# Drying (a lot of) firewood



## dickm (15 Apr 2022)

We have had to have 5 big _Picea abies_ felled for safety reasons after the shock of Storm Arwen, so now have a pretty significant stock of trunks, everything from abour 28" diameter down to 8". (hence my questions in another post about my Stihl 048AV!). All piled up against our garden dyke at the moment and I'm debating what's the best way, and when, to process it to feed the stove next winter. Split a couple of the biggest rounds this afternoon, which took about an hour with axe and wedges. At some point, will need to hire a proper powered splitter; is it sensible to cut it all into log lengths a.s.a.p, then hire the chipper as soon as it's finished, or to leave it to dry out some more in rounds before getting the splitter? Unfortunately, my log stores are already full of part-dried stuff, so the new stuff will have to stay out.


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## Adam W. (15 Apr 2022)

The longer you leave it, the tougher it gets to process.

And you could perfect your splitting technique and break the edges off as you go around the outside of the ring.


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## Jameshow (15 Apr 2022)

Also longer lengths will take longer to dry as it drys much more from the end grain than from the sides. 

Plenty of air through it but still sheltered from rain is best.


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## artie (15 Apr 2022)

It's been a long time since I split logs with an axe.
As a boy, one of my after school chores was to provide the firewood for our house, from a pile of tree branches 6,8,10 ft long and up to 12 inches thick, but mostly 6 inches or less.
They sat out in all weathers and all but the ones in contact with the ground dried out.
The way I remember it, they were easier split when dry. 
One good strike with the axe and they flew apart as opposed to when wet the axe had to be driven 75% or more of the way through before the parts separated, usually requiring 3 or four strikes.

Maybe different woods have different characteristics.

Probably should add that they were cut into 8-10 inch lengths with a bow saw before being presented to the axe.


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## eribaMotters (15 Apr 2022)

The last lot of firewood I got was two years ago. I collected 4 trailer loads, the trailer 8x4x2 ft in size. The Elm was in sections from about 16" to 6" in diameter. It took me 1 1/2 x 8 hr days to chainsaw it into 8/10" lengths, split and stack it.
I did it immediately as I've learnt from my previous errors in leaving the wood to dry out. I buggered up a chain and found it a pain to split cherry that had gone dry after being left for a year.
Do not worry about your log store being full, stack it wherever you can and it will start to dry. It is the moisture trapped in the cells that is escaping and the rain etc that falls on the outside will have little effect. You can put a sheet of ply over the top if you want, but I would not bother. 
Cut, split and stack it asap, then move it into your store when you have space.

Colin


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## Jones (15 Apr 2022)

In my experience hardwoods particularly oak and ash are easier to saw and split when fresh and wet. Spruce and pine though I find splits better when dryer, I don't think it makes much difference to the chainsawing though.


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## SamG340 (15 Apr 2022)

Youd be surprised what you can split with a cheap little 8 tonne electric log splitter.

We did a full winters worth of firewood on one of them. Even some huge 30" rounds of wet ash . They were hard to balance on the it but it split them just fine


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## Adam W. (16 Apr 2022)

SamG340 said:


> Youd be surprised what you can split with a cheap little 8 tonne electric log splitter.
> 
> We did a full winters worth of firewood on one of them. Even some huge 30" rounds of wet ash . They were hard to balance on the it but it split them just fine


Log splitters involve much more handling and they are a lot slower than a properly maintained and well used splitting axe.


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## SamG340 (16 Apr 2022)

Adam W. said:


> Log splitters involve much more handling and they are a lot slower than a properly maintained and well used splitting axe.



True but they're easier on you, less exertion. Plus anyone can do it, we had a mates 16 year old lad down to help out. Couldn't swing an axe for toffee but he can lift logs on and off the splitter all day long


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## SamG340 (16 Apr 2022)




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## SamG340 (16 Apr 2022)

dickm said:


> Split a couple of the biggest rounds this afternoon, which took about an hour with axe and wedges.









When it's taking too long to split big rounds I run a few lines across them with the old rip saw , if you do both sides they're dead easy


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## Tony51 (16 Apr 2022)

You could try a "grenade" they readily available. Google will help .they are shaped to twist as you knock it in the centre . Lot less effort.
I use one on ash beech crack willow and yew works a treat. Got mine in a set,made by Roughneck .came with heavy axe and small axe.
Tony


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## recipio (16 Apr 2022)

Its Norway Spruce so not good for open fires as they spark a lot. Fine for woodburning stoves though as long as you let them dry out. I think it's time to hire the biggest industrial sprlitter you can find and then a shredder. Not a job for Sunday morning if you have neighbours.


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## dickm (16 Apr 2022)

Tony51 said:


> You could try a "grenade" they readily available. Google will help .they are shaped to twist as you knock it in the centre . Lot less effort.
> I use one on ash beech crack willow and yew works a treat. Got mine in a set,made by Roughneck .came with heavy axe and small axe.
> Tony


Mine was £3 from a local car boot, and has split many species, even some elm with really complicated grain. I find for most species, they split more easily when at least partially dried, unless they've started to rot, when the wedge just sinks in. The same sometimes happens with softwoods; larch seems particularly prone to this. 
Will probably carry on slowly splitting by hand until age says to stop. Got big strong son-in-law coming over from Michigan later this month. Now there's a thought!
BTW, Thanks to Recipio for pointing out my error, the wood is actually _Abies procera_, Noble fir, not _Picea_. Got half the name right, anyway!


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## Adam W. (16 Apr 2022)

SamG340 said:


> True but they're easier on you, less exertion. Plus anyone can do it, we had a mates 16 year old lad down to help out. Couldn't swing an axe for toffee but he can lift logs on and off the splitter all day long


All that bending over and lifting.......No thanks!


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## SamG340 (16 Apr 2022)

Adam W. said:


> All that bending over and lifting.......No thanks!



Haha yea but I wasn't the one doing it


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## Jameshow (16 Apr 2022)

Adam W. said:


> Log splitters involve much more handling and they are a lot slower than a properly maintained and well used splitting axe.


Do you have a recommendation for a good splitting axe the cheap mauls seem to be rubbish tbh.


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## Adam W. (16 Apr 2022)

SamG340 said:


> Haha yea but I wasn't the one doing it


I noticed...good call.



Jameshow said:


> Do you have a recommendation for a good splitting axe the cheap mauls seem to be rubbish tbh.



I have this, but I've put a longer handle on it.






Hultafors Tools







www.hultafors.co.uk





I use the technique which the young lady demonstrates plus a golfing style wack it on the end...I'm adverse to picking the firewood up more than I have to, being a lazy arris.


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## dickm (16 Apr 2022)

dickm said:


> Got big strong son-in-law coming over from Michigan later this month. Now there's a thought!


Might encourage him to use the splitting tools, but will keep him well away from chainsaw, having seen the 5mm groove he routed along the top joint of his thumb recently. Won't post the pic of it!


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## pgrbff (16 Apr 2022)

Adam W. said:


> Log splitters involve much more handling and they are a lot slower than a properly maintained and well used splitting axe.


I think that probably depends on the timber and the size. It would take me forever to split a 75cm long log for my boiler, a splitter does it in a few seconds. That's a proper splitter on the back of a tractor.


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## Adam W. (16 Apr 2022)

pgrbff said:


> I think that probably depends on the timber and the size. It would take me forever to split a 75cm long log for my boiler, a splitter does it in a few seconds. That's a proper splitter on the back of a tractor.


Do you have to lift the log onto the splitter ?


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## JimJay (17 Apr 2022)

Adam W. said:


> All that bending over and lifting.......No thanks!



My in-laws - both in their 80s - can split several cubic metres of oak and ash logs in an afternoon with the electric splitter I bought them, including lifting them before and stacking them afterwards. They used axes for the job all their lives, up until their late 70s, and scoffed when I turned up with it but would never go back now....

The splitter takes 50cm logs (length and, technically, diameter but will easily handle bigger diameter ones) and it doesn't take much time at all for a chainsaw to cut longer ones down to that length.


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## Krome10 (17 Apr 2022)

I process all my firewood by hand, with a variety of different sized saws, a bunch of wedges and old axe heads, and a sledge hammer. The splinting axe rarely comes out of the shed nowadays. I much prefer to split long lengths into 1/2, 1/4, or 1/8s - depending on the diameter - and then saw them down into log length from that. I do mainly process ash though, so not sure how that approach would work with other types of wood. 

I appreciate that doing it all with handtools isn't for everyone, but I find it so enjoyable and satisfying and will continue like this until health or age stop me! 

Good to hear that keeping it off the ground is the main and most important thing. I tend to get a bit obsessed with covering my various piles any time rain is forecast! 

One other thing, I'm sure I've read that spruce and the like usually needs longer to season than hardwoods. Is one year definitely enough?

Cheers


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## JimJay (17 Apr 2022)

Adam W. said:


> Do you have to lift the log onto the splitter ?





Krome10 said:


> I process all my firewood by hand, with a variety of different sized saws, a bunch of wedges and old axe heads, and a sledge hammer. The splinting axe rarely comes out of the shed nowadays. I much prefer to split long lengths into 1/2, 1/4, or 1/8s - depending on the diameter - and then saw them down into log length from that. I do mainly process ash though, so not sure how that approach would work with other types of wood.
> 
> I appreciate that doing it all with handtools isn't for everyone, but I find it so enjoyable and satisfying and will continue like this until health or age stop me!
> 
> ...



My wife and I are "belt and braces" folk. I had a covered metal wood-rack built along one side of the house, holding about 15 cubic metres. It's obviously cheaper buying wood earlier in the year and drying it yourself. The belt and braces aspect comes in because we're both fairly immune to the cold, so our wood-burning enclosed fireplace is only lit a couple of times in the winter, for visitors. Apart from that, we don't really bother with heating and our winter indoor temperature is between 6 and 8C (42-46F) - and colder in my subterranean workshop; outside is around -30C or colder.

I last restocked the wood-rack about 6 or 7 years ago and the oak and ash logs are all now more like balsa wood - firewood here tends to come with a full complement of "passengers". But it's most definitely now dry!


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## pgrbff (17 Apr 2022)

Adam W. said:


> Do you have to lift the log onto the splitter ?


Splitter similar to this. I don't have a tractor, so not mine, but locally wood is the fuel of choice. I split the shorter stuff by hand but 70-75cm is just to slow.


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## DJT48 (17 Apr 2022)

Adam W. said:


> Log splitters involve much more handling and they are a lot slower than a properly maintained and well used splitting axe.


Ah, but when you get to 70 or more, you'll find that you are slower with the splitting axe than you are with the log splitter.


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## Adam W. (17 Apr 2022)

I have perfected my technique, so that I only touch the ring with my hands once it's split and I very rarely use wedges. I break the ring down by knocking lumps off the outside and not trying to split it in half from the start. It's much easier and quicker that way.

Hopefully I will still be able to swing an axe at 70, as I think it's good exercise and not to strenuous. Plus it keeps me out of the way.


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## JimJay (17 Apr 2022)

Adam W. said:


> Log splitters involve much more handling and they are a lot slower than a properly maintained and well used splitting axe.



That's one opinion - but it sure as heck isn't mine! I've felled plenty of big oaks and split the chainsawn lengths by hand but it certainly wasn't fun, even years ago: I did it because there was no other choice. I can split serious logs with an electric splitter in seconds, for hour after hour - and without feeling it the next morning.

Nowadays I'm again left without a choice as I can't handle an axe with my arthritic hands but this time it's what I would do even if I had a choice. I've got many better things to do with my time and energy than posing as Gimli....


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## Jameshow (17 Apr 2022)

Adam W. said:


> I have perfected my technique, so that I only touch the ring with my hands once it's split and I very rarely use wedges. I break the ring down by knocking lumps off the outside and not trying to split it in half from the start. It's much easier and quicker that way.
> 
> Hopefully I will still be able to swing an axe at 70, as I think it's good exercise and not to strenuous. Plus it keeps me out of the way.


What do you mean breaking the ring down??


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## Adam W. (17 Apr 2022)

Jameshow said:


> What do you mean breaking the ring down??



@ 1:12 in that second video, she starts by knocking the edges off the ring she's splitting and works around the outside to make it smaller and smaller. Then she splits it in the middle.

If you knock pieces off the edges, you only have to split grain on one side of the piece ( but you need to practice letting the axe fall over onto the ring as you split it, like in the first video.) Instead of having to fight against the grain compressing the axe or wedge on all sides when you start splitting big rings from the middle, which is a lot harder and much more work.

The smaller the ring gets, the easier it is to split. If you've got a large knot (a big branch coming off the stem), it's best to work either side of the knot and on the other side of the pith, and then chop what's left of the knot up with the chainsaw.

Trouble is that these days, people think that they have to Rambo their way through splitting wood, which wears them out. It's easier to use a bit of old time axe savvy and split with finesse all day long.


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## ecokestove (17 Apr 2022)

I much prefer to use an axe to split wood. I love the sound the wood makes as it splits.

I groan when I see people on TV using an axe. They have no clue how to handle one.


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## MikeJhn (18 Apr 2022)

Oh to be young and active.


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## GweithdyDU (18 Apr 2022)

What do you all do with the waste, as in all the twigs, needles etc? We're thinking of buying or constructing a briquette machine to make composite logs. A bit pricey to buy, but if you have access to a lot of brush, sticks, needles, bracken soft rush, sawdust, paper, horse dung, etc. I've worked out it'll pay for itself over about 2 winters. Go halves on it with a friend and you'd be quids in after the first winter. Being a busy-bees, we favour one that you can set up and leave churning them out, but there are plenty of plans on the interweb for a more labour-intensive but much cheaper machine. Once you've sussed that not using them like regular logs is the way forward, we find the composite logs are long-lasting in a modern (ish) multi-fuel Rayburn. Mind you, we also just shovel up the giant donkey turds (it's the donkey that's 'giant', not the turds!), dry them on a rack over 2 fine days and then just load them into the stove. One full coal bucket heats a full tank of hot water to almost boiling and no smell! I'll survive the cost of living crisis I guess! Now all I need to do is try and work out a way of strapping a basket to the donkey's rear end for 'harvesting' his poop!


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## GweithdyDU (18 Apr 2022)

Tony51 said:


> You could try a "grenade" they readily available. Google will help .they are shaped to twist as you knock it in the centre . Lot less effort.
> I use one on ash beech crack willow and yew works a treat. Got mine in a set,made by Roughneck .came with heavy axe and small axe.
> Tony


The 'grenades' are fantastic, but I advise getting two. On the very very rare occasions that one get stuck, using another one, sometimes from the opposite end, is the way to get the stuck one out. But yes, for splitting gnarly cussed logs, they're often the only thing that'll work short of cutting up the grain with the chainsaw.


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## gog64 (18 Apr 2022)

dickm said:


> We have had to have 5 big _Picea abies_ felled for safety reasons after the shock of Storm Arwen, so now have a pretty significant stock of trunks, everything from abour 28" diameter down to 8". (hence my questions in another post about my Stihl 048AV!). All piled up against our garden dyke at the moment and I'm debating what's the best way, and when, to process it to feed the stove next winter. Split a couple of the biggest rounds this afternoon, which took about an hour with axe and wedges. At some point, will need to hire a proper powered splitter; is it sensible to cut it all into log lengths a.s.a.p, then hire the chipper as soon as it's finished, or to leave it to dry out some more in rounds before getting the splitter? Unfortunately, my log stores are already full of part-dried stuff, so the new stuff will have to stay out.




To answer your question. IMO process asap. It makes the job easier & will reduce drying time a great deal. I season for the first year outside. IBC crates with the plastic bottle split in two (like a pyramid) & wired on as a roof. Cheap & effective.

As for the off topic stuff:

That lady splitting logs made me smile. Tiny little straight grained rounds like that are what I pick out of the pile for small children to "have a go" with! Great fun.

Hultafors axes are beautiful and surprisingly reasonably priced for what they are. Definitely among my favourite tools. If I want to split some wood by hand though, my go to is a Fiskars X27. If you haven't tried one, you should.

We use about 8-14 cubes (not builders bags) a year and I don't get to pick and choose what it is. If I'm lucky someone will offer me a tree or two that's come down. I'll split some of the smaller straight stuff by hand because it's fun. However the bulk of it gets split using my hydraulic splitter on the back of a tractor. It has a table and lifts up and down on hydraulics. I don't care how young and fit you are, some rings can be barely rolled onto the table. To suggest that you can split by hand as fast as a splitter is just plain wrong. I've never used one of the electric ones, but suspect that the blade will move a lot slower on those, but will no doubt still get the job done.


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## dickm (26 Apr 2022)

Thought folks might be interested to see what I'm managing with wood grenade, odd wedges and son-in-law's splitting axe. Chose a round with a whorl of branches, as these tend to be the most difficult to split in my experience. First image shows the starting point.
The second shows the grenade driven in; if you look closely, the bubbles round the grenade show how wet the wood is.
Needed a second wedge to force the split open, then got to the end point with the splitting axe. 
Took about 10 minutes, which I reckon isn't bad for someone approaching 78th birthday!


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## Jameshow (26 Apr 2022)

dickm said:


> Thought folks might be interested to see what I'm managing with wood grenade, odd wedges and son-in-law's splitting axe. Chose a round with a whorl of branches, as these tend to be the most difficult to split in my experience. First image shows the starting point.
> The second shows the grenade driven in; if you look closely, the bubbles round the grenade show how wet the wood is.
> Needed a second wedge to force the split open, then got to the end point with the splitting axe.
> Took about 10 minutes, which I reckon isn't bad for someone approaching 78th birthday!View attachment 134513
> ...


Second only to oak tree stumps I have a couple with grenades going no where!!


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## TRITON (26 Apr 2022)

Adam W. said:


> Log splitters involve much more handling and they are a lot slower than a properly maintained and well used splitting axe.


But they take considerably less effort.


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## Adam W. (26 Apr 2022)

Depends on your technique. This winters pile 24 cubic meters or so all split by hand, and it didn't take long to split or stack using the "young ladys' technique" all knotty and horrid.

Oh, and done with a Hultafors splitting axe. :Winky: So why on earth would I want a Fiskars with a plastic handle, it would probably give me blisters and is likely to be too thick, as I prefer a slim shaft which flexes ?


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## Adam W. (26 Apr 2022)

GweithdyDU said:


> What do you all do with the waste, as in all the twigs, needles etc? We're thinking of buying or constructing a briquette machine to make composite logs. A bit pricey to buy, but if you have access to a lot of brush, sticks, needles, bracken soft rush, sawdust, paper, horse dung, etc. I've worked out it'll pay for itself over about 2 winters. Go halves on it with a friend and you'd be quids in after the first winter. Being a busy-bees, we favour one that you can set up and leave churning them out, but there are plenty of plans on the interweb for a more labour-intensive but much cheaper machine. Once you've sussed that not using them like regular logs is the way forward, we find the composite logs are long-lasting in a modern (ish) multi-fuel Rayburn. Mind you, we also just shovel up the giant donkey turds (it's the donkey that's 'giant', not the turds!), dry them on a rack over 2 fine days and then just load them into the stove. One full coal bucket heats a full tank of hot water to almost boiling and no smell! I'll survive the cost of living crisis I guess! Now all I need to do is try and work out a way of strapping a basket to the donkey's rear end for 'harvesting' his poop!


Pimps and Faggots !

You may have to look that one up.


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## mikej460 (26 Apr 2022)

Adam W. said:


> So why on earth would I want a Fiskars with a plastic handle, it would probably give me blisters and is likely to be too thick, as I prefer a slim shaft which flexes ?


Over half the cost and they are excellent splitters, I wasn't convinced until I watched a few YouTube videos. I've just split with relative ease half an oak trunk that dropped 2 years ago. I agree that splitting segments of each ring is the best way with larger or more knotty pieces. Mine is one of these, at 1st glance you thing the shaft is too short but it works incredibly well. I paid £49.99 for mine in a sale. Fiskars 1015643 | DW Toolshop 

Before this I had a Roughneck Splitting Maul for big or knotty stuff; it worked ok but does tend to smash wood rather than spilt it.


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## GweithdyDU (26 Apr 2022)

Adam W. said:


> Pimps and Faggots !
> 
> You may have to look that one up.


Fascinating! Etymology is just so full of interesting tales and almost like 'word journeys'. Thanks/Diolch


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## Solicitus (29 Apr 2022)

Adam W. said:


> The longer you leave it, the tougher it gets to process.
> 
> And you could perfect your splitting technique and break the edges off as you go around the outside of the ring.



I am terrified watching her use an ax with bare feet !


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## Adam W. (30 Apr 2022)

Solicitus said:


> I am terrified watching her use an ax with bare feet !


She's handy with that axe and has built a log cabin in Canada by herself with it, I think it's very impressive. A lot of people tend to dismiss her and think she's just playing around with little sticks !

She's also a dab hand with a scythe if that's of any interest.


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## Solicitus (30 Apr 2022)

Adam W. said:


> She's handy with that axe and has built a log cabin in Canada by herself with it, I think it's very impressive. A lot of people tend to dismiss her and think she's just playing around with little sticks !
> 
> She's also a dab hand with a scythe if that's of any interest.


Yeah it's impressive indeed. I'll need to watch for some scythe action.


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## woodieallen (30 Apr 2022)

GweithdyDU said:


> The 'grenades' are fantastic, but I advise getting two. On the very very rare occasions that one get stuck, using another one, sometimes from the opposite end, is the way to get the stuck one out. But yes, for splitting gnarly cussed logs, they're often the only thing that'll work short of cutting up the grain with the chainsaw.


Um, actually you need four. I've got three stuck in a large diameter round albeit only abut 6" thick. I have one grenade left. I keep hoping that as the round dries out it might release the others or at leat the crack will develop.

Dickm....having chopped down a lot of different species over the last few years (or had them dropped professionally) I have found that the longer you leave them the harder they are to split with an axe. However, a log splitter is an excellent investment and not that expensive although I accept 'not that expensive' is a relative term. We recently bought a ForestMaster to replace the Ryobi that had failed.

For fast drying you simply cannot beat chopping small and putting inside a polytunnel. Six months was all it took.

The other thought....do you have a log bank near you ? Northumberland has three where people can donate wood for burning by those in financial difficulty.


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## dickm (1 May 2022)

Thanks for the comments, *woodieallen*. Log banks are an interesting idea, but as a pensioner, I reckon I'm a deserving cause for the logs when they are split. Still not convinced that logs are easier to split the fresher they are; my impression is that when VERY fresh, their softness means wedges just compress the sappy material. Need to do a controlled trial on the stuff I have; the scientist in me still surfaces occasionally!


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## woodieallen (1 May 2022)

I think that it depends on the diameter. Most of my trees that I fell (ash die-back) only have trunks about 8" diameter. Easy enough with an axe but much, much harder when they are seasoned. For thicker trunks, I'd definitely use a log splitter.

Did you get your solar controller ? There was an excellent one from AliExpress for about a fiver.


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## dickm (2 May 2022)

Taking the easy route to getting logs split; a daughter who is a fitness fanatice, with a big strong husband! Bur they'd been trying out the new village tennis courts this morning, and wielding an axe brought on S-i-L's tennis elbow. So most of the work was down to daughter.


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## dickm (2 May 2022)

woodieallen said:


> Did you get your solar controller ? There was an excellent one from AliExpress for about a fiver.


Not had time to do any more with this; health issues for me and wife have been a bit of a preoccupation over last weeks.


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