Does anyone have a suggestion other than a splitting maul on splitting
logs? I can't afford a $1,000 log splitter.

Also, does it matter if I burn stuff like Hedge, Cedar or Elm in my
fireplace, they seem to be the cheapest species available.

wrote in message
ps.com...
Does anyone have a suggestion other than a splitting maul on splitting
logs? I can't afford a $1,000 log splitter.


You should be able to rent one for a weekend for less than $150 or so, plus
fuel.

wrote:
Does anyone have a suggestion other than a splitting maul on splitting
logs? I can't afford a $1,000 log splitter.

Also, does it matter if I burn stuff like Hedge, Cedar or Elm in my
fireplace, they seem to be the cheapest species available.


You can rent log splitters by the day.
--
Tom Horne

"people willing to trade their freedom for temporary security deserve
neither and will lose both" Benjamin Franklin

wrote in message
ps.com...
Does anyone have a suggestion other than a splitting maul on splitting
logs? I can't afford a $1,000 log splitter.

Also, does it matter if I burn stuff like Hedge, Cedar or Elm in my
fireplace, they seem to be the cheapest species available.


Suggestions:

rent one for the day.

find a friend that has one.

buy a used one.

buy one and put it on payments. Home depot will sell you one with no
interest for a year if you open an account.

buy one, then charge people to split wood, having the unit pay for its self.

Can't advise you on wood types.

Only that wood splitters are worth every penny when you see how much work
you can do with so little effort. And, as I said, you can make money.
Either that, or there are lots of times when people will GIVE you wood that
they have cut down. All you have to do is pick it up and split it with your
splitter. I have seen lots of wood that is free for the asking, and they
may even pay you to haul it off.

End of suggestions.

Steve

wrote in message
ps.com...
Does anyone have a suggestion other than a splitting maul on splitting
logs? I can't afford a $1,000 log splitter.


under $100 he

http://search.harborfreight.com/cpis...=log&Submit=Go

"YYZedd" wrote in message
nk.net...

wrote in message
ps.com...
Does anyone have a suggestion other than a splitting maul on splitting
logs? I can't afford a $1,000 log splitter.


You should be able to rent one for a weekend for less than $150 or so,
plus
fuel.

I bought a used one for twice that. What a deal!

Bob

wrote in message
ps.com...

Does anyone have a suggestion other than a splitting maul on splitting
logs? I can't afford a $1,000 log splitter.

I use a 5 lb. axe head on the longest handle I can
safely swing, which handles most work, but I enjoy
the exercise and burn only 2 full cords per winter.
Chunks that do not split after about three strikes are
stacked face to the sun for a few months.

Also, does it matter if I burn stuff like Hedge, Cedar or Elm in my
fireplace, they seem to be the cheapest species available.

Cedar is OK only for kindling. Elm is so dense you
need to age it extra (say 3 years minimum) and burn
it with other types of wood. Elm is the main exception
to the rule that thermal value varies with weight.
Hereabouts maple is best, split and stacked for two
years before use, yellow birch is OK, white birch
best for kindling, poplar is burned only because
abundant: poplar from trees less than 30 years
old is hardly worth burning.

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

wrote:
Does anyone have a suggestion other than a splitting maul on splitting
logs? I can't afford a $1,000 log splitter.

Also, does it matter if I burn stuff like Hedge, Cedar or Elm in my
fireplace, they seem to be the cheapest species available.

If you're buying the wood, it should come split already, at least that
is how it is sold in my area. Otherwise, perhaps someone who has a
splitter would be willing to split yours in return for part of the
wood.

Using a splitting maul is good exercise. Bear in mind you don't have
to split all your wood at once, you can just do enough for one or two
fires at a time. Hence the old saw (hehe) about how it "warms you
twice."

Cedar and other softwoods (pine, fir, etc.) will burn OK but are
reputed to cause a lot of creosote buildup in your chimney, so that it
has to be cleaned more often to avoid the chance of a flue fire. Among
hardwoods, any wood will burn fine if dry and the heating value is
pretty much a function of weight. Heavy woods like oak will burn a
longer time than lighter woods like poplar. Elm is somewhere in the
middle. It is also somewhat harder to split than most wood. I am not
familiar with "Hedge." There is a great book on wood heat, I think
it's called "Heating with Wood" from around 1980. -- H

wrote:
Does anyone have a suggestion other than a splitting maul on splitting
logs? I can't afford a $1,000 log splitter.

Also, does it matter if I burn stuff like Hedge, Cedar or Elm in my
fireplace, they seem to be the cheapest species available.

Actually, using a 6lb maul is _excellent_ exercise, and therapy. For
the
really, really difficult stuff, like black birch knots, I rip a slot in
the end-grain
with a chainsaw. Or better yet, acircular saw- smaller kerf.

Open fireplace is potentially the biggest "matter" with the amount of
particulates
(read "pollution") it emits. For best burning and lowest emissions, in
general,
you want the wood to be well-seasoned and as dry as possible. How you
feed it
matters a lot, too. Chucking a big, cold, billet into what was a
flame-channel between
pieces will certainly quench the flames, and cause respiratory distress
downwind.

I happen to use an EPA-approved stove, and find it still requires care
and attention
to be kind to our respiratory tracts.

wrote:
wrote:
Does anyone have a suggestion other than a splitting maul on splitting
logs? I can't afford a $1,000 log splitter.

Also, does it matter if I burn stuff like Hedge, Cedar or Elm in my
fireplace, they seem to be the cheapest species available.

Actually, using a 6lb maul is _excellent_ exercise, and therapy. For
the
really, really difficult stuff, like black birch knots, I rip a slot in
the end-grain
with a chainsaw. Or better yet, acircular saw- smaller kerf.

Open fireplace is potentially the biggest "matter" with the amount of
particulates
(read "pollution") it emits. For best burning and lowest emissions, in
general,
you want the wood to be well-seasoned and as dry as possible. How you
feed it
matters a lot, too. Chucking a big, cold, billet into what was a
flame-channel between
pieces will certainly quench the flames, and cause respiratory distress
downwind.

I happen to use an EPA-approved stove, and find it still requires care
and attention
to be kind to our respiratory tracts.

I would not burn the hedge in your fireplace. It burns very hot and
throws alot of sparks while it burns. The sparks not only come out the
front, but will also go up the flue and possibly couse problems there
also.
Sam

Wood will split easier if it is frozen. I would keep away from Elm, it
tears rather than splits.


wrote in message
ps.com...
Does anyone have a suggestion other than a splitting maul on splitting
logs? I can't afford a $1,000 log splitter.

Also, does it matter if I burn stuff like Hedge, Cedar or Elm in my
fireplace, they seem to be the cheapest species available.

If splitting by hand, do it with the logs frozen, and as for some species of
elm, you may not split it at all.

Only burn hedge (Osage Orange) if you have an airtight stove you can
control. You don't want hedge burning freely.

--
Steve Barker


wrote in message
ps.com...
Does anyone have a suggestion other than a splitting maul on splitting
logs? I can't afford a $1,000 log splitter.

Also, does it matter if I burn stuff like Hedge, Cedar or Elm in my
fireplace, they seem to be the cheapest species available.

On 21 Dec 2006 08:25:46 -0800, "
wrote:

Does anyone have a suggestion other than a splitting maul on splitting
logs? I can't afford a $1,000 log splitter.

Also, does it matter if I burn stuff like Hedge, Cedar or Elm in my
fireplace, they seem to be the cheapest species available.

By next year's wood early, have it split and delivered. You can stack
the wood. Have it spilt in quarters and some halves. You can purchase
a partial cord of wood. What do your locals do? A well seasoned
Maple, burns wonderful with plenty of heat.

--
Oren

"Well, it doesn't happen all the time, but when it happens, it happens constantly."

wrote:
wrote:
Does anyone have a suggestion other than a splitting maul on splitting
logs? I can't afford a $1,000 log splitter.

Also, does it matter if I burn stuff like Hedge, Cedar or Elm in my
fireplace, they seem to be the cheapest species available.

Actually, using a 6lb maul is _excellent_ exercise, and therapy. For
the
really, really difficult stuff, like black birch knots, I rip a slot in
the end-grain
with a chainsaw. Or better yet, acircular saw- smaller kerf.

I just split 5 cords of birch / maple mix for next year. I normally
would go the maul route however pressed for time I rented a splitter.
It's the only way to go.

Open fireplace is potentially the biggest "matter" with the amount of
particulates
(read "pollution") it emits. For best burning and lowest emissions, in
general,
you want the wood to be well-seasoned and as dry as possible. How you
feed it
matters a lot, too. Chucking a big, cold, billet into what was a
flame-channel between
pieces will certainly quench the flames, and cause respiratory distress
downwind.

For sure. Wood should be burned hot. As well only reload when the last
batch has burned down to red coals.

I happen to use an EPA-approved stove, and find it still requires care
and attention
to be kind to our respiratory tracts.

Yes. Wood burning is both a science and an art. I'm still trying to
perfect it at age 72 and roughly 350 cords of wood later.

Oren wrote:

By next year's wood early, have it split and delivered. You can stack
the wood.

Concur. I generally purchase mine in April. Dealers have deep
discounts wanting to clear their lots. That allows another 6 months
minimum of seasoning before being used.

On Fri, 22 Dec 2006 18:30:53 -0600, Jim wrote:

Oren wrote:

By next year's wood early, have it split and delivered. You can stack
the wood.

(Buy)


Concur. I generally purchase mine in April. Dealers have deep
discounts wanting to clear their lots. That allows another 6 months
minimum of seasoning before being used.

I once moved in a coming Winter. A local had seasoned maple to get us
through and keep us warm. I had him take my order for next season and
watched that wood season well g.

--
Oren

"Well, it doesn't happen all the time, but when it happens, it happens constantly."

# Fred # wrote:
wrote in message
ps.com...
Does anyone have a suggestion other than a splitting maul on splitting
logs? I can't afford a $1,000 log splitter.


under $100 he

http://search.harborfreight.com/cpis...=log&Submit=Go

Those under $100 are only good for handicapped people unable to use an
axe/maul/sledge/wedge. Every one of them will take more effort and a
_lot_ more time than using the normal splitting tools. I wonder how
many have been bought, tried once and pitched.

There is also the "Stickler". I don't know if they are still sold and
I wouldn't use one myself due to the danger but other people swear by
them.

Harry K