# What type of firewood is used in splitting scenes in the movies?



## JJohnston (May 22, 2009)

You've all seen in the movies, when a character splits firewood, the log somehow just explodes apart as soon as the edge of the ax touches it. Is this rigged, or is there a species that actually behaves this way? All the firewood I've ever split has been some variety of pine, and to split it requires at least an ax (single-ended) and 2 sledgehammers. The ax is stuck in the log on the first swing, then the first sledgehammer is used to drive the ax down until it's also stuck, then the second hammer is used to drive down the first one. If you've cut your piece to the right length, the ax is coming out the bottom of the piece just as the second hammer gets stuck, then you can pull all 3 tools out the side (the piece will still only be parted on one side). Then you repeat the process on the remaining unsplit part of the piece. Repeat until gas furnace is installed.


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## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

hollywood = fakywood… no, you can rest assure they don't REALLY split logs during a shoot. it's already split, and held together with thin glue, or something similar…


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## SwedishIron (Jun 6, 2008)

I've split some green ash that popped apart pretty easy.. granted the pieces were free of knots and crotches relatively straight grained chunks. But I do know that the colder the weather, the better for increased popping action. 

Put your firewood into your freezer during the summer months several hours before splitting.


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## damianpenney (Jun 22, 2007)

You just need a bigger axe  I had some cedar that popped pretty easily.


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## dbhost (Jul 20, 2009)

I split some oak this previous winter that had been seasoning as entire logs for about 2 years that popped pretty good. Green wood generally speaking likes to stick together. If your wood is end checking, chances are REALLY good it will pop apart with a good, heavy, sharp axe…


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## GMman (Apr 11, 2008)

I use wood for heat in the winter all maple.
An old timer one time was showing me how to split large logs 18 and 20 inches wide, what he said is as soon as you axe hits the log you give it a little twist and your axe never get stuck and the wood split the first time.


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## bluchz (Mar 1, 2009)

Hmm why would you burn Pine? dosen't it clogg your chimney?


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## bobthebuilder647 (Jun 30, 2009)

I also use a lot of maple. Splits ok for me. Easier if I cut 14 to 16 in. instead of 18 to 20.


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## Karson (May 9, 2006)

Hydraulic power helps a lot.


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## GMman (Apr 11, 2008)

b647….I mean 18 and 20 inches across but all 16 inches long or high also my furnace can take 24 inches but I use 16 inches which is a standard lenght.


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## BeachedBones (Jan 31, 2009)

I've had that kind of effect happen a lot with very dry wood, in very cold conditions, say below -30'C. I've actually had logs jump into 4 or 5 pieces with one good solid wack. I've had it happen with ash, oak and birch. Hollywood probably fakes it. Of course the axe should be sharp, wedge shaped and not covered in rust.


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## GaryC (Dec 31, 2008)

My splitter is a 30 ton. Never seem to have that problem. As for burning pine…never in my fireplace. Too great of a chance for a fire in the chimney which has caused lots of houses to burn down.


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## Walnut_Weasel (Jul 30, 2009)

Growing up we always split wood with a maul. As you have found trying to use an ax to split takes a ridiculous amount of work. Only use an ax for turning well seasoned small/pre-split wood into kenneling or cutting down a tree. The ax and maul are similar to using different blade types during sawing. The maul is for ripping and the ax is for cross-cutting.

Though even with a maul, not a lot of wood tears apart with the first swing…and now that I am not a young pup loaded with testosterone and muscle, it is more like the 6th or 7th swing


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## GMman (Apr 11, 2008)

Gary you have the tool the old days are gone so why not use a modern way.


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## GFYS (Nov 23, 2008)

Pretty much any straight grained dry wood with few knots will split easily. Axes aren't for splitting. Mauls are for splitting. Striking on the outer edge rather than the heart will split the wood easier. Low temp does help. I burn anything. I prefer splitting with an elect/ hyd. splitter


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## JJohnston (May 22, 2009)

I should have said "maul" instead of "ax". As for burning pine, my parents burned wood for supplemental heat, and pine of some variety is all there is here in New Mexico, and it's free for the taking in certain parts of National Forests, as long as it's already down. And why would my parents pay good money for a hydraulic splitter, when they already had 2 electrochemical splitters, i.e., my brother and me.


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## GFYS (Nov 23, 2008)

I bought the electric splitter for my WIFE.  She kept breaking my maul handle!


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## grizzman (May 10, 2009)

what they do is pre cut all of there wood and then attache it back togeather with wax, then its ready..one good looking swing and it looks real….ask all those buff looking actors..they didnt get paid to break a sweat..ya know like mr howel on gilligans island…he put his sweat in a glass vile and saved it for future generations…..yep wax…..and if ya dont believe me..it sounds good dont it…...


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## matt1970 (Mar 28, 2007)

I had a lot of HUGE cedar rounds…tried to split it…then I rented a splitter for $45 and 3 hours later with a fieind…I had 2.5 cords of wood--if you have a lot of wood…rent a splitter…I will never chop wood again…

best money i ever spent…


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## knotscott (Feb 27, 2009)

Straight grained green ash can make you look like Paul Bunyan….


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## Argyllshire (Sep 13, 2007)

Western Leaf Maple or Ash,16'' long and well seasoned,one easy swing.
I have cut and sold firewood and these are hands down the easiest splitting wood we have on the west coast.
I am talking about woods that are typically used to heat homes.
It might be faked too…yeah,probably


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## littlecope (Oct 23, 2008)

Are you telling me that Charles Bronson was faking it in the "Magnificent Seven"? Or Sylvester Stallone in "Rocky V"? Or Clint Eastwood in, well, I seem to recall several Movies… And here I just thought they were really Manly Men…
Oh, man, I am sooo disillusioned…


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## gbvinc (Aug 6, 2007)

Sounds like you need to let the rounds cure a bit before splitting. I used to cut pine rounds in the spring, let them age all summer, then split in the fall. Many would split in one swipe with a decent swing and a maul. I had lot's of practice though. Finally bought a hydraulic splitter after the thrill was gone. ;-)


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## JJohnston (May 22, 2009)

Well, when it's the parents' timetable ("I thought I told you to get out there and split that wood!!"), little things like proper drying are irrelevant.

And strangely, my parents decided (due to the aforementioned danger, plus little burns on the carpet from popping pitch pockets) to stop burning wood completely about the time my brother and I got our own driver's licences and jobs.


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## Chipncut (Aug 18, 2006)

Wood should be split when its green, otherwise it will take forever to dry.

Plus some woods like birch will turn punky if not split.


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## Dkol (Mar 13, 2009)

Split a lot of firewood in my youth. Loved it when we had Larch, we called it Tamarack, Extremely straight grain and dried rounds could be split with no effort using a axe and sometimes we would use a hatchet. Had a wonderful sound when the metal hit the wood. We kept one shed full of it mainly for kindling, very easily split down to 1/4 to 1/2 diameter with no problems


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## mmh (Mar 17, 2008)

I guess you failed to note the small stick of explosives planted within the log being split. The special effects guy removed the traces of smoke.


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## Chipncut (Aug 18, 2006)

*Tamarack*

If you want a real noisy fire, burn Tamarack. It snaps, crackles, & pops a lot.

It's a fun fire to watch.

You should also have a very good fireplace screen.


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## JohnGray (Oct 6, 2007)

I'm sure it's not Elm. *;>))*


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