I've been waiting for a comment about that one. I try to use that pattern on all of the rounds (red oak anyway). You get a bunch of nice square pieces for stacking. Just wondering if other people do things like that also?
Yup, quite often depending on the size of the billet. Sometimes after halving them. Not obsessive. Just like the sound quality of the "Thwack!"; the rest is just for variety. Red oak is so accomodating, except for the moisture-retention thing. Been spending time busting white oak & shagbark. At least they air-dry down into the teens MC in half the time of red oak, if it matters. With red oak, IMHO, it's good to allow air-space between splits in a stack. Squared splits not a big help there.
Yes, some of us do a little bit of it from time to time. Hey, that is a Woodstock vest that guy is wearing. Wonder where he got that? We even do it when stacking in the barn.
