A Log Splitter Can Help Create A Romantic Setting

A log splitter is a tool to create atmosphere. There are few things that will set a relaxed and pleasant mood than the warmth and beauty of an open fire. A fire takes wood, lots of it. In most cases, the firewood must be split to burn well. That requires a log splitter one of many different tools of logging equipment. Logs can be split with an axe or by using a power log splitter. If you are going to occasionally burn a few logs in your fireplace, the axe may be just the tool for you. On the other hand, if you plan to use wood for heat or to provide supplemental heat, you may want to invest in a power log splitter.

An ordinary single blade axe can be used to split fireplace logs just fine. By placing one square cut end of the log being split on a solid wooden base, you swing the axe, aiming at a point about one third the thickness of the fireplace log. The sharp blade cuts into the wood and the wedge shape of the axe head forces the wood apart along the grain. If the wood is straight grained and dry, one or two axe blows will often split an 18 – 24 inch long piece of fireplace wood.

Power Log Splitters Make The Task Easier And Faster

Powered log splitters may be powered by gasoline or electric motors. With these machines the fireplace log is placed in a cradle to hold it in place. One end of the log is placed against the solid supporting end of the cradle. The power source operates a ram with a sharp blade. The ram drives against the end of the log and the pressure of the hydraulic pump or the motor forces the ram into the log. The ram blade is also wedge shaped. When enough force has been applied and as the log is penetrated by the ram, it will eventually split into two pieces. This method, is of course much faster and involves much less work than trying to split a cord or cords of wood.

Firewood can be made from almost any wood, but some woods are better than others. The best woods for a cheery fire are straight grained hardwoods. These include many varieties of oak, hickory, walnut, pecan, locust and others. Some woods are nearly unsuitable for firewood. These are generally soft woods with twisted and gnarled grains. One of the worst is cottonwood. This wood makes especially poor firewood because it retains moisture for years, making it difficult to burn as well as to split.

A cheery fire can almost certainly turn a cold, winter evening into a warm and intimate environment with the help of a log splitter.