Do you do that just to remove the bark as it dries in round form or to expedite the drying process? Is most of your wood processed soon after cut or does it sit in the round for a while?
Expedite drying/prevent rot. I usually process fairly soon after bucking, but not always, so the few seconds/minute that it takes to unzip is just a lil quick extra insurance...and for smaller rounds that don't get split (say 4" and under) it helps make sure they dry proper like too...although sometimes smaller diameter stuff, (say 2") is too small to bother with unzipping, and will sometimes rot in the stack...oh well, win some lose some.
Its hit or miss when it comes to rot. Ive had them with most of the tree hollow, some with hollow stump and a couple feet up the meat is good. Most do have some rot at the base though. Its a pleasant surprise when its not rotten.
That’s definitely red maple. The bark and color patterns looking at the end grain is a dead giveaway. All oak species will have very faint lines radiating from the center outwards, called medullary rays.
X3. At least itll dry faster for you rudysmallfry. And its not rotten in the center so common on red maple.
