Sycamore?

[D8Chumley]

The job I'm running turned out to be a bust for the firewood contrary to what my boss told me, but there is at least one big sycamore that will need to come down. In the building of the retention basin the root ball is exposed on the high side and the concern is it will blow down across the road and take out the power lines. Agreed, so we proposed the builder have an expert ( meaning NOT me haha) fell the tree into the job safely and myself and the hoe operator would take it home a truckload at a time.
I have heard/read it is not pleasant splitting but burns nice. Any recommendations? Split right away or let it season a few months? it will be for at least 15-16 if not later as I'm on the cusp of 3 yrs ahead ( yes, I said cusp lol). I just can't turn down free wood. Thanks in advance

 

[muncybob]

I've had no particular problems splitting. I split all my wood ASAP.

 

[D8Chumley]

I have split wood ASAP but I'm to the point I can wait until it's not A-hole hot out. I try to split in fall thru spring when it's cooler out since I'm ahead. I was just wondering if there's any benefit to splitting sycamore after it sits or should I do it right away

 

[Richie]

I would pass if you are ahead. It splits like a bear, burns up real fast and leaves lots of ashes.

 

[D8Chumley]

There's a maple that might have to go also. Maybe we can take some of each and I can split it a lil at a time and maybe mix it in with the other good stuff. I'm a wood whore I can't turn down free stuff haha! Especially if I can cut it during work

 

[Rickb]

I have tried sycamore...... We call it suckamore. That said It dries very very fast but burns fast. It was great for me last fall when my wood was so/so and I needed shoulder wood.

But my god hand slpitting it sucked. I will not get any more while I hand split.

 

[Paulywalnut]

I would never take that much sycamore hand splitting it if I didn't need it. But.... If you want it good luck, we didn't determine if you have a hydraulic right? That would take a lot of the work out of it for you.

 

[bassJAM]

I've heard sycamore is easier to split when it's seasoned, but I've never tried it when it's green so I can't compare. I do know it SUCKED splitting by hand! Once the rounds reached 16" or so, I could take off the outer 3" with the Fiskars, but it wouldn't touch the inner wood. I had to bust out the 8lb maul, wedges and a sledge to get though the inner wood. I actually still have 2 24" rounds outside from 2 years ago that I may never split, it's just too much work by hand. Maybe I'll noodle them just to get them out of the way.

That being said I did like having the limbs to burn, they were great to get fires going with, even unsplit.

 

[Fred Wright]

Yep, sycamore can be the devil to split when green. It makes for great campfire wood though.

 

[smokedragon]

+1 to sycamore being a real bear to split. It is in my top 5 toughest to split (especially if it is a big old tree). It is a decent wood to burn, but I wouldn't take it if you had to hand split it (unless you really like swinging a sledge hammer at wedges).

 

[Missouri Frontier]

question.....Sycamore? Answer.....NO! not great firewood + hard to split = avoid it.

 

[PA. Woodsman]

I like Sycamore, even though it can be a bear to split and doesn't throw a lot of heat, it burns nice and I do somewhat like the aroma to it. But you'll have to make your own decision about it-send it up the line to me, I'll take it

 

[D8Chumley]

I do have a hydraulic splitter but there's still the question if they are actually going to drop them or not. They are right on the property line and nobody wants to pay for a clearing guy to drop them. So I guess they will wait, and if they die they will have to come down. They are close to the proposed curb line and some of the root ball was exposed in excavating for the road. I have another week there and on to the next job so it might not even happen while I'm there regardless. Thanks for the replies, I did get about half pickup full of smaller stuff from a limb that broke. I'll give that a try for future reference

 

[Woody Stover]

I did get about half pickup full of smaller stuff from a limb that broke. I'll give that a try for future reference

That's what I've got; Maybe a couple stove loads from a limb that I'll stack soon, just to see how it burns. I remember from years ago that it wasn't fun to split...

 

[midwestcoast]

My experience: Hand splitting it = tough. Hydro splitting = no problem.
Dries fast. Burns about like Silver Maple. Certainly not primo stuff but not bad wood.

 

[wahoowad]

I'll never fool with sycamore. Once was enough. AVOID AVOID AVOID