Need some splitting advice

[SterlingSL]

I found some free fresh cut oak on CL. Some of the rounds are getting close to 36" across. I've tried my wedge & sledge but it's just laughing at me and bouncing my wedge out making me pick it up every time. My maul can't even get through the smaller rounds. Probably because I'm new at all this.

I can't justify a $1K splitter. But I have found some cheaper bottle splitters online. Is that something I could use to get through these massive rounds? I barely got the things in my truck. I had to winch and slide them up two 4x4s as they weigh probably 400-500 lbs. I can barely turn them over on the ground. There won't be much lifting these things until I get some weight cut off them.

Some options I'm looking at:
- manual bottle splitter
- slide hammer splitter (reviews I see on the anaconda indicate it won't do the job)
- ?

Not opposed to work as I'll probably go at these a few rounds at a time. I love going out for a few wacks at the wood pile.

 

[Woody5506]

What kind of maul are you using? I've personally never split oak rounds that big but can you work from the outsides in? That's what i'd try. Forget the wedges.

 

[SterlingSL]

The maul I'm using is something I picked up a Lowes/HD 10-15 years ago. Heavy and hard to use. I actually looked for the brand on it but can't find it. I'm going to pick up the Fiskars X27. However I'm pretty sure I may need to get some hydraulic help to get through these big base pieces. I hate to resort to chain sawing them down the middle but may have to. My chainsaw is a 16 inch and when I make a cut on both sides I have to use the wedge to finish breaking them apart.

 

[lsucet]

I found some free fresh cut oak on CL. Some of the rounds are getting close to 36" across. I've tried my wedge & sledge but it's just laughing at me and bouncing my wedge out making me pick it up every time. My maul can't even get through the smaller rounds. Probably because I'm new at all this.

I can't justify a $1K splitter. But I have found some cheaper bottle splitters online. Is that something I could use to get through these massive rounds? I barely got the things in my truck. I had to winch and slide them up two 4x4s as they weigh probably 400-500 lbs. I can barely turn them over on the ground. There won't be much lifting these things until I get some weight cut off them.

Some options I'm looking at:
- manual bottle splitter
- slide hammer splitter (reviews I see on the anaconda indicate it won't do the job)
- ?

Not opposed to work as I'll probably go at these a few rounds at a time. I love going out for a few wacks at the wood pile.

Try the Fiskars x27. There are lots of videos showing people splitting oak with it and they love it. I have one and love it but i am from softwood country.lol

 

[Woody5506]

I have the Fiskars x27 and a Stihl maul (not the pro maul) and they both shine in different aspects. The Fiskars is great when you have a good quantity of easy splitting straight grained wood. Most of what I do is done with the Stihl maul though. That extra weight really helps to crack stubborn rounds I've had trouble getting to with the x27. My back deals with the Stihl maul bouncing off a round better than the x27 for some reason.

 

[SterlingSL]

Been watching a lot of splitting videos on youtube. Looks like a lot of people are splitting dry wood. This stuff I have is as green as it gets. Live tree just two days ago...

 

[iron]

chainsaw into quarters. then split.

or, try to slab off the edges to reduce the diameter a bit, then give it some whacks to get a centerline split like you're probably currently trying.

 

[Montanalocal]

You can put the tip of your chainsaw down into the rounds and cut down a few inches. That usually keeps the wedges from bouncing out. You should have 3-4 wedges handy to go through the really big ones.

 

[Jeffm1]

chainsaw into quarters. then split.

or, try to slab off the edges to reduce the diameter a bit, then give it some whacks to get a centerline split like you're probably currently trying.

What he said. If that still doesn't work you will have to let them sit in the sun and wind a dry out somemore. Then make another go at it in 6 months or so and see what happens then.

 

[TheBigIron]

I had some rounds like that and let them sit in the sun for 2 months and went back at it with wedges on the outside and worked my way in. That extra time in the sun worked for me.

 

[Hasufel]

I use grenades because they're easier to start and less likely to bounce out:

But on some super tough oak rounds even these weren't doing any good going into the face. For those I had better luck pounding wedges into the side of the round--aiming for a natural split, starting near one end, opening up a crack, then working my way down with more wedges/grenades. It wasn't the easiest thing in the world but eventually I was able to split everything down to a movable size. Something to consider if the other recommendations above don't work. Oak is worth the extra effort. Good luck!

 

[fishki]

Can you just rent a splitter that tips vertical? I don't think daily rates are that high.

 

[HisTreeNut]

A local place near me rents wood splitters for about $60.00 per day. We rented it on Friday afternoon and did not have to return it until Monday morning. Got three days for the price of one. Something to think about.

 

[CincyBurner]

Take tension out of the round by slab splitting by splitting your way around the perimeter of the log (you can use these to cover tops of the stacks).
OR split into quarters. That usually makes it manageable. First try with a maul. Carefully read the face of the round looking for good cracks, then take tension out of the round by striking-a-line: far side, near side, far side, in between; all in line with the crack. Keep striking in a line along the crack. Just a little bit off the mark makes difference. Listen for a decreasing change in pitch with subsequent strikes until you hear that happy "thunk".

I use a combination of Fiskars X-27 splitting axe, and Stihl Pro maul. Both have their place, with plenty of overlap, but like the heavier Stihl maul for stringier, tougher rounds, the Fiskars is easier for prolonged splitting sessions.
Make sure you allow your top hand to slide on the handle on the recovery/ return. Allow your sliding hand to slide and meet your stationary hand on the power stroke. Don't keep both hands stationary on the butt of the handle during the recovery (shoulder injury). I've actually seen some people on YouTube vids attempt to recover with both hands on the butt of the handle.

Clear oak rounds should split easily - red and white oak easy, pin oak and bur oak less so with their epicormic branching. Open grown trees are sometimes tough to split - more limbs and gnarly grain. Set the rounds with knots aside to noodle and/ or split with a wedge. Really big rounds are sometimes just really tough.

 

[saewoody]

Lots of good advice. I split some 36" rounds this fall. On a erae they were about 27-30" tall. What a bear. The wedge with the four side would go in about an inch or so and the bounce out about a foot every time. I gave up on that. Went to a standard wedge after that. I worked towards the edges and split them into quarters. It took multiple wedge because of the tall rounds. One wedge would get buried, so I would need to start another. This was after a year of the rounds sitting in the yard. Best of luck. Just keep at it and they will go eventually.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[FaithfulWoodsman]

Must be some knarly stuff as oak usually splits pretty well for me. Use a good maul to chip away from the outside til it can be cracked down the middle or rent a splitter, with the money. Nice score.

 

[TonyC1]

Lots of good advice. I split some 36" rounds this fall. On a erae they were about 27-30" tall. What a bear. The wedge with the four side would go in about an inch or so and the bounce out about a foot every time. I gave up on that. Went to a standard wedge after that. I worked towards the edges and split them into quarters. It took multiple wedge because of the tall rounds. One wedge would get buried, so I would need to start another. This was after a year of the rounds sitting in the yard. Best of luck. Just keep at it and they will go eventually.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Saw them in half & only split first piece about 4 inches from the edge...amazing how much easier the rest will split.

 

[weatherguy]

I had a few cords of huge oak like you have, I did half with a fiskars and half with a used electric splitter I bought. The red oak split nice, the white oak was a bear, stringy and tough.

 

[woodhog73]

You could use your saw to partially cut the piece in half. Just putting the round bark side down and cutting 3 or 4 inches deep into the side of the split will make it easier. When you hit it with the maul the wood has somewhere to move a little. No need to cut them completely in half. Just a few inches deep should help you get that first big split in the round. Then it's downhill from that point.

 

[sportbikerider78]

I have a brand new Fiskars. Some of the oak that I was splitting last weekend, literally made the fiskars bounce off the top. Like I was hitting a rubber block. I'm about 5'10" 210lbs. I can swing an maul. No luck.

I wanted a workout, but yielded and got the splitter out.

 

[mstoelton]

you will likely need hydraulic assistance with those big oak rounds.

 

[Oldman47]

If you are going to attack a 30 inch round, noodle it to make it a smaller round. An X-27 will bounce right off that 30 inch round and so will the heavier 8 lb. Fiskars isocore. If you don't want to spend as much time noodling, just get an inch deep or so with your chain saw and then use several standard wedges to make your split.

 

[Chas0218]

I found some free fresh cut oak on CL. Some of the rounds are getting close to 36" across. I've tried my wedge & sledge but it's just laughing at me and bouncing my wedge out making me pick it up every time. My maul can't even get through the smaller rounds. Probably because I'm new at all this.

I can't justify a $1K splitter. But I have found some cheaper bottle splitters online. Is that something I could use to get through these massive rounds? I barely got the things in my truck. I had to winch and slide them up two 4x4s as they weigh probably 400-500 lbs. I can barely turn them over on the ground. There won't be much lifting these things until I get some weight cut off them.

Some options I'm looking at:
- manual bottle splitter
- slide hammer splitter (reviews I see on the anaconda indicate it won't do the job)
- ?

Not opposed to work as I'll probably go at these a few rounds at a time. I love going out for a few wacks at the wood pile.

This past summer i was splitting 36" ash rounds with my "grenade wedge" and 8lbs. maul. Start by trying to take a 6" semi circle off the edge and work your way in. If there are knots i just got my chainsaw out and started a slot where i wanted to split it. My wedge was also bouncing back out but that is because the wood is still very green. The dryer the wood got the less the wedge wanted to bounce out. Keep at it they will split.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[splions]

This past summer i was splitting 36" ash rounds with my "grenade wedge" and 8lbs. maul. Start by trying to take a 6" semi circle off the edge and work your way in. If there are knots i just got my chainsaw out and started a slot where i wanted to split it. My wedge was also bouncing back out but that is because the wood is still very green. The dryer the wood got the less the wedge wanted to bounce out. Keep at it they will split.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Good advice...your maul strike doesn't need to be in the center to start the splitting process...work your way in. Use a very sharp maul like the Fiskars. I prefer splitting oak when it is very green...seems to split easier for me.