The Splitter, the Milk Crate, and Efficiency

[Machria]

2 cords an hour is a heck of a lot of wood! If you consider time to buck, move to the splitter, and split (all this machine does... too many folks just count splitting time), I'm sure I'm at 3 - 4 hours per cord.

I assumed they were talking about the machine use only, not including the bucking, and stacking part of it. Rounds prepared and ready, stacked next to machine (and/or a 2nd person handling them, bringing over to the machine...). And since there is a conveyor to remove the splits, nothing needs to be done on that side.

Hey, it took me the better part of Sunday with my new 22 ton splitter to prep, split, stack and clean up 1 to 1 1/2 cords. Of course I had to move the rounds which were stacked/rolled in-between two split stack racks, bring them about 20' to the closest spot I could get the splitter, then split, and throw the splits toward the area where the new stack was made, about 20 yards in the other direction.

 

[Machria]

Solve picking up splits with a square tipped Machete.

huh?

 

[Ashful]

I assumed they were talking about the machine use only, not including the bucking, and stacking part of it. Rounds prepared and ready, stacked next to machine (and/or a 2nd person handling them, bringing over to the machine...). And since there is a conveyor to remove the splits, nothing needs to be done on that side.

That machine does the bucking for you, which is the point I was making. To do everything that machine does, I'd be at 0.25 - 0.33 cords per hour... versus their 1 - 2 cords per hour.

 

[Machria]

That machine does the bucking for you, which is the point I was making. To do everything that machine does, I'd be at 0.25 - 0.33 cords per hour... versus their 1 - 2 cords per hour.

Gotcha. Forgot that it's also bucking....

 

[Ehouse]

huh?

Use a machete with a flat end to the blade to pick up splits and rounds and even skid small logs without bending over, pull wood off the truck or trailer or load on same, roll logs for cutting through to the ground, all without bending over. Better than a picaroon and peavy combined. Just an easy wrist flip and the corner of the blade's in tighter'n your first GF. Lever to disengage. Sharpen to a setting between dull and not very sharp. Experiment. I'm still finding new uses for my Mayan back saver.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Okay guys, here we go again. Not sure if I can answer all the posts that beg an answer but I'll give it a shot. If I don't finish this evening, I'll try really hard to make a couple videos which I've promised in the past. Please forgive me for not doing it already but sometimes physical problems and other things can get in the way of well made plans. For example, I've had to put off anything like spitting because lately I've had that danged vertigo come back at me. Not too good of an idea to be around much machinery when that can act up.

In addition, most know that I have a terrible back. This all started when I had polio back in 1947. Had a bad injury in 1984 to the back. Last October another injury to the back when I fell backwards out of the trailer and right over the side boards. Yup, landed right on the back and I have yet to recover from that one. But the reason I bring this up is because I keep reading on how it would be so hard on the back while sitting. Nothing could be further from the truth! The only exception naturally is that sometimes we do get some really big stuff and there is no way to handle it even alone leave alone while sitting. However, most of the logs I cut will weigh not much over 250 lbs and most will be way under that.

I do still plan on making a video and posting it (or more than one) for the critics to hack away at and will get it done as soon as I'm able. In the meantime, here goes with some other answers. I may have to break this up into more than one post.


The OP posted this:

So I have been using a splitter that I borrowed and I have already split a couple of cords of wood. I can see how sitting some can take some strain off the lower back. I have tried some rounds to sit on and that can be a little tricky here because it is not flat.

My questions are: how far away from the splitter and how to be efficient? I have placed the rounds too close at times. I have tended to worked on a piece at a time and then move on but they are large pieces. Do you position some pieces to be split and then process then repeat. And where to get a milk crate today.

Indeed sitting will take most of the strain off my back. However, it is important to find out which height works best for you. I have 2 stools and of course one is the milk crate and I've also used a 2 step ladder but that one is just a little bit too high for the way I work. With the milk crate, I find that I can place my elbows on my thighs (close to the knees) and simply use the leverage so that I am not lifting with any strain. It is amazing how much more you can lift this way with no strain on the back.

How far from the splitter. See my avatar or look at this:
One thing I'd like to comment on with this position. Many have brought up the fact that occasionally wood may split off and fly like a bird and they can cause damage. Not so with this position. For sure the ones that go flying are off of smaller rounds than this one and if they do go flying, they will always go sideways and never at the fellow who is doing the splitting. I've never been hurt working like this.

How do I position the splitter?

This should give an idea of how I do it. We do all the cutting during the cold of the winter and just loosely stack the wood where we want to split and stack in the spring. You can tell this picture was taken in the spring because of the ice right next to the log stack. But I just get the splitter as close to the stack as possible and can split a lot of wood before having to move it ahead a bit. I don't remember this picture why I had that short row in the back but usually I start back there and bring the splitter forward as needed. In these rows, I had to move the splitter 3 or 4 times per row. A very short task that takes about 2 minutes.

Notice too that I have the logs on my left and the splits get thrown on the right. I've tried it the opposite but this way works best for me. One reason is that on the smaller logs and even when you get the big logs broken down, many times I can reach for the next log while the wedge is going through the log that is on the splitter. A time saver.

Now for a new post so this does not get too long.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Hmmm I would be looking for an extension to the handle before I would be sitting down.

I have no idea why.

I know a few on here claim sitting on a crate and splitting is easy, BUT... I personally can't see it at all. Seems to me sitting in front of the splitter you are going to be straining your back waaaaay more. You have to reach out and grab a round, position it under the ram, hold in place and then reach up and pull control handle.... all while leaning/bending and putting stress on your back. On the other hand, if you stand and split most of you wood, the only strain on the back is when picking up splits, and if done correctly it's mostly your legs doing the lifting. I split a bit over a cord yesterday this way, my legs are soar today (not my back), which means I was doing it correct (for a change!).

I'm not sure how they do this while sitting.... maybe (and I'm sure they will!) shed some light on this.

Yes, I'm one who claims splitting is easy while sitting. My back simply will not take either the standing nor the bending to lift every log up to the height it needs to be for splitting horizontally. Now if you are just splitting a little bit and it is on a wagon, trailer or truck, horizontal can be good in that situation. I don't do it this way and just prefer to wait and do all the splitting at the end of the cutting season.

I do not understand the comment about straining the back while sitting. On the contrary, it eases the back if it is done right. As for reaching for the handle, you have to put your hand on the handle no matter what way you choose to split. As you stated, the "only" strain when splitting horizontally is when picking up the splits. I do not pick up the splits and if I had to do that, I could not split. In addition, add it up over a day's time and figure how much weight you are lifting. That all takes energy; a lot of energy. Young studs might get a kick out of all the work they are doing but my theory is that I have the hydraulics to save me some work and I want to save as much as possible. Therefore, I will not lift each long up onto the splitter.

Again, I do hope to show you when I get the video made. You may or may not agree and that is okay.

I hate to argue with the wisdom of Backwoods Savage, who has surely split more than the two of us combined, but I have to agree with Machria, here. I've tried sitting to split, and it just doesn't work, for me. I'm fastest and most comfortable standing, with the splitter horizontal. I got bopped REAL hard in the head by the lever popping down on auto return, one time when trying to split vertical while sitting. I also find that reaching for or rolling heavy rounds, and clearing my area of splits, is much more difficult when sitting.

It does not bother me if you question the "wisdom." Yes, I have split more than a few cord of wood and have tried many ways of doing it. If you have tried to sit and couldn't do it, my suggestion is that you were either sitting too high or not sitting squarely behind the log and perhaps not using the best method of moving the logs to the splitter.

You may be comfortable standing and i know of others who are. Some even have too large of a pot gut to allow them to sit comfortably and that can indeed cause problems.

I do not understand at all your comment about getting bopped real hard with the lever popping down on auto return. Either your splitter is a lot different than mine or, I suspect more likely you were sitting way too high and certainly not sitting behind the log like in my avatar. My head is no way near that lever so I do not understand how it could happen.

What about reaching for that next round? Really easy to do here and as I've stated, most times I'm reaching for that next round while still splitting a log! When the rounds are really close it is extremely easy. If a reach is in order, a pickeroon comes in very handy (and for other things too; a very handy tool). Before I got a pickeroon, I many times simply used the axe to reach for some logs. When the reach becomes too far, that is the time to move the splitter ahead a bit, which is a nice little break.

That might be the big difference, Bster13. I only want a break when the tank on the splitter runs dry, not every dozen splits! I actually wish my tank held more, as I hate breaking, once I get a good rhythm going.

Joful, that is about the same way I do it except for those little mini-breaks to get up and move the splitter forward a bit. Then I usually take the time for a little drink too.

Ok, I cannot get my splitter close enough to my stacks, but that's great if you can.

Not sure why you can not get the splitter close enough. Never had that problem.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I have found both positions useful for rounds that are managed by size and weight. I'd say nothing over 20" in diam makes it to the horizontal, whereas everything 20" and over gets split vertical. Not much I can do about it. I have thrown out help for ideas on log lifts as an after market idea and some ideas on do it yourself stuff, not much out there. I'd rather do it all horiztontal if I could

Unless you make your own, a log lift will add a considerel amount to the cost of the machine and it is one more thing that could go wrong.

Thanks for the input everyone. I have to disagree with the posters above that find it is not easier to sit down. I think people are adapting this as they get older because it is less taxing.

What I did find is that if I staged a bunched of pieces next to where I was working, I barely broke a sweat, yet was productive. Whether I place the pieces in a trailer or on a wood stack probably matter not. I found moving the splitter 10 feet closer to where all the rounds were was better than carrying 20 or so oak rounds over to the splitter.

That statement highlighted in red speaks volumes! So if people are adapting as they get older because it is less taxing, would it not also be less taxing for the young? Remember, we buy tools like the hydraulic splitter to save us work. So let us leave most of the work to the machine and if it is less taxing to sit rather than stand, would that not also mean one could work more before getting tired?

I like to split some by hand. Maybe a 1/3 of a cord, or what us northern New York folk call a f _ c _ cord. Ha! Didn't say it. You can't say anything. But for more than 1/3 of a cord I like to get about 3 "real" cord of rounds in a pile, and maybe two piles of that, and then rent a splitter. Sooner or later I am going to own one. But the rented one can do horizontal and vertical. I use it vertical the whole time. The only time I sit is when I take a break. I can get through it faster and enjoy the movement while listening to some good tunes. Here is a tune for you all to enjoy. Take a break from reading about wood splitting, click on the link, make it full size and enjoy. LOL

If you split vertically and do it standing, that means you are doing a lot of bending. Many of us can not work in that position. I might last for 2 rounds at best that way.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I'm just starting out and I find it much easier to split horizontal, wheel barrow next to me, I don't have to move till I'm done with all the rounds in the barrow, when I did try the vertical way, I had to get up everytime to get a round, more work I think, I will say vertical is better for the really big ones till they become manageable to be split horizontal, so I'm voting for horizontal as the way to go for mostly all splitting...

Getting up to get each log just does not make sense and therefore I can understand why this did not work out well for you. There is no way on God's green earth that I would or could do that. Once again, there is something you were doing wrong if you had to do that.

The other thing about tossing them onto a pile is that the pile gets bigger and bigger and you expend more and more energy.

Just depends upon how high you want to throw them. I've had no problems on this one.



That's it for this evening. Again, I will make an attempt to do some splitting soon just for the purpose of making a video.

Thanks everyone for your comments.

 

[WellSeasoned]

I never said that...... I say the higher the pile the better

 

[velvetfoot]

I never said that...... I say the higher the pile the better

I said that and I'll stick with it.

 

[WellSeasoned]

I said that and I'll stick with it.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

Who has a pot gut on here?..... Ha, I had to ask

 

[MarkinNC]

With the milk crate, I find that I can place my elbows on my thighs (close to the knees) and simply use the leverage so that I am not lifting with any strain. It is amazing how much more you can lift this way with no strain on the back.

How far from the splitter. See my avatar or look at this:
View attachment 110586
How do I position the splitter?

View attachment 110587 This should give an idea of how I do it. We do all the cutting during the cold of the winter and just loosely stack the wood where we want to split and stack in the spring. You can tell this picture was taken in the spring because of the ice right next to the log stack. But I just get the splitter as close to the stack as possible and can split a lot of wood before having to move it ahead a bit. I don't remember this picture why I had that short row in the back but usually I start back there and bring the splitter forward as needed. In these rows, I had to move the splitter 3 or 4 times per row. A very short task that takes about 2 minutes.

Notice too that I have the logs on my left and the splits get thrown on the right. I've tried it the opposite but this way works best for me. One reason is that on the smaller logs and even when you get the big logs broken down, many times I can reach for the next log while the wedge is going through the log that is on the splitter. A time saver.

Lots of great replies here but I like the level of detail here a lot! I discovered too, that moving green oak rounds arounds with your elbows on your knee gives one leverage. It is easier to push the round into the splitter with help from the knees too.

Thanks for the positioning tips. I found that I moved the splitter to the work, pretty easy with an ATV. I positioned the rounds on both sides of my work area and slung the wood to my left onto a pile. My splitter work area will become my stacking area after I put pallets down. I could go right as well I guess with the split wood. I will have to get a pickeroon. I use a plain old rake to pull rounds out of my trailer but that would not be practical for this application.

As to the economy of motion issue: There is simply no way one is using less energy bringing every round to the splitter, then going up-down up-down, essentially doing squats, until the piece is finished. I did that with the first tree I split and I was globally pretty sore the next day. When I was dialing in the sitting technique, I was not sore, drenched with sweat or tired.

I do have to hand it to the poster who lined up his splitter downhill from a stack of rounds so they rolled into his work area though!

I still will have to find a milk crate!

 

[MasterMech]

Who has a pot gut on here?..... Ha, I had to ask

All of us lazy bastards with hydraulic splitters?

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

Ha.... Well for the time being, I'm splitting horizontal unless I cant or shouldn't pick up a round, I find it much easier this way with being a novice and all...

 

[MasterMech]

Ha.... Well for the time being, I'm splitting horizontal unless I cant or shouldn't pick up a round, I find it much easier this way with being a novice and all...

I agree that vertical splitting is easy and fast, can be very easy on the body. But if I have a pile of 6-10" rounds I'm blasting through them horizontally.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

A shout out to my bud, Jotul, thank you very much for helping me with my issue, you did a great job teaching me and helping with what I needed to accomplish...... Thank you...

 

[BrotherBart]

A shout out to my bud, Jotul, thank you very much for helping me with my issue, you did a great job teaching me and helping with what I needed to accomplish...... Thank you...

What? He told you how to how to wash white goods or what?

S'plain.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

Hey BB, I had a bowl of popcorn for you last night but you were a no show..... Just kidding, he did a great job instructing me of how to fix my leak on the 22, I'm still a rookie and need lots of help, thanks all for being here.....

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

I love this place....

 

[Jags]

When I was a kid my dad always told me to get off my butt and get to work, so that is how I split.

Oh - and a splitter with a log lift and work table rules. Look at all the high end models from the big players (Like Timberwolf). Their heavy hitters don't tip over.