When splitting the rounds what size should I make the splits? My friend told me I was splitting the wood smaller than needed. The smaller the splits does mean more time splitting but I did not really know how small to make the splits. Years ago when Mum and Dad was here they did not have an EPA stove and I think they did keep the splits large.
I'd say 4-5" across the base, 4-6" to the apex, if making pie shapes, 4-5" square for end stacking. Not too small, and should speed up drying time versus BIG splits... My $.02.
We make different sizes. Most of ours is typically what folks would call small but then we want some bigger splits for keeping longer fires for those cold winter nights. I also like to split plenty of pieces into rectangles or squares. I just checked a couple of them that are in the wood rack. 3" square works great but then we have some rectangles that are 3" x 6" and some 4" x 6". If you use this size or keep it in mind when splitting the pie shaped pieces, you won't go wrong. Then again, a lot depends upon the stove. Some stoves would like 2" x 3" for the largest sizes while others can take a 10" round with ease and still put plenty more in the stove. Also remember that you want 4 or more pieces of wood in the stove for a good burn. So keep in mind the size of firebox you will have and go from there. Good luck.
It's a good question and I'm hopping in to see the replies I was just splitting some soaking wet red oak. I'm making toothpicks out of it compared to how I used to split for the old stoves. I'm not three years ahead or preferably four years. I'm inundated with red oak. Just can't get the green or wet stuff to dry fast enough. So till I get ahead by 30-40 cord I'm gonna make toothpicks. Better to burn dry toothpicks than the wet all nighters of yesteryear. So my question to you would be how many years ahead are you splitting for?
Smaller will dry faster if you aren't ahead on your firewood hoarding. I am a few years ahead and like medium to larger splits since they don't burn quite as fast. IMO a mixture of both is nice for different situations. I notice while I am splitting the splits get progressively larger as the day goes on
Size and shape are a consideration. I stay 3 years ahead so I don't need to split small to expedite drying. I use Shagbark Hickory for long overnight fires. I tend to keep those splits big as possible and square so they will fit in the stove good.
I have just started; I am mainly trying to get some wood for this winter; which is why I worked on that dead red oak because I don't know if the poplar we cut this spring will dry fast enough to burn this winter. I don't have a moisture meter; where can I purchase one?
Kimberly, you can get a fairly inexpensive MM at HD, or online. Some here have gotten them for around 20 bucks or so. That Poplar might be in good enough shape to burn fairly well.
Kimberly, poplar cut in the spring should be good to burn this fall unless you've left them really big. Pick one up now and take note of how much lighter it is than when you cut it. Amazon would have MM's and you can probably buy them at a local store.
Amazon always works, and a local big box store, such as Home- Lowes <may> have one on the shelf. Also any wood stove store but they will be more expensive most probably. Split sizes: I am going a bit smaller than usual this year as I am sick and tired of trying to get fires going from cold or even after a hot reload. As others have mentioned, we do not need 'overnighters' (read: the biggest split the user can lift) anymore with airtight stoves. Of course given small splits also means it takes more of them to load the stove, more room to stack and store, and the less weight of wood that can be put into the stove. A mix of sizes is great: small splits are maybe 2" X 3" and large splits are no more than 6" across any side and less than that on the other (in other words, not a 6 X 6 square). A little rule of thumb that I uses is this: any round 5" or bigger should be split; splitting a 5- 6" split in half yields a large split, splitting it four cross- wise into four pieces yields four small splits. Brian
I tend to split my wood small too, I got a couple cords of straight grained red oak last winter and I split it really small, because I wanted it to dry faster, and it's only for my outdoor wood oven, so I like to add small pieces once it gets up to temp. I try and make a mix of sizes when splitting anything else. You kinda need to have jumbo pieces and small rounds for overnight burns, and small/ medium to get er going.
Well I'm not new to woodburning, I'm just new to thinking about it. My recommendation would be to get you one of those MM,s. I never knew just how wet the wood was that we've been burning all these years until I got one. The first one I bought was a cheapo from Harbor Freight, they only sell one style, you can search for it. It's a cheap Chinese knockoff of the Stihl model. It actually worked quite well, think it was about ten bucks. This particular one is fairly fragile. Drop it onto concrete from waist height and the innards will go funky. Who woulda thunk? I just bought three more of the same model on Amazon, about ten bucks a pop. Two for me and one for my sister. I have a tendency to drop things more than she. One thing to be careful about MM's is the range of use. My local woodstove store sells them but the top range limit is 22% I equate that with a GPS that tells you when you've arrived at your destination but refuses to tell you how to get there. Very little utilitarian value IMO. The cheap is I referred too go up to 42% before reaching OL, over limit. If you have some standing dead oaks with no or little bark left,,,,,had a dry summer in your area,,,,,,you may be finding some of the best wood for this season. Tulip will dry fast also if split small. Bottom line your like me (no insult intended) just learning the ropes and trying to get better.
That is part of it, I am still splitting rounds that we cut this spring. I have two stacks of the poplar; I am keeping the wood separate; the first stack the oldest split, the second and so forth so that I know what was the most recently split.
Making sure I had some dry wood was another reason for tackling the dead locusts; Most if not all the locust on the property are dead; some are still standing upright; the ones near the drive need to come down regardless if there is any good wood or not in them.
I guess I aim for maybe 3x6, but a lot of smaller stuff happens along the way which is good too because I don't want nothing but fatties.
Another consideration when splitting wood is to keep in mind who else would be loading the stove or OWB. Not everyone can handle large splits.
I'm always thinking of the future and my possible inability to handle large splits. From splitting, to stacking, to loading the stove. It does depend on the type of wood.
I like all different stuff, big stuff for bottom, need little stuff to slide in on top. One size DON'T fit all at my place
The old rule of thumb for woodworkers is air dried lumber drys at one inch per year. Not saying we wood burners need to split down to an inch but it lends some foresight into the slow nature of wood drying. With that rule in mind I was making splits out of the wet stuff today that more resembles 2x6" or 2x8"s. The theory, right or wrong, was to make them thinner at least along one axis in hopes drying time would be sped up. The dead standing oak I did earlier in the day was split in a more normal fashion and tossed down the hatchway. Some was as low as 16% but some was higher than 20%. My piles of two year split wood that I'll use this year isn't any better than that. It is what it is. It feels better to know why it is tho, lol
