Splittin' tough, stringy, knotty elm.

[Whitespider]

The boy and I were splittin' some elm this morning, the daughter took a video. Man, this stuff was some of the toughest I've had for a long time... partly because dad took it down about a year too early. It was standing in the ditch by his drive entrance... I told to wait for the bark to fall, but he gets impatient. Anyway, he dropped 6-8 foot lengths in my yard a couple weeks ago and I started buckin' and splittin' this morning. The big stuff (some over 30 inches) is still down by his drive... as tough as this stuff is, I'm thinkin' noodlin' is gonna' the only way.

Figured I show y'all my splitter's auto cycle/auto throttle in action... even if it is struggling just a bit on this stuff.

 

[tla100]

That is a sweet valve or auto/cycle. Looks like some nasty stuff. Definitely will get a workout with the large rounds.

 

[laynes69]

That little splitter sure is doing the job, but watching the video makes my back hurt. Our old splitter sat about that height, and it was a back killer. On the otherhand, it sure beats splitting by hand. We burned some elm this winter that was so stringy, it was surrounded with it's own tinder. Sure took off quick on coals.

 

[svk]

Impressed how well that splitter worked in elm. Looks like you have a well trained helper there too.

 

[Whitespider]

Our old splitter sat about that height, and it was a back killer.

Ya' know?? I've don't ever remember a sore back from using that thing... maybe 'cause I don't normally have to remain bent over very long holding levers and whatnot. Heck, I have to bend over to pickup the rounds anyway, swing them on the beam, throw the lever and straighten up before retrieving the next round. I mean, most of the time, it ain't like I have to bend over more times... and when I am straightening up I ain't liftin' the extra weight of the rounds. This example was a bit off-from-normal because the stuff is so tough splittin' causing the splitter to run a bit slower... but when the wood is splittin' fairly well the pace picks up a good clip.
*

 

[ppkgmsy]

Elm is certainly like that. Your splitter seems like it handled it pretty good. That boy of your is a good worker. Tell him to keep at it, we're proud of him.

 

[stihly dan]

That is a nice splitter. That's some skinny splits for a smoke dragon, or at least they look it. How tall is the wedge?

 

[zogger]

Cool vid! Want to see that rotating action when you get to the big ones, if possible.

 

[pennsywoodburnr]

I think the kid in the video was doing more work than the operator svk!

 

[haveawoody]

Hey that little guy sure can work, sure puts the older guy to shame *grin*

Got to love how the splitter is working hard on the small stuff, bet the big rounds will be a bear.
Elm got to love it because dynamite is to expensive now

 

[Whitespider]

That's some skinny splits for a smoke dragon, or at least they look it. How tall is the wedge?

Pretty sure the wedge is 6 inches... but I ain't never measured (shrug)

That load was destined for the house... needed a topp-er-off-er to finish the season.
This time of year it's mostly a morning fire to take the chill off... smaller splits make quick heat, but burn out faster so the house don't overheat later. I just fired-up a ½ dozen of those splits about ½ an hour ago, house is warming nicely... but the fire will be 'bout done when it does come up to temperature. I've had a small, short fire every morning for over a week now... only the occasional evening fire. If the sun comes out again today I likely won't need another fire until morning. There's a few "bigger" splits in that load... in case an overnight fire or two is required.

Like I've said before, I control heat output (both length and intensity) by loading technique, not settings... and now the forced draft blower makes it easier (and quicker) than ever.
Load, poke in a tuft of dryer lint, squirt, flick the Bic, slam the door... walk away... coffee time.
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[Whitespider]

Got to love how the splitter is working hard on the small stuff, bet the big rounds will be a bear.

Yeah, this is a tough old tree... a ditch tree. You can't hear it in the video, but the larger rounds were screeching as they slid over the wedge. This stuff would've split a lot easier if dad would'a waited one more year (or even 'till October) before taking it down... but still, it's 'bout as twisted and knotted as it gets. The big stuff will haf'ta be halved... or quartered... and a wedge 'n' sledge ain't gonna' get the job done (at least I ain't gonna' work that hard). I'll probably go down to his place this afternoon and start the noodling... that bigger stuff needs a little drying time before bringin' in the splitter.
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[AIM]

I like the auto cycle but that little thing is just to low for my taste.

 

[Whitespider]

I like the auto cycle but that little thing is just to low for my taste.

They make 'em taller.
The tow package puts a real axle with high speed hubs, wheels and tires on the thing... and that sets it quite a bit taller (more like big-box store splitters). But, as always, everything is a trade-off... the tow package adds size, weight and bulk. At something under 200 pounds I can easily load mine into a pickup box without help, my little boy can pick up the beam end and roll it around with one hand (meaning I move the splitter to the wood, I never move the wood to the splitter), and the thing stores in less space than a small lawn tractor. Personally, I put higher value on the compactness and portability... b'sides, a taller splitter means you haf'ta lift the larger rounds that much higher, and a less portable splitter (often) means you're carrying that wood to the splitter.

Different strokes...
*

 

[AIM]

I dont have a pic of the way I have been doing it lately but I cut the wood. Throw in back of truck. When I get home my splitter sits just outside the door of my lean too. I back the truck up to the splitter and split as I unload. Truck is waist high and splitter is waist high. If the rounds are huge I take the splitter to the woods and go verticle.

 

[lefturnfreek]

My splitter isn't high enough up for my taste and I haven't taken the time to to stretch the frame up so I just set it on construction cribbing I made a few years ago. The large blocks are a pain to lift once, but that all I have to do as after the first split, half goes on a tall stump to right while I process the first piece, then turn to get the first piece and repeat. I added log catchers to the side so there is no need to bend over at all to catch piece's as they are split, it may get extended to the right so no stump is needed. My back loves me for it.

 

[Whitespider]

I back the truck up to the splitter and split as I unload. Truck is waist high and splitter is waist high.

Like I said... different strokes...
I never "load" anything until it's split and ready to go on the stacks (actually load as it comes off the splitter)... and I don't pick it up until I'm gonna' split it. I "load" only once... and I "unload" only once, as I stack (shrug)
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[AIM]

Well I don't get stuff dropped in my yard. (shrug)

 

[AIM]

Split some wood with that little thing then talk it up... Not kindlin.

 

[Oldman47]

I noticed your "help" was removing half of the splits whether or not they were the size you seemed to be targeting. he would toss a half from a split motion and you would re-split the other half quite often. My guess is that you were not all that concerned about the final split size so it was OK that he removed half of them before you could split them smaller.