New Ax Design

I know that some folks may this this is off topic, but splitting firewood is using a hand tool to "work" wood, right?

Any way, I saw this article today and followed up on it. There are a lot of puff pieces out there but this is an in depth look at the tool by the folks who actually invented it. It is very interesting.

I have bought a lot of different splitting mauls and axes over the years and nothing compares to this thing. What is most inspirational about this is that it is mostly the work of one guy who worked on it for many years by himself. Until he eventually got the design right.

If I was dong much wood splitting any more, I would buy one of these in a heartbeat. It is made in Finland. The Finish word for the axe translate roughly into "leveraxe". There are a bunch of articles and pictures of this leveraxe on the web.

Reply to
Lee Michaels
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The description says "fun to work with". First time I have ever heard of splitting firewood as fun. I like the tire setup.

Reply to
G. Ross

Dunno about that. I grew up with wood heat and still use it at home (mostly ornamentally) and at my cabin in the mountains (only heat available). Of the various tasks of getting a getting a load of firewood set for the winter, splitting it by hand is the most enjoyable part for me. Way more fun than running the chain saw. You just need to mentally transfer your frustrations into the log you are whacking. I'm a much more pleasant person after splitting a cord of wood.

I'm dubious of this tool though. The video shows it making short work of a knot-free, strait grained piece of what looks like cedar. With wood like that, I could probably split it with a hoe. The demonstration also shows the firewood being split by chipping off chords of the circle. I'd be curious about how it would do splitting log say a foot accross evenly into two pieces.

Reply to
Frank Stutzman

I still split firewood, now and then. That ax, I think, would get heavy fo r me. This ax might be better, in some ways, but I think a traditional ax has its advantages, also. This new ax might be better if you can control t he twisting of the handle, properly, once it hits the log. One would like ly need strong wrists, to control that twisting, and not allow the twisting ax to uncontrolably twist your wrists, also. The womenfolk and kids migh t have a tougher time controlling that twisting force. The East German wom en's Olympic swim teams, of the 70s & 80s, probably wouldn't have a problem handling that ax.

Sonny

Reply to
Sonny

You don't control that head, it's on a sleeve.

I think it has some merit. But ultimately it's a gimick.

BTW I scrapped all my projects. I am now building an ARK in my basement. When it floats it will lift the house, and I'll have a house boat.

:-p

Reply to
woodchucker

Who says you are more pleasant???? :-p

Again, I think it's one of those ... really don't need it tools. I think my axe, and splitting wedge do pretty good. I split a lot of small stuff too. So I can't see it being useful.

Reply to
woodchucker

It may be a cool toy, but I liked the one somebody posted a few weeks back where they just split the log a little at a time using a lever driven splitter and changing base pivot point.

Reply to
Bob La Londe

Here's another one for your perusal:

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Reply to
Phil Kangas

I have a Timber Wolf gas wood splitter and it never complains..... And it is fun to use. I know, I live in the woods, use wood heat, and have been splitting wood by hand..... I finally broke the bank and bought a decent wood splitter. Canada made, Vermont..... company .

I know that some folks may this this is off topic, but splitting firewood is using a hand tool to "work" wood, right?

Any way, I saw this article today and followed up on it. There are a lot of puff pieces out there but this is an in depth look at the tool by the folks who actually invented it. It is very interesting.

I have bought a lot of different splitting mauls and axes over the years and nothing compares to this thing. What is most inspirational about this is that it is mostly the work of one guy who worked on it for many years by himself. Until he eventually got the design right.

If I was dong much wood splitting any more, I would buy one of these in a heartbeat. It is made in Finland. The Finish word for the axe translate roughly into "leveraxe". There are a bunch of articles and pictures of this leveraxe on the web.

Reply to
jloomis

I'm with you, I've refined it to carring the log to the splitter with the excavator, cutting the rounds and stacking them near the splitter. Pick a good round to put my padded cushion on and start splitting. I put the loader bucket right next to the splitter so I can put the split wood right in. Unfortunately I haven't found anything that will stack the wood for me yet.

Mike M

Reply to
Mike M

I still use my Monster Maul from the 80s. I remember the ad: "No need to be a strong man." Which is true if you split for less than 10 minutes.

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Reply to
Michael

Mike M wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

You might try using the bucket to do the stacking. Load the pieces perpendicular to the bucket, go to your stack and put the farthest end where you want it. Tip the bucket down (and adjust the height if needed), and when things start to slide back away.

Puckdropper

Reply to
Puckdropper

Unemployed grandson works well and cheap.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

---------------------------------------------- "Ed Pawlowski" wrote:

----------------------------------------------- Much prefer an existing design called a valve.

Use one to start and stop the cooking stove as well as another to control gas log for the fireplace.

Significantly reduces the air pollution.

Takes up less space.

Don't have to step outside to get firewood.

Don't have to be concerned about the termites or other bugs found in stacked cord wood.

Don't have access to natural gas, install an LPG tank in the back accessible from the street so it can be filled from the LPG truck.

Need exercise?

That's why the Nifty Past Fifty gym exists. (Or the gym nearest you).

Good place to meet others with similar needs.

90 minutes, three days a week, works for me.

Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

"Lew Hodgett" wrote in news:536ebbd2$0$35009 $c3e8da3$ snipped-for-privacy@news.astraweb.com:

It's a nice night out there. I think I'm going to grab some marshmallows and head down to the fire.

Puckdropper

Reply to
Puckdropper

Current 35 year old woodshed was built before the equipment so wasn't designed to let the loader bucket thru the door but your idea will be incorporated into the design of the next woodshed which will be necessary soon.

I sell firewood too, but have found for me I prefer just selling logs where I load them in the dump t and deliver. Most of what I've taken down is hemlock and selling them to the mill just isn't very profitable at current prices.

Mike M

Reply to
Mike M

Sorry Lew I don't live in Califorina, or a city don't care for the life you prefer. Your welcome to do what's you like, but it's not for me. I enjoy physical labor even if I can't do what I used to. The county put a tax on the wood that I used to haul to the recyler, so screw them I have an 8" chipper on order and I'll see if I can sell mulch for a profit on Craig's List.

Mike M

Reply to
Mike M

----------------------------------------------

"Mike M" wrote:

------------------------------------------------------ You will be hard pressed to find a place in SoCal that permits open burning except at the beach in an approved fire ring and during periods of "Red Flag warning" AKA: high fire danger even that is not permitted.

In the rest of CA, extreme drought conditions for several years in a row and have placed the rest of the state on alert.

Some of this is in urban areas, but much of it is in more rural areas.

Take your choice, SMOG or fire, open burning is not a biggie in CA anymore.

Mulch sounds like a winner but I have a question.

How will you sterilize the mulch so you eliminate the possible spread of bugs (termites, etc)?

Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

------------------------------------------------------------- Missed your morning meds again I see or are you just getting an early start on the sauce?

Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

...and doing a damn fine job of it!

Reply to
krw

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