Leveraxe

[MacGyver]

I've chopped a bunch of wood over the years.  While I'm sure that the guy in this video benefits from using well seasoned straight-grained wood, this take on the axe is pretty neat:

 

http://www.vipukirves.fi/english/description.htm

 

[media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jDR_2Zsr40 [/media]

 

And, the tire on the chopping block is  genius.

[E4 No More]

It sounds like airy wood...almost like pine.

[JPS]

And, the tire on the chopping block is  genius.

 

Genius indeed!

[Ugly]

The tire is smart fer sure. I've never split birch but have recently split some magnolia. It was was like that and split easily. Too easy, of course it burned quick. Cool video and I'm looking forward to using a tire to stop chasing pieces.

[Ugly]

Repeat post Edited April 18, 2014 by Ugly

[Oh Shoot]

Another good use for old tires, grow potatoes in them. Keep stacking tires, filling with dirt, greenery will keep rising and making potatoes beneath. You can go 5 or 6 high or so. To harvest, kick over the tires, spuds everywhere all in same limited area.

 

Only downside is might need to water more often depending on rainfall.

 

 

 

- OS

[TrickyNicky]

Another good use for old tires, grow potatoes in them. Keep stacking tires, filling with dirt, greenery will keep rising and making potatoes beneath. You can go 5 or 6 high or so. To harvest, kick over the tires, spuds everywhere all in same limited area.
 
Only downside is might need to water more often depending on rainfall.
 
 

 
- OS

I've been wanting to try this or something like it. Do you plant eyes in every level or just to start and let them develop naturally from there?

[Oh Shoot]

I've been wanting to try this or something like it. Do you plant eyes in every level or just to start and let them develop naturally from there?

 

Just plant once, you keep putting more dirt in leaving top of plant to keep growing up. Seems some plant directly in ground, some plant in first tire depth, but probably better overall plant strength to have end of roots in actual terra firma.

 

I only did it once, just put tire around ground plant once it came up, kept adding dirt leaving about 6" of green top, keep adding dirt in one tire until ready for another. Think only went 3 high, two or three stack experiment, worked well enough -- but we never took much care of a garden after we planted it. We used the Philosophy of Lazy,  plant a lot of everything, let the weeds, bugs, and critters take what they wanted, and there was always plenty left over for us. :)

 

My boss at the time did it every year with several different kinds of spuds, though, and he'd go maybe six or more before diminishing returns. Probably differs depending on spud type, dunno. I was there for a couple of "harvests", a real hoot, and real easy!

 

Main advantage is getting a lot of spuds from small surface area, real cool for small garden spots.

 

Lots of how to on web, with various conflicting advice of course:

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=grow+potatoes+in+tires&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&channel=sb

 

- OS

Edited April 19, 2014 by Oh Shoot

[RED333]

Patato tire thing is neat, gona try it this year.

 

On the ax splitting, try some elm.

Edited April 18, 2014 by RED333

[swim615]

Where has the tire ideal been all my life. Could have saved so much time and work. Seems I am always chasing pieces of wood all over the place. Thanks for posting.

[swim615]

I  wouldn't mind giving the leveraze a try as well. How much is 193,12€?

[swim615]

Never mind. Google is your friend. Its $266.81. That is a little to rich for my blood. I could be well on my way to saving to buy a gas splitter for that kind of change.

[peejman]

It sounds like airy wood...almost like pine.

Seems like spruce is commonly used for firewood in the great white north, and it does appear to split like kindling. I think it has something to do with sapwood in the cold.

[Caster]

Anyone wanting tires to split wood or grow potatoes in PM me.  You can come by and have as many as you need.