I have a neighbor, Sam, who has been having a rough time of it lately. He has been laid off from work and his wife has been sick with diabetes. He called me Saturday and asked if I had any wood I could give him. I told him sure, come on over and I'll help him load his Ranger truck. I have been splitting for forty years by hand and I enjoy it. Now I have more wood than I'll ever use and I'm glad to get rid of some of it. We loaded his truck and he helped me with the sledge and maul for about fifteen minutes. I split every day if I feel like it but not if it's raining or cold. I usually work for a couple of hours at my easy pace and quit when I'm tired to avoid injury. Sam is about 55 and looks to be in good shape but he told me today that he was so sore he couldn't even move. All this got me to thinking. I work with my 8.lb maul and 10.lb sledge hammer and am never sore anywhere, I just quit when I'm tired. My health is good with normal blood pressures, etc. I never go to the Doctor. There is no telling how much money my wood lot has saved me in heating costs, Doctor bills, and gym memberships. David.
Saving money in my wood yard.
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David, I say continue as long as you possibly can and enjoy every minute of it. I used to be the same way and when it came to firewood, I absolutely loved it and still do. However, accidents do sometimes happen when least expected. It was mainly that which caused the purchase of a hydraulic splitter. I am still able to do what needs to be done with the firewood but now I work rather slow. The main point is that it still gets done.
As for Sam, you could easily have predicted he would get sore. Any time people, especially starting in that age bracket, does heavy things they do not normally do.....they are going to get really sore. That does not mean they are lesser folks, just not accustomed to doing what you do. Count your blessings and enjoy your health while you have it.
As for Sam, you could easily have predicted he would get sore. Any time people, especially starting in that age bracket, does heavy things they do not normally do.....they are going to get really sore. That does not mean they are lesser folks, just not accustomed to doing what you do. Count your blessings and enjoy your health while you have it.
I've noticed over the past year or so, I never have any back pain or aches. Splitting alittle when I can - really is great therapy. I feel great. Being outside and breathing the crisp air - listening to the sounds around me. The echo from the axe making the split, the smell of the sap, the color of the wood. I love to hear turkeys down in the bottom, or see deer moving down the from the ridge pausing to scratch for acorns. There is so much to appreciate while splitting vs a gym membership - stinky rubber mats - sweat - techno beat noise. No thanks. And your heating your home and saving money. I am hooked for life.
Good thread. Not only are we saving money on heating bills, but we are keeping fit and healthy. I like it.
Good thread. Not only are we saving money on heating bills, but we are keeping fit and healthy. I like it.
I don't split anything in the winter, but lifting all the splits when feeding the stove does keep the arms and hands strong.
Matt
Matt
I started splitting when I was a young kid for my folks. Splittings again, feeling good and enjoying it. I split twice a week.
I agree with you all. I try to get out as often as possible. I find a few hours of splitting a few times a week helps keep me on an even keel. Better to smash firewood into small pieces than things that I'll have to either fix or clean up when I'm done, or the boss at work. I don't think I would get as much out of it if I was doing with a machine. Not to say that there isn't any work with the machine, just that the sounds and smells would be different.
I wish more people understood the benefit of harvesting energy!
I just tore out the 500 gallon diesel tank that I've been laboring to remove all the toxic fuel from.
If people would only realize the benefits of heating there home with wood, we'd all be much better off.
Nothing in life worth having is easy!
But there's nothing more rewarding in life than splitting a load of wood!
Well, I can think of a few other things, but that is high up on the list.
As Dennis Says.."Keep Smiling!"
This is kind of an interesting subject. I am 30yrs old and just got into wood heat and saws in the last 4-5yrs. I thought when I first started I "HAD" to have a hydraulic splitter and now that I bought a used one and the motor went on it I spend more and more time with my Fiskars and worry less and less about fixing the hydraulic splitter. It's funny how we instantly assume we have to spend a ton of money on things we "need" when a little bit of sweat and work will work just fine. Needless to say i have plans to fix the splitter and put it up for sale come fall.
watchamakalit said:
It today's world, the value system has been replaced with ease and comfort. As a result, people are sick, obese, full of toxic chemicals and our nation is suffering from economic and health crisis. People used to honor hard work and resourcefulness!! Glad I took a piece of that pie when I was younger! It has carried me quite well all these years!! An example of the shift in character was when I took a petite female friend on a wood run. As I was pitch-poling an 8 foot section of a tree ( it was only about 300 pounds) back to the truck, she said " you really like manual labor don't you" Like it's a bad thing to work hard and keep the body in shape.. Who wants to spend there energy in a gym?? Not me, I'll take shouldering logs and walking miles on a sand beach any day!
Good luck selling your hydraulic splitter. I've toyed with the idea of acquiring one, but glad I haven't!! As soon as I stopped swinging that 8 pound splitting axe my body is probably gonna fall apart! Be well.. Enjoy hard work.. You'll reap the benefits all day long!!
aquamaniac said:
Just because I plan to sell it doesn't mean I will. lol I have recently aquired some new cutting partners, between all of us we might need a hydraulic to keep up with the cutting. we will see what happens. Personally I prefer hand splitting when I am by my self. Its faster and I could never understand why people pay to go to the gym when there is plenty of work to be done in the world. If we all just put down our leaf blowers and pick up a rake the world would be a better place....
I would keep the splitter. I loved to split by hand but starting having physical problems from it - tendenitis in the elbows and something with the shoulder that I havent faced getting checked out yet. Forced me to face the music and move to the hydraulic splitter. Bums me out not to hand split and I certainly dont get as much of a work out from wood processing.
Yeah, I wish I had a splitter. Keep yours. Right now I can borrow one- sometimes- but availability is spotty. I split about 50 percent by hand, but I do need the exercise. And amazingly, I also really like doing manual wood processing.
I'm going to pass on borrowing my buddy's hydraulic splitter for now and keep swinging the maul. Just as good a workout as going to the gym.
I've found that if I split 5 or 6 rounds, then stack the splits, then repeat, there's less stress on the joints. less repetative motion. At least that's what works for me
I've found that if I split 5 or 6 rounds, then stack the splits, then repeat, there's less stress on the joints. less repetative motion. At least that's what works for me
I also really enjoy splitting by hand but found due to some injuries a splitter was/is the only way I can keep up with the amount of wood I need. Now with some injuries healed I plan on trying a Fiskars so I can once again do some more hand splitting. I will not be selling the splitter it's way too handy for all the ulgy stuff and the elm I run into.
There is a middle ground between splitting everything with a heavy maul and using a hydraulic splitter for everything. Most of my wood can be split pretty easily with a modest hit or two from my light splitting axe. I think most people could handle that type of work without long-term injury. I split all of my wood because i enjoy the excercise and the challenge, and I generally use an 8 pound maul because it is heavier and i enjoy the workout, but my fall-back position in a couple of decades is to split most of my wood, and get my sons to split the tough pieces.
Between dropping the tree, bucking up the tree, hauling the bucked lengths to the ATV trailer, dropping off the bucked lengths in a pile, lifting the rounds to be split, stacking the splits in the sun to season, tossing the splits into either a trailer or wheelbarrow to move to the woodshed and then hauling the wood to the porch and then to the stove . . . I figure I get enough exercise without splitting by hand.
I bought my splitter for convenience . . . and ease . . . it makes splitting the elm and apple and like-minded wood . . . knotty wood . . . and well wood that just doesn't split as nice as ash . . . that much easier and nicer.
That said, I will occasionally . . . for "fun" split some wood by hand . . . since there is something very satisfying about splitting a round with an ax or maul.
I bought my splitter for convenience . . . and ease . . . it makes splitting the elm and apple and like-minded wood . . . knotty wood . . . and well wood that just doesn't split as nice as ash . . . that much easier and nicer.
That said, I will occasionally . . . for "fun" split some wood by hand . . . since there is something very satisfying about splitting a round with an ax or maul.
Yes, sledge hammers, wedges, axes, hydraulic splitters and I suppose those Fiskars even have their place. They are all nothing but tools. They just work differently. Perhaps by the time most folks get to retirement age they too will appreciate doing some things the easier way. If they are still able to do it by hand, so much the better. I have a 71 year old friend who still works in the woods daily....and he does not look a day over 50. Built strong as an ox too. But he understands why I now have to use the hydraulic splitter too.
And good for the head, too. I split all my wood by hand. I love it. Keeps me in shape, gets me outdoors, and clears the cobwebs from mind. Some of my favorite time to split is when I'm pissed off. Half an hour later I feel like me again.
Captain Hornet said:
I like hearing this! Sometimes even the littlest thing can put a man back on the road to recovery. I’m bye myself, I use a hand 8lbs mall and a power splitter ;-P
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