If you're new to log splitting or want to pick up some pro tips, you've landed in the right spot.
Dude Ranch DIY pro Jake and RuggedMade's own Jared offer a wealth of knowledge about the best ways to use log splitter wedges, from when a two-way wedge makes the most sense to why Jake uses the four-way wedge most of the time when splitting firewood.
Most Common Wedge Choices
If you're working with large pieces of wood by yourself, Jake says the two-way wedge (straight blade) makes it easier to manage the wood as it splits. Handling two large pieces versus four or six unevenly split pieces at once is less stressful on you and the machine.
The four-way wedge is great for splitting firewood into uniform pieces. It's easy to slide on the machine after using the two-way wedge for splitting unwieldy rounds into smaller sizes.
One of the most productive wedges is the popular six-way wedge, which can produce six pieces of firewood when splitting moderately sized rounds.
More Wedge Usage Tips
- Species of wood: oak and ash split nicer than maple, which can be iffy. Elm tends to be stringy, so it doesn't split as neatly.
- Knots: All species have knots, and with sizable knots, the single wedge is the better choice.
- Seasoning: Jake usually splits fresh wood because that's part of his business as an arborist. With a RuggedSplit 37-ton log splitter, green wood versus seasoned wood doesn't make a difference. Drier wood splits easier, but that's not always viable in everyday life.
Watch the video for more tips on how to match the right wedge to the logs you need to split.
