Curious what type of wood this is. Very difficult to split. Also it was very unusual. Once split the middle part of the round was another round. Love this site and all I have learned since joining.
I'd say sweet gum maple. The bark looks that way on some I have. Never seen it core like that though.
Look around the base of the tree. If there are a gazillion sweetgum balls, then... I like sweetgum. I have burned a lot of older wood, harvested from large trees that died a natural death (or were strangled by wisteria). After it has set out for a few years, dead, I find that it splits reasonably easily. I hand split. Keeps a 50+ year old body in a little better shape. Some of my sweetgum is very heavy, almost petrified. It's better wood than people give it credit for.
Thanks for the help. It is sweet gum. After your help I pulled more pictures of sweet gum online and confirmed it It is not good firewood? It was very heavy and hard to split. I can get more but was wondering if it was worth the agony of splitting it?
Sweet gum. Miserable to split...tear is more like it. Seasons fast but keep it out of the weather. It rots fast. Decent btu but not worth it in my opinion
I had a face cord of sweet gum last year. It will only split by hand if you start on the outside and work your way towards the center. Wont be easy but it will get done. As for burning, i found it to season fast and burn well. Not nearly as long as oak bit it did the job.
Agree it is sweet gum. I've hand split and burned tons of it. Have enough on my property that I could burn nothing but until the day I die. It will lose a lot of weight while it dries. It leaves a lot of ash. Whether it is worth the effort depends on what alternatives you have, how much time you have, and whether you look at the splitting as valuable exercise or only a means to an end.
