Things You'll Need:
- Axe
- Mall
- Long-handled sledge hammer
- 2 steel wedges
- Chainsaw
- File
- Leather gloves
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Step 1
Remove all rings, jewelry and your watch from you hands and wrist. Wear close-fitting, moderately thin leather work gloves to protect the skin on your hands and to tighten your grip.
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Step 2
Use the chainsaw to trim the log sections from a tree, so that the cut is as perpendicular to the wood grain as possible and the log section is no more than 18-inches long. Don't cut the sections too long or make the cut angular.
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Step 3
Sharpen your axe, mall and wedges to a moderately sharp edge. The time you take to sharpen and resharpen your tools is well spent and gives you a few moment’s rest when you need it.
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Step 4
Pick the right spot for splitting the logs with firm dry ground underneath. Stand up the log section of the greatest diameter, then place the one you are going to split on end on top of it.
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Step 5
For logs that are more than 1 foot in diameter, use the sledge and wedge to break it into smaller pieces. Position the wedge with one hand aligning the edge with the grain. Hold the sledge near the head and tap the wedge into the log until it stands up on its own.
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Step 6
Stand back with feet shoulder-width or slightly wider and measure the distance to the head of the wedge with a straight arm. Take two gentle swings to seat the wedge deeper, then give it your best shot.
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Step 7
If you bury the wedge all the way into the log, put the second wedge halfway between the first wedge and the farthest side of the log.
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Step 8
Once you have split the larger log into 2 or 3 smaller pieces, or the log was smaller than 6 to 8 inches in diameter, use the mall or the axe to split it into the size you want. Remember that the smaller the log, the faster it burns in your fireplace or wood stove.
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Step 9
Stack the logs in an appropriate rack or woodshed as soon as possible, but wait no more than a week or two. Either stack under a roof or cover the top with plastic or canvas. Plan on using the wood no sooner than one or two years from the time you split it.
Comments
ronhall said
on 10/7/2008 Oh, dear. Where do I start?
To go directly to instructions that will work much better, simply Google "how-to-split-wood". Google rarely steers you wrong, especially in this case. If you don't have time for a full tutorial:
Never use gloves. Instead start splitting wood, and at the first sign of a sore spot on the hand, cover it with a flexible fabric bandage. Your bare hand will always grip better than a glove.
Do not sharpen your maul, but rather make it dull. Dull edges will buckle and spread the grain; sharp edges will get stuck easily with a minimum of spreading action. Never ues an axe, always use a maul, but not a monster maul.
Never use a splitting block. There are two reasons: 1) You will have to lift every piece of wood up on to it, and 2) when you raise your target up in the air, you shorten your swing.
A wedge may be necessary, but often - if you are usin
ronhall said
on 10/7/2008 Oh, dear. Where do I start?
To go directly to instructions that will work much better, simply Google "how-to-split-wood". Google rarely steers you wrong, especially in this case. If you don't have time for a full tutorial:
Never use gloves. Instead start splitting wood, and at the first sign of a sore spot on the hand, cover it with a flexible fabric bandage. Your bare hand will always grip better than a glove.
Do not sharpen your maul, but rather make it dull. Dull edges will buckle and spread the grain; sharp edges will get stuck easily with a minimum of spreading action. Never ues an axe, always use a maul, but not a monster maul.
Never use a splitting block. There are two reasons: 1) You will have to lift every piece of wood up on to it, and 2) when you raise your target up in the air, you shorten your swing.
A wedge may be necessary, but often - if you are usin