Why the fear of splitting large rounds?

[ohio woodburner]

I love big rounds. Gives me a chance to do some noodlin' ;-)

Someone told me thats hard on your chain. Any truth to that?

 

[wendell]

Although Dennis will disagree, I don't believe it does. You just have to make sure the noodles clear out so you're not clogging up your saw.

 

[ROBERT F]

I'd like to see some of these "the only way to split wood is with hydraliucs" guys try to get that 10' foot diameter redwood in the splitter! Even in vertical mode! unless of course its attached via a three point to a big azz tractor.

 

[quads]

I bet I could bust her up. I'd sure like to try. Wow, that would be so cool, swinging away at a big one like that! I can only dream.

You crack me up Quads. I do prefer the larger rounds you get more wood out of them

And heck, what's the big deal anyway, redwood is just pine right? I tripped over a pine round once and accidentally split it with my shin.

 

[freeburn]

I had an interesting experience yesterday trying to split big rounds. I think it was boxelder. It was a tree I had taken down and blocked up 1 1/2 years ago so all that was left was the trunk to split. Diameter was roughly 20-24". It was kind of sitting in a thaw waterway. So I split it up, or tried to split it up. The wood was so wet that my Fiskars 4# axe would bounce back out of the wood and the wood looked like it didn't even get touched, just a small mark. I simply could not get it to split. I split off the outsides, and that split easy enough, but once I got a certain depth into the wood, it just wouldn't do anything. Never tried a wedge, but I'd rather not use those if possible. When my axe hit the top on the pieces and it would stick, the water would pool and splash at me making me even more wanting to smack the crap out of it.

Has that ever happened to anyone before?

 

[quads]

I had an interesting experience yesterday trying to split big rounds. I think it was boxelder. It was a tree I had taken down and blocked up 1 1/2 years ago so all that was left was the trunk to split. Diameter was roughly 20-24". It was kind of sitting in a thaw waterway. So I split it up, or tried to split it up. The wood was so wet that my Fiskars 4# axe would bounce back out of the wood and the wood looked like it didn't even get touched, just a small mark. I simply could not get it to split. I split off the outsides, and that split easy enough, but once I got a certain depth into the wood, it just wouldn't do anything. Never tried a wedge, but I'd rather not use those if possible. When my axe hit the top on the pieces and it would stick, the water would pool and splash at me making me even more wanting to smack the crap out of it.

Has that ever happened to anyone before?

Yes, sounds a lot like the experience I've had with boxelder. When it does split, it does so in chunks. If you've ever seen the inside of a cornstalk, that's kind of what boxelder wood reminds me of, a big weed stalk. Burns like one too. Now I ignore all boxelder that I find.

 

[freeburn]

Yes, the breaking off is about right. It doesn't split it flies off. But it's wood, and it's free. So it's for me. That's the only reason I choose to put myself through the exercise.

 

[Jags]

I'd like to see some of these "the only way to split wood is with hydraliucs" guys try to get that 10' foot diameter redwood in the splitter!

I'll let you know - if or when I ever come up with a 10' diameter log. I don't really see this as a real world problem.

 

[smokinj]

I'd like to see some of these "the only way to split wood is with hydraliucs" guys try to get that 10' foot diameter redwood in the splitter!

I'll let you know - if or when I ever come up with a 10' diameter log. I don't really see this as a real world problem.

I dont think there is anything out there thats going to give your spliter an issue!

 

[Jags]

I'd like to see some of these "the only way to split wood is with hydraliucs" guys try to get that 10' foot diameter redwood in the splitter!

I'll let you know - if or when I ever come up with a 10' diameter log. I don't really see this as a real world problem.

I dont think there is anything out there thats going to give your spliter an issue!

As heavy as I built the log lifter, I think I could get 'er up there and take a whack. :lol:

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Perhaps we should start another thread for these fellas who have a hard time moving the big rounds. I thought that is what they made cant hooks for....

 

[smokinj]

Perhaps we should start another thread for these fellas who have a hard time moving the big rounds. I thought that is what they made cant hooks for....

yep it is and hope it falls in the center, but some of us are doing 50+ in. even split in 2 pieces its still a bit in the arse...

 

[Flatbedford]

I prefer the big ones. They aren't too bad to move around if you have the right tools. I'd rather work on one big round for a while than pull a few small ones of the stack, set them on my chopping block and pick them up when they fall down. Less lifting and bending over.

 

[Danno77]

I prefer the big ones... I'd rather work on one big round for a while than pull a few small ones... Less lifting and bending over.

that's what she said.

I'm sorry. it's just that day after day talking about wood and the like and i'm really a teenager (emotionally speaking) so I just couldn't help it. I will try to make this my first and last TWSS post....

 

[glenng]

Big Rounds make a lot of firewood. Like it has been said "with the right tools". And the right species. I`ll take a 72" White Oak over a 24" Sycamore/ London Plaintree. In time you will learn whats worth it and whats not.

 

[Danno77]

heck, I'd just take a fiskars to that stump as it sits.

 

[Tony H]

I have about 5 cord worth of box elder in logs from 4" to 30" inch and it can be a beast to split.With the larger say over 24" stuff of any kind the key is take your first shots about 5 or 6" from the edge and work your way around when using an axe or maul with wedges you can go further in but don't go right thru the heart go maybe a third in from an edge. Even if you have a splitter learn to split by hand look at the grain and cracks in the wood and see where it looks easier to split.
These same spots will work on the splitter also. I think the worst stuff I have split was some large red elm

 

[gerry100]

Once past a certain size a power splitter becomes less efficient than a maul.

Don't waste the energy wrestling with them. Spit them where they sit.

If I can't quarter them, I start knocking off the edges and working towards the middle until I ge tthe last piece to stove size.

Occasionnly, due to knots or crotches you can't get the final pice small enough.

Leave it for the wood thieves.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I highly disagree with that one. I've split some awfully big stuff with the hydraulic splitter with no problem. Turning them is not that difficult if you do it right. It is called technique and not a waste of energy.

 

[Jags]

Hey Glenng - your dog is laughing at ya!

Or maybe he was smiling cuz he thought he had died and gone to heaven and hit the "mother load" of the perfect bathroom.

 

[firefighterjake]

I highly disagree with that one. I've split some awfully big stuff with the hydraulic splitter with no problem. Turning them is not that difficult if you do it right. It is called technique and not a waste of energy.

+1

 

[joat717]

most generally i would agree that the larger rounds are no harder to split but here recently i've ran into some 36" oak rounds or so and can't get them to split for anyting i believe they are still fairly wet because when trying to set a wedge i get a fair amount of moisture oozing out of the topp of the round and about the time i think its set give it one good swing and pop out it comes i can't get a crack to form even right in the edges hardly. i've left it sit off to the side for now it's just not time efficient for me to split it which dissapoints me cause there is a bunch of wood there!! i've heard talk about waiting till they freeze and then splittin tham any thoughts on that method??
'

 

[Flatbedford]

Frozen always split better.

 

[crazy_dan]

I'd like to see some of these "the only way to split wood is with hydraliucs" guys try to get that 10' foot diameter redwood in the splitter! Even in vertical mode! unless of course its attached via a three point to a big azz tractor.

Easy you take the D-4 sitting out back and make a little depression for the splitter to sit in vertical mode. then use the D-4 to persuade the round on to the foot of the splitter.
I see no real challenge here.