Log splitting advice for the splitting enthusiast

[Minnesota Marty]

Phatwood,
The 6 lb will do the trick just takes more wacks. "brute strength and awkwardness" usually does the trick. Glad to hear it is going well.
I split with the 10 lb. er and the wedges usually 3 times a week, great exercise usually can do a little over a face cord for that hour 3 times a week.
Keep going the piles will grow and you will be amazed by how much strength you will get.

 

[Hogwildz]

Get yourself a good hydraulic splitter when your shoulders start giving out, then enjoy.

 

[Minnesota Marty]

Hog,
I agree. but I just don't have the need any longer for the $1300 to $1500 investment in the splitter and since I no longer need to split 7 to 10 cords a year like I did when I had to heat the shop and the house in the country. I now live in town and only burn in the zero-clearance fireplace. Granted this year we are all going to be down in wood consumption. (Hell it 37 degree out 3 days before Christmas in Minnesota) So, my need is for only 2-3 for cords a year and when I get a big load like I did around Thanksgiving I just rented a splitter for a day for $70. It will take me 15 years to pay off the splitter at that rate. Plus, the cardiologist say splitting wood is great exercise for the 61 year old with a bad heart valve.
never smoked a day in my life... a beer or two a week... mostly clean living but the genes gave me a bad valve. So, heart or shoulder take your pick??? I usually try to eat the elephants one bite at a time. I don't try to swallow the damn thing whole.
I appreciate your concern.

 

[Auzzie Gumtree]

i used to split all my wood with the fiskars - but i always ended up with a pile in the 'too hard to split' pile. In the end i was being selective with my scrounges. Then i bought a splitter i now split 1/2 and 1/2. The easier stuff i split with the fiskars and the hard gum wood i 'save' for the hydraulics. The best thing with the splitter is i am not limited by wood type in my scrounges - i can split anything...

 

[bboulier]

I split most wood with a Fiskar's splitting axe. On other occasions, I use a maul and wedges. But, for more difficult task and speed, I also I have a 5 ton Harbor Freight electric splitter for more difficult wood. I recommend it highly.

 

[PhatWood]

Another update: I broke a wedge. Has this ever happened to anyone else? I was using one of those pointy, star shaped wedges, which I like better than the ones that look like an actual wedge. I've had the wedge shaped wedges fly off too many times that I'm afraid it's going to fly back in my crotch, and I don't really want to wear a cup while splitting wood. (It is really hard to resist making immature, inappropriate puns). I've been putting the star shaped one in the dead center and tap it in a few times and then it stays in place when I swing hard with the 12 pounder. It works great, but the other day, the tip snapped off.

Just curious if this is a common thing and I should expect to periodically buy new wedges? Or is the wedge I'm using crap? Thanks.

 

[Minnesota Marty]

Phat,
I have not used those pointed star shaped wedges so I am not sure what happened. You might want to go back to the traditional wedge and use a smaller maul. The other thing the star wedge might of been defective period.
In either case, "it is still a good workout isn't it."

 

[Babaganoosh]

I've heard that the point breaks a lot on those grenade type wedges. It's the weak point apparently. Did you try grinding it back down to a point?

I have one and it works very well.

 

[Jon_E]

I found an Estwing wedge at Home Depot a few years back, I think it's USA made and has these little "wings" on the sides that provide an extra push to the separated splits. So far it's been great.