Oh NO! Just bought oak I can't split!

[LFRJ]

It's that time of year again, the month when we buy rounds and I spend the rest of the summer splitting it for Winter.

Understand, I live with a beloved who habitually nickles and dimes us to death. I love them dearly, but if I didn't often make big purchases while we were flush, we'd never be able to afford them when needed. Well, my DP is gone on a trip so I purchased a cord of oak which I was told was quite green, but if I split it in small enough pieces and kept it dry, it should be ready by Jan when we need it. (We're anticipating a hot AUg/Sept, so I thought it would be a good buy). Problem is, I can't split it AT ALL! The wedge sinks about 1/8 inch and then spits itself out on the ground. To complicate, I can't even pick them up to get them under cover.

I'm no stranger to chopping/splitting. We use a maul and wedges, keeps me healthy - but this is fir country. I'm not as familiar with hard woods. What do I do? I'm sure someday this will be some nice stuff, but I need a solution before I have to eat crow when DP returns. Would a new, sharper wedge help? Oh boy!

[ntjpm]

Hello fellow Washington Native. I have no advice for you on the how but I think I know the best place to ask the question.

http://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.../viewforum/27/

These guys know all there is to know about wood and I am sure they can help you figure out what to do.

Good luck, Tracy in WA

[CIW]

I usually don't split hardwoods until it is consistantly below freezing during the day.
You might be able to grind the edge of your splitting wedge to a sharper angle. Say the first inch and a half, then graduating out to its normal wedge shape. So it will get started easier. Realize that it will get stuck in the wood easier also.
It may also help to use multiple wedges also.

[mickm]

CIW is right it will split easier when frozen, but there may be another option.

See if you can find someone with a log splitter and offer to split on shares, as in you can help them split an then they can help you. Two people on a splitter can work more then twice as fast as one. You might offer to pay for fuel as well. Craigslist under "barter" might be a good place to try.

or

You could rent one.

You are right though, the sooner you split it the better.

[mldollins]

same problem 2 months ago. I tried to split it today and it did so much better. When it is green, its near impossible to split.

[big rockpile]

If it sets week or two there will be a crack show this is where you want to split.Put you Back into it don't hold back.

big rockpile

[LFRJ]

Okay, so I just finished nudging, pushing, rolling and cajoling most of those 1/4 rounds a few feet into the garage. The rest I tarped. I have no idea how I did this without breaking a toe or finger. So, for now, it is safe from under the impending thunder shower approaching. (as for my impending back ache, I wonder if the liquor store is still open).

So, if I'm understanding you right, there's not much I can do manually for a couple months? Or at earliest, a couple of weeks? I suppose it's better than spilling a bucket of paint on the carpet, but I'm guessing I better head over to the homemaker's forum for a recipe for black bird pie...right?

[TxMex]

I find that being really ticked off before splitting wood seems to help. Then it also serves as therapy

[tyusclan]

Down here I can rent a splitter on Friday afternoon and take it back by 9:00 on Monday for about 75 bucks. I can easily split the years worth of wood in a weekend.

That will split it easily right away, and it can be seasoning for you. WELL worth the money in my opinion.

[foxtrapper]

As others have said, let it set a bit and dry out further. Wet green wood does not split easily at all.

[Windy in Kansas]

Unless a rented splitter has a crane or other lifter it sounds like it would be of little use.

For temporary storage place the rounds as you called them on their side and not the ends. Otherwise rain/moisture will enter the end grain whereas on the side it will shed off.

[jmtinmi]

Originally Posted by foxtrapper

As others have said, let it set a bit and dry out further. Wet green wood does not split easily at all.

I don't understand the above statement because.....

My 82 year old father splits cords of oak every year. It is pretty green and it splits beautifully unless it is very knotty. The last few years all of the sibs have had a work party for him and split wood with a splitter, but only because the logs were larger in diameter than he liked. He still manages to split a lot himself.

It sounds like the diameter of the wood is too large and the OP needs to be splitting closer the the edges to 'chip' away at it.

[triplejmom]

Originally Posted by jmtinmi

I don't understand the above statement because.....

My 82 year old father splits cords of oak every year. It is pretty green and it splits beautifully unless it is very knotty. The last few years all of the sibs have had a work party for him and split wood with a splitter, but only because the logs were larger in diameter than he liked. He still manages to split a lot himself.

It sounds like the diameter of the wood is too large and the OP needs to be splitting closer the the edges to 'chip' away at it.

I agree we always find"green" wood easier to split. My 13 year was taught by his dad and grampy to take a little off the sides "chip" away at bigger rounds of maple or elm..

[hardrock]

LFRJ we ran into the same problem and the advice of everyone on this forum has been good.We(myself and wife)are also getting up in the 'golden' age and it got harder every year.
Our solution was to buy a 'mantis' splitter. Am very pleased with it's performance.
It will split 95% of our logs and those it won't, I cut in two and then split them.

[Nomad]

Has it been positively established that the wood is Oak? It almost sounds like Elm. My father used to get 2 or 3 wedges stuck in a piece of elm and then have to burn the piece to get them out. Probably not good for the wedges. I never cut elm back then. I didn't want to fight it, since I only had a maul to use.

Nomad

[big rockpile]

Originally Posted by Nomad

Has it been positively established that the wood is Oak? It almost sounds like Elm. My father used to get 2 or 3 wedges stuck in a piece of elm and then have to burn the piece to get them out. Probably not good for the wedges. I never cut elm back then. I didn't want to fight it, since I only had a maul to use.

Nomad

Yea I was thinking the same,Elm is always fun and takes forever to dry.

And yes Oak should split much easier.

big rockpile

[FreightTrain]

try a splitting grenade, they work WAY better than the oldfashioned wedges... think u can get them online at tractor supply.... they are shaped like a top

[pheasantplucker]

Always easier once the weather turns to freezing. I always have three wedges with me...Also put the piece you wanna split on a stump...not on the bare ground. Ground will absorb too much of the energy. Good luck. (Think positively...at least you're not trying to split sycamore!!!)

[Ramblin Wreck]

Red oak and white oak should split easily, even if you just cut the tree down in the woods. Some of what we call "Blackjack" oak can be gnarly and hard to split, but it usually doesn't grow to a great size. Maybe as some have noted above, you are dealing with elm (or worse yet gum if you have that in your area). A hydraulic splitter would handle any wood you have, so maybe that is an option you should explore. The sooner you split it (and the smaller you split it), the sooner it will make you a good warm, fire this Winter. Best wishes.

[Hooligan]

I've been splitting oak for a few seasons now and you guys must be a heck of a lot tougher then me if you are saying it is easy. The red oak I'm working with is stringy and tough. I like to spit it green and frozen.

Oak takes longer then most too dry out to a good burn level too. I let it set for at least a full 12 months.

Maple is easy. Birch is easy. Ash is easy. Beech is easy.

Oak is a pain in the butt.

Elm..... I'm glad we don't have much of that around here.