Wodd ID?

I scrounged this wood earlier this week. I thought it was white oak but am wondering if im wrong? Its relatively difficult to split, the large rounds wont split at all. I tried splitting them on site so theyd be easier to handle, noodled down about 5/6 inches and it still just ate the wedge without so much as a crack.

I got this smaller piece split up and thought Id let you guys chime in. It split very jaggedly

I don't know what it is, but it's definitely not any sort of oak.

For sure not Oak, Gum perhaps.

Lucky me haha

Cottonwood.

I just got done splitting a load of cottonwood and don't think this is cottonwood. It's very heavy and doesn't smell the same

Was is stringy as you got the split?

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any foliage pic?

Our pines out here that are green do that. The only way to split is from the outside and work your way in

That looks more like black gum than sweet gum
See how the opposite end of the split opens up in a zig-zag one of its tell tale traits(for both gum species)

I'd look into renting hydros if you have enough rounds to justify it

No foliage. There were some of those little spikey balls around when I was loading, I assumed they were from another tree. I thought the bark kinda looked like pine too but it's too heavy I think and there's no sap

Sweet gum

Yeah I'm thinking gum. if it was pine, you'd smell it right away.

Those spiky balls are Sweet Gum balls. The tree could be Sweet Gum, although it looks a lot like Black Gum to me. Black Gum does not get the balls that Sweet Gum does. They aren't closely related.

I try and split everything by hand but I think you might need a hyraulic.
When the wedge hangs up in the wood like a nail it's some tough stuff.

Yeah I really wish I had hydraulics to get trough this stuff with. There are spikey balls all around where the tree was taken down, but it doesn't split like the sweet gum I've split in the past, it's less stringy. Either way it's safe to assume its some kind of gum and that I'm in for a workout. I could rent a splitter I guess but I don't know how expensive that'll get. Do you guys think a monster maul from northern tool would fair better in this wood that my Collins axe?

I've never split any kind of Gum, but just looking at how that split (jagged across grains, but not stringy) I'd say a heavy maul would do better than your axe.
Can always put it aside, wait 'till go get more tough to split stuff & then rent a splitter. I've rented once in 4 years.

I've had good luck with large gnarly pieces by cutting 2 shallow kerfs (3"-4" deep) in end grain that cross each other (think of a + looking down on it) for a spot to start your wedges or place to aim with the big maul.

Plus that can be the start of making a Swedish Candle,those are cool when camping,cooking or hanging outdoors....

Ive been doing this in conjunction with my new monster maul and its working great. Thanks for the tip

That is exactly what I was thinking at first. or a fir. But as others say, you would smell it