Boxing Day splitting strategy poll

[SolarAndWood]

Went out and did a little splitting this morning and as usual my mind started wandering. In an ideal world where your wood has plenty of time to dry, what is the optimal split size? I assume most would agree that this is stove dependent and a more useful question is What is the optimal number of big splits per load of the stove. Big splits for the purpose of the poll is whatever you consider big splits for your stove.

I always fully load the firebox. It has a useful width of 24", a useful height of 15" and a useful depth of 18". The loading door is 18" wide and 10" high. If I split 6x6s, I can get 6 of them in and then stick some smaller stuff in the gaps. Should I be splitting bigger than that now that I am a couple years ahead and have a stove with a bigger firebox?

Not sure if species makes a difference, but I burn whatever I can get my hands on while I am building a stock pile of the good stuff.

 

[LLigetfa]

Three large splits. Coals drawn to the front and ashes pushed to the back and flattened down. A rectangular split at the bottom-rear, a 1/4 round on top of it with the wedge pointing back, and another 1/4 in front with the wedge pointing down. Smaller splits on top of the coals in front. My door is as wide as the box for easy loading.

 

[SolarAndWood]

So, maybe 8x8s or even 10x10s and then fill in with the small stuff? Seems if you go too big you wouldn't get the airflow? I assume that any 18" split no matter how big and dense will be dry after 3 years?

 

[thewoodlands]

Solar I'm at 4 splits the majority of the time, I'm recutting some of my hard maple down to 15 inches for a longer overnight burn. I think at 15 inches I can get 10 good size splits and some smaller ones.

zap

 

[SolarAndWood]

Zap, was the cut down to go NS? EDIT saw your other thread makes for a nice burn doesnt it?

With the way I have been splitting, I probably get 15 or more splits in now. Makes for a simple easy refire but I know that I can save a lot of processing and handling if I go bigger. The question I have is how big is too big? A 6x6x18 of locust weighs 15 lbs.

 

[LLigetfa]

I use the height of the wedge on my splitter as a gauge. I thought it was 6" tall until I measured it but it's 7", so the largest I will make a split is 7" on any face. I tend to make a lot of rectangles and quarter rounds where one face is up to 7" and the other maybe 4" or 5".

 

[gzecc]

I am still amazed in the morning after loading the night before, huge splits that I could barely lift with one hand are gone when I open the insert in the morning.
I probably put 3 huge, 4+ other for overnights.

 

[thewoodlands]

Zap, was the cut down to go NS? EDIT saw your other thread makes for a nice burn doesnt it?

With the way I have been splitting, I probably get 15 or more splits in now. Makes for a simple easy refire but I know that I can save a lot of processing and handling if I go bigger. The question I have is how big is too big? A 6x6x18 of locust weighs 15 lbs.

N/S for overnight burns is alot better, Sunday I'm cutting some of our cherry down to 15 so we can burn N/S during the week when I'm at work, that way the wife won't have to reload to often.

zap

 

[savageactor7]

Should I be splitting bigger than that now that I am a couple years ahead

Solar that's the sensible thing to start doing now that you have the BK, it may take a little longer for larger splits to peak. But imo a fully seasoned larger split is key for a long lasting heat producing fire...as opposed to a smolder.

We rarely burn for max time but when it's required I sandwich splits together in an effort to recreate a larger split...it's helpful but not the same as a huge seasoned split. Like you I'm many years ahead and was thinking about making some larger splits for the future...but I keep talking myself out it.

Two issues...I guess mostly I'm afraid of bashing those re burner tubes on the top...the smaller splits we currently use doesn't have the inertia when I occasionally ping them. Also another factor is that imo we're understoved using the 4300 to heat 3k so 90% of the time we run WOT using 3 splits in diff burn stages.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Most of the time, during the day we put in 3 splits only. The only time we fill the firebox is at night or if we are going away.

 

[SolarAndWood]

Thanks for the input guys. I took advantage of the break from winter and festivities to split almost the rest of the summer scrounge. I split 6x6 through 8x8s out of the big solid Beech, Maple and Oak. We'll see how they work out in a couple years. Still have another cord or so of stuff that has to be cut but that can wait for the next break from winter.