Easiest way to split 24" to 36" rounds

[mwhitnee]

I have a log splitter which I can use vertically, an axe and maul.

For the 18-24s I've been splitting vertically, it's ox work but I can do it.

I probably don't need to split them this year, would it be easier if i let them season?

Any tips would be appreciated.

 

[drz1050]

If you mean 36" in diameter, work your way in from the edges with a maul..

If you mean 36" in length, depending on the wood that'd be a nightmare to split with hand tools. Vertical splitter or sledge & wedge are kinda your only options.

 

[Soundchasm]

I quarter or eighth the big ones. There's no shame in walking upright later on in life. I'll cut a "+" across the diameter with a saw so I can start a wedge w/o a fight. Then knock them into halves and then quarters and life is a lot easier - less chance of crushing your fingers as well. 2-3 wedges and you're good to go. There are some fun wedging techniques too, like getting a split going with the first wedge, and then putting two wedges together to crack it open (or get your first wedge out).

I think they'll get a little lighter in a year if they're on their side, but I guarantee that quarters will get lighter faster.

 

[red oak]

For me the EASIEST way would be to use the hydraulics, especially since you mentioned that it can split vertical. Just roll the log to the splitter and begin. If it's straight without too many knots, the sledge hammer and a few wedges would work nicely as well. I cut a tree this large once, and quartered the pieces and then I could lift them. And yes I would go ahead and split them so that they start drying. A log that big will never dry without being split.

 

[Fred Wright]

I noodle or bust the bigguns into manageable pieces like Soundchasm says. You'll take a beating juggling those whoppers around.

We don't have a vertically equipped splitter so there's little choice. Gotta lift 'em to split 'em.

 

[Jay106n]

I was doing 24-36's on my vertical 21T Areins splitter this spring. Its work, and a M'Fer to move those rounds, but it gets the job done.

 

[begreen]

Maul and wedges for starters to break the big rounds into manageable pieces. Then vertical splitter to make final splits for stacking. It really helps to have a team of 2-3 people to make this an efficient operation.

 

[Babaganoosh]

I pop em in the vertical position and then finish up horizontal.

Vertical sucks to position them but a hand truck helps a lot.

 

[paul bunion]

When vertically splitting big rounds all you need to do is get a piece of 1" pipe under the round. If you are on pavement just put the pipe in front of the splitters plate. If you are on soft ground you'll need a sheet of plywood or some scrap lumber acting as rails. The pipe acting as a roller makes it about 10x easier to move the round about once it's down on the ground. It really becomes noticeable when they get over 30". Having a pickaroon and/or pulp hooks make positioning the round a lot easier too. A 6' pry bar can help bust apart stubborn rounds. Just leave the wedge in to hold it.

 

[maple1]

Last 2 suggestions. Short fat rounds roll around pretty easy on their side, and you can tip them up pretty easy with a short pice of limbwood (or pipe like said) laying down in front of the splitter foot - creates a fulcrum, then once up you can roll it in. I usually section vertically, then finish up horizontally. Makes a lot of wood in a hurry.

But if they are too big or too gnarly for your splitter hydraulics to section - you might have to noodle first. I haven't had to do that, yet - although I scoped out some big old sugar maple windfalls this weekend that might test that, if they're sound when I cut into them. They've been down a while.

 

[Woody Stover]

Having a pickaroon and/or pulp hooks make positioning the round a lot easier too. A 6' pry bar can help bust apart stubborn rounds. Just leave the wedge in to hold it.

You might save some work by leaving the big ones whole and moving them right onto the vertical splitter with a peavey or cant hook. Always easier to position big 'uns with two people, of course. And yeah, a spud bar makes it a lot easier to bust 'em apart.

 

[Ashful]

For me the EASIEST way would be to use the hydraulics, especially since you mentioned that it can split vertical. Just roll the log to the splitter and begin. If it's straight without too many knots, the sledge hammer and a few wedges would work nicely as well. I cut a tree this large once, and quartered the pieces and then I could lift them. And yes I would go ahead and split them so that they start drying. A log that big will never dry without being split.

We have differing definitions of "big". Try rolling these. They weigh 1500 lb. each.

 

[mwhitnee]

Well think ill try noodling them and breaking into quarters.

I have a regular maul and just picked up a 4 way maul. Here are most of them.

 

[Ashful]

I prefer noodling into slabs, versus quarters. Nicer stacking splits when done, and easy to man-handle onto the foot plate of a vertical splitter for quick parsing. I set the round on it's side and noodle 6" to 8" wide slabs, leaving a small bit of wood (1" - 2") holding at the bottom of the cut. When I'm done, I just take a 2 lb. maul (think hatchet size) and split off the slabs.

 

[Corey]

If you mean 36" in diameter, work your way in from the edges with a maul..

If you mean 36" in length, depending on the wood that'd be a nightmare to split with hand tools. Vertical splitter or sledge & wedge are kinda your only options.

Yep - I'd say the easiest way to split 36" long would be to cut it into two 18's, then go at it. If you're talking 36" diameter, then just whack it about 4-6 inches from the edge and cleave off slabs of wood. No matter how big of diameter they are, there is always a point 4-6 inches from the edge, and parallel to the wood grain (where they split the easiest)... hit it there!

 

[mwhitnee]

Wow those look great. I only have an 18 inch husqvarna though?

 

[mwhitnee]

Yes 36" diameter 16" long. It would make sense to lay them bark down and try to just cut them in half and work from there.

 

[TekHearth]

Newb question: what is noodling? I've got some giant rounds of fresh valley oak that are highly resistant to my splitting axe, maul, and wedge thus far...

 

[Bigg_Redd]

I have a log splitter which I can use vertically, an axe and maul.

For the 18-24s I've been splitting vertically, it's ox work but I can do it.

I probably don't need to split them this year, would it be easier if i let them season?

Any tips would be appreciated.

Try a bunch of different methods then report back to us what worked best, eh?

 

[maple1]

Yes 36" diameter 16" long. It would make sense to lay them bark down and try to just cut them in half and work from there.

18" bar should handle that. Not sure what's attached to it though? Would be quite a load for a 40cc class saw.

 

[firefighterjake]

Newb question: what is noodling? I've got some giant rounds of fresh valley oak that are highly resistant to my splitting axe, maul, and wedge thus far...

Cutting down a bucked piece of wood with the grain resulting in smaller "splits" which are easier to handle and move . . . see picture posted a few posts up from this one that show wood cut down to easier to handle pieces. Called "noodling" by folks here since it often produces long "noodles" of wood chips.

 

[mwhitnee]

18" bar should handle that. Not sure what's attached to it though? Would be quite a load for a 40cc class saw.

Is a Husqvarna 440.

 

[Jags]

Noodling: See the half log leaning against the full round? That was noodled in half.

 

[CombatChris]

Sledge and wedge. Done and done.

 

[maple1]

Cutting down a bucked piece of wood with the grain resulting in smaller "splits" which are easier to handle and move . . . see picture posted a few posts up from this one that show wood cut down to easier to handle pieces. Called "noodling" by folks here since it often produces long "noodles" of wood chips.

Also, some get noodling mixed up with ripping. There's a big difference when it comes to how easy you get along with it, even though they seem almost the same. If you stand a split on its cut end, and have a go at it from the top cut face - that's ripping.