how to chop wood
A Veteran
How to Chop Firewood
by Troy Griepentrog
My grandpa had a glass eye (his right eye). While on a road trip with
my grandma, he stopped for gas. Grandma said she was staying in the
car, but changed her mind while grandpa pumped the gas. He drove away,
chatting for almost 12 miles before he realized grandma was no longer
in the car. He finally turned his head far enough to look at the empty
passenger's seat.
That may be a funny story, but there's nothing funny about how grandpa
lost his eye. He was chopping wood and a splinter hit it.
First step in chopping firewood: Take safety precautions.
-Wear eye protection -- it's critical.
-Wear heavy pants and shoes made of thick material.
-Make sure your equipment is in good shape (a sharp axe with no splits
or chips in the handle).
-Never try to chop a log that you're holding with one hand.
-Position the log on the chopping block so that it's stabile.
Choose logs wisely
Some logs are easy to split; others are a challenge even for those
with experience. Logs that have not had a chance to dry adequately are
much more difficult to split. Some logs with knots in them are
basically impossible to split with an axe, and can be difficult to
split with a maul and splitting wedge. If the log you want to split
was cut at an angle, it won't rest on a chopping block and your axe
won't hit it squarely. Cut the ends off straight before attempting to
split this type of log.
Ready, aim, chop!
The log has to be on a solid surface in order for the force of your
axe to split it. Set the log (vertically) on a chopping block. A large
stump usually works well for a chopping block. The chopping block not
only provides a solid base, it also keeps your axe out of the dirt and
raises the log so that your axe will meet it squarely.
Aim carefully and swing hard enough for your axe to go right through
the log as it splits. If you hold back as the axe meets the log,
you're more likely to jam the axe in the log. Look for places where
the log is already starting to split naturally, then swing. Not every
stroke will be successful, but with practice you'll improve.
For more detailed information, read The Time-Honored Art of Splitting
Wood at www.motherearthnews.com.
Would you like to share recommendations for chopping wood? Add
comments below.
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__________________________________________________________
--
when you believe the only tool you have is a hammer.
All problems look like nails.
Anthony Matonak
> How to Chop Firewood
> Would you like to share recommendations for chopping wood? Add
> comments below.
Foot-Operated Log Splitter - 1.5-Ton Capacity.
http://www.amdish.com/ItemId/B000T7HE76
You can find electric log splitters for under $200.
Then again, why use wood? How to build a solar air heater.
http://www.green-trust.org/2000/solar/solar.htm
http://www.thefarm.org/charities/i4at/surv/solheatr.htm
http://www.mobilehomerepair.com/article17solar.htm
http://www.popularmechanics.com/home_journal/how_to/4217478.html
Anthony
--
A towel, if sufficiently large and fluffy, can be used as a blanket.
Jeff
> A Veteran wrote:
>
>> How to Chop Firewood
>> Would you like to share recommendations for chopping wood? Add
>> comments below.
>
>
> Foot-Operated Log Splitter - 1.5-Ton Capacity.
> http://www.amdish.com/ItemId/B000T7HE76
>
> You can find electric log splitters for under $200.
Never seen that.
>
> Then again, why use wood? How to build a solar air heater.
>
> http://www.green-trust.org/2000/solar/solar.htm
> http://www.thefarm.org/charities/i4at/surv/solheatr.htm
> http://www.mobilehomerepair.com/article17solar.htm
> http://www.popularmechanics.com/home_journal/how_to/4217478.html
Not so easy heating with solar. For one thing you have to store the
days heat to heat at night. And solar is not practical in certain
localities (cloudy/overcast). At any rate you'll need a lot of square
footage.
My recommendations are:
1) Weatherize and add insulation. First seal all air leaks. If you have
uninsulated walls as many older homes do, blow in coccoon (cheap). Then
add insulation anywhere else it is missing before adding addittional in
the attic. Heat transfers out on any side there is a temperature
differential. Bubble wrap on your windows is a very cheap way of
reducing heat loss.
2) Add a Solar Air heater. You can do what I did and convert your south
facing wall into an air heater. When the sun is low as it is in winter,
vertical works well.
3) Add solar water heating (easier to store heat). You'll need an
insulated tank also. You can make those out of plywood and EPDM pond
liner. (Copper is expensive these days and you'll need a lot of it.)
4) If wood is cheap add a wood stove or furnace.
And for all things solar thermal:
<URL: http://builditsolar.com />
and news: alt.solar.thermal
Jeff
190 SF solar AIR
120 SF solar water coming online
wood stove
(lives in a big city)
>
> Anthony
Don K
news:georgek-521564...@sn-ip.vsrv-sjc.supernews.net...
> Would you like to share recommendations for chopping wood? Add
> comments below.
I made a v-shaped fixture out of 2x4's to hold wood for splitting that
works quite well.
The base is three 3 2x4's in the shape of an arrowhead.
At the point of the arrowhead, there's a vertical 2x4 about 1 foot high.
From the top of this, there are 45 degree diagonals going down to the
arrowhead to form a v-shape for holding a log.
The shaft of the arrow is about 2 or 3 feet long and has notches for
wedging a loose 2x4 to hold the log tightly against the v-shape.
You just hold your foot on a loose 2x4 to clamp the log in place.
Then you are free to pound the wedge with your maul without worrying
about the log moving around on you.
Don