Hefty Y sections

[mass_burner]

What do you folks do with good size y sections? Are they worth monkeying with?

 

[Jags]

Now keep in mind that I have a large tonnage splitter...
I split the Y with the "y" arms straddling the wedge. It will take the large "Y" and turn it into two logs that you can deal with in a pretty normal manor.

So, Yes. I work them up into firewood as well. I find them no more difficult to deal with than any other part.

 

[mass_burner]

Hmm, I haven't tried my 5 ton HF electric splitter yet. I wonder if it can do the job.

 

[jeffesonm]

I split by hand, and I have a big old pile of Y pieces and super knotty pieces. One of these days I will rent a hydro splitter and have at 'em.

 

[drz1050]

Noodle them, or they go in the fire pit/ scrap/ BBQ pile

 

[DoubleB]

Hmm, I haven't tried my 5 ton HF electric splitter yet. I wonder if it can do the job.

Mine can handle some, but not many. Most end up in the pile that waits for the periodic gas-powered rental.

 

[firefighterjake]

I split 'em . . . with my splitter.

 

[Vikestand]

Cut them flat on both ends and turn them into nice bonfire seat.

 

[HItz]

I second splitting into the crotch, don't go the other way, it can be unpredictable if the splitter doesn't stall out.

 

[BringinHeat]

I haven't split (by hand) any real huge "Y" pieces but I find that if I setup the Y upside down (so that I'm splitting the single round end of the log) I can usually get it to split nicely in half. Most of the ones I've done are about 6"-10" on the single end part of the log.

 

[Poindexter]

I tend to noodle those with my saw while they are still attached to the rest of a log.

 

[Applesister]

Ok...testing one two three...

Okay..a little rough...but...Im so much better at showing people what I mean.
This was screen shot from my Note 3 phone.
This is how I salvage crotch wood by splitting off as much as the straight stuff as possible. This requires hydraulics. Your first 2 splits as close to the V as possible.

 

[Applesister]

That was fun...
Now whats that program you all use for presentations?

 

[Jags]

You referring to Power Point??

 

[Fred Wright]

I'll work 'em up if it's decent firewood. B-grade, bah. Too much work for too little heat.

Noodle the big, heavy ones, split the smaller guys by slabbing away from the V. The crotch breaks easier without all that supporting wood around it.

 

[Sconnie Burner]

When coming up to a crotch on a tree I try to adjust my lengths a tad and pretty much end up with a normal round with a very slight point where the crotches meet. Then run them through the hydro like any other round.

 

[mass_burner]

I was bucking today and noticed a triple, that is main branch, and two branches coming out. I guess I just treat it like a single y and do it twice.

 

[bag of hammers]

Ok...testing one two three...
Okay..a little rough...but...Im so much better at showing people what I mean.
This was screen shot from my Note 3 phone.
This is how I salvage crotch wood by splitting off as much as the straight stuff as possible. This requires hydraulics. Your first 2 splits as close to the V as possible.

ditto - I've broken some fairly big yellow birch up this way, using a 10 ton manual splitter. Pushed it to the limit on a couple.

 

[BrotherBart]

I always turn crotches sideways in the splitter and split with the crotch part on the bottom and they give it up in the old 20 ton with no problem. You end up with a stupid hard split to figure how to burn it but it is split. When bucking I see it coming and cut the Y off of the thing.

 

[Whitepine2]

Ok...testing one two three...
View attachment 158397
Okay..a little rough...but...Im so much better at showing people what I mean.
This was screen shot from my Note 3 phone.
This is how I salvage crotch wood by splitting off as much as the straight stuff as possible. This requires hydraulics. Your first 2 splits as close to the V as possible.

Now I would split this 90* to what your drawing shows,right down the middle most times it will
split right down splitting both in half. We call these pant legs don't seem like it would work well
but dozes try it I think you will like it.

 

[Woody Stover]

You can saw 'em to half length and they should split easier for the 5-tonner.

 

[CTYank]

I'll work 'em up if it's decent firewood. B-grade, bah. Too much work for too little heat.

Noodle the big, heavy ones, split the smaller guys by slabbing away from the V. The crotch breaks easier without all that supporting wood around it.

I've found that the wood in a fork is some of the best-burning wood of a given tree, and treat it as such.

As to noodling, I tend to minimalism there- turning as little wood as possible into chips. Like, noodling into the "junction", then popping the halves apart with an edgy 6-pounder.

 

[Wood Duck]

I split Ys by hand, so I can't split really big ones. I split from the side, so I am splitting both branches of the Y, and I end up with two Ys, each with one flat side.

 

[Whitepine2]

I split Ys by hand, so I can't split really big ones. I split from the side, so I am splitting both branches of the Y, and I end up with two Ys, each with one flat side.

That's what I'm talking about,easy split most times.

 

[stephiedoll]

I turned this CL score into this today. A pain to split and stack, but great wood. The one in the back was a fork as well.