Pin oak center doesn't want to split

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louieva

New Member
Nov 1, 2010
13
Northern VA
Hi all,

New member here. I had two Pin Oaks cut down recently. One was standing dead and the other was dying of some sort of root rot. To make things worse, the top of it started falling down and crushed a bunch of toys in the backyard along with a metal table.

So I'm starting to think about getting a high efficiency fireplace or a wood stove in the future and starting to split the oak that was cut up (since it takes time to season). To my surprise, I really like splitting wood! I got one of those Fiskars super splitters that I've seen recommended and it works great. Most of the oak splits apart nicely and flies to either side now that I have the hang of it.

I have one problem - one of the rounds was about 2-3 feet. After a rain, I tried to split it and it sorta spit back at me and laughed. That's how wet it was. I let it dry a bit and then I was able to split off the outer portion. I'm left with an inner portion which has some sort of branch stubs sticking out of it. I'm able to bite into it with the Fiskars but it keeps holding together. I was able to chop up a similar sized round so I wonder if there is something special about this one.

Should I set it aside to dry out some more? Do those branch stubs mean that it is extra dense?

Thanks,
Louie
 
Those can be tough even with a spliter.
 
Yes - if you have some large rounds with an area where a branch was once growing from the trunk, wood grains from the branch will cross the grains from the main trunk, making for a rough split. I set the real tough ones aside for the splitter, but I split much of the easier rounds by hand - I like to split as well - gives me a good workout and time to be alone with my thoughts. Cheers!
 
I got 50-60 of those pin oak canters stacked and drying. They look like big dowels and after a few years burn just fine.
 
Keep swinging at that round and eventually you'll get it split. Sometimes it helps to let it dry a little and look for cracks, which can help indicate the easiest way to split the wood.
 
Welcome to the forum, Louie!

The internal branches kind of hold things together and make splitting rough. I love my Fiskars, but there are times that I will resort to a steel wedge and a sledge hammer to break up something tough. There are also times that I will resort to noodling through the round with a chainsaw (cutting in the direction you want it to split, with the grain.)

Just don't get me going about the merits of blasting wedges!

Seriously, just take your time and hit the same spot repeatedly. It will give, eventually.
 
I find pine is tough until it sits awhile. Even standing dead can benefit from being bucked and stacked...then split. Sometime, those knots just don't let go. I end up throwing some oddly hacked chunks in the stove when that happens. :lol:
 
Welcome to the forum Louie. Yes, the pin oaks can be interesting. If possible split so that you end up with a big square piece left which is the center. Give that thing 3 years to dry out too.
 
If worse comes to worst and you're not having luck splitting it still, get a saw and cut that 3 foot length in half- that's a mighty thick round to be splitting. I think you'd have a real difficult time fitting it in a stove or an insert in the first place.
I've had to cut some really thin before- I think about 13 or 14 inches, I've had some really gnarly twisted grain, and some stuff what was seriously posted on the inside.
Best of luck & if you take my advice and use a saw to cut those rounds smaller- BE CAREFUL.
 
Thanks for the welcome guys!

I'm happy to report success with that pesky pin oak center!

I stored it in my shed (not a wood shed but it has ok ventilation) for a week on wood pallet. I'm storing some rounds in there to split on a rainy day like today.

It dried out some more and then I turned it on the end that had the least amount of Fiskars super splitter marks. :) Then I started hacking away. After a few whacks, part of it split off. I kept doing that and it turned into about 5-6 pieces.

It is now sitting, defeated, in splits on my wood pile. =)
 
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