Firewood

[O:gweh]

Vader. One more thing to think about. The longer the piece, the exponentially harder it is to split. It's crazy how much harder an 18" piece can be, compared to a 16" piece. If you have some that are a true pain in the ass, cut them in half and try it. An 8" piece may seem small but it still burns!!!

 

[AGreyMan]

If you only have a few rounds to cut, you can cut them up with a chainsaw. It is wasteful, time consuming, and fatiguing, but it gets the job done.

I resorted to that as an intermediate step between giving up on the splitting maul, and buying the log splitter. It will work for a few rounds but as I said, you wouldn't want to do a whole tree that way.

 

[Donfini2]

I use mine an hour- hour and a half at a time.
Its a good prep item.

 

[Ghost863]

If you only have a few rounds to cut, you can cut them up with a chainsaw. It is wasteful, time consuming, and fatiguing, but it gets the job done.

I resorted to that as an intermediate step between giving up on the splitting maul, and buying the log splitter. It will work for a few rounds but as I said, you wouldn't want to do a whole tree that way.

I tried that one time but burned up a whole tank of gas for each log. So if I cut three logs, then I burned three tanks of gas. Cutting with the grain is extremely hard. But I am learning woodworking from reading and then practicing what I read. And one of the books I am reading about wood says that in it's natural state, it is like taking a bundle of straws and gluing them all together. That would explain why it is easier to split it than to cut with the grain, and why it is so strong across the grain.

 

[AGreyMan]

100% agree, and the bundle of straws is a good analogy.

As mentioned, it was really a pain in a lot of ways to split elm with a chainsaw. Can't recommend it as a regular practice. Seems as though it might be an option in Vader's case, as a splitter is off the table.

 

[NoFlyZone]

I tried that one time but burned up a whole tank of gas for each log. So if I cut three logs, then I burned three tanks of gas. Cutting with the grain is extremely hard. But I am learning woodworking from reading and then practicing what I read. And one of the books I am reading about wood says that in it's natural state, it is like taking a bundle of straws and gluing them all together. That would explain why it is easier to split it than to cut with the grain, and why it is so strong across the grain.

They make a ripping chain (Stihl, Oregon, etc.) that does well cutting with the grain.
I don't know if it's cost effective to use them, though.

 

[240Geezer]

Where’s the freakin tree guy?

 

[NoFlyZone]

He may be chomping on a drumstick right about now.

 

[Edgar Friendly]

Putin shows how to get it done.

 

[Bacash]

Putin shows how to get it done.

That’s how I do 90% of mine. Wedge and a 10lb sledge.