MI_Habitat
ArboristSite Lurker
Overall that seems like a good way to do it. I do disagree with 36 swings minimum. Excluding hickory/elm/ a few other tough-splitters, I can split 8"-10" rounds into quarters with only 2 whacks.
Splitting Axe Comp at GTG
- Thread starter flyboy553
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Wilson_tree
ArboristSite Operative
Testing splitting axes and a Man VS Man competition should be two different events:
1. Man VS Man splitting contest: you bring the tool you prefer and time how fast you can split three rounds. The splits have to fit through a measuring device like a hole in a piece of plywood. The wood is selected by a draw and the judge tries to make the wood fair.
2. Splitting Axe contest: Every chopper takes a turn with each tool being tested. You time how long it takes to split the 1 or 2 pieces of wood small enough to fit through your measuring device. You compile times for each axe, and then come up with an average time for each axe. This way you are factoring in different chopping styles, different biases, and slight variations in wood, etc.
Once you are done you can compare the winners from the Man VS Man to the results of the Splitting Axe contest. Then you can really see what tools chop.
1. Man VS Man splitting contest: you bring the tool you prefer and time how fast you can split three rounds. The splits have to fit through a measuring device like a hole in a piece of plywood. The wood is selected by a draw and the judge tries to make the wood fair.
2. Splitting Axe contest: Every chopper takes a turn with each tool being tested. You time how long it takes to split the 1 or 2 pieces of wood small enough to fit through your measuring device. You compile times for each axe, and then come up with an average time for each axe. This way you are factoring in different chopping styles, different biases, and slight variations in wood, etc.
Once you are done you can compare the winners from the Man VS Man to the results of the Splitting Axe contest. Then you can really see what tools chop.
zogger
Tree Freak
Overall that seems like a good way to do it. I do disagree with 36 swings minimum. Excluding hickory/elm/ a few other tough-splitters, I can split 8"-10" rounds into quarters with only 2 whacks.
How many can you do stacked?
zogger
Tree Freak
You need something like this to test splitting tools
Fiskars X-Series Axes and Mauls Comparison from Baileysonline.com - YouTube
although I would imagine in *this* particular test, the monster maul would wipe the slate
Fiskars X-Series Axes and Mauls Comparison from Baileysonline.com - YouTube
although I would imagine in *this* particular test, the monster maul would wipe the slate
Iron Head
ArboristSite Operative
Why would you even need to split 8"-10" rounds?Overall that seems like a good way to do it. I do disagree with 36 swings minimum. Excluding hickory/elm/ a few other tough-splitters, I can split 8"-10" rounds into quarters with only 2 whacks.
If you want a realistic competition, it needs to use random wood types of 18" and bigger to be split into 6" or small pieces.
Roll each round on the ground and give them a thin layer of mud and dirt.
And give half a cord to each person using their choice of axe.
redheadwoodshed
Freebird
One way would be to take a random 10 blocks about the same diameter and species, mark them in quarters, give 5 to each splitter and first one finished wins.
I was never a fan of the Fiskars myself, until I found myself with nothing. I went out on a limb and tried it because the only alternative was a chinese made single bit or chinese made maul and I wouldn't give a peso for one of those, much less a dollar I worked for.
The real proof came at the end of my first day splitting and my shoulders weren't killing me. The thing is light ,fast, and shaped to split. I'm sold.
I will be happy when I get my Speeco back, but until then, I'll use the Fiskars.
I was never a fan of the Fiskars myself, until I found myself with nothing. I went out on a limb and tried it because the only alternative was a chinese made single bit or chinese made maul and I wouldn't give a peso for one of those, much less a dollar I worked for.
The real proof came at the end of my first day splitting and my shoulders weren't killing me. The thing is light ,fast, and shaped to split. I'm sold.
I will be happy when I get my Speeco back, but until then, I'll use the Fiskars.
zogger
Tree Freak
If you get in *good* wood, perfect wood, you can fly. My record so far is half a cord of red oak in six minutes. Thats just splitting and throwing into a pile. I know several times I was splitting way faster than garden goddess could stack it, and thats with me running the wheelbarrow with the splits over to the stack and dumping it.
I have a load of ash waiting for some day I am really in the groove and feeling good, Ill try to break that record. I just have the original supersplit, never even seen an x27 yet. I bet I could go a little faster with that one, less partial splits.
BrokenToys
ArboristSite Operative
Thought the exact same thing many a time; even almost contemplating buying one ..... but two bills + is just too damn much. 100 would actually be considerable. I am sure it falls into the "get what you pay for" category though and sure you're getting a superb tool for your money.
flyboy553
Oakaholic
The problem I see with this, is you are testing a person's splitting ability, not the axe. I want to have the axes compete somehow to see what axe is better. I can't split as fast as a non smoking 25 yr old, for sure, no matter the axe. I would just like to see what axe is better.
Ted
zogger
Tree Freak
If I knew for a fact there was one out there @ 100 to 200 bucks that was 3 to 4 times better than the fiskars,, heck, even just double, twice as good, I would sell something and get it, perhaps a cord or two of wood, that would be fitting, as you would make that back quicker using the new tool. . but, without being able to try one, and there being several in that price range...I just dont know, dont have that much extra scratch all the time. You are looking at a grand or more to grab one of each of the high level axes. The baileys video is a good start, but they need to show all of them and identify which one is which. The machine swing in factory lumber is as fair as it could get.
redheadwoodshed
Freebird
I'm a non smoking, 45 year old welder who will race against ANY 25 year old splitting wood with an ax or maul, sledge and wedge.
That being said, I suppose you would need to have 2 teams with a lot of wood say 2 cords each. You could hold trials or something to determine their ability. Then decide the smallest the pieces had to be then turn them loose. Have the wood already bucked and piled, one team working on one side the other team working on the other side, maybe even throw in some stacking to make it interesting.
Whichever team has the most wood split to size and stacked when the pile is gone most likely had the better splitting tool.
As a regular attendee of said GTG's I see 2 problems here:
1. Safety issue. I don't want a crowd standing around watching me split wood. Never know when you're going to get a flier/bouncer. Or where it might end up.:msp_ohmy:
2. Nobody at a GTG came to work. Cuts into the eating/BS'ing/fun time too much.:hmm3grin2orange:
1. Safety issue. I don't want a crowd standing around watching me split wood. Never know when you're going to get a flier/bouncer. Or where it might end up.:msp_ohmy:
2. Nobody at a GTG came to work. Cuts into the eating/BS'ing/fun time too much.:hmm3grin2orange:
