Large Oak rounds help

[Andy S.]

Nothing is easy. The latest scrounge opportunity involves a large Oak that was taken down. The homeowner had the tree service take down the tree and leave the logs. The homeowner rented a saw and bucked the logs. Now he wants them removed. My plan was to trailer it out of there and have '16/'17 taken care of. The problem is that there is no space between houses. In order to get the wood I need to split it and wheel barrow it to my truck.

Will my X27 split big Oak rounds? Depending on how quickly I can get replies I'll be finding out for myself today. It seems like a LOT of work but it is also a LOT of premium wood.

Thanks!

 

[bholler]

how big are they? could you use a hand truck atleast for most of them? as far as will the x27 split them i couldn't tell you i use an 8# and a 12# maul when i hand split

 

[Andy S.]

About 36" diameter. There is room for a skid steer at most. I'd be using a wheel barrow. Oh... it is uphill, too. How would your maul do on a 36" Oak round?

 

[bholler]

it would work splitting pieces off the outside until it is small enough to move that is what i do in the field. I usually don't bother splitting them to final size just small enough to move till i get them back to the splitter.

 

[bholler]

You could also try quartering them with your saw first also. I have done that before if they are stubborn

 

[Brewmonster]

My first thought is to just roll those babies to your truck. Is the slope too steep for that? Even if you do that though, how do you lift them into a truck?

I just had to deal with a number of oak rounds up to four feet diameter. I found that noodling partway through, then hammering a pair of wedges into the kerf usually did the job. Sometimes I had to roll it over and finish from the opposite side. Then repeat to quarter the halves. I processed the whole tree using wedges and an eight-pound maul. A Fiskars would be useful for the easier, smaller stuff, but I wouldn't bother with it on those big ones.

 

[Rickb]

Striaghht grained oak splits pretty easy with fiskers. I have never done 36" but I have done 26" and it split with 2 or 3 swings. Just make sure the length is not to long. I try to keep it to 15-16" You get up to 19" and it seems a lot harder to hand split. JMO

 

[Chimney Smoke]

I just took care of the same thing at my house. My red oak was 40 inches at the base. I was able to split all but 2 rounds with my 8 pound maul and 2 wedges. Two of the rounds were very knotty and I chunked them up with the saw instead of even trying to split. The wedges busted every round in half and it was generally easy splitting from there.

 

[xman23]

36 inch green oak will be real hard to split or with a maul. . A few wedges will be better. Best get a vertical splitter to where they are. Split them then move them.

 

[Dune]

Yes, your x-27 will gladly split those rounds.
Don't try to split them in half, split off side pieces.
Wedges are way too much work. I stopped using them years ago.

 

[HDRock]

If you have trouble with the Fiskars, Sledge n wedges or noodle em, OR pass it up

 

[JA600L]

Work from the out side in and you should be fine.

 

[Dune]

I have split retarded oak rounds, right down to the stump with the fiskars. You should have no trouble.

 

[bob95065]

I split everything by hand with a 8lb maul. Some forks go in the splitter. I have split rounds larger than 36" with no problems.

 

[JoeyD]

I have rolled 36" rounds but it would be best if you had some help. Unless it was close to my home I would try to get away with just taking the manageable pieces and leaving the really big stuff. That's not how I like to treat a person providing free wood and I would make sure they are fine with that but someone else is sure to come along and take anything you leave behind.

Now if I was behind on scrounging I might approach it differently.

 

[Andy S.]

Thanks for the feedback. I weighed all the work and the idea that it would be devoted for two years from now and decided to pass on it. Instead I spent the time splitting some more Pine and soft Maple as a "just in case" for this season.

 

[JA600L]

Thanks for the feedback. I weighed all the work and the idea that it would be devoted for two years from now and decided to pass on it. Instead I spent the time splitting some more Pine and soft Maple as a "just in case" for this season.

In all respect.. Have you lost your mind? Get the Oak and split it small single row stacked if you want it this year. Don't pass up Oak.

 

[Woody Stover]

36" isn't too bad if they're straight, but it is some work. As Brewmonster suggested, I might plunge-cut a couple of holes into the end so the wedges don't pop out. Once halved, the Fiskars will handle 'em.

Don't pass up Oak.

He says it would be for '16. I might be inclined to wait for a.) an easier Oak score, or b.) something that will dry quicker if he can't find any easy Oak later this year.

 

[Fred Wright]

Well.. I wouldn't pass up oak if there was a way to get it. Second the mention of a vertical option splitter on site. Rent one if need be. Bust the rounds enough to where you can lift 'em and wheelbarrow it out.

Took down a pin oak last winter, she was around 2' diameter. No way I can lift rounds that size, oak or otherwise. Noodled a bit and whacked 'em into quarters with the maul. The quarters I could lift and carry to the cart. Oak busts easily.

 

[JA600L]

I just think even if you split it into small pieces (for drying), oak is much better than soft Maple or Pine.

 

[Andy S.]

Have you lost your mind?

My wife and kids sure think so (but for the opposite reason). They think I'm nuts for all the effort I have put into scrounging wood. If this was a few months ago before I had a guy drop a cord of rounds at my house bucked and ready to split because it saved him a 1/2 hour trip to the mulch place I might do it. It is just too much work for me in this spot. The homeowner is very nice.If anyone in the Willow Grove area wants to private me their contact information I will be happy to get it to the homeowner. He definitely wants it gone and I know from speaking with him that several people have declined prior to me. That wood isn't going anywhere fast.

 

[tsquini]

You can get a vertical splitter just maneuvering them is nearly impossible at that size. Your best bet is an 8lbs maul and 2 wedges. Quarter them and then move them.

 

[JA600L]

[quote="Andy S., post:.If anyone in the Willow Grove area wants to private me their contact information I will be happy to get it to the homeowner. He definitely wants it gone and I know from speaking with him that several people have declined prior to me. That wood isn't going anywhere fast.[/quote]

It's funny you say that. I was just in Willow Grove area yesterday. I was working up near peddlers village. I hate traffic out there.

 

[northwinds]

I had a similar problem last year. I set the rounds on their side and rolled them to my trailer. I lifted the smaller ones on the trailer. I rolled the bigger ones on by rolling up on to the back edge of the trailer and then lifting and pushing on. Wasn't too bad, and I scored a bunch of oak from my daughter's friend's parents. My original plan, which was to split the rounds and then load, was going to take too long. They wanted the wood out immediately.

With big rounds, you just nibble around the edges with a maul or ax until the round isn't so big anymore. Works well for most rounds. If they have lots of knots or crooked grain, then add lots of swearing.

 

[D8Chumley]

It's funny you say that. I was just in Willow Grove area yesterday. I was working up near peddlers village. I hate traffic out there.

I hate traffic anywhere