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JMC #190630 11/02/09 08:41 PM
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Andedammen,

We must be related because my dad said the same thing about cord wood warming you more than once.

I am not sure about Cottonwood or Ash (we don't have those varieties where I live in Texas) but Oak will typically have what we refer to as a "wind check". It is in the center of the rings when you look at the cross section of a log. I was always told when splitting wood by hand to align your wedge, maul, axe, etc with the wind check and you were more likely to make a clean split with less energy. Of course, that bit of info came from my dad during what he refers to as my "formative years"! He seemed to think splitting wood was good training for football.

It seems as though yall have it figured out with hydraulic splitters; however, if it doesn't work out, send a bus to Texas and we can fill it with "exchange students" (illegals from South of the border). They work cheap and you can offset their cost by selling the surplus they produce!


Chunk, wind and set the hook!
Dwight #190632 11/02/09 08:44 PM
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 Originally Posted By: Dwight
I quit lumber jacking years ago, but in the 1980s I was cutting/splitting 15-20 cords each year. A lot of the wood we burned was cottonwood and elm. Both are crappy woods for a fire place, but work fine for a wood burning furnace.

I built myself a hydraulic splitter. The Cylinder was 7"x30" with a 3.5" shaft. I put a 2 stage hydraulic pump with a 16HP gas motor on it. That splitter would have popped your logs into submission without even going to the second stage! 30 years later the splitter is still on the job though it is now on its 4th or 5th owner. I believe it had a maximum of around 50 tons of splitting force in the second stage. It was just the ticket for splitting 30” diameter x 24 " long logs right through the center.

Did I mention that I also built a thermostatically controlled forced air wood burning furnace that was the sole source of heat for our house for many years? During really cold weather (-10 thru -20F) it needed to be filled with wood once a day. During milder periods it would run up to four days without attention.


Dwight

You're retired, pond is pretty much done for fishing...why not come on down and we can build one together? ;\)


Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau

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TJ, you've gotten a bunch of solid recommendations here and I totally agree with going the machine route if your budget and usage needs allow. However, in the meantime you may also want to try this with the maul - it's a technique that I've used for big diameter logs and have never been unable to split one.

Similar to AP's advice, I always try the edges first. If that works, great because you'll have the whole thing done in no time. If not, though, take your maul and smack away at the log starting on one side and hitting it generally in line all the way to the other side, essentially scoring it across its width. Then just keep repeating that until you get a crack going, after which you should be able to get it split. If the log is too long to get fully split with your maul, bury the maul so you have an opened crack, drop a wedge down into the crack, and then whack away with the heaviest sledge you can work with. You may need more than one wedge depending on log size.

In any event, that technique has never failed me unless it's been a ridiculously knotty, gnarly old log that just won't split no matter what you do to it, but those seem to be fairly uncommon in my experience.

Again, though, go with power! Life will be easier and you'll get a heck of a lot more done!


Todd La Neve

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JMC #190653 11/02/09 09:35 PM
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TJ:

I believe I have the one that you do. Either that or it's a 5 ton unit. It leaves a LOT to be desired, but if the logs are <10" you can split them O.K.

I don't think the 12t electric unit will be strong enough.....

How much wood do you think you'll be going thru in a year? A cord is a pile of wood stacked 4' x 4' x 8'


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esshup #190654 11/02/09 09:50 PM
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I've got the 4T Ryobi. Of course I believed the statement it could handle logs up to 14" diameter...won't do it, at least not with Cottonwood. Cottonwood is so light and soft it actually bends instead of cracks, rendering the splitter useless.


Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau

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Luckily my neighbor has a vertical/horizontal 30t two stage splitter that I can borrow when needed. I've had a few logs where it slowed it down enough to engage the 2nd stage.


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Yolk Sac #190663 11/02/09 10:31 PM
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 Quote:
How big are your locusts, TJ? I've got a ton too, that have grown up in old pasture that we're reclaiming. We just pull the ones up to about 4" diameter with a chain and tractor-they come out roots and all, if the ground is moist. Makes a heck of a bonfire when they're dried out.
How big are your locusts, TJ? I've got a ton too, that have grown up in old pasture that we're reclaiming. We just pull the ones up to about 4" diameter with a chain and tractor-they come out roots and all, if the ground is moist. Makes a heck of a bonfire when they're dried out.

Not get off thread, but please believe me when I say pulling, pushing, cutting or anything else justs makes Locust very mad!! Either basal Remedy/diesel at 25%Remedy or Surmount with Inergy as a surfactant as a foilar application should be done first. Yolk Sac, I'd be very interested in your reporting back next spring as to how many Locusts suckers have come up. Maybe Locusts react different in other parts of the country. But in Texas, there will be 30-40 suckers 2-3 feet high with 2" thorns by June for every mature tree felled...du


david u #190669 11/02/09 10:44 PM
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Splitting logs by hand is definitely some good exercise... Makes you appreciate what the frontiersman had to do to keep warm every winter!

CJBS2003 #190672 11/02/09 11:32 PM
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 Originally Posted By: CJBS2003
Splitting logs by hand is definitely some good exercise... Makes you appreciate what the frontiersman had to do to keep warm every winter!


No doubt on all fronts, Travis! I've done a couple of fairly large trees the past few years and each has lasted as a pretty decent summer project between family, work, and everything else in life. I am always kind of disappointed to see that last log get split because it is a great stress reliever and enjoyable way to sweat a little.


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Todd3138 #190677 11/03/09 01:59 AM
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jims place...very nice picture of the "PB Mascot". He's heading north to retire.....

JMC #190683 11/03/09 04:56 AM
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30" Dwight? I seem to remember wheezing some up on your splitter that were more like 45" including one boxelder stump that was like lifting a box full of hernias even for a couple of fairly stout guys.


Good morning Dave, I've checked the ships systems, and everything appears to be running normally.
CJBS2003 #190687 11/03/09 07:17 AM
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 Originally Posted By: CJBS2003
Splitting logs by hand is definitely some good exercise... Makes you appreciate what the frontiersman had to do to keep warm every winter!


Back then if you were lazy you either froze or starved to death!
If you reflect on it, we really have it good. \:D



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 Originally Posted By: adirondack pond
 Originally Posted By: CJBS2003
Splitting logs by hand is definitely some good exercise... Makes you appreciate what the frontiersman had to do to keep warm every winter!


Back then if you were lazy you either froze or starved to death!
If you reflect on it, we really have it good. \:D


Reflecting even deeper alot of people still do, and they are youst unfortunate not lazy.
So some of us have it REALLY REALLY GOOD.

I wouldn't bee poor, even for a million $

PAUL


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I think Tom splits his big logs by lighting the fuse and running like the wind, being careful not to trip over the beer cooler.


In Dog Beers, I've had one.
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 Originally Posted By: adirondack pond
 Originally Posted By: CJBS2003
Splitting logs by hand is definitely some good exercise... Makes you appreciate what the frontiersman had to do to keep warm every winter!


Back then if you were lazy you either froze or starved to death!
If you reflect on it, we really have it good. \:D


Those were the days....natural selection at it's best! [Hope this slips by moderation]


Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau

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+1

CJBS2003 #190787 11/03/09 10:19 PM
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 Originally Posted By: CJBS2003
+1


I had a feeling YOU, AP, Cecil, George and Burgermeister would chime in for sure... ;\)


Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau

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 Originally Posted By: teehjaeh57


Those were the days....natural selection at it's best! [Hope this slips by moderation]



Well said!

+1



Rainman #190794 11/03/09 10:46 PM
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the advent of electricity and reciprocating engines have taken all of the fun out of cutting and splitting wood.

Last edited by burgermeister; 11/03/09 11:16 PM.

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 Originally Posted By: burgermeister
the advent of electricity and reciprocating engines have taken all of the fun out of cutting and splitting wood.


Not at my house.I still get a BANG out of it,but you have to gather the wood twice.


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TOM G #190849 11/04/09 11:19 AM
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Is there anything you don't do with a BANG Tom? HAHA

TOM G #190862 11/04/09 12:07 PM
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Did you ever try to cut down trees with "detonating fuse" TOM

thats deffinetlie a experience with a BANG imposible to define wich way the tree will fal so keep safe distance,logg partly splitt in the same operation as well.
PAUL


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CJ,someone told me when I was young that you get a real bang out of life as we know it.I guess I took it literally. \:\)


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 Originally Posted By: teehjaeh57
I've got the 4T Ryobi. Of course I believed the statement it could handle logs up to 14" diameter...won't do it, at least not with Cottonwood. Cottonwood is so light and soft it actually bends instead of cracks, rendering the splitter useless.


The one in the outbuilding is a no-name brand, rated at 4.5T. It's worked O.K. so far, but for the bigger logs, especially the ones with knots, I need to borrow the neighbors' gas splitter. I try and cut the logs 20"-22" long. This one will handle logs up to 24" long IIRC.


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esshup #190973 11/05/09 01:07 PM
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I will be selectively harvesting some white poplar (aspen) soon for next year's wood. I buck it all into stove length then wait until it the temps hit at least 20 below for a good week, then split by hand. Frozen green logs are much easier to split, they usually end up shattering cleanly.

We have balsam poplar here, some people call it black poplar, very similar or same as cottonwood, I don't touch the stuff, too pulpy and never seems to cure properly and creates lots of creosote in your chimney.

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