I'm through with rounds this size.

For those of you wondering how to process big rounds on a small splitter, here's how I do it.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/are-large-dbh-trees-worth-it.161196/page-2#post-2166482

saewoody said:

I see you're a fellow "nutmegger". Good luck with that log.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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CT is well represented on this site. I missed seeing you before as I haven't been around much. Welcome.

WoodyIsGoody said:

Most wood is easier to split before it's sat around too long so don't delay!

I like splitting wood so the rounds don't last too long around here. Right now I'm completely out of stuff to split. Which is probably a good thing since I'm also out of decent places to stack it!

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Splitting won't be a problem...I love hydraulics. My problem is 1) the log is on a slope and the first slice I cut off, even through I placed rounds to prevent this, rolled across the road and into the neighbor's yard and 2) the 20" bar doesn't cut all the way through and I absolutely suck at matching cuts from opposite sides. I end up wasting time and butchering rounds. I think I will just rent a larger saw for this one.

My father is on the same page as you ohlongarm. Even if you have the right equipement big rounds are still a lot of work. He prefers the 18 to 24 inch stuff but will help with the big stuff. I bought a tractor last year so I still love getting the big stuff, plus I have a buddy that has an excavating business if we run into real big wood. I hand split all my wood so I love the challenge of the big rounds, but I'm also 30 years younger than pops. I just cleaned up a big locust and ash a buddies dad had taken down, and no one wanted the wood to big for guys to lift onto a truck so I grabbed all that was good. Maybe once I'm a little older and smarter I'll leave the big stuff but for now I'll take it all. Where in northeast Ohio are you from?

Any of you guys with a skid loader/backhoe/bobcat ever tried a jackhammer on huge rounds? That sounds great (except for the part where you probably wind up putting the bucket on to move the logs and buck them, and then switch attachments).

Actually, with a backhoe, you could probably just use the bucket to split 'em. Now I have to google this...

Edit: Yes, people do both AND put videos of both on youtube. I love you, Internet.

Dam thats what I call an expensive splitter

I just rolled over a big one to finish a cut. Used the winch on my new truck for the first time. Didn't break a sweat, but it's an 8000# winch.

This thing is about 32" on the small side, and maybe 40" x 60" on the big side. I can barely budge it with a lever.



Putting that side roller to work and testing some welds here... otherwise I'd have to take the snowplow off .



And she just lifted right up and flipped over.




Gonna be some firewood and some bonfire wood there. Oh well. At least I know I can roll it to cut it now.

jetsam said:

Any of you guys with a skid loader/backhoe/bobcat ever tried a jackhammer on huge rounds? That sounds great (except for the part where you probably wind up putting the bucket on to move the logs and buck them, and then switch attachments).

Actually, with a backhoe, you could probably just use the bucket to split 'em. Now I have to google this...

Edit: Yes, people do both AND put videos of both on youtube. I love you, Internet.

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Its funny you say this.. i bring home 2 to 3 michenes. I had some 34in oak i was going to split form a scrounge... i had my sone split them for me.. age 9. My daughter age 11.. used the kubuta tractor to move them to him.. he broke them up with a trac bobcat with a jackhammer on it... If i dont have my hammer available. . We do it the old fashion way. Which is we pick up the round with the forks and set it on the splitter (in vertical ) and split it up, theres never any real heavy lifting here.. hence my post of i will take anything...
The toughest part of the whole day is reminding my kid not to put the jackhammer through the new driveway..

Cascade Failure said:

Splitting won't be a problem...I love hydraulics. My problem is 1) the log is on a slope and the first slice I cut off, even through I placed rounds to prevent this, rolled across the road and into the neighbor's yard and 2) the 20" bar doesn't cut all the way through and I absolutely suck at matching cuts from opposite sides. I end up wasting time and butchering rounds. I think I will just rent a larger saw for this one.

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Best way I've found to cut big stuff with a 20" bar is to get above the log and start vertically on the far side. Go as far as you can toward the close side, then hop off the log (or stand up straight if you were just leaning across it) and bring the saw down to the bottom of the log, going horizontal as it comes down through the cut. Do this the whole length of the log, then roll it and finish all your cuts.

My dad was a heavy equipment operator for South Saint Louis County(MODOT) for 42 years. When I was kid it was nothing for him to fill the 8' bed of his '83 Chevy 3/4 ton with split wood. He actually created a wedge that he could fasten to the bucket of a backhoe and split rounds with it. It would divide big rounds into fourths. So anytime they would have tree cleanup he would pile it off the side of the lot and him along with a few other guys would split rounds during lunch. They would have to use the equipment to move it eventually as is, so I considered this a resourceful way to salvage wood. He was pretty crafty, they would hold backhoe rodeos and he would win this side of the state most years. He could actually pick the rounds up with the bucket and set them on end aslong as one of the guys knew how to cut the wood up.

I haven't found something so big I want to say no to here yet. Pulling the splitter up right next to the tree, then rolling the rounds to in front of the vertical splitter and flopping it over onto the foot has worked so far. Don't usually see anything much over 3' diameter though. And as soon as I finish this cup of coffee, I am off to the woods to do just that - it's wood making season.

maple1 said:

Don't usually see anything much over 3' diameter though. And as soon as I finish this cup of coffee, I am off to the woods to do just that - it's wood making season.

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I was laughing a week or two ago, when we were in the 60's, and you west-coasters were roasting, but Adrestia must have heard me. It will be 88F, and absurdly humid here, today. But I have a new hot-rodded splitter, and a rare free day, so I may be out there anyway.

I once cut down a white oak that measured 60" diameter (yes... 5 feet!). Unfortunately, everything below 15 or 20 feet height was hollow, so the largest solid rounds I got out of it were 49 inches diameter. They weighed about 1500 lb per round, at 20" length, as best as I could figure it. My front end loader couldn't even lift them!

pernox said:

Best way I've found to cut big stuff with a 20" bar is to get above the log and start vertically on the far side. Go as far as you can toward the close side, then hop off the log (or stand up straight if you were just leaning across it) and bring the saw down to the bottom of the log, going horizontal as it comes down through the cut. Do this the whole length of the log, then roll it and finish all your cuts.

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I often use this technique but the size and location of the log prevent it this time.

Ashful said:

I was laughing a week or two ago, when we were in the 60's, and you west-coasters were roasting, but Adrestia must have heard me. It will be 88F, and absurdly humid here, today. But I have a new hot-rodded splitter, and a rare free day, so I may be out there anyway.

I once cut down a white oak that measured 60" diameter (yes... 5 feet!). Unfortunately, everything below 15 or 20 feet height was hollow, so the largest solid rounds I got out of it were 49 inches diameter. They weighed about 1500 lb per round, at 20" length, as best as I could figure it. My front end loader couldn't even lift them!

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Wrong coast.

I just got done bringing a load out. Somebody seriously turned up the heat between going in & coming out. That's enough of that for today, at least until maybe this evening. Got enough other things to do that I don't have to put myself through that. Just a tad too nice out there.

maple1 said:

Wrong coast.
.

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Sorry, memory told me you were in B.C.

I believe that the big rounds certainly aren't the easiest way to get stacks filled, but when they come down on your property, you've got to get something figured out. One of the moderators (Jags?) seemed to be set up to process that stuff all day. His set up is brilliant.

But with my little 5-ton electric splitter, it sure seems like there's quite a bit of work before a 30" round is quartered, fed to the splitter (with a relief cut), and FINALLY I hear the "pang" of a split going into the wheel barrow after several passes.

My mantra is that if it's hard work, I must be doing something wrong.

I take anything free that comes my way, but every year I understand people that don't a little better.

I kind of drag my feet on processing the really big wood because it takes me a lot more time per cord, even if it does yield a lot of wood.

I can process an entire 10-12" diamater oak by the time someone gets 15 splits out of one of those rounds.

Heavy equipment is the only way to process stuff like that.

I didn't see anyone mention noodling the pieces down. I love the big wood - less bark, good clean splits. I noodle down to manageable pieces with the saw cut with the grain about 3/4 thru then drive a plastic wedge and split apart. I have noodled 40" rounds into 6-8 pieces.

Sure the kerf wastes a little wood, but better than a broken back or not taking it at all.

I do recommend a 60cc+ saw and 20" bar, but I have done a ton of noodling with a MS260 and 18" bar.

lindnova said:

I didn't see anyone mention noodling the pieces down.

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You must have skipped my post, as that's exactly what it was about:

Ashful said:

For those of you wondering how to process big rounds on a small splitter, here's how I do it.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/are-large-dbh-trees-worth-it.161196/page-2#post-2166482

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Ashful said:

You must have skipped my post, as that's exactly what it was about:

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I didn't open the link. You got it. That's the way to go with big stuff.

I am a 100% scrounger so I take whatever I can find. For those big rounds I noodle them into quarters usually. At that point I can usually lift them without risk of damaging myself. A sharp chain will go right through as long as you have somewhere for the shavings to go (noodling makes a lot of shavings that can gum up the saw real quick if they don't have somewhere to go).

I got lucky (neighbor not so much) and a good size sugar maple fell on their house last weekend. I stopped by to watch the tree service try and get the 45 degree tree off the house and ask for the wood. They said I could grab some and even cut it into reasonable size pieces so I grabbed a few loads with the truck and drove the 200 feet back to my house.

I'm toying around with a winter project idea, my plan is to find a 3 point tractor hitch hydro log splitter, flip it upside down and weld ears to it so I can take off my digging bucket on the hoe and attach it, run heavy duty high pressure hydro lines to a remote control and just sit in the back hoe and us the machine to maneuver and quarter up the big rounds.

kennyp2339 said:

I'm toying around with a winter project idea, my plan is to find a 3 point tractor hitch hydro log splitter, flip it upside down and weld ears to it so I can take off my digging bucket on the hoe and attach it, run heavy duty high pressure hydro lines to a remote control and just sit in the back hoe and us the machine to maneuver and quarter up the big rounds.

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Brilliant! Now we need photos.