I'm Liking Slab Split Wood For My Insert

[velvetfoot]

I ran across some slab split wood pieces that I'm burning now. What I mean by slab split is splitting the round to produce a rectangular cross section, of about 1.5"-2" thickness. (Note: I've been splitting like this for the last several years when possible but haven't gotten to use them yet, and just came across these splits.)

Anyway, I load my insert front to back and have found that it's easy to pack em in with this format, when needed.

PS: Another reason I split this way is because I split vertically and find it easier this way.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I bet you can pack them in tight like that.

 

[velvetfoot]

Yes. That's the attraction, plus easy handling with one hand, and easier vertical splitting. You can pack them tight, or not, if you like. I had big percentages of ash logs the last few years, and they split any way you want them.

 

[tcassavaugh]

you guys are having an easy winter so far this year....for the most part. i was up during hunting season, visiting the old homestead on alps mt road. was up at my brothers in Stephentown when that storm around thanksgiving hit. we got 24 inches over there and power was out for about 26 hours. my brother in the alps probably got 5-8 and there was absolutely nothing over in albany. funny how the elevation played into that one.
is that slab wood stuff you made from you splitting the rounds? sounds interesting. they have a couple of mills around here that offer slab wood. got some long ago, in long lengths and it was a pita to cut up. haven't done it since.

 

[velvetfoot]

Yes, I made those slab splits from a log load.

You mention snow, we got some slushy ice the other day, and the only way I could get it off was with a single stage snowblower (luckily we have a paved driveway). Then the next day it did something similar and I only used the 2 stage snowblower. I should have followed up the next day with the single when it was warmish, but NO, now it's hard like a rock and it's a good thing we have studded snow tires. Pushing the single stage took about 3 hours....ugh. Didn't want to do it. Now have to wait for next big thaw.

 

[SpAmSoNiTe]

I burn bundles(about 4'x4'x8') of slabs I get from the Amish mills and mill teams in the woods (several in my area) around here mostly. Usually just have to cut to length and it usually has quick seasoning times unless I get aol of some thicker oak.. Works pretty good in my nc30, just gotta watch the stovetop temps close cuz she can shoot up quick with that wide surface area!

Sent from my SM-S320VL using Tapatalk

 

[EatenByLimestone]

you guys are having an easy winter so far this year....for the most part. i was up during hunting season, visiting the old homestead on alps mt road. was up at my brothers in Stephentown when that storm around thanksgiving hit. we got 24 inches over there and power was out for about 26 hours. my brother in the alps probably got 5-8 and there was absolutely nothing over in albany. funny how the elevation played into that one.
is that slab wood stuff you made from you splitting the rounds? sounds interesting. they have a couple of mills around here that offer slab wood. got some long ago, in long lengths and it was a pita to cut up. haven't done it since.

My mother grew up on Teal Rd... right next to Alps Mtn!

 

[tcassavaugh]

My mother grew up on Teal Rd... right next to Alps Mtn!

cool....what years was that. that means she went to averill park high too i suppose. i get back up that way a couple of times a year. used to run the back roads to taberton all the time

 

[velvetfoot]

I'm on Momrow.

 

[jetsam]

I burn a lot of slab split wood. It's handy, and the smaller slabs can slide right in on top at the end.

The downside is that you can't load big slabs right on top of low coals, or it will just smother them out.
For that, I take one pine split and split it down to 4 or 8 tiny splits, cover the bottom of the stove with those, then load the oak slabs on top of that. Pine goes up like a blowtorch even on low coals.

 

[tcassavaugh]

I'm on Momrow.

we've chatted before. i thought you were on the corner of momrow and walk road. i used travel walk road alot going the back way to cherry plain or just running the back roads rabbit hunting. that was long ago and far far away @ 1968...lol

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I think she probably graduated from Averell Park HS in 68 or 69.

 

[FaithfulWoodsman]

I know this post is year old, but reading the 15% sizzle thread and the slab wood thread has got me thinking. Im burning two year red oak and its doing ok. I know another year would be primo. This past summer i split another red oak that had been down for a year, but not split. I board/slab split a lot of it. Like Velvetfoot ive been doing this for a year or more now but havent burned any of it. What i have noticed is that the slab splits seem to be very close in wieght to similar mass peices of the css/2yr stuff im burning now. Im gonna check actual moisture, but slab splitting seems to increase drying considerably. I split about a 1/3 of my stuff reg and 2/3 slab. Anybody else have experience?

 

[jscs.moore]

I know this post is year old, but reading the 15% sizzle thread and the slab wood thread has got me thinking. Im burning two year red oak and its doing ok. I know another year would be primo. This past summer i split another red oak that had been down for a year, but not split. I board/slab split a lot of it. Like Velvetfoot ive been doing this for a year or more now but havent burned any of it. What i have noticed is that the slab splits seem to be very close in wieght to similar mass peices of the css/2yr stuff im burning now. Im gonna check actual moisture, but slab splitting seems to increase drying considerably. I split about a 1/3 of my stuff reg and 2/3 slab. Anybody else have experience?

Not quit sure the definition of slab splitting, but I have found that I need to take my splitting axe and cut about 60% of my delivered cord wood down to much smaller splits. My wood supplier does deliver high quality hard woods (Oak, Maple, Ash) but unfortunately many of the splits are really too big (16x10, 16x8 or 16x6) and take way too long to season if I don't split them down further. I have cut many of the splits down to 16x4 so they will season much faster and load much easier into the firebox.My wife thinks I'm nuts and will say..."why are you out there splitting wood that we paid some one else to cut and deliver??" In some ways in know she's right but this wood supplier really does deliver high quality hard woods with no crap in there. I sort of like the exercise of splitting the wood down to smaller sizes, but I guess I can see her point. Anyway, just something that I need to do or it would take 3 years to season some of the 16x10 & 16x8s they tend to deliver. Is this an issue anyone else had dealt with from a wood supplier?

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I know this post is year old, but reading the 15% sizzle thread and the slab wood thread has got me thinking. Im burning two year red oak and its doing ok. I know another year would be primo. This past summer i split another red oak that had been down for a year, but not split. I board/slab split a lot of it. Like Velvetfoot ive been doing this for a year or more now but havent burned any of it. What i have noticed is that the slab splits seem to be very close in wieght to similar mass peices of the css/2yr stuff im burning now. Im gonna check actual moisture, but slab splitting seems to increase drying considerably. I split about a 1/3 of my stuff reg and 2/3 slab. Anybody else have experience?

The more surface area that the split has, the faster it'll Dry.