We had an Oak tree fall due to high winds last week.
The tree guys cut it into sections for me to split when I get ready. Should I split it now or wait?
If I wait, should I leave it out on the ground or move it to a sheltered space? The tree was living seems full of sap.
I was going to suggest the middle of winter when it was ten degrees or less...and then I saw where you live!
Usually when I drop a tree this time of year I let it sit a few weeks till the tree leafs out and sucks up much of the sap. Sounds like your oak has already been sliced and diced, though.
Green, dead, wet, dry, frozen; it's all hard labor. If the splitting maul is still bouncing after 2 or 3 licks, I'll put the whole chunk in the dry till I can see by the cracks where it WANTS to split.
Anyone ever try one of those star-pointed wedges? I saw one yesterday called "wood grenade", gotta be a gimmick. Probably drive it in to the hilt, then spend the rest of the day with regular wedges trying to recover the grenade.
Some trees are just a bear to split when they are dried out [img]/forums/images/icons/crazy.gif[/img] I would just taking my time and begin splitting it now. You aren't going to split the whole mess in one day or week end anyhow, so get a good pair of gloves and s tube of ben gay and start splitting [img]/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif[/img]
<font color="blue"> Green, dead, wet, dry, frozen; it's all hard labor. </font color>
Ain't that the truth! [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] I'd suggest that you rent or borrow a log splitter, unless you want a real workout. You should be able to split a tree's worth in a day, maybe two with one. It'll still be hard work but easier than doing it by hand...
Mysticokra, most oak splits pretty good when its green, if it is white oak definitly split it green or you will get the bounce back effect. Red oak is my favorite, splits like an acorn [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] white oak has more of the splinter effect.
Grenades work on wood that is easy to split anyway, Seems like it is faster to split with just a maul on the easy wood except the setting the pieces up part.
The middle of winter would have been my pick too. Get the wood cold enough and then just whack chunks off the side, rather than trrying to split the block in half.
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