Problems splitting wood

[stihl sawing]

Went out in the rain to dig this little gem up, Thought i had a worse one. From the pics you can see the metal chipping off. I bent some up to show in one pic. I was going to grind this one down but it's not needed now. I used to grind them down when they would get this bad and when they done it again they would get chunked. before i started grinding them down years ago, I would mushroom one twice as bad as this one and then toss it. I've wore out a bunch of them in 35 years.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

My other advice would be to throw the tough chunks/crotches to the side for splitting on a power splitter or recreational fire. Too much energy wasted on a crotch.

Yep. About a third or half of my wood is big crotches. That's one of the reasons I got a splitter.

Not sure if I agree with the putting the chunk to be split up on a block. Yes I agree that soft ground isn't good but putting a 16 inch block up on another 16 inch block would make it awful high.

Makes it just a little bit high, actually. You get more force into the wood. I like the block about 12" or so.

 

[AKKAMAAN]

There is a lot of good and useful posts here now....
First of all.....technology has come to stay for us, wood-splitters....old mauls and axes, is like black and white tube TV sets from 1950, compared to what we use today....
To bad for people that think they are successful with old tools (see stihl sawing's arsenal), and never tried an Fiskars Super Splitter, FSS, or the flywheel SuperSplitter.....

Why these new tools and power tools are so successful, is because they utilize the speed and inertia instead of raw mass, pushing force and high powered engines.

Sierra99 nailed it here, and this has been posted a few times before too.....
double the mass will double the splitting energy, but doubling the speed will quadruple the splitting energy....So by taking half the weight off the head, you can double the speed and perform better, last longer and enjoy it more.....as simple as that......

Sharp tools always perform better than dull ones.....there is so many details on the design of the FSS, that make it perform the way it does, but the most important one is the sharpness and the polished head that reduce friction and allow deep penetration and actual splitting. Dull edges just push wood fiber in front of the edge, instead of splitting fiber apart..

My experience is that splitting with a FSS, allow a better and safer stance, more precious hits on the log.

It is also important to hit the first hit on a big round where it most likely would crack open.

Bundling smaller logs is also important for the safety, it is a larger area ti hit and mis hits will land safe on the bundle.....also remember to hit the opposite of the log or bundle....see my other (first edition) video....

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For using a tire on the chopping block, get a wide tire with low profile for a large diameter rim ex. 305/35R17, a 17" diameter hole, will give you a lot of space to fill with smaller logs, and good stability (10" tall)

I prefer to wrap a rope, bungee or even 5" stretch wrap could work, around my bundles, that way I can carry them to the stack....


Here is a couple splitters that use low power engines and inertia...
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[logbutcher]

Whew boy, you got some b--ls to split with those bombs. Maybe it's the Arkansas air, your vipers, the heat, or your ex-pres, but those wedges are a fire-in-the-hole. Damn. Kind of like "who can hold the Cherry Bomb the longest" before throwing it. :monkey: We got soemthing like that Downeast: on a below zero day, lick the bar of your saw.

It could be time for the Darwin Award for S² :hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange::

 

[stihl sawing]

LOL, Well guess i'll take that darwin award. Yup i'm also old school. I watched the video of the fiskars, It works pretty slick, But it goes back to what i said. You still have to exert force and swing it to hit the wood. Always look for a crack first and aim at it.Glad you guys like my old timey wood weapons.lol But i don't use those any more. Done went modern even more than the fiskars. and yep, We are a strange bunch here in arkansas.lol Now where is my shoes??????

 

[stackwood]

Poplar splits pretty easy imo ...try not splitting it in half shave some off the sides.

Lots of energy is wasted if the rounds aren't cutting square and you're always hitting angles. That's why armor plating is almost always presented at an angle.

^for hard to split rounds shaving off the sides might be the best bet for you.

This is the best way yesssssss

 

[gwiley]

metal splinters

Someone wrote earlier about the wedges splintering - that's right. Pay attention.

As the wedge head fractures the likelihood of a splinter increases - I have been hit in my "special purpose" by a chunk of steel. I am not sure which was worse, the pain from the impact or the shock of feeling a blow there as a result of a powerful swing of the sledge. The chunk that hit me was about a cubic 1-2" tangle of razor sharp edges and points - I shudder to think that would have happened if I wasn't wearing heavy duty work jeans (short/khakis....brrrr).

When using wedges you have to remember that they can fracture at any time and send a projectile at any part of your body. Glasses are absolutely a must if you split with hammer and wedge.

 

[stevohut]

Hate to ask, but - are you using an actual splitting maul, or a regular axe?

I am using a splitting maul its about 4lbs. I'm looking to find that super splitter from fiskars that everybody talks about. I'm just afraid to take a wild swing at it miss the log and takeout a foot or a shin.

steve

 

[AKKAMAAN]

I am using a splitting maul its about 4lbs. I'm looking to find that super splitter from fiskars that everybody talks about. I'm just afraid to take a wild swing at it miss the log and takeout a foot or a shin.

steve

The Fiskars Super Splitter, is NOT the wild swing tool....it is a precision tool.....shorter controlled swing....use wrists too.....

search firewood on Youtube, my video is the second or third hit under the Palax wood processor....

 

[stevohut]

The Fiskars Super Splitter, is NOT the wild swing tool....it is a precision tool.....shorter controlled swing....use wrists too.....

search firewood on Youtube, my video is the second or third hit under the Palax wood processor....

ya I saw your videos I was real impressed at how easy it looked like it was working with very little effort. Good ideas with the bungees and the tire. I never would have thought of that, so simple but effective.

 

[howellhandmade]

The Fiskars Super Splitter, is NOT the wild swing tool....it is a precision tool.....shorter controlled swing....use wrists too.....

search firewood on Youtube, my video is the second or third hit under the Palax wood processor....

True. The shorter, more compact swing with a more pronounced wrist snap is more accurate. With the Fiskars, let your wrists cock at the beginning of the swing, then release the wrist lag at the end of the swing with your hands at waist level or below and your lower extremities will be safe. If you swing the Fiskars in a big arc like you would with a heavy, long-handled maul, the head will strike while your hands are still high, and a miss could continue the arc to your feet.

Jack

 

[just a dave]

LOL, I just gotta say this. All this about equations about splitting a log. Can you imagine what the old timers are thinkin. all the fancy equations is not going to get the job done. Splitting with a maul is just that, hard labor and brute force.Do all the figuring in the world but it all comes down to buying a decent maul and beatin the hell out of the rounds.

:agree2::agree2::agree2:

 

[WetBehindtheEar]

Glasses are absolutely a must if you split with hammer and wedge.

:agree2:

And, quite honestly, you should be wearig hearing protection, too. Those loud, high pitched, PINGs really wear on your hearing.

If you're wearing hearing protection while running a saw, wear it for splitting too...

Tony, "WHAT?!?" in Madison where the tinnitus never stops.

Seriously, it never stops... even hunting & fishing, isn't a quiet activity for me.


OH YEAH!... I almost forgot... can someone do a free body diagram of a wedge being driven into a log? I suppose you'd have to do an integral of some sort to come up with a summation of FBDs for the total split.