Wedge splitting of oversized logs

[baz]

Having started to lay down stocks of split wood for the first time I was wondering what people find best practice with their oversized (to processor capacity) logs? We have been wedge splitting but this takes an age, is a ball ache and I recon it adds £20/m3 to the cost through labour relative to a straight process run of logs that meet the processor demands on size. Also, the half rounds don't mate well with the processor cutter and we have had some big kick backs. My question to those in the know is:-

 

Should I .....

 

a/ Carry on swinging the sledghammer and suffer the financial penalty and reduced production capacity by the amount of time taken with this activity?

or

b/ Look to store oversized logs (between 12 inches and 16 inches) and sell them on when I have a full 25T load?

 

I've calculated it's a close run thing on losses incurred on selling on a load of oversized logs relative to labor cost at around £500 incurred in splitting them so I'm erring towards selling them on.

 

A final question - is it much easier to split seasoned logs with wedges compared to recently cut logs? If it is I can segregate the large logs and wait for natural shrinkage cracks to form which may make wedge splitting easier.

[Hogs Breath]

Spend some money on a splitter,i used to use a 2ft horizontal and cut into managable pieces but have since got this large splitter from Riko

[stigwood]

Or you could ring up the over size timber & split them with a simple hydraulic splitter until they are the size you want,not much capital outlay(£500?) for the splitter minimal extra labour cost maximum return on your timber.

[baz]

Spend some money on a splitter,i used to use a 2ft horizontal and cut into managable pieces but have since got this large splitter from Riko

 

That looks to be a great piece of kit but expensive. Like you I think I'll look to progress to that rather than start off with the extra capital outlay. I'll look into chain sawing into rounds and finishing on a tractor mounted splitter. Several are listed on e-bay for around the £500 mark so I guess if it halves the time taken after the first 50 tons of oversized logs into split wood it'll have paid for itself. Thanks for the input guys - helped me decide which is the least worst or most favoured option dependant one whether you are of a half full or half empty persuasion. I'm all for less hard labour so it has to be the most favourable every time .

[firewood]

That looks to be a great piece of kit but expensive. Like you I think I'll look to progress to that rather than start off with the extra capital outlay. I'll look into chain sawing into rounds and finishing on a tractor mounted splitter. Several are listed on e-bay for around the £500 mark so I guess if it halves the time taken after the first 50 tons of oversized logs into split wood it'll have paid for itself. Thanks for the input guys - helped me decide which is the least worst or most favoured option dependant one whether you are of a half full or half empty persuasion. I'm all for less hard labour so it has to be the most favourable every time .

 

 

Alternatively, buy yourself an alaskan mill and cut some boards out of the big pieces. The sidings can still be used for firewood. see Rob D's site alaskan mill I home of the portable chainsaw mill for details and pics

[gensetsteve]

Spend some money on a splitter,i used to use a 2ft horizontal and cut into managable pieces but have since got this large splitter from Riko

 

 

Before you cut into billets like this try a few through your processor. I found they dont hit the slitter at the right angle. Also when cutting down the grain a metre our beech would run off, one end would be 2" the other 12.

 

I now ring it to 10" and split with vertical splitter I dont find it takes much longer than the processor. And the splitter dont break down either. Once its in to rings its easier for one man to handle.