Just had a load of Fresh cut Oak dropped off. Have about 20-25 pretty big rounds to split(36"diameter or greater & 18-22' tall). Some say let it dry out naturally for about 6 months and it will start splitting itself while others say right away. Mind you I'm sitting on about 50 face cords so there is no rush to get it done. Just want it to go easier. Any thoughts???Thank Guys..
My standard answer is ASAP, especially for oak because it takes so long to dry. All the oak species I have split pretty easily, but they do split a little easier after they are bucked up awhile. I'm not sure how far you are ahead with the 50 face cords, but oak is just starting to get good after 2 years cut, split and stacked. 3rd and 4th year CSS'ed, it really starts to shine.
Usually burn about 10Face Cords a season as an average...I'm in pretty good shape. Thanks for the reply...
Split it when you can. Oak is generally easy to split. Jobs put off for a while tend to become jobs put off indefinitely.
I split up a truck load of Oak & Cherry yesterday that I cut last week and brought home. I did it because I had the time, and I wanted it off the ground before the snow gets deep. Now it's stacked and top covered. Some years I tend to get a lot of wood in the winter. Then when the snow starts melting in March & April and reveals how much I've gotten, I have a lot of work to do.
Red oak, when I split by hand, I believed split just a smoodge easier below freezing. When I couldn't swing a splitting maul any more , I started using a wedge and short handled maul/engineer's hammer and wished I had tried that years before. Course, I was tackling huge rounds too. Then I bought an electric splitter and split any time I felt like it, even at night in the garage.
Oak typically splits pretty easily but I've enjoyed splitting it below freezing - seems to come apart easier then.
I'd say split out ASAP. Oak takes so long to dry. Even if you don't have a hydraulic splitter, it splits easily and you could do it by axe/ maul.
I split mine as soon as I can, sometimes even hours after I felled, limbed, and bucked it. I don't know about the freezing thing making it easier though. I tried that with some white pine one year and it had less than desirable results. So I have continued to split all of my wood by hand while it's still green, even fresh cut, regardless of the species. Remember, the sooner you get those rounds split and stacked, the sooner it can start the process of seasoning.
That is a lot of wood to split by hand so the best time to split is sort of like asking when is a good time to go hunting. The correct answer is, when you can. What I would do would be to stack all the rounds and then split as you can when you can. But after splitting, stack soon afterwards. Stack what you split rather than wait until it is all split. Also, in your area you no doubt have to be concerned about snowfall. Top covering for sure.
The very best time is daylight when you have some teenage boys over! If that's not a option red oak hand splits great in the teens to low 20's when its fresh cut.
Right Now!!!!! Get it split so that it starts drying now...............especially if'n it has the bark on!!
Thanks Dennis...My challenge is the rounds are quite large. Gonna have to split them right on the front lawn were the load was dropped. Have alot of limbs with the load as well. Roughly 6-8ft long x 6-8" in diameter. Knock those out first just to make a little room for myself.
Nordic Splitter the nice part is oak usually splits fairly easy. But on the big ones sometimes a sledge and wedge will do wonders.
