How do you split?

How do you split your wood generally? It seems like H/V splitters from a big box store are the most popular, followed by hand splitting, but I thought it would be interesting to try to get some numbers on that. Also, if you have a horizontal/vertical splitter, do you generally use it horizontally or vertically, and if so what's your split (80%/20% 90%-10% 0%-100% etc)

I use an Iron & Oak horizontal only, which is pretty nice, though occasionally requires ramps to get the really big pieces rolled up for the first split or two. The back up, which we used exclusively before we got the splitter, was a Monster Maul.

 

I prefer splitting horizontal, it saves my back big time and I think in the standing position I can produce more material than I would sitting.

The only time I split vertical is to partially split large logs to manageable pieces.

Having a small work table attached to my splitter enables me to work an entire log without having to put it on the ground, another reason not to have to bend over ad be sore at the end of the dsy

 

i do it the same way as above ,but remember horizontal splitting is a crime in michigan

 

Only if you get caught

 

im 90% horizontal.


Im a tall person with a bad back.
So i prefer not to sit and bend over at the same time.


That 10%... Im splitting rounds into 4's or 6's.
Anymore i mostly just noodle them down to size.

Some guys are wicked fast in the vertical position, me not so much.
i consider my self wicked fast in the horizontal position. lol

 

90% horizontal because it's faster for me. I have a bad back, but it doesn't seem to care if I'm standing or sitting.

8% vertical when the logs are too big to lift.

2% manual. Just for those days I need to swing an ax.

 

manually, slowly, carefully. :stacke:

 

Manualy. Big and hard stuff either noodle and handspring or borrow buddy splitter. And then big stuff is done vertices and other is horizontal. Maybe 50/50 use to be mix of very and horizontal but now the work table he added it will probably be closer to 80/20 H vs V.

I have had his splitter at the house for like 4 months now

 

I'm pretty much an all horizontal guy. It comes right out the back of the truck and onto the splittler. The big stuff gets noodled down into a manageable size before it goes into the truck. The noodles get turned into fire starters.

 

Manually, until the good Lord tells my body to buy a splitter.

 

one piece at a time

 

Fiskars x27 - 100%. Though I have been known to noodle large or knotty rounds. I used to switch to wedge and sledge on those, but the MS460 is funner and faster.

 

I'm 6'2" and hate bending over at a solitter. It kills my back.

When I have a helper I usually do horizontal. But by myself I have found if I make a pile of rounds within arm reach and sit on a round I can split for way longer without the back ache of standing. And every 15 mins or so I have to make another small pile of rounds to pull from.

 

Always vertical for the splitter, I'm not picking this crap up more time than I need to. Many times I use the fiskars while someone else uses the hydro....


I think the H/V discussion is often determined by the diameter of the pieces we work with
...

 

I got the 22 ton I/O . I pretty much split everything in the horz position. I get some pretty big dia rounds at times and to try to muscle them on the foot of spliter in the vert position is a real pain especially in my hilly uneven back yard. Easier to either wedge and sledge or noodle the big ones into quarters and split everything horizontally

 

Ain't doing that with the size of rounds I usually deal with

 

Good point! Splitting 12" rounds in quarters is a lot different than trying to bust open a 36" trunk section.

 

For 25 years I split buy hand .two years back I bought a splitter and never looked back . The funny thing now is I break out the splitter and my young neighbor runs over and does it for me . He's 19 years old .if he could he would bring that splitter home and sleep with it . Life is good sometimes .

 

100% elbow grease.
Granted I'm only splitting for firepit season, but it is the way I roll!!