Mourning wood...
6so, last wednesday, an incredibly large branch/arm broke off our tree and fell in the neighbor's yard. luckily, his dogs weren't outside and there was no damage to his house or the fence. he did lose his tomato plant though.
on friday, we had people come out to take the tree down since we saw quite a bit of frost damage from where the branch broke off and were worried it went all the way through the trunk. since we would have had to pay extra for them to haul it, we ended up with about 5-6 cords of wood in our yard.
i know there are people that will haul it for free, but, this was a very special tree that we hated to have to take down. so, it just feels right that we should keep most of the wood and burn it ourselves. the problem is, i don't have an axe. any fellow 'mehricans experienced in the ways of splitting wood? any recommendations for a splitting axe? i've seen reviews on the fiskars x25, but i'd like to get some input from the community.
and, before anyone says it, no, i don't want a wood splitter. i'd prefer to do this manually. i find this kind of manual labor incredibly relaxing and i actually have fun doing this kind of thing. yes, i'm a glutton for punishment.
besides, @hollboll just told me she can't change my shirt order from medium to large and now i have to go find some muscles to show off under a medium shirt.
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There are lots of different types of axes out there. Some have lightweight composite handles, others have the standard wood. Realistically though it really boils down to 2 key areas...
The strength of the handle and blade connection. Be sure that these two are attached well. Durability is key and the last thing you want is for the head to swing off!
A well sharpened edge. Can't tell you enough about the importance. This is a total game changer and you'll immediately be able to tell the difference.
Depending on the size of the log I'd also consider looking into the wedge and sledge combo. A well placed wedge can easily work through stubborn logs.
Hope that helps a little.
@studerc thanks for the info! any specific recommendations though? there's a whole lot of options out there and i don't have the time to research it now. and the wood is just sitting there. staring at me. with it's beady little eyes and pointy nose. no wait, that's a raccoon.
@carl669 I have the Fiskars X27 similar to the one that you mentioned. Its one hell of an axe. I have the 36 inch model. Its got good weight and when you swing that sucker you know it will split. My father argued that it was silly to spend over $50 on an axe as you could get a decent one super cheap from an auction or garage sale. However for the quality im assuming this is the only axe ill ever have to purchase.
http://www.amazon.com/Fiskars-X27-Super-Splitting-36-Inch/dp/B004M3BAQE
@studerc awesome, thanks! i thought about the x27, but the price seemed kind of high. i might just have to go to the store and hold them and see which one feels better.
@carl669 Absolutely go feel them out. You want the axe to have good weight but not too much that you get tired after only a few swings. Longer handle means more momentum but also more force required to swing it.
@carl669 I spent many a summer's cutting wood out toward big bead mountain. I must second the usefulness of a well-placed wedge.
I had a similar issue, taking down about 8 cherry trees that were leaning and had some insect infestation.
I got a Fiskars Forged Steel Splitting Axe with 31.5-in Handle (http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10051&langId=-1&productId=50226309&partNumber=607345-1078-375841-1001)
Works well but I need to let the wood age a bit -- it's easier to split dried wood. A splitting wedge and sledgehammer is a good option too. And check out YouTube -- lots of good advice on splitting wood out there. Some of the tips will make your life a lot easier.
@ACraigL thanks for the rec! also, what did you take that picture with? you do post processing on it?
@carl669 My HTC M8 has a super-neat camera that takes depth of field at the same time as the image -- kind of a like a lytro where you can change focus and depth after the shot is taken, interactively, without altering the original image.
Folks are generally impressed with the results.
Depending how much you have and how much you want to work, renting a log splitter from HomeDepot is another way to go. Axe work is tough, but will get you in great shape.
I've always been partial to the wedge and sledge method. No sharp tools needed and it is more of a workout. In my younger days with the Boy Scouts, we would go everywhere with a maul. Having that on hand would give the option of the wedge and sledge method on the tougher logs.
And a wood handle. Always a wood handle.
@Willijs3 I was skeptical, but the splitting axe I got (above) has a high-density plastic handle and it performs well. Limited vibration on impact and puts all the weight at the head. Like I said, I need more at bats, but so far it's a keeper.
@ACraigL I have had bad experiences with plastic handles. Miss your mark once in just the right way, the plastic shatters and you no longer have an ax. It's bit me in the ass a few times. So, I go with wood now. It's easier to replace a bad handle.
@Willijs3 I like the wood handles much better also. After a few seasons of cutting wood, it has marks of where my hands are placed. A special bond. This I like.
Everyone's talking about chopping the wood, and I suppose that would work. But have you tried asking it politely if it wouldn't mind splitting for you? It's a strange world, and stranger things have happened.
I mean, fuck. Meh straight told us not to buy a bunch of dumb speakerdocks and people did it anyway. Thinking that wood might split itself somehow seems less impossible...
@DaveInSoCal we talked to the wood about this yesterday. granted, it was after 4 vodka tonics, but i think i made my point. the wood and i decided to agree to disagree.
@carl669 were the vodka tonics for you or the wood?
@DaveInSoCal for me of course. don't be silly.
Just reading this makes my stomach turn. I once had an incident with an axe and sandals.
@baseba4551 this is why i plan on wearing steel toed boots.