Random wood heat question:

Who here splits their own, and how do you do it?

Personally, I use a splitting maul. I burn about 5 cord a year (more or less), and when I tell people that I still split by hand they all seem to find it very unusual. Most everybody I know who burns either uses a wood splitter or buys it pre-split.
Granted, there's definitely some pieces that are full of knots that take a few swings, but I generally don't have an issue splitting stove-length pieces with a single swing. It takes me a few weeks typically to get my full 5 cords split, chipping away at it after work, but frankly I find it enjoyable. Almost like meditation. It's mindless, so I can focus on other things while I do it. Plus it gives you killer forearms; I usually look like Popeye by the time it's all split and stacked


So; thoughts? How do you all like to handle your wood

 

Pretty much exactly as you do. The GF and I usually get a couple tandem loads of logs delivered to the house. Usually have a weekend of cutting and then it's time to split. A few beers and a couple mauls and we are having fun. Speaking of, I know what my afternoon and evening will be like.

 

I use one of those manual hydraulic splitters and a wedge and sledge depending on the log. But I only use about a cord a year, just on the coldest days in my studio or our fireplace.

 

My dad stacks his as full rounds. Then usually on the weekends take a little time and split enough for the week. All is split with a maul. This reminds me I need to find a woodstove to put in my shop for now, then when SHTF I can put it in the house to use instead of my pellet stove.

 

We have a wood splitter, but I will occasionally split some by hand. Its definitely a good work out, and can be enjoyable.

 

Splitter. Stove in the woodshop and one in the house. Done in a day or two. Most of the wood comes from downed trees. I'll hand split some if they are to large to move easily. I'd rather spend time on better projects than splitting wood by hand.

 

I have spent a good amount of time in the past splitting by hand, but 5 cords is a good amount to do every year by hand. I am at the point now, and in a new house with only a fireplace, that I don't use much wood or have much time for splitting. The rest of my choirs occupy and indulge my idle mind time. When I need wood now I get it already split and seasoned.
At some point I would like to replace the fireplace with a stove insert, but would be using a splitter at that point.

 

Heh.
I usually use splitting wood as an excuse to get out of doing other projects!

Seriously, though, I usually am splitting when other projects are at a minimum. Usually the summer garden's been pulled, the winter garden's been planted, everything's canned/frozen/stored for the season. There's obviously all the normal daily chores, but I'm not usually pushing other stuff off.

 

Real men use a maul

 

Join this thread OP

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/garage-workshop/237436-wood-heat-thread-post-pics.html

 

I wish I had a wood stove... I have plans to install one and will split everything by hand. No room for a hydraulic splitter and I don't need another thing to maintain. With a good splitting axe, I can get through a good pile of wood fairly quickly.

 

Split by hand and have the wood warm you twice.

 

Only problem with that is, the first time it warms you it's 90 degrees out

 

Maybe in the south.

 

I have perused that thread, but I didn't see my specific question addressed, and I didn't want to hijack it

 

Everybody's welcome

 

HA! That sucks. Sorry to laugh at your misfortune, but since it didn't happen to me it's funny.

Reminds me of my cousin. He decided he was going to sell firewood to make money. He'd never done anything with firewood before, mind you, always had oil heat. Still does, in fact.
Bought 16 cords of tree length ($1600). Bought a nice new Husqvarna to cut it with ($450-ish). Bought a woodsplitter to split it with ($1400).
First time he used it, he dropped a round on his foot and broke it. Trip to the ER cost him his $300 copay, and he was in a cast for the rest of the summer. Wife made him sell the wood (I agreed to cut it down to 4 foot lengths and stack them for him in exchange for a couple cord) at a loss of about $400. He sold the woodsplitter for around $1k, and sold the saw for $300.
I think he netted about a $1200 loss on that little moneymaking idea. Plus his wife wasn't really all that thrilled....



I do remember the ice storm of '98, though. I was in Junior high, and we didn't have power for 2 weeks. But, my parents heated exclusively with wood at that point. Propane stove, and a hand pump as a backup for the well. Oil lamps and books, no school for a week, and no homework for a week after that.
Best two weeks ever.

I think that was when I turned prepper!