split size

Depends on a lot of things. Smaller splits season faster. I am 3-4 yrs out on wood, so I tend to make a lot of big ones. They'll have plenty of time to dry. By big, I mean up to maybe 8"x8", some bigger. And then smaller ones to fill the voids. And some in between that my wife can handle easily.

My stove is pretty big, and loading N-S makes it easier to get the big ones in, and stuff the smaller splits around them.

Small splits are handy for shoulder season fires, or so I've heard.

This should get interesting.
Quite a variety here. Depends on the type of wood and how it's going to be used, and when.
Clear as mud?
Small stuff for shorter fires and kindling, big stuff for overnight if it's oak and can dry long enough.
Lots of variability in there. Others will chime in soon, I'm sure.
HTH

I have two smallish stoves so I like my splits 2-5". Makes for easier loading.

I concur with Todd, mine are generally 2-5" and I prefer about 16-17" length. I attached a picture which shows a good example of how I split.

I would also agree on 2-5" generally with some up to 6 inches. Generally any round that is about 6' and up gets split. Our Defiant can handle pieces 18-20 inches long pretty easily, but if it's a heavy wood like oak or maybe ash, 20x6 gets kinda heavy for loading. But we like a few of those to toss in at night or for long burn times.

It really depends on your stove, the season and how you like to burn it. Just my .02!

BTW - nice stacks there jwoair!!

Go for a mix. If it's easy splitting, I take it down pretty small. If I have a knotty piece, I may just let it go. You want small for starting fires, and some large for overnight. Only hard and fast rule is all of the splits must fit into your stove!

I like them a little on the larger size because I usually have some slab wood around to round out the stove. If I know the wife is going to be loading, which isn't often, I just hand split a few down and leave them by the stove.

I use a gasification boiler and am going into my second season so I'm still not sure but I've been told that a gasier likes it small, about the size of a playing card. More surface area to let the wood off-gas.

some normal 2-5"..but then i like at least a fourth of my wood at least double that size...and several rounds especially locust kept in larger rounds for the overnight burns

tumm21 said:

How big or small do you guys split your wood. Just curious.

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Small,medium & large splits are stacked in our stacks.
zap

I resplit some 1yr and 2yr old oak to speed the drying process that I will use this year. The stuff I have been cutting for 3 yrs out I am making alot bigger. Wood management consists of using the different species wisely throughout the winter and it also consists of sizing the splits in such a way to get the most out of them.

What ever comes off the splitter. Like to keep them 8" or close but not any larger than 10". Small rounds get split in half.

The 5"-8" is my cup of tea..... with some in the 8"-10" range.

But a good range of sizes is nice. I try to keep the smalls to a minimum.

I guess it all depends on the firebox size and the type of fire your looking for? The 30-NC is pretty big, so I split them bigger..

Like jwoair23, here is an example.

DexterDay said:

The 5"-8" is my cup of tea..... with some in the 8"-10" range.

But a good range of sizes is nice. I try to keep the smalls to a minimum.

I guess it all depends on the firebox size and the type of fire your looking for? The 30-NC is pretty big, so I split them bigger..

Like jwoair23, here is an example.

View attachment 71438 View attachment 71439

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I think I saw these pics in a book called "The American Benchmark for Perfect Woodstacks" along with pictures of stacks from BogyDave, Backwoods Savage, Zap, TFDChief, Fossil, and many others.. ...not sure who the author was, but I am pretty sure his name was Dennis "something". Lives in Michigan? I get butterflies everytime I see these beautiful woodstacks!

Now back to the OP's question, I personally have a wide array of splits (and small branch rounds) in my stacks. When we cut at a job, being we do not have a chipper yet, I cut everything 2"- and up for firewood. I make sure the stacks have splits from 10" plus all the way down to 3" x 3", any rounds over 5-6" get split once. It pays to have those 2" branches for start-ups in the morning, along with the small and medium splits. The big splits I usually save for extended burns/overnighters. Almost all of my locust (both honey and black), as well as the ash, is split 6" to 10". Red and white oak, I usually split it 3" to 5" to help it season better.

ideally ?
small stove 2x3x14
med stove 3x4x16
large stove under 24

in reality...
whatever works

I try for as many 5 or 6 inchers as possible. Since rounds seldom come evenly divisible by 5.5, there are always smaller splits leftover. It ends up being just the right combo of fatties to skinnies. Works for me...

It really depends upon the stove. With our stove being a 2 cu.ft. firebox we don't want too big of a split. However, I do like at least one big split or a round (5-6") to place on the bottom for holding fires at night. Just bear in mind that the larger the split or round, the more time it will take to dry.

I might have to bite into some wood I cut this spring this coming burning season (just got started), so I split 2"-4" to speed drying. For that reason and I also have a small stove.

My stove , 17" length is perfect.
Diameters vary from 2" to 8".
Makes it easier to stuff the stove full for longer burn times.

Nice pic Dave. Might steal it for my next avatar

Realstone said:

Nice pic Dave. Might steal it for my next avatar

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There are some good Full Packed Firebox pics on here. Just search "Full Load" or something like that. Danno77 had a thread last season that had some good ones. I have never seen a 30-NC packed so full (Danno77)

Here is one of mine.... (not impressive )

Realstone said:

Nice pic Dave. Might steal it for my next avatar

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Variety is the answer imo. Helps to get a fully loaded stove and keep some longer burning logs when needed.

Dex: How long has that stack of wood been stacked? Heck of a job. I have abandoned the snow-fence poles as end supports. I found that as the stack aged it settled and pushed the poles over. I took to cross stacking the ends instead and it seems to have been a good move.