/maul up from in front of them, like an executioner beheading someone. Seems so hard on the back to do that. I always just flip the maul up from the side and behind. Seems like wasted energy to start it moving twice on one swing, not to mention less speed.
I started out splitting with a traditional 6 or 8lb maul using a roundhouse swing but switched to overhead because I found the asymmetrical swing was tough on my back. When I got the SS I hoped the lighter weight would allow me to go back to roundhouse swings. My roundhouse swing is a bit less accurate than my overhead, however, and roundhousing the short Fiskars led to some glancing blows and close calls with the toes. Hopefully the new lightweight, long handled Fiskars will allow me to go back to roundhousing. I feel like a get much more of a "whip cracking" effect and more speed with a round house swing.
I do not see your point is making my calculation easier...
I am looking forward to see your calculations about energy impact from arm weight!!
BTW, start taking arm weight into account, is almost like start learning the impact science of Karate, so good luck there....I do not want my arm to provide any kinetic energy to the log, I leave that to the axe head.
Of course you are right about the weight of the handle...If one want to split hairs. The handle of a FSS, is only about 1,5 lbs....point of gravity is about 2.5" into the shaft from center of head...so basically there is about 5.5 lbs of total "almost head weight".
I saw Akkamaan's video and made the circles larger. This way you are gauranteed to never hit the ground. I chop directly on concrete and have never hit the ground. The wood in front will always catch the handle which keeps you off the concrete. If you like it taller, then put another circle of logs on top. I will go 3 circles high before splitting:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zdfzb2EwQho
The above video is the smaller splitting axe. The 4 1/2 lb axe doesn't get stuck as easy and will do more difficult splits.
Either way you can easily argue that Fiskars is better than hydraulics. I know many people start talking about iron wood, but I have a difficult time finding anything but Alder, maple and Fir. Fir is the most difficult to split and this is what I used in this video.
I unload the truck and stack it all in circles. minimal handling. If you stack up to 3 high, then 1 pickup load is maybe for circles of wood. You then split each layer and load them into the tractor bucket and work your way down till it is gone.
If you don't want to sweep, then put a tarp down on the bottom.
Good job for the idea akkamaan, you changed my life when splitting firewood. I actually have fun.
Just think, you have a longer reach with a 36" handle = bigger circles. I like it!!
Round housing swing is going to "kill" you with a FSS. It is definitely not designed for such swing. This axe is an engineered PRECISION TOOL. Accuracy is part of the performance. Round housing can't give you the accuracy needed.
The increased velocity created by round housing have to come off you hand vrist now.
When splitting wood such as white oak, hickory, or ash will a single blow from a properly swung FSS split a larger round than a round house blow from a #6 or #8 maul?
And I can see the logic in going to a lighter head.
Its sort of like picking a skipping stone... Too light and you can't throw it any faster and it bogs on the first couple skips, too heavy and you can't get it up to speed to get good distance. A stone with the right weight allows you to put maximum energy into it and will skip the furthest...
I split better with a 6lb'r than an 8lb head, maybe I'll put more energy into a 4lb one?
I have not been around a maul like this. What type of wood are you splitting with it? I am mostly splitting oak, hackberry, and hedge. The head of my garage sale 6# maul came off today (fiberglass handle). I have a 12 or 13# monster maul (steel handle) when I feel froggy which isn't very often anymore. I will be in the market for a new maul and would give the Fiskar a look if it will handle hardwoods. I don't like to noodle if I don't have to.
I have not been around a maul like this. What type of wood are you splitting with it? I am mostly splitting oak, hackberry, and hedge. The head of my garage sale 6# maul came off today (fiberglass handle). I have a 12 or 13# monster maul (steel handle) when I feel froggy which isn't very often anymore. I will be in the market for a new maul and would give the Fiskar a look if it will handle hardwoods. I don't like to noodle if I don't have to.
Round housing swing is going to "kill" you with a FSS. It is definitely not designed for such swing. This axe is an engineered PRECISION TOOL. Accuracy is part of the performance. Round housing can't give you the accuracy needed.
The increased velocity created by round housing have to come off you hand vrist now.
Interesting, I had assumed that the Fiskars was superior in all situations, it's only shortcoming being the short handle. I figured that a long handled version, allowing a safer round house swing, would out perform a maul swung in the same way. I have a lot of wood to split so when that 36in SS comes out I'll do some experimenting.
Anybody find these on the shelf yet? Thanks
You can take a roundhouse swing with the Fiskars, but it's not the same sort of timing as with a long, heavy maul. With the latter, you can't keep as much lag in your wrists and the mass of the tool inhibits the flail action that is quite pronounced with the Fiskars.
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