Splitting Firewood by Human Power

What is your favorite splitting tool? A splitting ax (what kind), a maul (how heavy), wedges and sledge, something else?

Do you enjoy splitting or is it just a necessary chore? How many cords do you burn in a typical winter?

What species of wood do you regularly split? What ones do you like and which do you dislike or avoid? Do you prefer to split freshly cut rounds or do you let them season a little?

Do you have any special techniques, suggestions or hints to pass on to others?

Welcome to the world of wood splitting.

Ash is excellent firewood and it splits relatively well. How long are the pieces you will be splitting? Hopefully they are not longer than will fit into your fireplace -- sixteen to twenty inches is usually ideal. What is the diameter of the larger pieces?

First off, read an article that my wife and I wrote on the topic. It is posted at>Link

You will need a �Wood splitter�s Maul� and a �splitting wedge� or two. Get a six-pound maul with fiberglass or plastic handle. If there is a Harbor Freight Tools store near you they carry or can get an excellent maul (the best available in my opinion) for around $20 and wedges for less than half that. If not, any hardware or home improvement store should carry both at prices in that ballpark.

Start with the smaller diameter pieces. Split them in two and then again if necessary. Work your way to the larger diameter pieces. Set aside until last the �crotches� or �Ys� where branches started because they will be more difficult to split. As you split the wood stack it neatly to dry. It should not be stacked directly on the ground if possible but on scrap wood "runners" or anything that will elevate the bottom pieces a couple inches.

Don�t be discouraged if you have limited success with splitting at first. You CAN learn to split effectively in a fairly short time. We taught Annie�s mother the fine art and she has become an excellent wood splitter that is impressive to watch.

Post back here with any further questions or comments and let us know how you are doing.

Dave

I�m sure that you can outrun many hydraulic splitters in decent splitting wood. I have too for an hour at a time � back a few years (when I was only twice as old as you are now).

I don�t know if splitters have changed in the last decade or two, but hydraulic splitters had a 15 or 20-second cycle time. In that time a strong and skilled splitter can bust quite a few rounds of some nice red oak or similar wood. And, once the piece is halved you can split it into smaller pieces much faster than the machine. In the gnarled wood and difficult species, however, they have an advantage.

Of course, we hand-splitters get tired faster than the power-splitter. But, we may look at life a little differently too. We may not be looking for the easiest way to do things. And, we may not want to devote big bucks to a machine that would be used only a few hours per year instead of using some of our own energy and ability. I don�t know about you, but I love to split wood. My wife does too (she has a post down the thread as MsLeMaverick).

It is a different way of thinking about things, Shane. Ease, convenience and television shows are of utmost importance to many folks. I probably see things much the way you do, but we must recognize that we are in the minority.

Then again, the thread WAS started specifying Human Powered splitting.

Oh well, let�s be gentlemen no matter what side of which issue we may find ourselves.

I used to be a mighty fine hand splitter but anyone who thinks they can split cord for cord by hand against an hydraulic splitter is talking out their backside.

TheRealRon

I don't think anyone is saying that they can split "cord-for-cord" by hand against a power splitter indefinitely. But I KNOW that a lot of competent splitters can stay with or ahead of the machines (at least those of a few years ago) for some time, perhaps an hour or more, in decent wood. I don't doubt that Shane can do exactly as he says and outrun a splitter -- and he evidently owns one.

I'm a bit "out of the loop" on modern wood splitters, but was around the machines of fifteen or twenty years ago. I assume there have been improvements, but am not aware of how much they have changed in efficiency.

Maybe you can answer some questions?

With the newer �homeowner� or �lower-end professional� splitters, how many splits are typically made per minute of normal operation? Or better yet, how many per hour? Assume that an operator is working totally alone and is splitting red oak 20� diameter 20� long.

What would be a reasonable estimate of hours per cord (128 cubic feet when stacked) of actual production under these conditions?

The machines split in only one plane, one direction, right? Do some machines split logs into four or six pieces with one throw? Someone in the thread mentioned a custom made job that split into six. That is highly unusual, isn�t it?

BTW, I've noticed the same ISP address appearing on "Ron", "Woodsplitter" and "Buckanddeere" posts. How does this happen?

Great topic!

I've heating with wood for the past 25yrs. I usually go thru 3 to 4 cords a year of pine. I'm 150 miles from the nearest pine trees but I have a potting soil company 15 miles from the house that uses bark in there soil mix. They don't use log ends about 4ft to 7ft long, so I get them. They have a machine that takes off the bark.

I split by hand with a 8# maul. I've tried a couple different types but always come back too the wedge type. On some of the tuffer knots I use a splitting wedge after I start a slot with the chain saw.

Fiberglass or all resin handles work the best as the heat we have here eats wood something terrible. All garden tools I now have use this type of handle and it really works well for making the handles last. It doesn't do as well on the hands (to much viberation comparred to a wood handle)

I only cut/split early of a morning or late evening as it's too hot other wise during the winter, about 70� during the day and 40� night average. Ya, I know most of you cold people wouldn't even where a coat here, I didn't either the first couple years but you do get climatized on the thrid year.

T_Bone

An old tire from a compact car (13 inch wheel) was very helpful in getting the log to stay upright when it hadn't been cut at a perfect angle.

My monster maul hasn't been used much in the last 5 years. Four were spent in Houston where wood heat wasn't an option (and certainly would have been a problem because who needs to attract termites?). After moving back to the northeast the house isn't ready to have wood heat but since I've been thinning out some of the trees, I've been building a woodpile just in case.

I've used the same 6# True Temper maul since I started doing this. Gone through plenty of handles in that stretch. Am tempted to replace the handle when she goes with a fiberglass handle.

I split about 4 full regulation cords per year. The vast majority of it is wild (black) cherry. We have a crap load of that stuff growing around here, and it's always falling down so it gets cut up and split the most. Can be tough at times, but mostly splits well. Better green than cured out. Some cherry can get a twist or curl in it, and it's a real charmer when you encounter this type.

Split from bottom side, read the grain, and all that jazz. Only one other poster (thurlow) mentioned a technique I used for bigger logs, and that is, slab off chunks from the side first leaving a smaller chunk of the heartwood for a split across its diameter. This works real well for elm, too, which can be a bear on bigger chunks.

I've been leaning toward getting a splitter, but that old maul doesn't need gas or oil, and it starts every time. Years of maul work will give you a dead eye aim on your swing--I am the designated tent anchor pin driver at our annual school alumni festival. And another thing--all you maul guys and axe guys try your hand at a local fair "ring the bell" game. Amazing how power isn't the key here, just a good eye and a solid square hit. Natural for us hand splitters.

We use primarily black oak along with some pecan and sycamore. Our property is covered with 8 to 20 foot tall black oaks with thick trunks. Most have lost their tops to ice storms and will never be nice trees again so I'm using them for firewood. After clearing them, I replace them with hybrid poplar, aspen and ash. The poplars grow so fast they will be used for firewood in 5 or 6 years.

I love cutting and splitting my own firewood as it gives me another reason to be outside and is good exercise. Also cutting and burning dead trees allows me to start growing healthy trees in their place.

I like to let the wood set for a few months before splitting it. The first wood I'll split this winter was cut down this past April.

I prefer a six-pound maul with 36 inch Fiberglas handle (looking forward to trying a freshly hand-hewn 48� hickory handle as soon as I find another decent six pound maul head). I�m open to alternatives as long as they don�t require an engine. I�ve long been intrigued by the �Monster Maul� but have never hand the chance to use one. Anyone want to get rid of one (or any other splitting tools)?

Love to make �em come apart. We heat exclusively with wood in moderate winters of the Northeastern Texas Pineywoods area. Our fireplace burns almost constantly for about two months and intermittently for a few weeks in spring and fall so we burn maybe five or six true cords. We like the open fire. Even though it is not the most efficient, it works for us because we have plenty of wood to burn, my wife and I both enjoy cutting and splitting firewood and we have a fireplace.

Our wood lot consists of perhaps twenty-five acres with several species of oak, hickory, sweet gum, pine and some miscellaneous. The oaks are our favorite � easy to split wet or dry and nice to burn. Hickory can be a bit of a challenge to split, especially when wet, but burns great. Sweet gum is difficult (some might say impossible) to split but burns well. Pine splits easily if it is a little dry and is nice for quick fires or to get other wood going rapidly. We split everything from green to almost too far gone because we use dead, down or damaged trees, but it all burns. Our rounds are from a few inches to twenty inches in diameter and typically about sixteen inches long.

I�ll let my wife come in with a later post to discuss technique. She is a very capable and enthusiastic wood splitter (and young and attractive too) who uses finesse and determination to make up for size.

Live in French Canada (Quebec). Burn 12-15 face cord a year. Cut my own wood from my maple bush.
A good winter day, you fell a mature maple that is dead or dying. Buck it and split it right there. Splits good frozen. And the fellows are right. Split it "from the bottom side up".

I don't use a fancy axe but here's my tricks: 1.It's not the power of the swing, its the speed. An old cancer surviver man in his 90's taught me that. He still splits. Good for a man's soul.
2. If you angle the head of the axe just a tad as you strike, (so that the head is 'flopped just a little to one side, maybe 20 degrees or so), rather than stick, the blade actually assists in the splitting action and it'll pop right open.
3. Look at the piece you are splitting. Read it for its grain, for whether it has a branch on one side (which is hard to split), whether it wants turning to one side or the other. It makes it a very interesting job. 4. Praise God for making it beautiful and for the mystery of its growth and the abundance we have in our lives. This shortens the job up as you stay warm on a cold winter day.
You guys who split elm got more cojones than me. I tried it once and can't imagine doing it without a wedge.

I tried using the ax, as you suggest, to split some 12" oak, probably white oak, and some 8" pine (both about 16" long and about half-way dry). Even though I tried "tipping" the head a bit before impact the thing sticks something terrible.

The ax I used is a double-bit 5 pound, 10" bit-to-bit and 4.5" across the bit. It is reasonably slim but is not what I would call a true "felling ax". It is quite sharp and is my third favorite ax (#1 being the one that stays in its leather sheath unless conditions are absolutely perfect).

Similar wood hit with my 6# maul flies apart, usually on the first hit. And, if the maul does stick, it is not near so hard to dislodge as is the ax.

Is there something I am missing? I'd really like to be able to split effectively with the ax. Should it be a different type of ax? Is being sharp a disadvantage?

Do you use a standard single or double bit ax for splitting? When I've used the ax it tends to stick in the wood pretty often and pretty solid, but then your idea of leaning the head a little should eliminate that. Will give it another try.

I agree with you and your 90 year-old mentor that speed the splitting head is traveling is the most important factor, at least it seems so when splitting with a "go devil" (maul).

I cut it all myself and burn mostly red oak and elm, but there is some butternut, cottonwood, and mixtures of anything else I can find as well.

Split it all myself by hand. I use a 10 or 12 pound sledgehammer and three wedges. I cut a groove in the end with a chainsaw about 1-2 inches deep. Set the wedge in that groove, and hammer away.

I don't know if it is best or not but it works for me. Cutting the groove makes it a lot easier to get started with that old elm. Otherwise the wedges tend to go in crooked or the sledge bounces off sending the wedge flying. Cutting the groove avoids all that.--Much safer.

If you want Butternut, then just come up here and get some to transplant.

Great idea.

Mark

Additionally, my experience (with one cutter.....me) with splitting is that the axe would bury into the stump with no splitting action. Need a fat wedge to start the split but had to be delivered with a super dose of whammy to get it into the oak.

Mark

Would a 5'19", 350# French woodsman be ok (at least while splitting wood)? Hehehehe

I'm actually of Polish extraction, second generation born in US, a lot smaller than that and not a true woodsman. The handle came about because "Maverick" used alone is often preempted by others (and I rather identify with the term when properly defined).

I like your "two ax method" and use a similar approach using two mauls on hard to split rounds. When splitting really tough stuff, a maul and a wedge can also work well together. If it won't split after a few solid whacks with the maul, I leave it in after the last blow and drive a wedge on the opposite side. If that won't split a piece, I put it aside "until later".

Well, somebody was paying attention � of course it translates to 6'7". That�s NOT me, but the fictional Frenchman I invented to help thurlow split wood.

You see, thurlow had said, �Your handle concerns me a little bit; the French are held in some disfavor in my household..... .�. I wanted to lighten up the ethnic stuff so I proposed sending �The BIG French guy� over to help him.

A friend who is actually that size got tired of the obvious question so he started answering with 5'19" and enjoys the puzzled looks and the slow dawning of awareness. Come to think of it, he could even BE French (and is from Canada). Anyway, I thought his answer was funny so I borrowed it from him.

At the same time I let turlow know that I am Polish (immigrated in late 1800s � not me personally).

That, of course, entitles me to tell Pollock jokes. So, here�s one you�ve probably heard:

A big Pollock (or maybe he was Irish or French or English or Russian or something else) came out of the woods for the first time in a long while and bought a chainsaw. The salesman assured him that he could easily cut three cord a day with that saw.

A couple weeks later the guy brought the saw back and said that no matter how hard he worked he couldn�t cut more than a cord a day.

The salesman looked over the saw then started it.

The Pollock jumped back and said, �What�s that noise?�

Usually buy one cord a year in advance (gets the season started) and then 2 per winter. That gives me one to burn (coming off green in January) and the other to cure for next season. Love to do it in the fall, usually during the Thanksgiving holidays. I go and find it in the woods (I'm on prarie) and make an annual pilgrimage out of it. Make 2 trips as my 16' tandem trailer starts making faces at me if I get more than one on it (around 4000# green). Very enjoyable and satisfying.

Store it on my porch; covered and wood decked, off the ground.

SPLIT IT THE WAY THE TREE GROWS, bottom most part up when you smack her with the handle wedge. If it is 2-3 mo seasoned or more and you are serious when you smack her she'll pop open like a watermellon. Will not normally do that if you put the wedge in the part that was toward the top of the tree. Something about the way it's fibers are arranged.

And yes no Water Elm. Will not split.

No Willow, too hot, Bois De Arc pops all over the house, Pecan is ok, as is hickory, which smells better than oak but more expensive.

Used to get prime oak for $60/cord I pickup at cutters house (where cut). Now is in the $140 range, but still a deal when you look at $ vs BTU's and I got a nice trip (2 trips) to the woods).

Mark

Next comes my sledge and wedges.

Split a gum tree by hand once. That was an incredible experience.

Jet

I sometimes envy you guys that have really cold days for splitting. Cold, brittle wood does split nicely (remembering from time spent in harsh winters). And, you are warmed three times by the same piece of wood -- cutting, splitting and burning.

In our area, NE Texas Pineywoods, we don't have conditions like that. We split whenever, even this time of year with temperatures often in the 90s (usually in cooler hours of early morning).

Of course, our water lines never freeze nor does the soil (with January and February minimums usually in the 20s and warmish days) and one fireplace is plenty to heat the whole house.

The most important advice I have is this... if you are going to hand split wood, get a very sturdy base that's dead level to set the logs on. I made one about 3' in diameter from poured concrete. It was 6' or so thick and half-buried in the ground.

Oh yea, never try to split elm!

Personaly I use a firewood machine which saws, splits, and loads all in one operation, which means you fell the tree saw up into pieces with a chainsaw, that you can lift on to the machine and thats it, you don�t have to handle it again until you take off the trailer to put it in the wood burner.

My machine can produce between 4-8 cubic meter per hour depending on size of wood being put into it.
The splitter has a cycle of about 3 seconds. It splits into either 2 or 4 pieces at a fick fo a lever.

Alot easier and quicker than swinging an axe or hitting a splitting wedge.

If anyone�s interested then they can see above machine at the follwing address:- 3xw.abmstaal.dk

Our "cord" converts to 3.62456 Cubic meters. It is defined as 128 cubic feet of reasonably stacked firewood -- or a pile 1.22 meters (4 feet) high, 1.22 meters wide, and 2.44 meters (8') long.

Terms such as "face cord" are also used to sell firewood; however, they do not have fixed volume and are largely meaningless.

Where are you in Europe? Germany? (judging by the URL you sent on your machine). Nice machine. Very expensive I guess?

I'm in Texas -- YES we have trees in Texas. The eastern quarter of the state is beautifully forested and supports a significant forest products industry. West Texas is another matter -- they don't even have pictures of trees in some of that country.