logs kickin my butt

[javier]

Had some fun hand splitting some logs today...until I got spanked by a nice fat Y. Any advice on the best way to go at these beast. It seemed like every way I went at it, it was held together by some stringy devil. White oak that was just taken down about a week ago.

 

[Bubbavh]

Had some fun hand splitting some logs today...until I got spanked by a nice fat Y. Any advice on the best way to go at these beast. It seemed like every way I went at it, it was held together by some stringy devil. White oak that was just taken down about a week ago.

Hydraulics!

 

[smokinj]

Cut it with a saw.

 

[Captain Hornet]

Actually they are not too bad with a sledge and wedges. Start with the piece upside down, with the wide Y bottom part up. Set the wedge so the split well be along the widest part of the branch forks. You want the split to be in the middle of both forks. This well be at right angles to the crotch. I usually get them to split with one wedge, but sometimes it takes two. If you try from the top of the log or in the crotch, it'll eat your lunch. David

 

[Snag]

I've got a stack of those behind the barn. There's nothing "purdy-er" than a big hunk of wood like that burning away in the fire ring on a cool fall evening... how lovely the flames look as they lick up the half split twisty bits, dangling off the sides and going off in all directions. It's like campfire art.

 

[peterc38]

Cut it with a saw.

+1

 

[maplewood]

Actually they are not too bad with a sledge and wedges. Start with the piece upside down, with the wide Y bottom part up. Set the wedge so the split well be along the widest part of the branch forks. You want the split to be in the middle of both forks. This well be at right angles to the crotch. I usually get them to split with one wedge, but sometimes it takes two. If you try from the top of the log or in the crotch, it'll eat your lunch. David

+1. You are going to have some wide pieces, but it'll dry.
Sometimes a crack is as good as a split - it still opens up and dries. As long as the stove door will take it, one or two large pieces can still be magically transformed into ashes.

 

[SolarAndWood]

Sometimes a crack is as good as a split - it still opens up and dries. As long as the stove door will take it, one or two large pieces can still be magically transformed into ashes.

Shoulder season is uglies season around here. We rarely burn anything stackable before the snow starts to pile up.

 

[quads]

Had some fun hand splitting some logs today...until I got spanked by a nice fat Y. Any advice on the best way to go at these beast. It seemed like every way I went at it, it was held together by some stringy devil. White oak that was just taken down about a week ago.

Nothin' to it! From my splitting video collection, Black Oak, but I also split White Oak the same way. I normally don't cut a 'Y' like this (I cut one side off even with the trunk), but did this time just for the video. Tip the 'Y' upside down from the way the tree grew and split it across both sides, like I did here, and you will end up with two fan-shaped splits, which can then easily be split into smaller pieces:

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[Jags]

Nothin' to it! From my splitting video collection, Black Oak.....

Hmmm....this is giving me some ideas Quads. I'm thinking...

Hand spitting 101 - in full illustration.
The ABC's of the Y's

And for those in need of a therapy session:

Quads - Just whack the sucker.

 

[javier]

I told it last night after it put me to bed that I was going to come back with my saw. I think that is what i will do. I put one down the middle, and it eventually split. But then tried to make it a quarter, not happening. Not even with 2 wedges. Chain time.

 

[Slow1]

I told it last night after it put me to bed that I was going to come back with my saw. I think that is what i will do. I put one down the middle, and it eventually split. But then tried to make it a quarter, not happening. Not even with 2 wedges. Chain time.

After laying the Y flat in halves I've had to sometimes hit it from the flat side (vs the end as is 'normal' for splitting). This way I can hit the vulnerable part of the grain directly. This seems to work well for me on some pieces - generally after taking the easy parts off the log (the straight grain bits away from the Y).

Like others have implied though, the objective isn't really a nice to stack piece - rather just getting it down small enough to fit in the stove and split enough to dry. I do have to remind myself of this over and over again as most of the pieces I split I plan for nice rectangular easy to stack pieces so when I get to these uglies it is hard to not try and force it to split where I want it split rather than just going with the flow to break it down just small enough.

Also - I REALLY need a firepit

 

[quads]

Nothin' to it! From my splitting video collection, Black Oak.....

Hmmm....this is giving me some ideas Quads. I'm thinking...

Hand spitting 101 - in full illustration.
The ABC's of the Y's

And for those in need of a therapy session:

Quads - Just whack the sucker.

Ha ha! As you already know, I have many splitting illustrations! You could check out my YouTube channel, but all the non-firewood videos mixed in would bore you to death.

 

[Jags]

Nothin' to it! From my splitting video collection, Black Oak.....

Hmmm....this is giving me some ideas Quads. I'm thinking...

Hand spitting 101 - in full illustration.
The ABC's of the Y's

And for those in need of a therapy session:

Quads - Just whack the sucker.

Ha ha! As you already know, I have many splitting illustrations! You could check out my YouTube channel, but all the non-firewood videos mixed in would bore you to death.

Oh, not for ME - It would be for SALE!

I have used hydraulics for the last many years. I would have to go looking for my axe if I actually wanted to use it. ;-)

 

[ChrisNJ]

Actually they are not too bad with a sledge and wedges. Start with the piece upside down, with the wide Y bottom part up. Set the wedge so the split well be along the widest part of the branch forks. You want the split to be in the middle of both forks. This well be at right angles to the crotch. I usually get them to split with one wedge, but sometimes it takes two. If you try from the top of the log or in the crotch, it'll eat your lunch. David

+1 thats how I do it, I amaze friends and family with my ability to split such things LOL. sad but true.

 

[gpcollen1]

Had some fun hand splitting some logs today...until I got spanked by a nice fat Y. Any advice on the best way to go at these beast. It seemed like every way I went at it, it was held together by some stringy devil. White oak that was just taken down about a week ago.

Nothin' to it! From my splitting video collection, Black Oak, but I also split White Oak the same way. I normally don't cut a 'Y' like this (I cut one side off even with the trunk), but did this time just for the video.

Amen to that quads. My buddy was busting my chops when we were loading our truck and trailer full of Norway Maple. I was cutting all the little butt ends and Y ends off flush with my saw. This is just for stacking and splitting purposes - but mostly for stacking. MAkes it much easier.

 

[Slow1]

Had some fun hand splitting some logs today...until I got spanked by a nice fat Y. Any advice on the best way to go at these beast. It seemed like every way I went at it, it was held together by some stringy devil. White oak that was just taken down about a week ago.

Nothin' to it! From my splitting video collection, Black Oak, but I also split White Oak the same way. I normally don't cut a 'Y' like this (I cut one side off even with the trunk), but did this time just for the video.

Amen to that quads. My buddy was busting my chops when we were loading our truck and trailer full of Norway Maple. I was cutting all the little butt ends and Y ends off flush with my saw. This is just for stacking and splitting purposes - but mostly for stacking. MAkes it much easier.

I can say I much rather cut my own for this very reason. However much of what I've acquired lately has been cut already. Nice in a way - but more work to split (weird Y's to deal with) and whoever has been doing this cutting can't seem to cut two pieces anywhere near the same length. Now I don't mind an inch or two, but having them range from 12-22", come on! Not to mention that I have a growing pile of re-cuts of those that are too long for my stove.

 

[ANeat]

Javier if youre anywhere east of cincinnati you can get the stuff thats easy to process
(broken link removed)

 

[Ratman]

Actually they are not too bad with a sledge and wedges. Start with the piece upside down, with the wide Y bottom part up. Set the wedge so the split well be along the widest part of the branch forks. You want the split to be in the middle of both forks. This well be at right angles to the crotch. I usually get them to split with one wedge, but sometimes it takes two. If you try from the top of the log or in the crotch, it'll eat your lunch. David

David you win....best answer if you don't have splitter. Always works for me this way.

Actually Quads wins with the same technique but he has video too...
Freakin' Quads showin' us up again...almost as bad as Zap.
Going back to my lousy rusty wheelbarrel and split handled axe.

 

[quads]

Actually they are not too bad with a sledge and wedges. Start with the piece upside down, with the wide Y bottom part up. Set the wedge so the split well be along the widest part of the branch forks. You want the split to be in the middle of both forks. This well be at right angles to the crotch. I usually get them to split with one wedge, but sometimes it takes two. If you try from the top of the log or in the crotch, it'll eat your lunch. David

David you win....best answer if you don't have splitter. Always works for me this way.

Actually Quads wins with the same technique but he has video too...
Freakin' Quads showin' us up again...almost as bad as Zap.
Going back to my lousy rusty wheelbarrel and split handled axe.

Ha ha! No, don't do that! At least put a coat of paint on the wheelbarrow and some electrical tape on the ax handle.

 

[Ratman]

Hijacked...
Are my splits too large?

 

[javier]

Javier if youre anywhere east of cincinnati you can get the stuff thats easy to process
(broken link removed)

not terribly far from me. What is the price for a load of it?

 

[ANeat]

not terribly far from me. What is the price for a load of it?

$30.00 and they load it with a front end loader

 

[javier]

Is that oak?

 

[ANeat]

Is that oak?

Its mostly oak with some poplar, hickory and I think there is even a little cherry.