Nice job brother! What a nice father and sons little session. Good lessons learned for them and you. They are fortunate too have a great father to look at and that shows them what true authority is! And I gotta say that I’m always proud to see that you like to wear that belt holder with the America Tomahawk!
Hello, Mr. Hughes; Man, you've been BUSY! That sweetgum is a marvel, I'm 69 & I've never split it, now I know why. BTW, your beetle mallets look great & I know a trick to keep the head on the handle. It's pretty easy, too, what you want to do is cut a kerf in the end of the handle. Like when we hang an axe, that's what we want for your beetle. We make a wedge, just wide enough to fit in the hole & thin, maybe a 1/4". Glue the joint, just barely start our wedge in the kerf, & drive the handle in the head. The wedge will spread the end of the handle enough to (usually) keep the handle on the head. This will usually do the job, just be sure you put the wedge across the grain, not with it. Hey, I love how you took time to actually 'father' your children. That is what makes a *real* Father! (Like our heavenly Father!) Have a GREAT day Neighbor!
I think the biggest beating I've taken with timber is trying to rive something that didn't want to rive. Although now that I think about it, I did dolly a 300lb log 1.5 miles lol. But I actually succeeded at that. Some woods just won't split. I really was surprised when the sweetgum I rived was easy. This is what I expected. By the way can you chamfer the inside of those socket wedges? They look like they create a shelf. I think you've mentioned it already maybe it's a flaw you can't fix?
We had our sweetgum cut down yesterday. I bought a splitting maul and an axe with wedge thinking I can wack these open. Went out today and it seriously took a good 15 mins to get the wedge all the way through and it’s still not split because the fibers. Decided to pay and have someone come with their splitter instead. $130 to rent a splitter versus $230 for someone to just do it for 3 hours. At least I’ll get some decent firewood for camping next summer
@@urbanlumberjack it’s easier for sure but the grain is a mess no matter what just twisted knotted mess just bad wood to try to do anything with juice isn’t worth the squeeze haha
"If the lumber cooperates". It was spoken and thus denied.
lol! Jinxed it for sure. Next time I won’t say anything and see how it goes…
Clark is a natural !
Nice job brother!
What a nice father and sons little session. Good lessons learned for them and you.
They are fortunate too have a great father to look at and that shows them what true authority is!
And I gotta say that I’m always proud to see that you like to wear that belt holder with the America Tomahawk!
Hello, Mr. Hughes;
Man, you've been BUSY!
That sweetgum is a marvel, I'm 69 & I've never split it, now I know why.
BTW, your beetle mallets look great & I know a trick to keep the head on the handle.
It's pretty easy, too, what you want to do is cut a kerf in the end of the handle.
Like when we hang an axe, that's what we want for your beetle.
We make a wedge, just wide enough to fit in the hole & thin, maybe a 1/4".
Glue the joint, just barely start our wedge in the kerf, & drive the handle in the head.
The wedge will spread the end of the handle enough to (usually) keep the handle on the head.
This will usually do the job, just be sure you put the wedge across the grain, not with it.
Hey, I love how you took time to actually 'father' your children.
That is what makes a *real* Father! (Like our heavenly Father!)
Have a GREAT day Neighbor!
I think the biggest beating I've taken with timber is trying to rive something that didn't want to rive. Although now that I think about it, I did dolly a 300lb log 1.5 miles lol. But I actually succeeded at that. Some woods just won't split. I really was surprised when the sweetgum I rived was easy. This is what I expected. By the way can you chamfer the inside of those socket wedges? They look like they create a shelf. I think you've mentioned it already maybe it's a flaw you can't fix?
Oh I get it! Here in Michigan we have Box Elder, incredibly hard to split!!! Grows everywhere like a weed!! Will consume a field in no time!
Good for wedges for axe hanging though. Tough and a bit compressible and looks interesting if you get the pink streaks.
Here in Indiana, there’s certain species like Elm and Beech that MUST be seasoned well before you attempt to split it. Otherwise you need a machine.
Man it was brutal! Will not be trying green sweetgum again 😂
Tell me more about these glorious splitting wedges?
They are glorious just buy one or two
I did a video about socket wedges on my channel if you’re interested
They’re so awesome!
They’re legit. Muller socket wedges. These are steel, and I think oxe head makes aluminum ones. I got them from Wisemen trading on special order
Your kids are adorable.
Thank you! They’re a lot of fun. I didn’t hear a lot of their banter so it was a treat hearing it on the footage
We had our sweetgum cut down yesterday. I bought a splitting maul and an axe with wedge thinking I can wack these open. Went out today and it seriously took a good 15 mins to get the wedge all the way through and it’s still not split because the fibers. Decided to pay and have someone come with their splitter instead. $130 to rent a splitter versus $230 for someone to just do it for 3 hours. At least I’ll get some decent firewood for camping next summer
That’s a good idea!
What a team. Well done!
Thank you!
Sucks to split and burn. But it sure is pretty when you give it a spin on a lathe.
I bet it does! Nice when sawed too. I chipped a mortise in a slab of sweetgum the other day and it carved beautifully
Split the handle, put a wedge in it then drive it in. The wedge will swell it out inside the hole.
Very well attended, and some fine comments from everyone...
Thank you!
The cackling when the commander lost his head was the best 😂
Haha they loved it
I told you so
It was a workout! How much easier is it to split when dry?
@@urbanlumberjack it’s easier for sure but the grain is a mess no matter what just twisted knotted mess just bad wood to try to do anything with juice isn’t worth the squeeze haha