I got wood

[rxe]

Chris Type R said:

Any suggestions on how to tackle this lot ? It's freshly cut, and I think some of it is beech.

I have a small electric chainsaw, a roughneck maul, a grenade splitter. Most of these are pretty heavy and I think are going to be a challenge to split. Perhaps letting it season a few months might help here.



I was thinking of giving something like https://www.amazon.co.uk/Forest-Master-Smart-Split... a go - sales video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXah6D_7Gx0 I can't really justify a full blown hydraulic splitter.

They’ll be fine, apart from the forks, You really need to batter forks to split them.

The electric Makita will do most of that as long as you take it slowly and the chain is sharp. Cut a bit to length, split it, then cut more and the motor will be able to cool down.

Splitting - use the maul. On big bits, the approach is to knock bits off the edge rather than splitting it in two. Once you find the weak point, it will generally come apart easily, I really wouldn’t bother with the slide hammer.

[guindilias]

There are maybe 5 bits in that pile that I would split without sawing - loadsa crotches and bits with nice big limbs sticking out. The Makita might do, I do use mine on small stuff but also like to break out something more likely to sever a femoral artery regularly. Not sever the artery regularly, bring out the big tools regularly.
Some of those lumps would probably fetch good money if sliced up at a saw mill - coffee table tops and the like.
And yes, there is a good reason why those slide hammer gimmick splitters are normally advertised being used by women - the womenfolk are biologically incapable of splitting wood with an axe. It has been a Man Job since time began.

[dickymint]

Time to give my favourite saw a clean?

[guindilias]

dickymint said:

Time to give my favourite saw a clean?

No, throw it away. If it's not orange and white, it ain't right.

[dickymint]

guindilias said:

dickymint said:

Time to give my favourite saw a clean?

No, throw it away. If it's not orange and white, it ain't right.

It's an 1986 model earlier versions had the white top. Absolute workhorse as you probably know - Electrolux made in Sweden so think i'll be keeping it for a while

Recognise the project top handle saw behind it?

[spikeyhead]

the easy way to make firewood

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L49QplPBO_k

[guindilias]

dickymint said:

It's an 1986 model earlier versions had the white top. Absolute workhorse as you probably know - Electrolux made in Sweden so think i'll be keeping it for a while

Recognise the project top handle saw behind it?

Actually, I don't - at all. Not even an idea! If it's a Husky just bin it - I'm passing a chainsaw trailer bin round for charity, and the charity (My Stihl fund) would benefit from whatever you have and do not need. We also take drugs, drink, and pretty much anything to go towards my chronic illness of "death, once you get too old. Now get out of my surgery!". fund.

[Chris Type R]

I had a fiddle with my major wood this afternoon. The Beech seems easier to split than I was expecting (given how heavy it is). I reduced the size of the pieces using the chainsaw, and then used the grenade and maul. Feeling old and broken now.

What do people do with their sawdust ? I could lose some in the flowerbeds - is it possible to burn in a wood burner - or should I just bung it into the garden waste bin ?

[robinh73]

Chris Type R said:

I had a fiddle with my major wood this afternoon. The Beech seems easier to split than I was expecting (given how heavy it is). I reduced the size of the pieces using the chainsaw, and then used the grenade and maul. Feeling old and broken now.

What do people do with their sawdust ? I could lose some in the flowerbeds - is it possible to burn in a wood burner - or should I just bung it into the garden waste bin ?

Sawdust does burn quite well, but quite quickly. I have used it to supplement kindling on the stoves. I do tend to however just burn most of it on the bonfire in the field.

[CinnamonFan]

Chris for those wide rounds you could use a Vipukirves or Leveraxe. Especially good at splitting sides off big rounds like you have.

https://www.leveraxe.com/en/

I read about it yesterday in the Norwegian Wood book by Lars Mytting.

Or rent a petrol powered splitter for a day.

[dickymint]

guindilias said:

dickymint said:

It's an 1986 model earlier versions had the white top. Absolute workhorse as you probably know - Electrolux made in Sweden so think i'll be keeping it for a while

Recognise the project top handle saw behind it?

Actually, I don't - at all. Not even an idea! If it's a Husky just bin it - I'm passing a chainsaw trailer bin round for charity, and the charity (My Stihl fund) would benefit from whatever you have and do not need. We also take drugs, drink, and pretty much anything to go towards my chronic illness of "death, once you get too old. Now get out of my surgery!". fund.

Husky 61 is an absolute icon in any saw doctors surgery fetches £200 + all day long so if your Irish mate has any cheap then snap em up.

[CinnamonFan]

Chris for those wide rounds you could use a Vipukirves or Leveraxe. Especially good at splitting sides off big rounds like you have.

https://www.leveraxe.com/en/

I read about it yesterday in the Norwegian Wood book by Lars Mytting.

Or rent a petrol powered splitter for a day.

[dickymint]

CinnamonFan said:

Chris for those wide rounds you could use a Vipukirves or Leveraxe. Especially good at splitting sides off big rounds like you have.

https://www.leveraxe.com/en/

I read about it yesterday in the Norwegian Wood book by Lars Mytting.

Or rent a petrol powered splitter for a day.

I looked at buying a Leveraxe when they first came out and were twice the price then! looked at all the reviews and stumbled across this video........

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fWo0P0MdJM&t=...

She uses a "wrist twist" technique just prior to impact that does the same thing.

[Chris Type R]

CinnamonFan said:

Chris for those wide rounds you could use a Vipukirves or Leveraxe. Especially good at splitting sides off big rounds like you have.

https://www.leveraxe.com/en/

Not sure, having watched a review - review takes a turn 9:30 in - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_s3Ci1Dl0s&ab...

[guindilias]

That Wranglerstar fella used to be a regular on Arboristsite, very down to earth. Might still be on there. The "Leveraxe" has loads of very positive reviews by it's inventor, not normally a great sign - he was banned for using multiple accounts reviewing his own stuff!
I would put it slightly lower down in the wood splitting "Tools of choice" list than a rubber mallet.

[Chris Type R]

In other news, I managed to rescue a nice solid pallet from a skip this morning to construct a base for an overflow wood-pile. This was while out walking the dog in the rain. It didn't seem such a smart idea after having walked about 1/2 way back home with it.

[mcpiston]

I used to use a wood grenade and sledge hammer until I discovered the Fiskars X25 splitting axe.

[dickymint]

mcpiston said:

I used to use a wood grenade and sledge hammer until I discovered the Fiskars X25 splitting axe.

Tried a grenade and didn't like it so loaned it out to a mate (skinny wimpy type) a few years ago. It's still stuck in the first round he tried it on - apparently waiting on King Arthur to turn up

[Chris Type R]

mcpiston said:

I used to use a wood grenade and sledge hammer until I discovered the Fiskars X25 splitting axe.

I've heard good things about these - have ordered myself an X25 to add to my wood processing collection of tools.

[Harry Flashman]

X25 great but I wish I had bought the longer handled X27, and I am under 6 foot.

The car takes another load of mixed birch and oak from Mum's house today. Will split it at home as it's wet out and I can't be bothered today after sawing it all up!

Merc's fancy optional bootliner is destroyed. Should have listened to paralla and bought a cheap plastic liner...