Splitting Logs .... On ground or on a log??

[Rob_the_Sparky]

Chopping on a bouncy surface will absorb the energy of the axe, I rather doubt pallets will be solid enough.

[Witterings]

7 hours ago, Rob_the_Sparky said:

Chopping on a bouncy surface will absorb the energy of the axe, I rather doubt pallets will be solid enough.

 

Tried it briefly yesterday with 3 pallets on top of each other .... it was OK .."ish" and was able to put 3 /4 logs next to each other.

 

They stayed in place a lot better than falling off a log every time you swing so you'd get at least a couple of swings at each and then pick them up one after the other and load all at once which was more time effective ... BUT ... if it wasn't over a support it cracked the plank so would definitely need a harder platform / hardwood sheet on the top or it'd only last a short while and would also benefit from the 3 pallets being screwed together to reduce bounce.

 

Not ideal as is but could possibly be hugely improved upon over time.

[drinksloe]

When I read the pallet post I assumed the pallets were not actually used for splitting off but built like a table around a splitting log.

 

If ur happy with ur 3 pallet hieght I'd cut a big solid chunky round the same hieght infact even actually 2 or 3" lower might work better.

The slightly higher pallets will help keep the log 'shrapnel' in place.

I would mibbee saw a hole in ur pallets so chopping log fits in them snuggly on 3 sides.

Or if u cut it level just use ur pallets to hold ur tyre in place

U could load the pallet worktop up with a load off rounds then split the lot without needing to bend down again

 

Must admit I like splitting at waist hieght, would never dream of splitting on the deck, ur just going to knacker ur axe.

I'd be surprised if a tyre would do any damage to an axe edge, usually the logs are sitting well proud off the tyre so shouldnae really hit it. And even if u do fair bit of give in a tyre and only thin wire be far better than hitting soil or a stone

U really want a narrower tyre rather than some fat low profile job

[Witterings]

^^^ In response to above and rather than putting in a really long quote

 

I was looking to use the pallets to raise the height but also to give a bigger area where I loaded 5 / 6 logs at the same time (which you can't fit on one medium size round) , if I split a bit off the edge of one and it fell over I could then go and split the next and then the next and then put the axe down and pick up several bits and repeat.

 

It actually worked relaly well, had a Fiskars X27 arrive today and cut a sh1t load of wood BUT ... the pallets aren't strong enough to take that much of a pounding unless it's over one of the supports, I tried screwing 3 widths of scaffolding board across the top one but stupidley did the grain in the direction  that as soon as the spiltter went through the log it was splitting the scaffolding board perfectly ?

 

Part way there me thinks but not all the way.

 

Anybody know what type of wood sheet I need to buy to put over the pallet that won't split easily and I can experiment with screwing some tyres to it??? 

 

 

[Rich Rule]

Why not just stack the rounds 3 high all around you?  That way you can split 2 lots of logs and the bottom one acts as a block.  
 

Thing is, my Chi is pretty strong right now and I end up splitting all three in one hit...

 

Chuck Norris Stylee!

[drinksloe]

Aye I got that witterings but they will never be strong enough and too much give in them to chop off for very long

 

I think u have misunderstood me,

I'd cut a hole/corner off ur 'pallet table/worktop' and fit a chopping block into that hole so u have 1 solid block/log to the ground to chop off, so nice and solid with no give but still have ur pallet table around it for piling logs on.

If that makes sense

[Witterings]

22 hours ago, drinksloe said:

Aye I got that witterings but they will never be strong enough and too much give in them to chop off for very long

 

I think u have misunderstood me,

I'd cut a hole/corner off ur 'pallet table/worktop' and fit a chopping block into that hole so u have 1 solid block/log to the ground to chop off, so nice and solid with no give but still have ur pallet table around it for piling logs on.

If that makes sense

 

Aggghhh Ok ... I get what you mean now ... I did use the pallet to raise them / as a platform but get what you're saying!!

 

23 hours ago, Rich Rule said:

Why not just stack the rounds 3 high all around you?  That way you can split 2 lots of logs and the bottom one acts as a block.  
 

Thing is, my Chi is pretty strong right now and I end up splitting all three in one hit...

 

Chuck Norris Stylee!

 

Definitely worth a try next time I do a load!!

[drinksloe]

1 hour ago, Witterings said:

 

Aggghhh Ok ... I get what you mean now ... I did use the pallet to raise them / as a platform but get what you're saying!!

 

 

Definitely worth a try next time I do a load!!

 Aye so it looks like uve built the pallets round ur high splitting log and it fits semi snuggly in.

Mibbee easier adding it on side and bodge in with ply till u experiment wot suits u best

 

I once screwed some rails on to my high splitting log and cut some ply to fit over it, more to hold my tyre in place than pile logs on

 

Personally I have never really got on that well double stacking logs.

Usually I found the 2nd 1 would topple over when u hit the top 1 and esp so if ur cross cutting is squint.

But everyone will have there own way there happy with.

[neiln]

If you have a bit of space to work and a pile of logs you don't use one block, you use several, just spread 4 or 6 or 8 of the rounds to be split out, and stick another on each.  Split the lot before bending down to pick any up.  If the wood is straight grained and easy splitting you don't need the block at all, just go with logs on the ground.  If it's too d really easy splitting they don't even need to be upright, golf swing at them when laid over (watch some Buckin'to get the idea) BE CAREFUL though.  ONLY SWING AT LOGS THAT ARE PAST YOU so a deflecting axe just sails safely into fresh air. 

Something I've not tried but thought of as I golf split a log that had merely toppled from my block....if you lay a long log, say 10', down, you could lay lots (10) to be split against each side, and walk down golfing away.... Might be efficient

[Rob_the_Sparky]

You certainly don't need a log on end to split it but if you are splitting with them lying down then you need to be accurate as (surprise surprise) they do roll.  I don't do that too often though, only normally when they are refusing to stand up nicely.

 

I tend to judge my swing to suit the wood, aiming to not fire through the log firing the pieces apart but to not quite go through them, leaving the log on the block with the axe most of the way though, then I pull the piece off by hand and take another swing.  Not surprisingly you can't get it right all the time but I find it easier than chasing chunks of wood round the garden and freeing the axe from the anvil  Never been in too much of a hurry when splitting though, plenty of time in the year to produce the few cube a year I use at home.