Well as Christmas is approaching I need to get round to sorting the log/fire wood store in the garage so that we can have a lovely raoring fire on
Christmas morning - I've promised the missus ans kids........
The previous owners have left us a load of timber and logs, the logs have been cut to managable lengths but I will need to split them down to fit them
in the log burner.
Now being a 'city boy' I've never had a 'real' fire before (apart from camping with the scouts....) so am a bit clueless
as to how beast to approach this.
I have a hand axe and a pile of logs - please help
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Building: Built Stuart Taylor Locosaki-12R
posted on 22/12/11 at 03:31 PM
A hand axe? You would benefit from a large axe!
You can still spl;it with a small axe (a hatchet). Hold the log in one hand, and the back of the blade of the axe in the other and. Place the cutting
edge of the axe onto the top of the log (ie the cut end), so that is sits across it. Now gently pick up the log and the axe just a few inches, and
bash the log down onto a hard surface/floor. This should begin the process of the axe cutting into the end grain. Once it is started, you can hit
harder and ahrder, until such time as the log will split along the grain of the wood.
Buy a proper splitting maul and save yourself a lot of effort.
I use one all the time, much better than a 'standard' axe.
Have a look on eBay there's loads for sale on there or try a decent hardware store - you won't regret it
and they're not that expensive.
I'll 2nd a proper splitting maul I do about 6m3 of logs per year with one, The other essential is a nice big "clug" ( stump) to
split them on top of ideal is something about 2ft x 2ft x 2 ft.
Knock your hand axe in with a lump hammer if it's all you have, that's what the flat on the back of the axe head is for. Get some wedges
and a splitting maul if you are going to do a lot by hand.
yours, Pete
I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.
Use a normal felling axe, and a sturdy block / stump to rest them on while you swing it. With a good technique, you can split most logs I n one go,
just remember how long the axe is and let its momentum do the work.
Kindest Regards,
Richard.
...You can make it foolProof, but youll never make it Idiot Proof!...
IIRC Screwfix sell a log grenade ? I used one when splitting oak logs years ago to good effect, found it better than a maul but you need a sledge
hammer or a maul to knock it into the logs
quote:Originally posted by rusty nuts
IIRC Screwfix sell a log grenade ? I used one when splitting oak logs years ago to good effect, found it better than a maul but you need a sledge
hammer or a maul to knock it into the logs
Log grenade looks good - think I have a large lump hammer/mini sledge knocking around somewhere.
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Building: It is an ex-Locost - it has gone to the IOW!
posted on 23/12/11 at 10:34 AM
A maul is best - but keep the kids away when you're using it! If you get the stroke right, the log will split and fly away to the sides quite
dramatically.
A hatchet is really only for cross-cutting (i.e. chopping across logs). It'll just jam in end-grain, and frustrate you.
quote:Originally posted by rusty nuts
IIRC Screwfix sell a log grenade ? I used one when splitting oak logs years ago to good effect, found it better than a maul but you need a sledge
hammer or a maul to knock it into the logs
Log grenade looks good - think I have a large lump hammer/mini sledge knocking around somewhere.
Cheers chaps.
Have a happy Christmas
The grenades are good for knotted wood but are a bit slow for general use. A maul is the only way
Davie
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