# To split or not to split smaller logs



## whodaman (Jan 25, 2013)

Ok, I hope this is not a stupid question, but I hear all the time guys putting on full logs for the overnight burn. My question is this. If you don't split the wood and just use logs, how does the wood fully dry out? Wouldn't the wood still have moisture inside? This would be in an Osburn 2400, I just would like to know if I should be splitting all my wood or saving some small logs for overnight burns. I just don't see how it drys out if not split? thanks in advance for any help.


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## shoot-straight (Jan 25, 2013)

rounders or limb wood never seems to fully dry out unless  its split at least once. i have burned really small ones though mostly as shoulder wood or when im around to burn it up nice and hot.


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## gzecc (Jan 25, 2013)

I agree, I would rather split some monster splits ( leave them big) than leave rounds unsplit. Maybe if the bark is already off. That does happen often.


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## blujacket (Jan 25, 2013)

I have been burning 6" Elm rounds that are awesome. It was a dead tree, and I let season for 2 years. I have burned these all this week and am almost out. I have some Locust rounds 4"-5" that I will burn next year when it gets in the teens too. Get a few years ahead on wood, and you can burn rounds. They last longer than splits I believe.


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## Flatbedford (Jan 25, 2013)

I like to split everything to help the drying. If it is too small to split, I don't take it. I much prefer monster rounds. Being a hand splitter, I find them much easier to work with. I can set the round down and whack a bunch of splits off it and not have to bend over and grab another round or stand up the one I am working on.


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## ScotO (Jan 25, 2013)

Anything over 4-5" diameter gets split.   Used to leave them in rounds up to 8", but they simply don't dry out!


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## Tinder (Jan 25, 2013)

I split anything that's large enough to stand on end without wanting to tip over.

I originally tried not splitting 5"-6" and smaller rounds after what I read on here from others, but instead I found splitting does make a significant difference and is so easy to do on small rounds, why not?!


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## Blue2ndaries (Jan 25, 2013)

Ditto here...rounds bigger than 4-5" get split.


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## Ralphie Boy (Jan 25, 2013)

One more for  splitting 4" and up.


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## jatoxico (Jan 25, 2013)

I heard a tip that for rounds that are too small to split that peeling off a strip of bark will do the trick. Don't have to strip the entire thing just a strip or two depending on the size.


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## bogydave (Jan 25, 2013)

I split everything , Birch. 
 I split Spruce if over 6 to 7 inches. It dries out well even if un- split if under 7", With a full year of seasoning.
I'm saying that wood type is a variable.


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## red oak (Jan 25, 2013)

I have been known to leave rounds that are up to 8 inches.  It's best to split them so they dry, but not absolutely necessary.


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## BobUrban (Jan 25, 2013)

Time is the issue - if you want to burn it next season then split em.  If you are 3+yrs ahead leave em round


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## Thistle (Jan 25, 2013)

Rarely more than 10% of the wood I cut during the year is green,mainly from a CL scrounge or rare paid job.Most of those rounds over 4" are split at least once. The remainder is dead standing or deadfall.Since I'm at least 5 yrs ahead I leave all 4"-5" rounds whole for long burns/coldest temps,a handful 6"-7" alsver 7" they get split in 2 pieces,8-10" are split in 4 to 6 pieces.


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## Backwoods Savage (Jan 25, 2013)

This is from last year's cutting. The wood yet to stack here is all rounds. None of those got split. Even yesterday we burned two rounds, both elm. Both were in the 8-9" diameter. Burned nicely. But most times I will split that large of a round. These just happened to be from a dead tree that had been down for a couple years and the bark was all off before they fell. Not much moisture in them. The reason I know is because I split the logs that came right next to these two.


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