Help Needed: How to split huge rounds

[connor77]

Wondering if anyone that uses a horizontal splitter has any tricks for splitting huge rounds. I have a Timberwolf splitter (again, horizontal) and even with the log lift (manual not hydraulic) which we have there are some rounds that are so big they cannot be lifted using the log lift attachment. And I'm pretty tired of cutting the rounds in half as this is painfully time consuming. Does anyone hook anything to their bucket (have a BX2660 with FEL) and pick up these rounds and lower them to their splitter beam? I have about 12 huge rounds that I needed a 28" bar to get through split and will have more if I take a few more trees down.

Anyone have any tips aside from renting a vertical splitter? I'm sure I'm not the only one that has had to deal with this.

Thanks in advance...

 

[boxygen]

Yes, you can use the FEL for this. You will need to purchase a set of (log) tongs. They can be had in Northern Tool and other places. 28" should be doable with the right set of tongs. Picking up the log can be done by dropping the tongs over the log without getting off the tractor. once you get some practice but you will need another helper to unhook the tongs once lifted onto the splitter. Others will have good ideas too, Im sure.

 

[Couple of Achers]

Log or skidding tongs.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I have been splitting wood for a good long time and what I did the last 2 years was give them away. I even delivered to the wood guy, Toothless Jack, down the road using my FEL carrying 3-4 at a time the mile round trip. This guy will take anything.

As I get older I get smarter. My back is worth a lot. Way more then the 100 pieces of fire wood this would net. Just think of a back surgery and 9 months to recover like my uncle had.

Give them away and then the guy who gets them will owe you one. The only other suggestion is a set of log tongs.

Now days I do not cut anything bigger then 16" or so. If I have to cut it I cut it down to where my FEL will lift it and off it goes to the wood guys house down the road.

Chris

 

[Treemonkey1000]

Either get a Vertical splitter to do that. I split big heavy rounds by getting them up on edge then rolling them to the splitter. I tip them over so that they land under the splitter wedge and knock them in half to manage easier. Like it was said you need to save your back. The guy that worked with me doing tree work broke his back helping lift wood and pushing over tops. He will never be pain free again. And he is just a young guy of 45.
Another method is to take your saw and cut some grooves across the grain end of the rounds. Then drive your wedges in to split it in half.
The log tongs is a good idea just be careful that the round doesn't drop off during lifting or on the splitter.

 

[MikeInEburg]

I use skidding tongs too - very successfully. HOWEVER - skidding tongs are not designed for overhead lifting - they can let go at any moment without warning. Be sure to apply liberal amounts of common sense when using.
Mike

 

[Dead Horse]

I am able to "dig in" my American TMH 30, at the wedge end such that the beam is near level with the ground. Then I roll the round on to the beam and let 'er rip. I set up the work site with this in mind when having to split a collection of large rounds. If I have to, I will use the FEL to locate the rounds to "friendly ground". Another thing that works for me is to use a few heavy oak pallets as a staging platform next to the beam. Again the idea being; get the rounds even with the beam and roll them to the splitter. No lifting is the goal.

I am too cheap to give away fire wood I already have labor into.

 

[brin]

I have been splitting wood for a good long time and what I did the last 2 years was give them away. I even delivered to the wood guy, Toothless Jack, down the road using my FEL carrying 3-4 at a time the mile round trip. This guy will take anything.

As I get older I get smarter. My back is worth a lot. Way more then the 100 pieces of fire wood this would net. Just think of a back surgery and 9 months to recover like my uncle had.

Give them away and then the guy who gets them will owe you one. The only other suggestion is a set of log tongs.

Now days I do not cut anything bigger then 16" or so. If I have to cut it I cut it down to where my FEL will lift it and off it goes to the wood guys house down the road.

Chris

Chris,

I was reading your post and began laughing out loud...I have a huge Oak tree that I had cut down along our farm road and I cut it into firewood size rounds, but they are huge....I mean huge at least 30 inches dia. and my Mrs. has been asking me what I was going to do with them since they were so big...I was going to tackle it but after reading your post you knocked some sense into my old head and I picked up the phone and called a neighbor and told him they were his if he wanted them...he was glad to get them..LOL...and I am glad for him to have them too. Problem solved. I have been cutting firewood for years and have plenty..I will stick with the smaller ones as well.. Thanks for the reminder about the back. LOL

 

[Couple of Achers]

I also had to snicker about giving them away. And there is plenty of people who will take them. Up here there are a lot of folks with big outside burners that heat several building on their farm. They are not concerned about splitting wood into fire place size logs.

 

[sizzami]

I remember the first year I cut firewood , my eyes would light up at the site of an eighty foot maple with a dead top now years later give me a 16" maple every time .

 

[beenthere]

I've a horizontal splitter, and usually slide them in the bucket of FEL or on the carry-all platform on the 3 ph. From there, I lift them to the height of the horizontal splitter , and slide them off to split. All the work is getting them in the bucket. From there, use the bucket to hold the large pieces needing more splitting. Works just like having a big table at splitter height. One big reason I don't have a splitter on the 3 ph that ties up my tractor.
I've gone the route of the logging tongs, but find with working alone it is a lot of fiddling around and at the risk of dropping the piece off the tongs.

And, the trick of just using the chainsaw to break down the large ones does not take long and is not much effort. Just don't cut with the grain, as it makes for long excelsior type chips that clog up the saw. At an angle works best. And a sharp chain works better than a dull one.

 

[Matt_W]

My method is very similar to what Deadhorse said. I stack 2 sets of 4 or 5 pallets that will give you a horizontal platform equal to the splitter beam for a staging area. The rounds that are the biggest and most heaviest go from the bucket on top of the pallets. roll them on the splitter and no lifting.
The hard part is after the first split (in the center). It create's a very heavy half of round that alot on times falls to the ground and you then have to pick it up.
But better to pick up a half than a whole one I guess.

 

[Chilly807]

I've got an 044 Stihl that just loves bringing big pieces down to size. For the sake of a dozen pieces, I'd use the saw to split them once, then the splitter can do the rest.

Chilly

 

[Diamondpilot]

Chris,

I was reading your post and began laughing out loud...I have a huge Oak tree that I had cut down along our farm road and I cut it into firewood size rounds, but they are huge....I mean huge at least 30 inches dia. and my Mrs. has been asking me what I was going to do with them since they were so big...I was going to tackle it but after reading your post you knocked some sense into my old head and I picked up the phone and called a neighbor and told him they were his if he wanted them...he was glad to get them..LOL...and I am glad for him to have them too. Problem solved. I have been cutting firewood for years and have plenty..I will stick with the smaller ones as well.. Thanks for the reminder about the back. LOL

We get smarter as we get older. Ask me when I was 25 and I would have spent 12 hours getting that last 100 pieces out of those 12 rounds. I was not going to be beat. I would have spent $300 on a new saw and a tools before I gave it away. Not now, I will spend more on propane or just cut other wood.

Chris

 

[Chuck_Lind]

Use an electric chainsaw to cut them up. Farmer near me used to do that and it worked fine. Remember ELECTRIC is the operative word; gas chainsaw could possibly spit out a spark or two and catch things on fire.

Good luck!!

 

[brin]

Ditto that Chris,,,,,LOL..Isn't that the truth we do get wiser...listening to some of these young guys using the chain saw with the grain...Uhhhh - not me and how do you know whether years ago someone had some barbed wire on that tree ? For those rounds to be that big that is an old, old tree and I sure don't want to hit a hunk of wire with the chain saw..

 

[lungdoc]

Use an electric chainsaw to cut them up. Farmer near me used to do that and it worked fine. Remember ELECTRIC is the operative word; gas chainsaw could possibly spit out a spark or two and catch things on fire.

Good luck!!

WHAT???? You seriously think a spark would ignite huge rounds? Ever try to start a fire with a round over 4" - good luck without tons of other kindling or tinder. I can tell you that isn't going to happen and all serious loggers use gas chainsaws without any concern about this.

Our "firewood bee" this spring, no huge rounds.

 

[Dead Horse]

Some of the things one reads on web sites are simply astounding..........

Use to be a man would be careful what he said, for fear of looking foolish to his neighbors...... Being intellectually honest was understood to actually require knowledge on a subject before one opined on it in public.

What the **** has happened to the world?

 

[boxygen]

We get smarter as we get older. Ask me when I was 25 and I would have spent 12 hours getting that last 100 pieces out of those 12 rounds. I was not going to be beat. I would have spent $300 on a new saw and a tools before I gave it away. Not now, I will spend more on propane or just cut other wood.

Chris

Chris, I think you just described me! Except you can double the $300. Cutting your own firewood can be a disease when you are young and foolish like me!
I ammend my advice to the following: Go buy a new plasma cutter, go ahead and buy a new 250 amp MIG while you are at it. Now build a grapple for your tractor to lift the rounds onto the splitter. How can you put a price on the warmth of your family?

 

[taborekle]

Some of the things one reads on web sites are simply astounding..........

Use to be a man would be careful what he said, for fear of looking foolish to his neighbors...... Being intellectually honest was understood to actually require knowledge on a subject before one opined on it in public.

What the **** has happened to the world?

I can't figure out if Dead Horse is just giving a winking at this or is serious "Far to serious darling" (Quote from the movie The Dish).