Sweet Gum Question

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Babaganoosh

Babaganoosh

Minister of Fire
Nov 18, 2014
713
NJ
I've heard everything under the sun about this wood from it burns like pine to I'd refuse it if it was free. So it is what it is. The one constant is that it's a beyotch to split.

Anyway, my cousin just cut one down and it's cut into 16" rounds because he anticipated me wanting it. It's in a very accessible spot as well. Just gotta back trailer up and load it. So I see no reason not to take it. If it's that bad I'll put it up on craigslist a year from now and give it to someone in need.

My question is concerning when to split it. I've got a 27 ton DHT splitter so I have that going for me, but I've heard a few times to wait a month or so before you split and it will be easier. Personally I'd like to get it split and stacked asap, but if there's something I don't know I'm all ears.

What say you?
 
Ain't gonna matter when you are using hydraulics. Grab it, split it and get it stacked. Its gonna make heat.
 
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I've been cutting and burning gum for years ~ it's plentiful 'round here. My experience is to leave the rounds set for a few months before trying to split 'em. They'll lose some weight, too and split cleaner.

Some folks have told me gum splits better for them when it's green off the stump. That hasn't worked for me. Ended up with a mangled, stringy mess. Wait a few months and the rounds split much better. Try it and see which method works best for you.

Yup, you'll need a hydro splitter to handle sweetgum, as Jags says. No gettin' around that. Start by splitting slabs off the sides of the round then piece out the center. Split small rounds from limbs as well; little rounds will rot before they season.

Gum will be ready to burn after a year stacked but is better after two years top covered. It does leave an awful lot of ash, doesn't last long in the stove but it burns well. It's good early- and late-season firewood. We've been burning nothing but gum these last couple months.

Hope it helps. :)
 
We have it here but I haven't gotten much. I got a little last year that had sat for a while...didn't split too badly. Hard for you not to grab it when half the work is already done. I would give it a try since he bucked it for you already. If nothing else, you'll know next time if you want to mess with it or not.
 
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i've only dealt with a tree or two of sweet gum... i'll take it. actually kinda funny to watch half the splitting wedge sink into the round before it starts to budge. it has a ton of water it in, but dries our pretty quick. i gave it about two years and it was light as balsa. burns alright but will fill a stove with ash if thats all your burning. i just mix it in here and there. free is great.
oh, and just hit it with the splitter now... it'll go eventually.
 
IMAG0680.jpg

There are 13 more of the big rounds off to right that you can't see. Approximately 22 to 24 inches in diameter.
 
As long as you have splitter, wood is wood. Hand splitting gum is something else. That's when I would say keep it.
That also goes for willow.
 
Sweetgum is supposed to be a valuable timber tree, maybe you will get lucky and have no trouble at all with the wood or splitting.
Black gum is the tree that has the bad reputation.
 
Those big rounds are gonna be a bear to split. Slabbing off around the edges first might make it easier. We've done it... bogged down a 16-ton hydro. It's an experience you won't forget anytime soon. ;)
 
Ok, partial update. I toot a medium sized round home with me yesterday. Put it on the block and used a grenade type wedge. You can see in the picture the two spots where I placed it. It went in a few inches and stalled. Then it literally bounced out.

IMAG0699.jpg

I took a few whacks for fun with my splitting axe and it just stuck in it. Made a nice THUNK sound. Very wet too I might add. I was able to noodle a piece off. I then decided to go back to the wedge.

I got it busted but what a chore. The wedge just sunk in and got stuck.

IMAG0700.jpg

I then was able to rip the round apart by hand and get the wedge out. Sweet Gum has a very weird consistency. Weird grain too. Hard to describe but it doesn't lend itself to hand splitting at all. Next pic is the 2 parts of the round. They are stacked on top of each other.

IMAG0702.jpg

Very weird wood to say the least. I see why anyone who splits by hand would turn it down even for free.

It's going to rain for the next 3 days so I'll do my sweet gum with splitter review in a few days.
 
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So I finally got to start splitting this stuff with my 27t DHT.

This stuff is awful. Even with hydraulic goodness. It just tears. Very stringy too. I hate it.

IMAG0824.jpg

What a mess. It doesn't split even remotely straight.

Unless you have no other options I'd avoid this stuff like the plague. Once I get a few years ahead I will not be using this stuff again, even if given to me.
 
Applesister said:
Sweetgum is supposed to be a valuable timber tree, maybe you will get lucky and have no trouble at all with the wood or splitting.
Black gum is the tree that has the bad reputation.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't say valuable, simply because it's as common as can be. The reason it is in demand as lumber is the same reason it's a pain to split. The grain is so twisty and swirly (interlocking grain is the technical term) that it is very good lumber for pallets and even things like floors. Basically anything that needs a very stable wood. Think about it like plywood (or even OSB) without the delamination. Would you rather split a 3/4 in board of red oak or a 3/4 in sheet of plywood????
 
The only luck I've had with sweet gum is to cut in the winter, in the freezing cold. Let it freeze overnight and split first thing the next day before it warms up. I think that because of the high water content when green, the cold weather helps open the grain up. But it's got to be green and cold.

But yea, it is terrible wood. Heavy as oak when cut but feather light when dry. You aren't going to do your neighbors any favors by burning it either - I find the smell to be objectionable when burned.
 
I have a similar size pile that I got for free. Im going to keep the the smaller rounds and get rid of the the ones that are over 6-8". There is plenty of stuff laying around between line clearing on the side of the road and people have spring tree work done.
 
I like it because it dries quick and comes with it's own kindling installed after cutting!
 
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