How To Cut Split Rail Fence

Looking to make a split-track contend? Learn how to option the wood and properly split fence rails.

Photo by Markus Spiske from Pexels; Prototype created with Canva

Splitting Debate Rail

Now here'southward an old skill!

People have been splitting fence track out of logs for hundreds of years, and up until the 19th century in the United States, it was necessary for farmers to know how to build their own fences from scratch…or from trees, in this case.

Issues such as deforestation, and and so improvements similar factory-sawn fence track and barbed wire, made hand-split argue rail a moot point in many regions. But in some regions of the U.S., such every bit Appalachia, the tradition lived on. In some historic areas in New England and Pennsylvania, you tin still find fence runway that were split in the 19th century from rot-resistant types of wood like white oak and blackness locust.

Then then, here'due south the big question: What the heck is the betoken in knowing how to split fence rails out of logs?

Hand-split argue rail, by yours truly!

Farmer Rachel

What'due south the Point?

I happen to have several answers to that question. For one, people are nostalgic, and as a result, there happens to be a marketplace for hand-separate and bootleg argue material. Around my way, hand-split locust contend rails sell for $viii.00 each, sometimes more. Theoretically, if I had no other source of income, I could harvest wood from the forest and attempt to brand a meager living selling mitt-made fence materials.

I also believe that it's important to know how to do things that used to be essential. Connecting with history is of import, and I don't think information technology's good plenty to simply say, "Things were hard back then." How hard? And were things so hard, actually, or were people merely tougher? Either way, civilization is neat and all, but cypher lasts forever. I'm on a mission to accrue as many "useless" one-time skills as I can.

This brings me to my side by side point.

Information technology'south dainty to know that in the event of a total collapse of civilization, I could, all by myself, build a contend using merely the woods around me—a argue that would be alpine and stiff.

And finally (like with chopping firewood by mitt or mowing with a scythe), splitting debate rails out of logs may not exist necessary, only it'southward great exercise, it gets y'all exterior, and it'southward wonderful for some stress relief.

Fence Rail Wood Should Exist

• A log at least 1-foot in diameter and at least 8-feet in length
• Rot-resistant
• Able to be dissever without corking difficulty

A black locust log.

Farmer Rachel

Selecting Wood for Fence Runway

Logs that will be used to make fence runway should exist minimally 8 feet long; ten–12 feet long is platonic. And the thicker the log, the more potential fence rails it contains, so the log should be minimally 1 pes in width. You tin can split track out of logs with a diameter smaller than one human foot, but they will be thinner and won't be triangle or wedge-shaped.

The best wood for fence rails generally isn't much different than the all-time types of wood for firewood, with some exceptions.

The wood should be a rot-resistant type, such as oak, locust, cedar, or walnut. Information technology should be rot-resistant since fence rails spend all of their time outdoors in the weather condition.

My Top v Picks for Rail-Wood

• Oak (white oak is improve than cherry-red)
• Black Locust
• Black Walnut
• Cedar
• Ash

Elm is also a very rot-resistant woods, and if information technology was all that I had to pick from I would split rails from it. However, elm is notoriously difficult to split up, so if you take other options take them.

Some maples, such as cherry and sugar, tin can be good for argue runway. Personally, I would stay away from silver maple every bit information technology can be more trouble to split than it'southward worth.

My Top 5 Picks of Copse to Avoid

• Argent Maple
• Sycamore
• Poplar
• Hickory
• Hemlock

Pine is not out of the question for debate rails, if information technology is carve up-able. Long-leaf Yellow Pine was a very pop rail-wood in the southern U.S. earlier sawn argue textile was widely available.

Farmer Rachel

• Metal wedges, 3 or iv (the sharper the meliorate)
• A splitting maul or sledgehammer
• A small, sharp hatchet
• A hammer or minor mallet (optional)

Allow's Get Started!

Splitting argue rails out of logs requires some of the same skills equally chopping firewood. If you tin can chop wood, y'all can make fence rails—you just demand to develop a little finesse.

The idea is to use metallic wedges to split the log showtime in half, so into quarters or smaller (if the log was big plenty, to begin with). To do this, you will start at the fatter cease of the log and drive a wedge into the end-grain. You will and so drive another wedge a little farther downwardly the log. As yous become, you lot will be able to remove your first wedge from the log as the divide widens. You will use your wedges to direct the split in the log all the style from one stop to the other, "leap-frogging" your wedges every bit you go.

Delight Note: Every log is different, and then splitting logs for fence rail is a somewhat creative process that will be a piffling different every fourth dimension. What I intend to practise with this commodity is to give y'all the basic idea, with instructions that are easy to follow. If you lot actually decide to effort your hand at splitting some fence rails, you lot'll observe this commodity is a good guide but that it cannot mayhap depict splitting every log that at that place is. This commodity will, however, give you the information that you need to split a log and you'll be able to adapt that data equally needed.

Hither's the process in a few easy-to-follow steps.

How to Split Logs for a Separate Rail Fence

1. Speak to it and sink the start wedge.
2. Sink some other wedge.
3. Begin to play leapfrog.
4. Split the two halves in half.

Every log is unlike, then splitting logs for fence rails is a somewhat artistic process that will be a petty different every time.

Drive the wedge into the line that y'all've drawn in the stop-grain of the log.

Farmer Rachel

1. Speak to Information technology and Sink the First Wedge

If you read my article on chopping firewood, you lot might remember the phrase that I apply to describe the process of drawing a line in the end-grain of a log with the purpose of encouraging the woods to dissever down that line. (My stop-grain definition: The part of the log where you tin see the growth rings; the cut stop(s) of the log.)

I call this "speaking to it," and it's a useful little skill that will assistance y'all to divide the log properly.

To speak to it, simply have a wedge in hand and use your mallet or splitting maul to tap the wedge just into the end-grain of the log. Draw a line that will split the log in half, but that will not direct the carve up into a knot or a bad twist, if possible.

If the cease-grain is already checked (significant that there is a small, visible dissever in the wood) and yous similar the looks of the check, speaking to information technology is unnecessary.

Now, using your splitting maul, sledge, or mallet, drive the wedge into the end-grain of the log. You should meet the log starting to split, hopefully in half.

two. Sink Another Wedge

At present that you have one wedge in the end-grain of the log, you should run into that the log has started to divide.

Examine the way the log is splitting. Is it splitting half? Do yous like the direction that the split is headed? If yous want the maximum possible number of rails out of every log, it'due south of import to proceed checking your progress throughout the procedure.

Assuming the dissever looks good and isn't running off in one management or another, take another wedge in hand. Sink the second wedge into the log, this fourth dimension against the grain, which ways at a right bending to the manner the grain runs. You will basically sink this wedge into the bark of the log.

You should select where to place the 2nd wedge based on the split. Don't put the wedge into where the wood is already well opened-up—motility a piddling farther down the log to where y'all can meet something like a hairline crack in the wood, and sink the wedge at that place.

When yous drive the second wedge into the log, the split will widen and you should be able to free your offset wedge. Accept the first wedge out of the end-grain, every bit you will probably demand it later.

At this point, I have removed my first wedge from the end-grain and have begun bound-frogging the wedges downwardly the log.

Farmer Rachel

3. Begin to Play Leapfrog

Hither'southward where it starts to get pretty easy.

I can split a ten-human foot log using but two wedges. How? Because each wedge that I sink into the log allows me to gratis the 1 that went in earlier it. That's why I telephone call it leap-frogging, I guess! It'south best to accept more than two wedges, but it's not totally necessary.

You've already freed your first wedge from the end-grain of the log, right? Examine the split that you're making in the log, and if everything however looks good you should go ahead and sink the wedge into the log. Again, don't waste fourth dimension and free energy sinking the wedge into a wide part of the split. Go a footling farther down to where the log is merely cracked, and sink the wedge at that place.

Sinking this wedge should widen the split and permit you to remove the second wedge that you sank. Remove your wedge, and echo the process until the log is carve up in half! If your wedge is stuck, that'south okay—that's why I recommended iii or four wedges. Until you lot accept split up a few logs into fence rails, you won't know how far apart to sink your wedges to let you to always call back the wedge that went before.

I've separate the log in half—sad for the blurry cell telephone flick!

Farmer Rachel

4. Split the Two Halves in Half

See how my log is split up in one-half in the in a higher place photo? Those two halves are okay for fence rails, but both could and should be split in half again. Keep splitting the log downwardly into smaller pieces until you have fence rails that are the size you're looking for.

To split the two halves of your log, follow the same steps equally earlier. The process is repetitive and labor-intensive, but oh so fun!

Rail-Splitting Troubleshooting

Here are some bug you might encounter, and my suggested solutions…

My wedge won't go/stay in the end-grain!

Sometimes you merely can't sink your wedge straight into the stop-grain of the log because you're working at a funny angle. Sometimes the grain is really tight, and your wedge might pop out when you strike it. If this happens, endeavor sinking the wedge into the edge of the end-grain, at a 45-degree angle to the ground. Basically, you lot'll be driving your wedge into part bark, function end-grain.

My split up isn't direct, and my log isn't going to carve up into two equal halves!

Twisted logs are hard to separate into two equal halves, but you tin can practice it. Speaking to the log isn't plenty—you take to fight the twist in the log, which is a result of the way the tree grew. To right this problem, you'll have to keep sinking wedges into the log where you want it to split, non where it's actually splitting. Stay focused on an imaginary straight line that goes right downwards the log from 1 end to the other, and continue sinking your wedges into that line. It is possible to go along pulling a twisted separate back to where you desire it.

I dissever off part of the log because my separate ran off to one side, but it's not split in half!

This tin can happen as well, especially if you lot're not paying attending and you're dealing with twisted or knotty grain. In that location'southward cypher you can do near the chunk of log that you lot've already split off. If information technology's not long plenty to exist a debate runway, just cut information technology up and use it for firewood. Focus on splitting the remainder of the log properly, so that yous can save the rails that are still in there. Meet the above instructions for straightening out your split.

I've run into a big knot, and the knot won't separate!

Unfortunately, you lot can't split through knots—wood just doesn't work that style. The grain is all balled-upwardly and twisted in there, then there'southward really zippo to carve up. If you encounter a knot on your way downward the log, you volition have to carefully split around it. When y'all re-direct your carve up to become around the knot, piece of work slowly to help ensure that you won't dissever the wood where you lot don't desire information technology split. Next time, endeavor to pick a line that will split the log in half without passing through a knot.

I've split the log in half, but it's still fastened by thin pieces of wood!

This is where the hatchet comes in handy. Simple use your hatchet to cut those stringy pieces of wood away. Some types of wood are more stringy than others, including blood-red oak, locust, and cherry.

I followed the instructions for splitting the log, but the split only goes role of the mode through the log!

Sometimes you lot'll get into a situation where y'all've split the log all the fashion from ane finish to the other, but it'southward still non separate in half because the side of the log sitting against the ground is still together. The simple solution to this problem is to roll the log over and divide the wood where information technology'due south notwithstanding hanging together.

This article is accurate and truthful to the best of the writer's knowledge. Content is for informational or amusement purposes just and does non substitute for personal counsel or professional person communication in business organization, financial, legal, or technical matters.

Glenn Vatter on October 15, 2019:

I have been making split runway fences for my own use, from black locust trees on my belongings. Some came out pretty good but some are badly bent and curved. But I take a nice argue in forepart of my house that volition last literally forever, at to the lowest degree the rest of my life. I desire to exercise a couple more, but the trees are now all fourscore feet tall and no place to vicious them without hanging upwards, Enjoyed reading your commodity, BTW I am now 84 years onetime but notwithstanding cutting and splitting my own firewood.

Sean Chiliad on March xi, 2018:

Thanks for the commodity, I'g moving onto a 5 acres package of land and am looking forward to establishing a small modest homestead. I too honey learning the sometime forgotten skills and this is why I stubled across your article. The parcel is heavily treed and I am planning on harvesting/making an quondam fashioned split rails fence effectually the full property (once I perform an inventory of the trees of course). Thank you for the commodity, it pretty much confirmed my thoughts on how this was done, but independent a few bonus pointers! Thanks once again, God bless.

Kenneth Avery from Hamilton, Alabama on Apr thirteen, 2014:

Farmer Rachel . . .very sweet article. Helpful and a great honor to a part of our American and foreign history.

I voted upward and away on your piece of work.

Fact is, my grandpa on my mother's side, split runway for ten cents a day during the Great Low and was proud to get the work. No telling at the people he helped with his talent for splitting and hewing rail.

Thanks for sharing this.

I am following you and I ask you to look at my hubs and exist i of my followers.

That would be tremendous.

Peace.

Thousand.

howtopam from Alberta, Canada on February 01, 2014:

It is always nice to learn the mode things are done. I exercise many projects with wood and some with the raw tree itself, but I have never considered splitting trees to produce rail for fencing. Withal, now I may split some logs for other projects. Thanks for the ideas.

howtopam

Pamela

Rachel Koski Nielsen (author) from Pennsylvania to Minnesota on September 30, 2012:

Hi Michael - I don't accept any experience with hackberry, so I tin can't tell you much there. You would know improve than me! Maybe it's worth testing out? Anyway, glad y'all liked the hub, and cheers for commenting.

Michael Tully on September 28, 2012:

Thanks for a fine article, Rachel. Very informative and an interesting read. Trouble is, about all I have on my place is hackberry, which I think would make relatively crummy track :-( Voted thumbs upwardly!

Rachel Koski Nielsen (author) from Pennsylvania to Minnesota on September 27, 2012:

Nib - Thanks! If civilization collapses, I'll be ready for it ;) Squeamish to know you "onetime-timers" used to dissever rails.

Wetnosedogs - You'd be surprised to find, I bet, that information technology doesn't really require that much "force." It'southward not similar chopping forest or (oh geez) hewing a fence post... that is some hard work!! Splitting argue rails requires finesse. Honest :)

wetnosedogs from Alabama on September 27, 2012:

This is a wonderful read. I wouldn't take the force for this but I really did enjoy this and dear the history. Great work.

Bill Holland from Olympia, WA on September 27, 2012:

If civilization collapses I want you on the farm with me.

I oasis't done this since I lived in Vermont back in 1980, but for those who are reading this, it actually is not that difficult to do, and like you lot, I'm a large believer in history and in knowing these skills.

Great article Rachel!

Rachel Koski Nielsen (writer) from Pennsylvania to Minnesota on September 27, 2012:

Hi DrMark! Cheers for the annotate :) Honeybear, my little genius canis familiaris, loves bark and sticks more than food. She likes when nosotros piece of work with wood because she gets enough to chew on and shake ;)

Marking dos Anjos DVM from The Atlantic Rain Forest, Brazil on September 27, 2012:

Overnice article. I take not split rail for over 20 years, and then your hub brought me some excellent memories. Go along up the first-class work.

I saw your companion ACD in the background. Helping or only watching?

Source: https://dengarden.com/landscaping/How-to-Split-and-Make-Fence-Rails-Out-of-Logs

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