Log Splitter Options

Best tools for splitting firewood

Splitting is an important aspect of getting a properly seasoned and easy to burn firewood. This process ensures proper seasoning by allowing air to flow through wood from various angles thus enabling it to dry quicker.

In order to get a wood that burns quickly and its fire lasts for long, getting rid of the moisture inside it is important. If firewood has moisture, it may not burn easily and thus results would be little heat for a shorter duration. Another advantage of splitting wood is that handling a large wood log can be much more difficult than handling and transporting smaller pieces. Splitting makes handling of wood easier and even stacking makes storage simpler.

Many of you may be finding it difficult to split firewood and may not be enjoying a whole day of workout with nature. For that purpose we have gathered here details of some of the best tools for splitting firewood.

4 Best Tools for Splitting Firewood:

There are a number of tools that makes splitting firewood easier. You can opt for some handheld conventional tools such as axe, maul etc. or can even look for advanced technology in the form of log splitters. Many of you may have tried splitting wood with hands and may have a clear idea about it being a daunting task. Use of tools makes your job much simpler provided you find right tool for desired purpose. Some of the best tools for splitting are discussed here.

1. Splitting Axe:

This tool allows you to split firewood in to smaller chunks making wood much easier to handle and manage. Axe is one of the ideal tools for splitting firewood apart. You can find a variety of different styles and designs of axes made by different manufacturers and thus can choose one according to your suitability. These tools are much lighter in comparison to a splitting maul and thus you will be less exhausted with the use of this tool for splitting logs even for hours of splitting.

Axes come with different handles including wooden and fiber glass. Fiber glass is much user friendly being light and more durable than its counterpart but many people find suing wooden handle more comfortable. You will find varied lengths and you should choose a size that fits you well in order to remain comfortable and safe during use.

2. Splitting Maul:

Splitting maul is heavier in comparison to an axe and would be weighing anywhere between 8 to 12 pounds. Thus this longer handled tool would need you to put in more energy to swing and split firewood. This tool splits wood fibers apart and thus it doesn’t have the edge as sharp as it is with an axe. It has a wider V shaped head that helps in splitting wood easily. It is surely a useful tool for splitting but the only drawback is its weight. So if you have the energy of swinging this heavy tool, it could be your choice however the choice depends upon your personal preference.

3. Manual Log Splitter:

One of the most commonly used tool for splitting firewood is the use of a manual log splitter. It doesn’t need any gasoline or other power source but its sole source of power would be only your energy and efforts for splitting woods. These tools are much lighter in weight and have a compact structure that makes them easy to move and handle. They are a cheap alternative to a powered splitter if you are following a reasonable budget. Different types and brands of log splitters are today available in market and you can choose to buy one of the most popular choices but it depends upon your preference and need for capacity of splitting.

4. Hydraulic Log Splitter:

Hydraulic log splitter is an impressive tool that has the capability of splitting large amount of firewood easily. You can easily split through soft as well as hard wood with the use of this tool. Not only that but wood logs with tough knots can also be cut half easily which you may be finding difficult to split with other tools. Usually these tools are powered with 4-stroke gas engine and there are models that work through hydraulic system of a tractor so you can power them with the use of a tractor too.

Hydraulic log splitters include hydraulic oil within machine that is pumped with the help of a valve. An operator controls the flow with valve. The pumped oil then operates the cylinder which in turn splits firewood. Usually hydraulic log splitters include two stage pumps offering dual speed operation. Such splitters need reduced time for cycling of hydraulic cylinder and thus offering you increased capacity of splitting in a specific time period.

Some advanced splitter models include additional accessories for convenience such as pneumatic large size tires along with a trailer hitch that makes towing the tool possible over a roadway ensuring ease of transporting. You may find some splitters operating horizontally and vertically but it is best to find one that works both ways. Using the tool horizontally would be much easier and would ensure quick splitting. Vertical positioning would work well for large pieces of logs where lifting them up is difficult and risky. So use vertical positioning in such cases.

Conclusion

With many different options available for log splitting, choose one that you find most suitable for the kind of work you need it to perform. These tools are simply designed for ease of use and convenient splitting as dealing with these logs with hands can be extremely cumbersome and do have risk of fatal injury. Select an appropriate tool for splitting all the firewood for the season and keep yourself safe at all times.