Splitting Rounds

Fwismoker

Fwismoker

somebody shut me the fark up.
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I have a bunch of large rounds to split. Came across a video on youtube that seemed to work well where a guy took a axe but put it on the edge of the round and then used a small sledge to hammer it in. I have to get a new axe but used a small hatchet and a little dinky hammer on some green oak and that worked so I know the concept is good.

What are you doing to split the rounds? ...Not talking about splitting splits only the large rounds. Thanks!
 
I use wedges and sledhammer.

[ame="https://www.amazon.com/Collins-Splitting-Wedge-Diamond-Shape/dp/B000QTMT7W"]Amazon.com: Collins Wood Splitting Wedge, Diamond Shape, 4 LBS: Home Improvement[/ame]
 
for splitting by hand I like an 8# maul and a couple wedges....the maul alone will split a lot of stuff and if you have some bigger dense, twisty grain stuff you can use the maul to drive wedges. Before I got a log splitter I used to split 4-5 cords a year with just a maul and a few wedges
 
Gonna make a trip to Menards this weekend and gotta decide what to get. So far a sledge (BFH) and a new axe is on the list.
 
Fwismoker said:
Gonna make a trip to Menards this weekend and gotta decide what to get. So far a sledge (BFH) and a new axe is on the list.
Click to expand...
Unless you need a sledge for other reasons, a maul is better for wood splitting. It can be used to split wood easier than an ax because it's designed to wedge wood apart, and can drive a wedge like a sledge. An ax is better for cutting down trees, because it's designed to cut chunks out. Think of a maul as a combination of a wedge and a lever.
 
Interesting vid.....looks like a nice way to improvise and split if you don't have a maul or are unable to swing a maul, looking at that wood, once that round was split in half is bet anyone that can lift and drop a maul properly could split those piece with one stroke.
 
The video of that guy splitting the round is great. Would of never thought it would work.
 
roncoinc said:
confused,,why not use the splitter ?
Click to expand...
That's the thing... What kind of splitter. Most often when someone says splitter they're referring to a hydraulic log splitter, NOT something for large rounds that weigh a ton.

Bigr314 said:
The video of that guy splitting the round is great. Would of never thought it would work.
Click to expand...
Yea that's what makes me curious if I should just get a new axe and large hammer like he used. I already have the log splitter. Most of my rounds are rolled onto a area that is all brick and pavers so I'd rather not swing a maul which is why the method in the video is intriguing to me. I tried it with a smaller round using a little hatchet and it worked but never compared it to using something like wedges you hammer in.
 
krex1010 said:
Interesting vid.....looks like a nice way to improvise and split if you don't have a maul or are unable to swing a maul, looking at that wood, once that round was split in half is bet anyone that can lift and drop a maul properly could split those piece with one stroke.
Click to expand...
Yea I could definitely see that... What's the very easiest thing to get to that halfway mark?
 
If you have a lot, rent a gas powered 20 ton (or bigger) vertical splitter. It will get the job done much quicker, and probably run you 50-100$ for a day. I've used a splitter on logs with about a 30" diameter without an issue. It is money well spent. Ace, Home Depot, or a local rental place will all probably have something similar.
 
Fwismoker said:
Yea I could definitely see that... What's the very easiest thing to get to that halfway mark?
Click to expand...

For me, look for a natural crack radiating out from the center of the round and follow it out to where you think it would go if the crack reached the edge...set and drive a wedge there, if it doesn't split completely in half, set another opposite the first and drive it, the round should split then. Every piece is different though, don't fight it, split it where it wants to split, which may not be in half.
 
Shagdog said:
If you have a lot, rent a gas powered 20 ton (or bigger) vertical splitter. It will get the job done much quicker, and probably run you 50-100$ for a day. I've used a splitter on logs with about a 30" diameter without an issue. It is money well spent. Ace, Home Depot, or a local rental place will all probably have something similar.
Click to expand...

Those things are pretty bad arse, I used one of the tow behind verticals when a neighbor cut down a tree.

It'd be nice though to have a fairly easy way just to split up some that are off site to make them easier to load up and bring home too. I probably have enough rounds to justify renting one but still want to be able to do it without using something like that...again just to downsize rounds into manageable size pieces for loading to bring home.
 
I downloaded the video and watched it more closely.
First, see the mushrooming on the ax head and small maul he is using? They are from hitting hardened steel like he is doing. If not ground off on a regular basis, they will break off and have been known to hit the eye, and he isn't wearing safety glasses. A wedge is designed to be struck. Actually, if he used the small maul and struck it with the ax, the wood would split easier, since the wedge shape of the maul would apply more side force on the wood than the narrow ax.
The initial splitting of the round is just as easy, if not more so, using the sledge head of a maul and a wedge, if necessary. After that, one swing of the maul usually will split the rest without a problem. If not, use the wedge. Found a video.
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aQcbqrm1f4"]268 - Splitting Log Rounds into Firewood with Axe and Wedge - YouTube[/ame]
If you are worried about the bricks, put some scrap wood under the rounds. Besides, the force of the blow is dissipated by the wood long before it reaches the pavement. I've split wood on concrete, with no damage to the pavement.
 
With a good splitter you need nothing else.

this vid is a piece of 24 inch oak,,the splitter will only take 25 in.

splitting this the WRONG way too !!

notice the round is ROLLED into position,no lifting,no flipping.

tho it would of split easier if flipped on the flat side :)

i dont own a maul,,no need for one.


<iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Zt1mKjOT4V8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
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