Somebody needs to split before snow!

Yeah, I just don't have the time. We live in a neighborhood with giant oaks, sycamores and other hardwood trees and the tree folks are always trying to give the wood away because theres so much of it. If I did it again I would pass on the hickory. You can't tell but there is a row behind the locust as well. And splitting the hickory is really tough. It doesn't split like oak or locust, it tears.

 

Me I like to split when it is close to zero or below. you can hand split some pretty twisted crap when it is frozen. Also tends to keep you warm.

Al

 

I would use this approach before I got my hydraulics. At least for the big nasty ugly twisted gnarly crotchity burled dense pieces...you get the idea! Works fine!

 

Oh yeah can split in cold but snow will bury the rounds, So you can't find them

 

UPDATE: Split some of the locust and it was relatively easy. I get a few big rounds, wrap a sling(something you would use to pick up something heavy with a crane) around them to keep them together and used an 8 pound maul to start splitting the rounds then switched ro my Fiskars X25 to split into smaller logs. It was relatively easy. Then..........I split some hickory that has been aging for about 5 years and it was better than it was a year ago but still difficult. I do the same with these wether the rounds are big or small. I tie them together with a sling and then smash.....yes, I swing the 8 pound maul as hard as possible and on small rounds it seems to work but it's still difficult. The large rounds are more difficult but still doable. The photo shows my maul stuck in a typical hickory log albeit a small piece of one. View attachment 191278 View attachment 191278

 

Yeah, I should probably call it tearing rather than splitting as that would be more accurate. Because there is such an ambundance of oak, locust, maple and other hard woods in my neighborhood due to tree companies being in here every other week it seems, there is no way I'm taking anymore hickory unless it's branches/smaller logs and nothing I have to split. It's just not worth it. On the other hand, the locust is splitting really nicely. Even a really big two or three foot round, once you get a split, the rest of it seems to split really easily. I usually aplit some rounds into thin pieces(for starting the fire) and I leave some very large logs so that once the fire is super hot, I add one of the big logs and it burns for a long time.
I must say, I'm not sure how people make money selling firewood. As a business person, with all the labor and or cost of equipment, it just seems to be a hard way to make money, in the Southwestern Pennsyvania area anyway. So many people sell it here I guess because there is such an abundance. The only problem I find here, other than getting shorted is, the wood is usually not seasoned enough. I must say though, as much of a pain as it is, I'd rather split my own, except for the hickory.

 

You are right, you've got to pick your battles! Although, if I happened across free hickory, I know I'd take it, because it's not that common here.

 

Yeah, I sang that song too. When I was young......Now at 59, my splitter is my new girlfriend, and I'm married.

 

And as long as I'm still doing it like you are still doing it, then I'll call myself a toughie. I tip my hat to you sir!

 

When I used to buy it I always tried to go to the small outfits where it might be just one or two people with a pick up truck. There isn't alot of profit after you factor in all the costs. There is something I really like about splitting my own, however. While it may be a pain in the butt, it also feels like I've accomplished something.

 

the fall story continues.. I’m the shadow on tractor

 

Hi, this is an update to my last post a few years ago. I split all of the Locust you see in my previous post(s) by hand. So they've seasoned for about 7 years, if my math is correct. I found out a few things: This wasn't the easiest things to do, given I will be 60 years old next summer. Locust, especially really large rounds, can be difficult to split as it tears rather than splits, certainly not as difficult as the Hickory I have but certainly more difficult than the oak, maple, cherry and sycamore I've split(lots of very large hardwood trees in our neighborhood that get cut down once in a while. More often than not, nobody wants the wood so the tree companies search for anyone who wants free wood.). My Fiskers splitting axe was pretty useless until I split a large portion of each of the rounds with a much heavier splitting axe/maul. To make things easier and after many tries with different methods, using an old crane sling, wrapping it around the round or multiple rounds, and just tucking in to the bark so it holds, is the easiest and most efficient method I've found. It saves from having to bend down every chop and setting up the log again. In fact, after I'm done splitting a round, or a couple rounds together, the wood unfolds like an accordian when I release the crane sling-much of the wood is still attached by a couple strands which can just be pulled apart. I could never use a tire like some because most rounds are too big and sorry, I've never split wood where the rounds are perfect round. And yes, once in a blue moon I will miss my mark and come close to cutting the crane sling or actually hitting it but not directly.
I added a photo of 1 round I split on a tarp. The other photo shows how I use an old crane sling to split the wood. When I release the sling the round opens up like a flower blooming. Another pic shows how the wood tears. I hope everyone is being safe and healthy. Firewood people are good people, sort of like people who love dogs, they're usually good peoiple too.....unless of course Charles Manson or similar was a closet lumberjack....Okay, I've rambled enough.

 

The big Black Locust rounds I recently processed weren’t bad at all to split.....with the Supersplit. 24-27” diameter x 20” lengths. If I had to pick species I dislike splitting my number one would be no question be Elm, then Hickory. White Oak at times can be pretty stringy, and Apple can be tricky as it likes to turn 90 degrees so you end up with macaroni elbow splits. On a scale of 1–10 with 1 being super easy splitting wood like Red Oak and 10 being Gum from hell, I’d rate Black Locust at a 3-3.5

 

I started this thread 2 years ago...
Still got splitting to do before snow

 

Snow of which Winter???