I prefer to hand split and being retired I've just about got the time. The x27 is a gamechanger. Light, effective and my goto tool. However with gnarly big bits you still need a heavy maul and a couple of large steel wedges. None of them need to be expensive but no one tool will do the whole job unless you're just splitting something easy.
What Axe do you recommend for splitting some oak ?
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FWIW, I was referring to a popular comedy bit from an old radio show (Bob and Tom). The caller would call in to Mr Obvious for advice on how to do something that could be complicated, but the caller was an absolute moron and it would take several minutes for the host to realize that the caller hadn't done the very first step. One one bit, the caller was having problems with his new snow blower because he never bothered trying to start it. My favorite was a Thanksgiving bit about cooking a turkey where it ended up the caller was trying to cook a live turkey. Apparently he'd gotten the stuffing in and everything, but couldn't keep the bird in the roasting pan when he put it in the oven. When you said your favorite splitting tool was a bit hard to swing, it made me think of that old skit.
I used to split everything by hand. 4 or 5 years ago, after an evening of splitting some big stubborn hickory with an 8 lb maul, my shoulder was killing me. It was late in the heating season and I limped through the remainder just using an ax. It took 6 months to get my full range of motion back in my shoulder. I bought a used 27T splitter that next summer for $475, and haven't looked back. I likely need surgery on my shoulder, but it doesn't bother me so long as I don't spend much time swinging a maul or sledge, and don't try to push myself at the gym. I turn 50 next month. I still split a lot by hand, but its almost entirely with my X27. I will occasionally pick up an 8 lb maul and take a few swings at 3 or 4 pieces that were just too much for my X27, but that's about it. If it takes more than that, it goes on the splitter. Most of what I split last season was pretty straight grained (hickory, ash, and a little maple), and I ended up not starting my splitter. I'm on a similar path this year, but now that I have a splitter, I'd never go without one again.
Hermio
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I am 71 and have worked out in the gym for about 50 years. I wore my shoulder joints out and ended up having both shoulder joints replaced. This is a painful process and takes about a year for full recovery. I am restricted to using no more than 50 lb dumbbells for flyes and overhead presses and limited to 185 lb bench presses; this is not due to weakness in the new joints but to avoid wearing them out and having to do surgery to replace the worn parts. Interestingly, I never did get shoulder pain from swinging an axe or a maul, even the 15 lb Monster Maul, and my doc says it is OK to do so even now.
Mine is most likely my rotator cuff. Bench press was about the only thing that bothered it at the gym, and even then only if I was pushing myself trying to make gains. I hadn't been in the gym for over a decade when that happened. About a year later, I started lifting some again and the pain flared back up (pushing myself again, it's just my nature). Since then, I've tried to get most of my exercise from a bike, but its hard to restart the habbit every spring. My wife got me back into the gym over the holidays this year. I'm intentionally going easy on the upper body stuff. I'm due to get back in there, but the snow has had me busy these past few days. No more shoveling that stuff. That's why God gave me kids and a tractor
Hermio
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We are in Ohio and seem to be getting about a foot of snow. I have 0.6 miles of driveway to clear. My tractor can handle it but I wish I had a cab!Mine is most likely my rotator cuff. Bench press was about the only thing that bothered it at the gym, and even then only if I was pushing myself trying to make gains. I hadn't been in the gym for over a decade when that happened. About a year later, I started lifting some again and the pain flared back up (pushing myself again, it's just my nature). Since then, I've tried to get most of my exercise from a bike, but its hard to restart the habbit every spring. My wife got me back into the gym over the holidays this year. I'm intentionally going easy on the upper body stuff. I'm due to get back in there, but the snow has had me busy these past few days. No more shoveling that stuff. That's why God gave me kids and a tractor
Daughter and I gonna grab the shovels pretty soon.. will be fun bonding. Or at least a workout
Our road is a little over 1/4 of a mile. I just finished plowing it for the 2nd time. I keep it clear and clear out the driveways for 3 or 4 of my elderly neighbors. I picked up a 7' plow a few years ago and fabricated a mount using a quick attach plate. After an ice storm a few years ago, I made chains for the rear tires but haven't had a chance to try them out until last night. They worked pretty well. For plowing snow, I wish my old 1710 had a cab, but the rest of the time I'm glad that it doesn't. I only gave $2k for it and it was in sad shape when I got it, but it's paid for itself multiple times over. I wasn't sure how much I'd use it, so I didn't want to spend very much. Main goal was to have something to move firewood logs around and stack them. Within 6 months of owning it, I decided I'd never be without a tractor and loader again. I'll need to replace it within the next couple of years, and I'll probably step up to something that will lift 1500 lbs, but I'll probably still not get a cab. I have enough things to avoid hitting with tree limbs as it is now.... lol
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