So I'm starting to split my wood for next year and the year after. I have about 3-4 cords of oak, black cherry, and ash that has been bucked to 16-18" long rounds. They've been hanging out for almost a year.
The cherry was TOUGH! My 5lb maul litterally bounced off of the 6-12" rounds. My X25 Super Splitter was not very effective either. It took about 3 swings just to get it to embed into the cherry! Finally once it stuck I was able to pound it with a sledge hammer to drive it in. It still look about a dozen whacks of the sledge to split it!
The ash was equally touch but in a different way. It was stringy! Even though the wood split after a few whacks, I had to drive the maul all the way through the split to break through the stringyness.
And Oak....well it is just plain tough. After a few whacks from the heavy maul it basically explodes into two pieces.
Okay, so I'm done ranting. But for future reference does black cherry, oak, and ash like to be split fresh or after its had some time to sit and think? Any suggestions for the future?
If all my wood would split like maple I would be happy as can be!
The cherry was TOUGH! My 5lb maul litterally bounced off of the 6-12" rounds. My X25 Super Splitter was not very effective either. It took about 3 swings just to get it to embed into the cherry! Finally once it stuck I was able to pound it with a sledge hammer to drive it in. It still look about a dozen whacks of the sledge to split it!
The ash was equally touch but in a different way. It was stringy! Even though the wood split after a few whacks, I had to drive the maul all the way through the split to break through the stringyness.
And Oak....well it is just plain tough. After a few whacks from the heavy maul it basically explodes into two pieces.
Okay, so I'm done ranting. But for future reference does black cherry, oak, and ash like to be split fresh or after its had some time to sit and think? Any suggestions for the future?
If all my wood would split like maple I would be happy as can be!