You'd lose 10 or more wedges in the elm mega rounds I'm dealing with now. A non operational hydro splitter is not helping me now. Good thing I work for a hydraulics system integrator.
Now those are some rounds right there. My back knows your pain after just processing a 35" red oak. Great processing it down. Ought to put you ahead on firewood storage for sure. T2 Tappin'
Are your wedges square or cone? I have two cone-wedges. One is like a star, the tip was twisted and makes it easy to just pound in amd split. Most square ones are best for when it has started to split and just needs the help. Don't work it too hardcore, you splitting is already a good man-card deal. You can't lose that. I find the round wedges do really well for me when I have a knot-laden round and it's becoming a bear to split since it becomes stringy and whatnot. They get stuck but that's where multiple wedges work.
Just using a square wedge and putting a lot of muscle on it. It will not go in no matter how hard I hit it. Just gonna start with the saw and draw a line and pound the wedge in. EricVW was right... Might get a cone too, but a little afraid of the shrapnel. Absorbing the advice... Corn-fed, Iowa bred.
It was Erik B...not the VW (this time...its usually him though ) Yup, after popping a big round apart with the 8# Isocore, grabbing the X27 feels like a toy...makes me think this thing is so light there's no way its gonna split this...but it does!
My apologies to both Eric B and EricVW on the misquote. :-/ Thank you Brenda for the correction. Corn-fed, Iowa bred.
Deadwood Apology accepted. I don't think anyone is putting a copywrite on anything they post so all is good.
Deadwood is your wedge sharp? my gramps laughed at me when I was having that problem pulled out his file sharpened it.. he could use a 8 lb sledge 1 handed like a hammer (farmer).. I used 3lb hammer.. to set wedge... then drive with sledge. gramps did 40 cord or so a year in early 1900s.. farmhouse, sugar arch, cookstove.. a better man than i! no chainsaws double bit ax.. 2 man saws..
Saw a groove a couple inches deep and have at it with wedging and sledging. Sent from my XT1030 using Tapatalk
Thanks MikeInMa and CanadianBorderVT. I'll have another throw down this weekend with the rounds pile. Last time I did this much splitting by hand, I was a strapping 14 y.o. with a 6lb splitting maul, the wood was all ponderosa pine, it was bone dry and straight-grained, and time was aplenty. Fast-forward 30 years...Here I am, trying to remember why I loved it so much back then. I do love the sharp cracking sound and the pine-sap aroma. Gonna follow y'all's advice, fer sure. Corn-fed, Iowa bred.
Yes, the wedges do want to bounce out - setting them can be tricky. I use my maul to strike several deep impressions where I want to place the wedge - then use a 2lb sledge to set the wedge a 1/2" or so into the impression. Then a few half swings with the 10lb sledge to set the wedge deeper and then start full swings to drive the wedge. Cheers!
I'm just gonna need to go get more wedges. Operating with one wedge is evidently like riding a motorcycle for the first time with one hand on the handlebar. I'm learning... Having my wife order an estwing wedge and another cheapie to supplement the cheapie I already have (free shipping to my house). Corn-fed, Iowa bred.
Multiple wedges are a must - you'll inevitably sink a wedge and it will be, well......wedged! As you open the crack with the second wedge, you'll loosen the first, and so on. As you start to mushroom the top of the wedge, be sure to grind off the mushrooming steel - at some point you'll strike the head and send off a piece of steel at high velocity - perhaps right into your face - not good. Safety glasses are a must. Good luck! Cheers!
I have a couple of old maul heads that I press into service if the two wedges I have need help. Sent from my XT1030 using Tapatalk
I inherited 2 square shaped wedges from a neighbor who quit burning wood and added them to the pair I bought. Now I never get to the point that my last wedge isn't enough. There have been a few times I was glad I had more than just 2 though.
