Log Splitter

[jackellis]

We're expecting rain and snow later this week while we're out of town. Time to get roughly two cords of firewood split, stacked and covered, which LOML and I accomplished in the space of three days.

I used to split logs with a maul, or a sledge hammer and wedges. It was slow, tiring, and harder on my body than I wanted to admit, especially as I got older. We use mostly pine, fir and cedar because that's what's readily available, but there are knots and some of the grain twists along the length of the logs. Some split better green and some split better after being seasoned but anything that wasn't perfectly straight provoked a lot of X-rated language.

Three years ago I bought a little Ryobi 4 ton electric splitter. It can't deal with some of the knots and it's not the best choice for really large (30" plus) rounds, but for everything else we split up here, it works just fine. At one point, the ram failed to retract but some kind soul had posted a fix (remove and clean a valve) that did the trick (though not without first spraying hydraulic fluid all over my shop).

If you're looking for a reasonably priced, quiet, durable splitter, I highly recommend the Ryobi.

[conwaygolfer]

I used to enjoy splitting and stacking, etc. But the wife finally convinced me to get a gas log. With the remote, I can have an instant fire any time. Lovin it. Would never go back to all the work and dirt, etc..

Enjoy the fire.
Conwaygolfer

[schloff]

I just lit my first fire of the season. I normally burn oak and cherry. Hickory and ash on occasion.
I haven't had to split my firewood in a few years, as I found that firewood delivery was in my best interest. I lost about 6 massive oak trees this spring and am in the process of making them usable for my fireplace. I picked up my maul for the first time and with very little effort, split this stuff like it was glass.
I don't know if it was my recollection of splitting being a b!tch or what, but this stuff is busting like a dream.
Maybe it is breaking that easy because it has been on the ground for 6 months.
Another 10 years and I'll probably getting a splitter, or a more managable house. We'll see...
But I love the smell of a wood fire. Thanks for the heads up on the splitter. How much are they going for, typically?

[jackellis]

Thanks for the heads up on the splitter. How much are they going for, typically?

The Ryobi splitter is kinda spendy - $300 when I bought it three years ago. S some of the best money I ever spent. It's quiet and I don't need to store gasoline around the house. It requires both hands to be on the controls, which is a nice safety feature. Occupies a 40x15 inch footprint. Two people can lift it with no real difficulty, though it has wheels that work better on semi-packed dirt and are too small for gravel.

I know some users complained about how well the Ryobi did or did not split hardwood. I have some rounds from an old live oak I'll try splitting next year so we'll see how well it does on that stuff.

Using a maul was good exercise, but the logs were never cut square so any poorly aimed shots meant bending down to pick up the log, and some of the trees had either curved grain or fibers that would not split easily. I did a lot more bending than anything else. I get plenty of exercise now hauling an overflowing wheelbarrow of rounds up from where we store them 100 feet from the house (we live in an area that's at risk for wildfires) to where I do the splitting, and I can do the splitting in the few available days between the end of fire season and the start of the heating season (it was 75 last week and it'll be snowing this week).

[schloff]

Very cool. Thanks for the info. I'll have to keep my eye out for one.