Splitting new pine

[Stelcom66]

I know it's not ideal but I was given a few rounds of pine that fell from a storm less than a week before I started working with it. By far it was the worse case of the wedges getting stuck. I've spilt pine before that was several months old without trouble like I had yesterday. I'm going to use one round as a splitting block for now.

I moved the other in an area to work on next year. It wasn't as bad after I cut the round in half. Were the wedges likely getting stuck because the wood was relatively fresh? The knots in the one I'm now using as a splitting block didn't help.

 

[ABMax24]

I try to wait until green pine freezes to split it, splits much easier, the colder the better, it pops really nice at -40.

 

[Stelcom66]

Yea I'm thinking splitting it when it's frozen. But jeez - I respect you for splitting wood in that kind of temperature! It was in the low 60s here yesterday. Too warm for November and strange. I'm ready for winter.

 

[ABMax24]

Meh, you learn to dress for it, I like cold better than heat, cold you just keep adding more layers, in the heat there is only so many you can remove.

The other thing I'd suggest is using a splitting axe or maul, seems to work best for our softwoods, I don't know anyone here that uses wedges.

 

[EbS-P]

Fiskars maul works well on my southern pine to split the rounds. Then I switch to a lighter tool. When it gets stringy it’s not easy. I don’t split it small either. It dries fast so big splits are fine by me.

Meh, you learn to dress for it, I like cold better than heat, cold you just keep adding more layers, in the heat there is only so many you can remove.

The other thing I'd suggest is using a splitting axe or maul, seems to work best for our softwoods, I don't know anyone here that uses wedges.

 

[Stelcom66]

I have a Fiskars maul. Usually that's all I use unless the round is large in diameter. I also like cold better than heat. Much more comfortable in winter.

 

[Grizzerbear]

The only pine I ever come across is yard trees that have a chit load of limbs. I got one last year that I beat my brains out trying to hand split. The iso core would just bury in it and get stuck. So I put her to the side and used the hydraulic splitter later that season. There isnt much pine around my neck of the woods but I jump at the opportunity when it is available.

I try to wait until green pine freezes to split it, splits much easier, the colder the better, it pops really nice at -40.

Wow....I cant imagine even breathing at that temp.

 

[Stelcom66]

That's what I experienced - the Fiskars kept getting stuck. Of course after cutting it in half and then some it wasn't too bad.

Usually the Fiskars is great - off hand I don't know the model but it's only 6 lbs. I think it works better than my 8 lb maul. Then again - maybe sharper isn't better with new pine. The 8 lb maul isn't as sharp and may have worked better in this case.

 

[peakbagger]

When I had to hand split on a cold day I made darn sure I had layers on. If it was sunny day out I would be down to a long sleeve poly pro shirt in 15 minutes. Havent you heard "wood warms you up three times, warm when you cut it, warm when you stack it and warm when you burn it"

Green pine can be a sticky mess until it dries awhile.

 

[Zack R]

I burn 100% pine and its a bear to split when green, unless you are using a splitter.

The good news is that it seasons quickly once split, and if you split it by this spring it will be ready for next winter as long as you keep it dry.

 

[Sawset]

Green pine can be a sticky mess until it dries awhile.

We have very few pines here. The few I have cut - yes to that on waiting for the sap to dry.

 

[Bad LP]

I try to wait until green pine freezes to split it, splits much easier, the colder the better, it pops really nice at -40.

Celsius or Fahrenheit?

 

[Zack R]

Celsius or Fahrenheit?

Funny enough, -40C = -40F

 

[Stelcom66]

Havent you heard "wood warms you up three times, warm when you cut it, warm when you stack it and warm when you burn it"

Green pine can be a sticky mess until it dries awhile.

Yes I've heard it and have spilt wood when it's been in the teens and was fine. -40 sounds like an extreme no matter how you look at it.
The lowest I've ever experienced I think was -10.

Yes this pine was very green.

I burn 100% pine and its a bear to split when green, unless you are using a splitter.

The good news is that it seasons quickly once split, and if you split it by this spring it will be ready for next winter as long as you keep it dry.

Whenever I'm told I shouldn't burn pine I mention you guys in the Pacific northwest - you seem to do fine with it. Pine definitely seems to season quickly compared to some other trees.

 

[Stelcom66]

Funny enough, -40C = -40F

Interesting fact! I just put in the numbers on an online Celsius to Fahrenheit converter.

 

[Zack R]

For reference these pine logs were freshly cut in April 2020, I split and stacked them (uncovered) in May 2020 and now they are dry and burning nice and clean for winter 2020/2021.

One major caveat is that it's much drier here in central Oregon than it is most other places, so the wood can reliably dry well over the summer.

 

[Stelcom66]

Wow that is a nice scene. If I knew 35 years ago when I decided on a house that I'd own a wood stove I would have tried to get something with woods. That's great in a bit over half a year you've got wood suitable for the stove. And re: dryer in Oregon - New England has it's triple H (Hazy Hot & Humid) days in the summer that I could do without. Not conducive for seasoning wood. At least it's cooling down now.

I have a pine tree that's not looking good. If/when I decide to have it taken down (don't have the means or experience to do it myself) I'll ask
the crew to cut the larger pieces to around 20" and leave them. That's what I had them do with a tree I had taken down 11 months ago. While not ideally seasoned - it's adequate and I'm burning it now.

 

[WoodBurnerInWI]

Whenever I'm told I shouldn't burn pine I mention you guys in the Pacific northwest - you seem to do fine with it. Pine definitely seems to season quickly compared to some other trees.

Yup, nothing wrong with pine. Currently burning Eastern White pine with or without cherry and so far zero issues. Great wood for days that are warmer than you'd like but you don't want to shut down the stove. Even the sappy pieces work just fine, that crap seems to burn off the pine pieces before I even engage the catalyst. I cut my pine with a splitter so I prefer to get it around this time of year and keeping it as dry as you can it will be fine to burn by October.

 

[Stelcom66]

Good to hear from another where 'Pine is fine'. Another plus for it is being good enough for the stove in less than a year.

 

[Nate R]

Were the wedges likely getting stuck because the wood was relatively fresh?

I think yes.
I've got 4 acres of 60 year old red pine. I'm learning that it can be tough to split when green, sometimes nearly impossible. If I let the rounds sit a bit, it splits much more easily. I'm also learning that my red pine will NOT dry left out in the open (in the woods), seems to absorb rainwater too readily. I need to get it under a roof! Woodshed coming in 2021.....