Proper Splitting Swing

[Lugnutz]

That technique also lets me keep up with some of the bigger boys at those bell ringing things at the State Fair.

Philbert

I used to love doin that till my elbows started acting up ( thats why I use the lever method now!!) Seen some pretty big boys ( and young uns at that ) couldn't ring the bell, made me feel all warm and fuzzy to follow one of these guys and clank the bell a few times.

 

[Harold46]

I use the rise and fall method also. Adding to that, just before impact, I use my foreword-most hand as a fulcrum point, and pull up on the handle with my rear hand. I Seem to get that extra head-speed with the 8lb maul, and can notice a difference.
Harold46

 

[coog]

Rarely do I roundhouse swing anymore. Mass is sometimes more important then speed. Monster maul users do not roundhouse at all. But, they sure split a lot of wood with that beast. Take a look at this:

Psssttt... Solid oak is easy to split compared to elm, knotty pine, and several other wood species.

Method is efficient, but he has a fake non-Sotz Monster Maul.Look how the handle rolls as he completes his swing.A real MM is pinched in the grip,not round, giving greater control and focusing power to the wrists.For Red Oak , I would lift only 2-3 feet above the round before delivering the blow.Anyone ever see Bruce Lee reach behind his back before hitting a guy?

 

[makomakoman]

Rarely do I roundhouse swing anymore. Mass is sometimes more important then speed. Monster maul users do not roundhouse at all. But, they sure split a lot of wood with that beast. Take a look at this:

Psssttt... Solid oak is easy to split compared to elm, knotty pine, and several other wood species.

Funny, I guess I defined my roundhouse as never going back more than 1-2 O'Clock on "my roundhouse".

Most of the time I start at 11-12 O'Clock for small stuff.

Anyways, that is how I split wood since I could swing a maul since I was kid.

 

[angelo c]

No offense to the "roundhouse" guys but...there is the story about the old bull and the young bull sitting on the hill and the young bull says to the old bull.."hey let's run down the pasture and bag us a few 'dem cows.". To which the old bull says " youngster, let's walk down there and bag 'em all."

Wood splitting by hand is all about placements and not brute force. If you think you can "aim" your hits better by round housing then go for it young bull. Me and the old guy...were going at it from overhead and were gonna be there all day "hittin it" in the right places...

oh and most of the time I split on the ground. I see no reason to elevate the logs unless I have a very short block. I don't think its safe as the wood splits further apart and your shins are exposed to the occasional errant blow. it will hit the ground before it hits you.

Just an old country bull from New Jersey....:lifter:

 

[StihlyinEly]

No offense to the "roundhouse" guys but...there is the story about the old bull and the young bull sitting on the hill and the young bull says to the old bull.."hey let's run down the pasture and bag us a few 'dem cows.". To which the old bull says " youngster, let's walk down there and bag 'em all."

Wood splitting by hand is all about placements and not brute force. If you think you can "aim" your hits better by round housing then go for it young bull. Me and the old guy...were going at it from overhead and were gonna be there all day "hittin it" in the right places...

Just an old country bull from New Jersey....:lifter:

Can I get an AMEN, brother?

 

[Woodjack]

With my Fiskar's 4.25 lb I use the baseball swing.
Instead of one hand forward on the handle and the other at the end of the handle, I hold both hands at the very end of the handle, like you'd hold a baseball bat. Then, I hold my legs fairly well spread apart and swing down for a home run every time.

 

[Woodjack]

No offense to the "roundhouse" guys but...there is the story about the old bull and the young bull sitting on the hill and the young bull says to the old bull.."hey let's run down the pasture and bag us a few 'dem cows.". To which the old bull says " youngster, let's walk down there and bag 'em all."

. . . to which the young bull replied. "No thanks, pop. I'll go ahead and have me the young sweet ones. take your time and finish off the old biddies"

 

[tibikedad]

Splitting wood by hand is all about transferring energy from the ax or maul to the wood in an accurate manner. The equation for the energy of a moving object is:

Energy = (mass x speed x speed) / 2

In simple terms, mass counts once, and speed counts twice. A lighter ax moving faster than a heavier ax will have more energy. This results in more splitting power. So the next time you see someone splitting wood with a small ax, maybe he knows something about physics!

 

[angelo c]

. . . to which the young bull replied. "No thanks, pop. I'll go ahead and have me the young sweet ones. take your time and finish off the old biddies"

" youth is wasted on the young..."

 

[Wood Doctor]

Splitting wood by hand is all about transferring energy from the ax or maul to the wood in an accurate manner. The equation for the energy of a moving object is:

Energy = (mass x speed x speed) / 2

In simple terms, mass counts once, and speed counts twice. A lighter ax moving faster than a heavier ax will have more energy. This results in more splitting power. So the next time you see someone splitting wood with a small ax, maybe he knows something about physics!

Up to a point. Go out there and try to split lots of firewood with a 2-lb maul.

I'll take an ounce of experience for a pound of theory any day.

 

[p575]

oh and most of the time I split on the ground. I see no reason to elevate the logs unless I have a very short block. I don't think its safe as the wood splits further apart and your shins are exposed to the occasional errant blow. it will hit the ground before it hits you.

Just an old country bull from New Jersey....:lifter:

for me, i don't use a block so much to elevate the piece being split. the block is something to give me a level surface, that chips can be raked off of easily. more importantly, it puts all the energy of the swing into the piece being split, not into the ground around it (maybe your ground is frozen, but a lot of times i split in gravel or grass, and it absorbs a lot of energy...

 

[p575]

Splitting wood by hand is all about transferring energy from the ax or maul to the wood in an accurate manner. The equation for the energy of a moving object is:

Energy = (mass x speed x speed) / 2

In simple terms, mass counts once, and speed counts twice. A lighter ax moving faster than a heavier ax will have more energy. This results in more splitting power. So the next time you see someone splitting wood with a small ax, maybe he knows something about physics!

but what if i can swing a maul as fast as you can swing an axe? (not saying for sure that i can...) that would yield more splitting power right?

 

[makomakoman]

Splitting wood by hand is all about transferring energy from the ax or maul to the wood in an accurate manner. The equation for the energy of a moving object is:

Energy = (mass x speed x speed) / 2

In simple terms, mass counts once, and speed counts twice. A lighter ax moving faster than a heavier ax will have more energy. This results in more splitting power. So the next time you see someone splitting wood with a small ax, maybe he knows something about physics!

Ahh..but force is:

Force = Mass (x) Acceleration

Give me a 8lb maul

 

[Wood Doctor]

but what if i can swing a maul as fast as you can swing an axe? (not saying for sure that i can...) that would yield more splitting power right?

+1. True. Also, think of something else: speed kills.

And, lighter axe heads tend to twist on the way down, especially if they drop faster. Mauls don't. If the axe head twists even 10 degrees, the lighter axe loses whatever advantage its extra speed supplied over the heavier maul.

As the man from Maine said, "Give me an 8-lb maul." This one is tough to beat:

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200344806_200344806

 

[Wedge32]

Was in the zone the other night w/ the monster maul.

24 inch rounds easy splitting off the edges, upon impact could twist my wrist allowing the split to shear off while the flat side of the maul laid down ontop of the round. Holding it in place. Could get through whole round like this!!!

 

[unclemoustache]

Ahh..but force is:

Force = Mass (x) Acceleration

Give me a 8lb maul

Much to learn you still have. Force = Midichlorians (x) Sith Lord. Only then will a Darth Maul split through the wood.

I prefer to clamp my wood so it's suspended upside down about 4 feet off the ground and split it with the 'golf swing' approach. :jester:

No really, I use the Rise and Fall, but I stand a little closer to the wood than the guy in the first video. Seems like he's using an awful lot of back muscles in that swing, and I prefer to avoid that. Still, he gets that maul as high as he can. I think I might give that a try next time.

 

[clearance]

Split lots of wood, since I was young. I usually use a 6 pound maul, sometimes a 41/2 pound Arvika axe. Speed does count, no doubt, so does power, which makes the speed, I guess. Lots of construction work with sledgehammers, picks, bars, have given me the knack. As others have said, the twist at the end is big. Also, concentration is big as well.

But here is what is really important, try to get clear wood, like where it grew in competition with other trees. I can split big clear easy, with just my axe, so its what I strive for.

 

[TallElf]

I shared these last year. Most of the time this is the standard method if they are under 20 Inch rounds. I haven't met an Oak, or a Locust that holds up to that 4.5lb axe. I am a firm believer that If I had a conveyor belt to move them past, I might be more productive. The larger pieces obviously take a few whacks, but I can usually get them busted in 1 or 2 swings. The really knotty snarled pieces end up on the BAD DAY AT WORK pile.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_S55XLg3rG8
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiTkKj14DBg

 

[unclemoustache]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_S55XLg3rG8
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiTkKj14DBg

Nice vids. You're really moving (If that's you). Not much waste of time or energy there. And for those pieces that need to be cut again, you just set them up all up again at once and let 'er rip. Good way to get the kids to help out as well - have them trail along behind you either stacking or setting back up. I'll have to try that. Only problem is that I'm not quite in shape enough to go at that pace!