All things splitting

[TK]

How are you guys splitting your wood? Hydraulic? Maul? Axe? Chainsaw? Dynamite?


I've split with a maul, wedge, axe, hydraulic splitter - and while they all work in their own way, none of them has made it feel any less than just plain work. Cutting with a saw is just enjoyable to me, but splitting has always been a chore no matter what. I tried out a buddy's Fiskars X27 yesterday, and I was pretty amazed. Granted I was only going through red oak with it, but with far less than a half effort swing, 14-16" rounds cut 16-18" long were just blowing apart. Single handed whacks would finish the rest of the splitting with ease, and far faster than any hydraulic splitter I've used. I was impressed to say the least.

Now for other types of wood this may be a whole different story. Stuff with some curly grain, knots, etc. may give it a hard time, but most of what I'd be cutting for firewood would be similar to this oak and maybe some seemingly branchless maple. I could see dropping $50 on one of these rather than spending the coin on a decent splitter.

 

[MacLaren]

With a good ole go-devil. (Maul) I also like to use my Fiskars Super Splitter.

 

[TK]

With a good ole go-devil. (Maul) I also like to use my Fiskars Super Splitter.

I haven't looked into the Fiskars lineup too deeply - is the Super Splitter a different animal than the X series splitting axes?

 

[Mitch95100]

used black powder once now im a millionare in the Toothpick bussiness its called black powder tooth picks and our motto is "One big Bang From us to your table"

 

[WoodChuck'r]

I have a Stihl PA80 splitting maul.

It kicks some serious ass and it's only 6 1/2 pounds. Had it for a couple years now and it's by far the best maul I've ever used. I've split well over 40 facecords with it too. I just may end up buying another one sometime soon. Having one just doesn't seem like enough, lol...

 

[WoodChuck'r]

I haven't looked into the Fiskars lineup too deeply - is the Super Splitter a different animal than the X series splitting axes?

Nope - same thing. The original was 28" (X 25) and there was a big request that it be made with a longer handle. The 36" (X 27) was eventually made.

Lotta guys swear by their soopa splittas but I don't think I've ever used one. If I have it was prolly at a GTG and have just forgotten about it.

My neighbor (the westspartan) has the X 27 and he says he loves the frikkin' thing....

 

[MacLaren]

I have a Stihl PA80 splitting maul.

It kicks some serious ass and it's only 6 1/2 pounds. Had it for a couple years now and it's by far the best maul I've ever used. I've split well over 40 facecords with it too. I just may end up buying another one sometime soon. Having one just doesn't seem like enough, lol...

Cool man. Ive always wandered about those. May have to get me one.

 

[TK]

Nope - same thing. The original was 28" (X 25) and there was a big request that it be made with a longer handle. The 36" (X 27) was eventually made.

Lotta guys swear by their soopa splittas but I don't think I've ever used one. If I have it was prolly at a GTG and have just forgotten about it.

My neighbor (the westspartan) has the X 27 and he says he loves the frikkin' thing....

I can see the need for a longer handle. I made a mistake in my first post, it was an X25 that I used, not the X27. This next part is a little embarassing, along with a little scary lol, but the first swing I took with the darn thing I missed, the axe went through my legs (good thing I was standing square to and not one foot in front of the other) and slipped out of my hands and went about 15 feet behind me. Good thing again that I was wearing gloves and that handle was a little slippery, as if I had a better grip there's a good chance it would have come around and laid right into my back! I also swung the thing too dang hard as well. The next swing was fair swing and I went right down into the splitting block - wouldn't surprise me if a good hard swing went through two pieces in a row.

You should give it a try, it's quite impressive.

 

[BloodOnTheIce]

I use the trusty family 20 ton MTD horizontal/vertical splitter with
a 5hp Briggs motor for most everything.

I have two Fiskars tools, one of the 14" hatchets and 28" splitting axes.

I like the short handle on the maul for splitting wood in the basement.
It's short enough I split stuff down into kindling, and not hit the lights
or ceiling.

 

[BloodOnTheIce]

My Fiskars gear.

 

[komatsuvarna]

I use a good ole Maul if I dont have much and its good busting. A lot of times Ill noodle it down to size with the 395xp and a 24'' 8 pin. My good friend and neighbor has a Northern tool splitter I use sometimes....sometimes we bust wood together and split the pile, works out good for the both of use. I have a splitter attachment I built for our excavator, Ill use it if its not out on the job and I have a lot of wood to bust.....Its only home a couple weeks out of the year, so I don't get to use it much. Its to much hassle and $$$ to haul it home just to split some wood too, but it does work well.

Most of you have probably seen it, but if ya haven't, here ya go

[video=youtube;-pZvmpNTe-c]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=-pZvmpNTe-c[/video]

 

[Spike60]

I use the trusty family 20 ton MTD horizontal/vertical splitter with
a 5hp Briggs motor for most everything.

I have two Fiskars tools, one of the 14" hatchets and 28" splitting axes.

I like the short handle on the maul for splitting wood in the basement.
It's short enough I split stuff down into kindling, and not hit the lights
or ceiling.

I have the same 20 ton MTD and it works fine. It has a little faster cycle time than the current 27 ton Troy-bilts and Cub Cadets. Got it about 10 years ago for $500. Customer was moving and it was hardly used. Great deal, and it's split plenty of wood the last 10 years. For personal use, I think any of these basic splitters are all a guy really needs. Yeah, a nice American like Jimmy's puts out way more wood and is a blast to run, but for me my MTD is just right. Plus it's small enough to bull around by hand. It does 80% of my splitting.

The other 20% I do by hand with a 6 pound maul. I like to go out in the morning and bust up a few rounds for excersize. I only do the easy straight grained stuff. Knots and hickory all go on the MTD. I also half or quarter the big blocks before I bring them home. They're just as hard to lift into the truck as onto the splitter. :yup: I rarely use the splitter in horizontal mode anymore.

I've been hearing so much about this Fiskers stuff, so today I ordered a bunch of them for the store. Also, ordered a couple of the Husky tools. It's old tech stuff, Swedish steel on an American hickory handle. But they have a real good quality design to them. You know how it is when you pick up a tool and it feels "just right".

 

[weimedog]

I've been hearing so much about this Fiskers stuff, so today I ordered a bunch of them for the store. Also, ordered a couple of the Husky tools. It's old tech stuff, Swedish steel on an American hickory handle. But they have a real good quality design to them. You know how it is when you pick up a tool and it feels "just right".

Ended up with the Husqvarna Splitting maul. Was hunting and had looked at the plastic alternatives...saw the Husqvarna stuff on a clearance table! Hefted it..liked the way wood feels better than plastic..bought the wood one. And I'm very happy with that tool. In retro spect, I think I would have still gone with the Husqvarna regardless of price as compared to all the plastic alternatives.

 

[TK]

Ended up with the Husqvarna Splitting maul. Was hunting and had looked at the plastic alternatives...saw the Husqvarna stuff on a clearance table! Hefted it..liked the way wood feels better than plastic..bought the wood one. And I'm very happy with that tool. In retro spect, I think I would have still gone with the Husqvarna regardless of price as compared to all the plastic alternatives.

How's she do splitting?

 

[BloodOnTheIce]

I like Fiskars because I'm clumsy and unskilled with a maul, with a wood handle
I'd be too busy replacing them to get any work done.
My weapons of choice.

 

[TK]

I use a good ole Maul if I dont have much and its good busting. A lot of times Ill noodle it down to size with the 395xp and a 24'' 8 pin. My good friend and neighbor has a Northern tool splitter I use sometimes....sometimes we bust wood together and split the pile, works out good for the both of use. I have a splitter attachment I built for our excavator, Ill use it if its not out on the job and I have a lot of wood to bust.....Its only home a couple weeks out of the year, so I don't get to use it much. Its to much hassle and $$$ to haul it home just to split some wood too, but it does work well.

Most of you have probably seen it, but if ya haven't, here ya go

[video=youtube;-pZvmpNTe-c]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=-pZvmpNTe-c[/video]

That there's a sweet setup

I like Fiskars because I'm clumsy and unskilled with a maul, with a wood handle
I'd be too busy replacing them to get any work done.
My weapons of choice.

Ya I definitely have issues with wooden handles needing replacement VERY frequently. I tend to bust one a year just on camping trips alone

 

[jrepairsk70e]

back in the 80s when i was more muscle than skill i broke a couple wooden handles on my 6 lb maul [ mostly when a round would pop open with a quarter split on the far side of the round and the handle would bottom out against the unsplit remaining part ] i installed a plastic wrapped fiberglass handle and learned how to read the round better to id the weakest place in the grain . prior to buying my hyd splitter i was using the trutempr maul with the wedge like wings on the head and a plastic handle ,i also bought a fiskars splitter x27 axe just to see what all the hype was about [it does work very well] have never broken a non wood handle jk

 

[Gink]

I built a splitter with a 4 way and auto cycle valve.

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/PQvgOg26uys" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[jrepairsk70e]

sweet unit gink , the auto cycle in forward would give my right hand too much time to get in the pinch , guess you just have to get used to it and be super vigilant jk

 

[WoodChuck'r]

Firewood harvesting season is upon us.....


I already have the Stihl PA80 axe - maybe it's time to pick up a slick Hooskvarna splitting maul to give the PA80 a companion..... :yup: