Got a free 18" red oak log that has been dead for quite a while. The first inch is rotten. The biscuit eater is heck to split with a godevil or maul. Any tips besides a hydraulic splitter.
Tips on spliting red oak
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Why not just cut it with your saw? Cut it lengthwise along the bark. I do that to my elm quite a bit...it's like splitting an anvil and I have a gas splitter.
Cut it in 16 inch lenghts and smack those suckers with a maul a few times (hitting them in the same place) and watch them fly. Red Oak is one of the easiest woods to split I have found.
Any wood that you can't get to split down the middle, you just start splitting slabs off of it around the sides. That releases the tension in the middle and you can then finish off the round.
Unless you are trying to split a "crotch" in the tree or where a limb was growing out of it. For that you either need a hydraulic splitter, a quantity of C-4 plastic explosive or that big dude (Richard Kiel) that pounded on the rock with Clint Eastwood in the movie Pale Rider.
Unless you are trying to split a "crotch" in the tree or where a limb was growing out of it. For that you either need a hydraulic splitter, a quantity of C-4 plastic explosive or that big dude (Richard Kiel) that pounded on the rock with Clint Eastwood in the movie Pale Rider.
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I have always found that the best way to split a stubborn log is to get pissed off at it. Be very careful not to miss and hit your feet. But this method hardly ever fails to work for me (I am on the large side, though).
Pete
Pete
That was my thought. Is there something I don't know about this log? All the red oak I split almost falls apart with a tap of the axe.
As a kid when I had to split Red Oak, I always remember it being one of the easiest to split. Perhaps it has something to do with it being dead and dried out? I always remember splitting it green and not dead. I have two one-year old dead ones down the road given to me. I hope I don't have any problems like that.
Yea, it'll split once i get it to crack but thats the trouble. Its about 18-20 thick if not more. The maul just leaves a blade mark in it. Lots of water in it maybe?
oilstinks said:
Hit it on the edge. It sound like you are trying to nail it in the middle. If that doesn't work, BB said it best (work the edges).
Also - speed is more important than power. I forget the exact formula, but hitting it faster is better than slower with a lot of grunt.
Something about power being inversely proportional to velocity?? - where are the physics majors?
Something about power being inversely proportional to velocity?? - where are the physics majors?
newton's second F=ma force=mass x acceleration That the one? I am hitting it opn the edges. It wont come apart all the time Its about like splitting hickory!
I bought a nice little splitting axe at HD. looks kinda like an ax but has a wedge like appendage on either side. I'm not a 300lb gorilla but,I have not found a piece of red oak it will not split....and I split 24-36 inch rounds with only a few wacks.
Mike
Mike
I just scored a couple dozen rounds that are about 18" in diameter. The wedge and sledge have done a good job of quartering them. After that it's not too hard to use the maul.
oilstinks said:
If it's fresh and green the best and easiest way i've found to split it is to leave it propped up off the ground for a couple days until the face dries out. You can then get a wedge/maul in there without it jumping out at ya. Start on the edge and work inwards. Other than that, oak is a piece o' cake to split.
I also think red oad is one of the easiest. But it being dried out will make it a little harder and depending on the piece itself. Like was said earlier, use speed and go back n forth from the center to the edge. If you see any nots near the top, flip it over and repeat.
I agree with others that Red Oak and Oak in general is some easy splitting wood, at least until you come upon a knot.
Here's what a buddy and I went after this past week end. Red Oak that's been down since last July. We got most of the smaller tree limbs etc split last year and left these huge rounds until this year. Boy was that splitter a welcomed friend... Looking forward to burning this in our Lopi Declaration this winter and saying bye bye to the oil guy.
- MarkC.
Here's what a buddy and I went after this past week end. Red Oak that's been down since last July. We got most of the smaller tree limbs etc split last year and left these huge rounds until this year. Boy was that splitter a welcomed friend... Looking forward to burning this in our Lopi Declaration this winter and saying bye bye to the oil guy.
- MarkC.
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You could have a "knot" that you can't see.
As others have said- knock off the edges until it's small enough to get thru the door or split in the middle.
The relevant formaula is Energy= Mass X velocity X velocity.
This meanns that if you get a maul head 33% heavier ( 8lb v 6lb) you'll hit 33% harder. But if you can accellerate the head of your 6 lb maul with a smooth swing 33% faster you'll hit 77% harder.
As others have said- knock off the edges until it's small enough to get thru the door or split in the middle.
The relevant formaula is Energy= Mass X velocity X velocity.
This meanns that if you get a maul head 33% heavier ( 8lb v 6lb) you'll hit 33% harder. But if you can accellerate the head of your 6 lb maul with a smooth swing 33% faster you'll hit 77% harder.
If your trying to split across a knot it's difficult regardless of the type of wood. Cut into 16-18" pieces first. Split parallel to or in center any knots. If it's aged some- look for small cracks that are showing and aim maul at those as this is how the wood wants to split. Try to place all blows in a straight line from edge to center. Somtimes turning the piece over and working other the other end gets better results. If that fails cut a 1-2" deep grove in the end of the log and stick a 6-8lb wedge in it. Heavier wedge is better. As said before taking some off sides can be helpful in lessening resistance.
Here's what I do with stubborn, large, rounds.
Set that bad boy on end, and instead of hittin' it with the axe/maul or whatever ya got, get the chainsaw, and cut a nice groove down the center of that bad boy, go in about 4 or 6 inches, then pull out the chainsaw and pound into that cut with your maul, that should do it. If not, cut deeper with the chainsaw.
I do this with elm and it works good, though I follow the chainsaw cut with a wedge and sledgehammer.
Set that bad boy on end, and instead of hittin' it with the axe/maul or whatever ya got, get the chainsaw, and cut a nice groove down the center of that bad boy, go in about 4 or 6 inches, then pull out the chainsaw and pound into that cut with your maul, that should do it. If not, cut deeper with the chainsaw.
I do this with elm and it works good, though I follow the chainsaw cut with a wedge and sledgehammer.
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