Some scrounged wood photos!

[Abhoth]

Here ya go ... another CL scrounge. Managed to get this pine yesterday, sized and stacked today... now it sits for the winter to be split in the spring and burnt next winter, possibly. And I sure am tired, fresh cut pine ... read that as very heavy!!

 

[smokinj]

Good score now its time to splitt

 

[LLigetfa]

The sooner split the better but I think he wants the sticky sap to dry a bit first. Don't wait until Spring though, do it in the cold of Winter when you don't sweat as much.

 

[Todd]

Split it now so it has a full year to dry out.

 

[Abhoth]

Split shmidt! You boys get on over here and take a whack! Was looking to split it a bit, at least in half, for the added drying surface. So I took the Fiskars super splitter out ... walked over to a likely subject and puffed all up. WHACK, right in the center... I've never seen the Fiskars jump quite that high! WHACK!, another shot trying to edge it... bounce! Took another 4 or 5 cracks at it and no.... very bouncy... moisture pooling in the wound. Although I might take LLigetfa's advice and take a whack at it once winter gets going and it's got a nice chill on it for sure. There is one that is split you might notice, chainsaw did that.

 

[myzamboni]

Split shmidt! You boys get on over here and take a whack! Was looking to split it a bit, at least in half, for the added drying surface. So I took the Fiskars super splitter out ... walked over to a likely subject and puffed all up. WHACK, right in the center... I've never seen the Fiskars jump quite that high! WHACK!, another shot trying to edge it... bounce! Took another 4 or 5 cracks at it and no.... very bouncy... moisture pooling in the wound. Although I might take LLigetfa's advice and take a whack at it once winter gets going and it's got a nice chill on it for sure. There is one that is split you might notice, chainsaw did that.

You can't start in the center on green pine with the Fiskars. You need to hit parallel to the grain about 4" from the edge and work your way around.

 

[Abhoth]

No doubt myzamboni... tried it. Always try the edge, bouncy... These were huge healthy pines that had just been cut and they were wet, dripping, soggy... they'll split with a machine and that's all, guaranteed. I'll be letting it season a bit and wait for cooler weather no doubt.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Split shmidt! You boys get on over here and take a whack! Was looking to split it a bit, at least in half, for the added drying surface. So I took the Fiskars super splitter out ... walked over to a likely subject and puffed all up. WHACK, right in the center... I've never seen the Fiskars jump quite that high! WHACK!, another shot trying to edge it... bounce! Took another 4 or 5 cracks at it and no.... very bouncy... moisture pooling in the wound. Although I might take LLigetfa's advice and take a whack at it once winter gets going and it's got a nice chill on it for sure. There is one that is split you might notice, chainsaw did that.

You can't start in the center on green pine with the Fiskars. You need to hit parallel to the grain about 4" from the edge and work your way around.

Right on!

 

[Ratman]

Pine!
OMG
Vanessa would be pissed!
j/k
Nice score if you like pine.

 

[Skier76]

I have the same issue when splitting greener pine...or really large rounds. If I hit the center, the maul will bounce back. I'm always a bit careful on the first hit or two. I don't come at it 100% for fear it may come back really far... As mentioned, starting at the edges help. I'll also rotate the log 90 degrees between hits. Seems to help. Oh, wear gloves too when dealing with pine. No sap on your hands.

 

[TreePapa]

I had some pine like that earlier this year. I split most of it w/ a rented splitter. The sap (not pitch, sap) just oozed out of it as the wedge came down. They also have a pretty twisted grain, making splitting even more fun.

There were a few pieces left over when I returned the splitter, and I've taken a crack at those with the ax, the "super splitter" (True Temper, not Fiskars) and even with Thumper (mega maul clone). Some of them (shorter and smaller) split okay w/ the super splitter. Others resisted even Thumpers tender care. If I hit 'em in the center, Thumper just bounced right back. But working around the edges wasn't a piece of cake, either. Most of the time, if I find the right spot and pound at it long enough with Thumper, it eventually gives way, and after the first split, it's a bit easir, but not alway. Right now there's a round that started as about 14" diameter and 22" length. I've managed to split off about 60-percent of it, but the rest of it won't budge not matter how much tender loving care Thumper shows it. Prolly don't help that there's a bole (branch) toward the bottom of the log and going right through. That one will prolly have to wait until the next time I rent a splitter.

I do find that on most pine, if I let it season in the round for a few months, it's much easier to split. Most, but not all.

Not all pine is created equal.

Peace,
- Sequoia

 

[Abhoth]

Yeah, I'd agree there TreePapa... not all pine's created equal and give it a few months of seasoning in the round prior to any serious splitting attempt.

 

[Abhoth]

Pine!
OMG
Vanessa would be pissed!
j/k
Nice score if you like pine.

Do not fear the Pine Ratman ... nicely seasoned it'll save your back & keep you warm. ;-)

 

[Skier76]

I've found the longer the round is, the more difficult it is to split. Although, the longer round usually have a branch or two sticking out of them.

I find that rounds 16" or so long seem to pop open pretty easily after a few hits.