Why the fear of splitting large rounds?

[Backwoods Savage]

So many times over and over we see people who seem to think that the diameter of the log determines whether it is easy or hard to split. I am just wondering why people think this is so.

If a log that is, say, 12" diameter and it can be split with one or two blows with a splitting maul or axe vs that same type of wood in a 48" diameter, why would that 48" diameter split harder than the 12" piece? Of course you may have to hit a couple more times with the splitter of your choice, but what is the difference between, say, hitting the 12" one time vs, hitting the 48" 3 times? Naturally you have to hit the larger piece more times but you are splitting much more wood. But does that mean it splits harder? I say no. What do you say?

 

[NitroDave]

Because picking up a 12" round is ALOT easier than picking up a 48" round.

 

[quads]

I like the big rounds better! From my experience with oak, the bigger they are the easier they usually split. It's just that you have to hit them more times overall because there's more wood in them. Which is another reason why I like them; getting more wood from a single round. Sometimes the smaller ones can be a real bugger to get them to bust open. Of course sometimes you'll get a big one with a crotch or some knots in it that's harder to split, but that happens more often with the smaller limb wood and tops.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Because picking up a 12" round is ALOT easier than picking up a 48" round.

Quick and easy solution: do not pick them up until after they are split.

 

[quads]

Because picking up a 12" round is ALOT easier than picking up a 48" round.

I never pick up a round. Cut the tree, tip the rounds on end where they lay, and split. Toss splits in trailer and haul to woodpile.

 

[Corey]

Probably the same splitters who only know of the 'classic' splitting method - hit the wood directly in the center (ie left-to-right center) and slightly offset toward the user in the fore/back center. When you do that, the axe blow only has to cleave 12 inches of wood in the case of your small split, but would have to tear through 48 inches in your second case. So the bigger round is indeed harder to split.

But, if a person were to start taking slabs off the circumference of the 48 inch round it would split fairly easy - maybe even easier than the 12 inch round down the center.

 

[firefighterjake]

I say I like splitting up large wood . . . more wood per piece . . . of course it also helps that I have a hydraulic splitter. Cutting up the larger wood into rounds . . . I don't care for as much. For me, the perfect sized tree is between 12-20 inches in diameter -- easy enough to handle, but I get quite a few splits out of it. That said, I don't discriminate -- I'll cut down smaller trees when needed and larger trees.

 

[Hurricane]

I like the larger rounds because there is more heart wood. I think the heart wood burns better all around and you can get the pieces cut into better shapes and sizes from larger rounds. I am with backwoods that you do not try to pickup the large ones but split them in place. I have been known to split rounds into quarters to get them into my truck so I can bring them home and finish splitting. A few wedges a maul and some know how is all it takes.

 

[smokinj]

Because picking up a 12" round is ALOT easier than picking up a 48" round.

Quick and easy solution: do not pick them up until after they are split.

thats funny,the shear weight of a round does bring up more problems for one example horizontal splitter. I have seem them so heavy two of us could not roll it into a spliter

 

[ChrisNJ]

I like the bigger rounds better and have np quartering them with a wedge and sledge first, at least that's the case the past years on oak/maple/locust. Frankly I also like the ability to make shapes with the bigger rounds also.

 

[Wood Duck]

I too enjoy larger rounds for splitting, but moving larger rounds is a pain, so for me there is an ideal diameter somewhere in the 12 to 20 inch range.

 

[Slow1]

I like the large rounds best. True they are a pain to move, but I've recently taken to the "leave them where they are cut and split them there" philosophy and that seems to work rather well. Silly me before! Live and learn.

I don't find them particularly harder than smaller pieces, but I do take slabs off - first piece is sometimes a bit harder, but once that first one is off the rest tend to move right along. It is rather nice to not have to keep moving more pieces to the splitting area - spend a bit of time in one spot working a single round and the wheelbarrow will be filled and then some.

I like having rectangular pieces for stacking purposes as well as loading in the stove (in a couple years!). Then there is the whole heartwood is nice and solid factor... And the bark/wood ratio is great! About the only thing I don't like is cutting them off the log. Perhaps that is just a sign I need a new toy/larger saw?

 

[Bigg_Redd]

So many times over and over we see people who seem to think that the diameter of the log determines whether it is easy or hard to split. I am just wondering why people think this is so.

If a log that is, say, 12" diameter and it can be split with one or two blows with a splitting maul or axe vs that same type of wood in a 48" diameter, why would that 48" diameter split harder than the 12" piece? Of course you may have to hit a couple more times with the splitter of your choice, but what is the difference between, say, hitting the 12" one time vs, hitting the 48" 3 times? Naturally you have to hit the larger piece more times but you are splitting much more wood. But does that mean it splits harder? I say no. What do you say?

80% of the wood I burn is Douglas Fir. With Doug Fir smaller round ARE easier to split - especially when fresh green.

 

[John the Painter]

Probably the same splitters who only know of the 'classic' splitting method - hit the wood directly in the center (ie left-to-right center) and slightly offset toward the user in the fore/back center. When you do that, the axe blow only has to cleave 12 inches of wood in the case of your small split, but would have to tear through 48 inches in your second case. So the bigger round is indeed harder to split.

But, if a person were to start taking slabs off the circumference of the 48 inch round it would split fairly easy - maybe even easier than the 12 inch round down the center.

Now there's a person who has splitt a few blocks in there time or was taught very well.

 

[billb3]

Big fat rounds rarely fall over while you are in mid swing with an axe
or for spite

 

[emesine]

Oh..... there is a difference. Hitting a small round once is very different than hitting a big round 3 times. You will need three times the force to break a big round, regardless of how many times you hit it. Consider hitting a 10 foot wide "round" from a redwood. Standing in the middle of it, you could hit it all day long, blow after blow, without making a crack in it. You would need a MUCH bigger axe.

Not that this really makes a practical difference.....

Andrew

 

[Slow1]

Hmm... 10' redwood round. Now that is an interesting image. I don't know how much work that would be but I'd like the chance at it if someone would drop one (or more) off in my yard. Just what is redwood like to burn anyway? does anyone burn it for firewood?

Then again, if you were to cut a 10' round 16-18" thick I imagine it would likely break into several pieces before you even were to finish cutting it all the way through so your first few splits would be done - but I've never seen it done so I'm just speculating and daydreaming here.

 

[JoeyD]

I like the big ones. I turned this:

Into this:

After my buddy who dropped it off took his cut.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

It's not splitting them I don't like, it's picking them up.

It's the same with large 4 foot wide women. If a smaller one is around...

Matt

 

[savageactor7]

Well I do what I have to do but truthfully I don't like dicking with the bigger rounds. After dead trees the bigger trees on our lot are my main target. Dead trees, big trees, forked trees. Amazing how quickly saplings can grow when you harvest the bigger trees around them...holy cow.

 

[wally]

anything 20" or less is fine. i don't like splitting directly on the ground, i prefer to use a block. keeps the maul from driving into dirt too often. whether true or not, the rounds seem to split in fewer strokes when placed on a block vs splitting them on the ground. could be imaginary.

larger than 20" is more effort to get it on the block, but i do it. from 30" and larger, i split with a wedge, then split the halves with a maul on the block.

probably a user-preference thing, no matter what.

 

[quads]

Oh..... there is a difference. Hitting a small round once is very different than hitting a big round 3 times. You will need three times the force to break a big round, regardless of how many times you hit it.

Of course, if you need three small rounds to equal the same amount of wood in one big round, you're still ahead by choosing to split the big round. And the big rounds that I break with one hit make it even better. Plus, many times those small rounds are full of knots and crotches because they are from the tops and limbs. Not so much of those problems with the trunk wood.

Consider hitting a 10 foot wide "round" from a redwood. Standing in the middle of it, you could hit it all day long, blow after blow, without making a crack in it. You would need a MUCH bigger axe.

I bet I could bust her up. I'd sure like to try. Wow, that would be so cool, swinging away at a big one like that! I can only dream.

 

[Todd]

Bigger rounds seem to have more knots and obstacle's inside so I think they are harder to split than smaller rounds. I had about 12 ea 24-30" rounds of Burr Oak I've been hacking away at every other day or so and they are some of the worst splitting rounds I have ever done. Every one of them is full of hidden knots and old trimmed off grown over branches. I should of rented a big splitter but I need the exercise. I have 2 left and I'm leaving one for my splitting block and the other is going down this weekend.

 

[ohio woodburner]

I bet I could bust her up. I'd sure like to try. Wow, that would be so cool, swinging away at a big one like that! I can only dream.[/quote]

You crack me up Quads. I do prefer the larger rounds you get more wood out of them

 

[wendell]

I love big rounds. Gives me a chance to do some noodlin' ;-)