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Post by Jolly on Jun 3, 2015 12:16:41 GMT
As a young man, I helped split the rails for a little over 500 feet of fence. It was hard, back-breaking work, but it was cheap fencing and it worked well.
Seen any new rail fences?
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Post by jd4020 on Jun 4, 2015 2:50:05 GMT
I am part of a committee that hosts the Abraham Lincoln National Railsplitting Contest & Festival. It is held in September (this year the 18, 19 & 20th), in Lincoln, IL at the Logan county fairgrounds. This is our 45th year. The competitors split 8 & 10 foot logs into 8 rails. We have some pretty fast splitters with times of less than 5 minutes. The winner of the pro event have won $1000.00 in the past. I'm not sure what the purse is for this year.  The rails are for sale for $1.00 per foot. I have the rails my son split when he won the amateur event a few years ago. I like to see these types of fences and there are businesses and private individuals who have bought the rails for display around the town of Lincoln. When we have enough help, we have actually built a fence after the splits around the arena so when the professional event happens on Sunday, it looks pretty impressive. You can see more about our event here at www.railsplitting.com I'm not sure where you are from, but if you're close enough, maybe you'd like to come on out? It's a fun, family oriented weekend. |
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Post by Jolly on Jun 4, 2015 21:36:40 GMT
Too far, but I'd love to see somebody split out 8 rails in 5 minutes. If somebody has never done it, you don't realize how impressive that is...
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Post by Rustaholic on Jun 7, 2015 21:24:30 GMT
What woods are best for splitting and holing up as a fence.
I have a lot of wedges.
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Post by Jolly on Jun 8, 2015 20:24:03 GMT
The last ones I worked with, was post oak. And the best rail fence I've ever seen, was made from cypress.
But I guess it depends on what's available in your area.
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Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jun 8, 2015 21:37:41 GMT
Red cedar here, some Sequoia. I can split it with an axe. Very straight grain. Tiny limbs on a good trunk. Heartwood for post, rest for rail....James
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Post by dw on Jun 8, 2015 21:53:23 GMT
OMG...that sounds like fun...I may have to write that down for a future vacation.
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Post by Rustaholic on Jun 10, 2015 13:07:04 GMT
We have the cedar but I will just try a few woods that I have around here.
I have a lot of steel wedges.
Better yet why not put one end against a tree and use my wood splitter to start one end.
My splitter is made to go vertical so it is the wedge that moves.
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