There's nothing like having the time to enjoy a warm, glowing fire. The best way to get that time is to have your firewood split, cured, stacked, and ready to go whenever you want it.
Powered log splitters make the task easy, but even we recognize that there are many different ways to split a log, all of which have their charm.
If you've ever been fascinated by the idea of standing outside on a brisk autumn day, swinging an axe to build up your firewood stash, then this guide to handheld and manual log splitting tools is for you.
You might just say it's because you look good in flannel. However, you can find many other completely practical reasons for using some kind of manual wood splitter:
Possibly the biggest draw of handheld log splitting tools is their low cost. Splitting logs by hand may cost you time, but it will save you the upfront cost of the tool.
Finally, although you certainly can find better exercise programs to target your quads and abs, it's hard to deny that using handheld tools to split logs provides a good workout. Just be sure to stop when tired and be mindful of the strain placed on your joints and back.
Contrary to what you might have learned from 20th-century cartoons, you can't pick up any old axe and use it to chop firewood. To split logs into firewood-sized pieces, you need a splitting axe.
Unlike a felling axe, which cuts wood fibers short and is suited to chopping trees down, a splitting axe is designed to wedge its way between wood fibers and force them apart.
Lightweight, with a thin blade and a short handle, a splitting axe is a popular choice for splitting small logs.
While one person holds the wedge in place, another taps it into the log, similar to using a hammer to tap a nail into a board. Then, once the wedge is set, one person strikes the wedge with the sledgehammer to split the log apart.
Using a wedge and sledgehammer is a time-intensive two-person job, but it can be a budget-friendly option.
A splitting maul combines the best parts of a splitting axe and a sledgehammer. Although the edge of the blade is thin and sharp, the back of the maul's head is wide and weighty to drive the blade's edge quickly into the wood.
Splitting mauls weigh more and have longer handles than splitting axes, which makes them better suited for larger logs.
These types of tools feature a wedge attached to a pole that slides up and down another pole. The kinetic energy drives wood fibers apart.
Don't think they're limited; some models can apply up to 14 tons of force.
You'll find plenty of electric and gas-powered log splitters that use hydraulic pistons to drive a wedge into a log. If that appeals to you, but you still want to avoid tools that use an external power source, you might be interested in using a manual hydraulic log splitter.
Instead of getting the power to drive the piston from gas or electricity, a hydraulic manual log splitter requires you to pump a set of handles, similar to pumping a car jack. The resulting force pushes the wedge through wood and splits it apart.
As budget-friendly and eco-friendly as manual log splitting tools are, they won't be the best choice in every situation. These are some of the instances when you might be better served by a powered log splitter:
For every situation, you can find a log splitting tool to suit your needs. Whether you choose a manual or a powered log splitter, you still can enjoy getting your firewood ready for nice, long nights by the fire.