There’s a new thread, Hardest Wood to Split? Rather than hijack it I thought I’d start another. I see that cottonwood has come up several times on it. So my question is, when is the best (easiest) time to split it. All the logs in the pictures were live trees probably 2 months ago. I see the ends are checking already. I doubt we’re gonna get any long deep cold weather any more this winter, as I imagine frozen hard they might split easily. I’ve split standing dead & blown down dead and dry, that’s pretty easy. But never green! Should I buck it to length and let dry a couple months, a year, next winter and freeze. Seems like it will start getting punky if left with bark on for a year. What would you do
I should add that I’m used to splitting elm, so maybe I shouldn’t be concerned and just get after it as time allows. & my new saw gets here
My experience with cottonwood was split it quick. Had to take one down about 10 years ago in summer and wanted to wait for fall to split. Cut it 18" and stacked it in sun and open to wind. A week later I walked by and it stunk like a cattle feed lot had just been cleaned out. I got after it and OMG that was the stinkiest split I have ever done, and colors starting to grow on the cut surfaces. After it was split for about a week the stench of rot left and it was amazing how much lighter the wood could be in so little time. Maybe it was because mine was a wet summer and the tree was drinking hard, but maybe if yours was cut in winter the moisture content is lower and your wood might be ok??? I bet mine lost 1/3 of its weight within 1 week of getting split.
If you could even just split it in half and crack what bark you can loose, or better off, would help tremendously. If it can breathe a little and then later bust the half splits down at your leisure would be my advice. I once was told of a tree that fell in spring that I could have. Got out there, it was October when I was told about it, and it was cottonwood in tall grass, lots of ground contact, already punked beyond belief.
The only poplar I can identify just by looking at it is big-tooth aspen, the other poplar(s) (quaking aspen/eastern cottonwood supposedly around) we have here are just poplars to me and what little I've split I would split it ASAP as it seems to rot pretty quick in the round/log and doesn't get any easier either. I don't even bother with dead standing.
can confirm on the stench during splitting. also stinks when burning too. I would split asap. and try to split with the grain, rather than across. if it gets cold enough, try to split on the coldest days. I have a friend, (old timer) tell me about a guy giving a huge cottonwood tree to a friend. friend had to take the tree down, cut and split. But he kept his family warm thru the entire cold winter of the great depression. he was very great full to get that cottonwood tree. that story helps me to appreciate what I have.
I was hesitant about the smell when I burned it. I don't know if I caught it soon enough or if it dried the smell out, but was pleasantly surprised there wasn't any stank when I burned it.
hmmm. that's possible!! much like elm. or perhaps the stuff I burned was a lil wet!?!? could be the growth area too. I have no doubt trees grow differently at different elevations/ latitude's.
If you have a hydraulic splitter you'll be ok with going after it now. Those rounds won't be too bad to deal with, I'm gauging the diameter to be around 2ft at best? I've had to split ones that were nearly 6ft in diameter years ago. That was not fun I assure you. The smell is worse in the summer. It's hotter then, too. I'd start on it now.
I split a cord and a half of 36" and bigger rounds of Cottonwood last summer. Stinky wood, just like earlier said, smelled like a cow pasture.... It was a pain in the a$$ to split even with my 27 ton Yardmax due to being so damm stringy. Not sure if letting if freeze would make it easier but I still have two rounds I'm using as a chopping block now for hand splitting Lodgepole....
I'd do it soon. Lop off a chunk and giver a go! I split a pile (not CW) yesterday in low 30'sF. It was a pleasure compared to warm weather splitting. Naturally we are heading for zero and below for a couple days. I've pushed the clutch in on any more splitting until the temps get up to mid 20's and above! I've never noticed any smell after it was seasoned. Definitely never noticed it when burning in my stove? My biggest recommendation is to get it off the ground asap. Your pile is going to make a bunch of splits
The cottonwood here is extremely easy to split once you get through the rounds being so wet. Mauls have been known to bounce off... I split with my splitter because it was fun but also made for a neater job than the ax work for square splits. A gentleman here explained that there are many kinds of cottonwood and all have different growth and splitting ease levels if that makes sense. It’s just best to split it asap as it becomes easy to mold being so wet. Dries out very quickly though, within 6 months of hot sun and exposure, it’s able to be burned. I’ll let the stuff get a full year.
I’ve never had a problem hand splitting big Cotton wood either green or dry. You should have no problem at all with hydraulics! it’s crazy how it smells like manure when split green! I say start splitting ASAP and it might be ready to burn next year.
Do chain saws stake their territory? Maybe with bar oil??? I heard a ruckus coming from downstairs the other day. The 460 and 261 were picking on the 266. The 290 (ranch/farm saw) was under the bench and i dont think had anything to do with it. I put the 460 in the hall and 266 in the shipping box! All is well now!!!
Took the 334 by itself to run it a bit and buck a few locust skinnies at my friends. The Stihls arent talking to me now! Had a new carb put in last year and i think it needs a bit of tweaking. Noodled a couple gnarly locust splits with it too!
