I'm almost through the Great Red Maple Score of '17, and have been saving some of the most gnarly blocks for last. This stopped my splitter twice due to the opposing grain, all of which was wavy as can be and curled around the opposing limb in a near perfect circle. Definitely got some "top of the pile" splits out of this one once I figured it out! The most nasty chunks are bound for the chiminea.
Boy oh boy that's knarly! I try to process as much of the knarly stuff that I can but that's one piece that would either A. Go straight to the firepit or B. Go to straight down over the hill.
Or noodle those rascals with the saw. A lot less stress on the splitter and your back. Sent from my SM-S320VL using Tapatalk
Lmao. I wouldn't even have attempted to split that piece. In the fire pit it goes!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I had one tree this year in my log load that I wanted to take a pic of one of the splits for some of you guys to look at that was unbelievably tough to split. I forgot to but wish I would have. It gave my 25 ton cub cadet a workout. The bark looked very similar to white oak but the wood was a cream color and stringy as heck. Smelled horrible and strained the splitter badly. Never had anything like it before. It was a big tree. I was thinking maybe a willow of some sort. IDK? Is fresh cut green willow like this? I've never dealt with willow before.
That looks similar to the hard Maple that I split up earlier this year...was some, if not the, gnarliest stuff I've ever messed with...lots of splits for the ugly pile! Dang yard trees!
Yard trees are always gnarly, aren't they? Unless they started in a wooded area that was later cleared for a house. It's most if what of get, so I've gotten decent at reading the ugly stuff and how to split it best. This one tricked me though! In fairness, it would have fit in the boiler, but not without huge effort, and it would have taken days to smolder away to ash. I suppose I could've noodled it down, but I like to have a beer while I'm splitting sometimes and won't run a saw after the first bottle is opened. Personal choice - your mileage may vary.
Haha I'm looking at this wondering how it made it on the splitter in the first place! That thing is gargantuan! I still need to get my cradle.
Seeing that chunk, I'd be noodling this way and then that way. Getting it to the size to be in my woodstove in a few years Sent from my SM-T280 using Tapatalk
Can't say as I've ever split many willow but have a few. I'd say it is best with willow to let it dry for a year then try to split or else wait until it has been frozen for a couple of weeks then have a go at it. Occasionally most of us will get something that is best left for the fire pit or brush pile. Why go though the heavy lifting then the frustration? Just get rid of it as best you can.
Splitting does have its perks as you can get a speed you're used to. No rush involved. I would do the beer deal though when i get friends to share and watch.
I read somewhere about someone who burned his house solely on willow, mostly because that was all that surrounded himZ He didn't seem to mind it but he knew the same deal; cut it into rounds and wait. With the leaves and branches on, it could dry even quicker. That being said, he was still able to keep his house warm and wake up to coals in the morning stuffing his stove. Same boat as cottonwood when its dried, there's almost no weight to it.
Every willow tree Ive ever taken down has been given the same treatment, burnt on site lol. I guess if it's all one has to burn it would have to do though.
I don't know how that is to be managed as a whole, its a really irritating wood to work with (both) but if it was the only thing, leaves you with not much choice. Unless you're thinking of planting trees that grow fast and whatnot for just firewood, maple would be a good choice!
I've seen my share of those gnarly oak crotches. Gotten my share of wedges stuck in them too. They can be a interesting challenge and you've got maybe a whole half a day of heat maybe more when you're done. Quitters freeze. LOL
