# help with splitting big oak logs



## kjolsen (Mar 16, 2009)

I am a new poster to this forum, which I have found very helpful. I've done a bit of splitting with a wedge and a cheap axe. But now I have some very large red oak logs (see picture). The biggest are 24 inches across. I've tried with a twisting wedge and a sledgehammer, but can't get any purchase. The wedge just bounces out of the bigger logs

I could try and rent a gas powered splitter, but would love to know if there's a way I can split them by hand. Any suggestions on the feasibility of this, and the appropriate tool? I looked at the Fiskars 28" splitting axe, which has been well received on this forum, but frankly it doesn't look up to the task. The store also had some heavier axes with a wedge-like head. Surely I need weight?

And are they easier to split when green?

Thanks for any suggestions.


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## ansehnlich1 (Mar 16, 2009)

Man, I'd set them bad boys up, fire up the chainsaw, and cut a groove in 'em down as far as necessary. I've done it several times in the past, cut down into it about the depth of the bar, then start your wedge in there, and she'll bust open for you then!


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## rphurley (Mar 16, 2009)

I would recommend renting a splitter, maybe you could bang those out in half a day.  If the splitter is only horozontal, then having a friend help will make your life easier.


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## bobfeather (Mar 16, 2009)

good sharp wedge & a 10 pound sledge
other guy had a neat idea about cutting a groove so wedge has somewhere to start
also try splitting off the sides first   don't go for the middle of the round off the bat
bob




			
				Nicholas Blomley said:
			
		

> I am a new poster to this forum, which I have found very helpful. I've done a bit of splitting with a wedge and a cheap axe. But now I have some very large red oak logs (see picture). The biggest are 24 inches across. I've tried with a twisting wedge and a sledgehammer, but can't get any purchase. The wedge just bounces out of the bigger logs
> 
> I could try and rent a gas powered splitter, but would love to know if there's a way I can split them by hand. Any suggestions on the feasibility of this, and the appropriate tool? I looked at the Fiskars 28" splitting axe, which has been well received on this forum, but frankly it doesn't look up to the task. The store also had some heavier axes with a wedge-like head. Surely I need weight?
> 
> ...


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## Darl Bundren (Mar 16, 2009)

I've had some rounds like yours that will tend to bounce the wedge out.  Here's some things that might work.

Look closely at the surface of the sawn face to see if you can see any radial cracks starting.  Try starting the wedge there.  

Use a wedge with a fairly acute taper to start with, then bring the bigger wedge(s) in when the skinny one is pretty much buried.  

Leave the rounds so the sun will start to dry them a bit--that starts the radial cracks more quickly.  

On a few I'd tap them in and get them started using a three pound hammer (baby sledge).  The control is better for me.  Then start with "medium power" hits with the sledge or maul to drive them in a little more deeply.  Then, start hammering away.  

When you start in with the sledge, stand so the wide part of the wedge is directly in front of you.  If the wedge comes shooting out of there, it'll probably go off to the side.  

There's other folks on here who have much more experience than I do, but these techniques seemed to work okay.  

Good luck.


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## johnn (Mar 16, 2009)

Hi Nicholas!! Welcome to the Forum Click on Forums,,and go to "The Wood Shed", there is where you will find many threads discussing types of splitters and weights and many recommendations. you might have to go through a few pages to find the Info, but its there! Chain saw i a new one for me , and I`m sure it will work well. Once you get them bad boys started you will learn what to listen and look for! I sometimes walk around striking the grain at different angles until there is no bounce and the tool trys to stick. Thats where I find it will more likely work with a couple wedges.
          John


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## johnn (Mar 16, 2009)

I see your in  the right place now,,,Sorry,,,


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## Todd (Mar 16, 2009)

Maybe it's different out west, but that don't look like the Red Oak around here. Anyways the Red Oak I've split is very easy and with bigger rounds you can just work around the sides towards the middle.


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## Hurricane (Mar 16, 2009)

I split red oak rounds like that pretty regularly. I use a maul and I think the trick is most people try to split the log in half first. I take off a slice a few inches deep first. Try to stay at the edge of the heart wood with the first split. Once you get a piece off it tends to get easier when you work your way around the log.


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## wellbuilt home (Mar 16, 2009)

Hurricane said:
			
		

> I split red oak rounds like that pretty regularly. I use a maul and I think the trick is most people try to split the log in half first. I take off a slice a few inches deep first. Try to stay at the edge of the heart wood with the first split. Once you get a piece off it tends to get easier when you work your way around the log.


I agree with hurricane . start around the edges and work to the center.   I use a 15lb maul for large rounds i can break  a 30" chunk of oak  in one swing .  Cutting the rounds  to start a wedge works real good also. John


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## rdust (Mar 16, 2009)

ansehnlich1 said:
			
		

> Man, I'd set them bad boys up, fire up the chainsaw, and cut a groove in 'em down as far as necessary. I've done it several times in the past, cut down into it about the depth of the bar, then start your wedge in there, and she'll bust open for you then!



x2, this is what I do when splitting bigger pieces by hand.


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## EatenByLimestone (Mar 16, 2009)

It's oak.  It'll pop pretty easily once you get a crack opened up.   Work your way around the edges with a maul or sledge and wedges.    

Try bending your knees a bit when you come down with the maul or sledge.  Many people tend to jerk up a bit just before contact.  This cancels out a good amount of the swing's energy.  

Matt


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## madrone (Mar 16, 2009)

If it were me, I'd use a pair of wedges, sharpened, at the outer edge on either side, driven with a 4 pound/18" sledge. Or some variation on that. Once halved, it will split more easily.


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## Backwoods Savage (Mar 16, 2009)

Welcome to the forum Nicholas.

I've split too many of those by hand over the years (I now have a hydraulic splitter). Definitely the easiest way is to use a maul and wedge or wedges. (When I use wedges, I always have 3. That way if I hang one up I can drive another right beside it to loosen it.) As others have stated, I usually start splitting about half way between the heart and the outside of the log. Also, I do not place the wedge in the center of that line, but place the wedge about 1/3 in from the edge. If you use two, then put one closest to you and the other on the opposite side. Drive the wedges evenly and you wont' have to drive them very far at all before it splits right off. It looks harder than it really is. You don't have to swing that maul as hard as you can either. 

Just take moderate or even light swings. Let the maul and wedge do the work instead of you. Once you place the wedge, your job is only to lift the maul and basically guide it to hit the wedge. Remember, they are tools; let them do the work. Once you get the hang of it, there will be much satisfaction to you. 

As you split more and more wood, you'll find that some wood splits best through the heart and others from the sides.


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## Redburn (Mar 16, 2009)

I have about 8 wedges all different sizes and use the small ones and hit them in near the edge as it cracks toward the center I bang in the bigger ones and they pop open ........ good luck and happy splitting.


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## Jags (Mar 16, 2009)

Todd said:
			
		

> Maybe it's different out west,* but that don't look like the Red Oak around here*. Anyways the Red Oak I've split is very easy and with bigger rounds you can just work around the sides towards the middle.



Thats what I was thinking.


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## karri0n (Mar 16, 2009)

Some good advice in this thread. Like others have said, it's probably best to try splitting the outsides off rather than trying to split it right in half. Try putting the wedge parallel with the outside of the round rather than perpendicular and about 3-4 inches in from the edge.


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## TKeller (Mar 16, 2009)

Are you sure you are dealing with red oak!  That bark doesn't seem to have any furrows at all.  Unless it might be pin oak which both stinks and can be hard to split.  I let big oak rounds sit on their sides after cutting green and left them dry some and hopefully open a crack.  But they can be a pain and I can have three wedges and a sledge going to try to open them up.  If they have deep knots inside the chainsaw may be the next option.  Good luck with that.  Tony


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## Wood Duck (Mar 16, 2009)

I'll chime in to say that, like a few others who have already replied, I think those could be split with a maul. Sharpen the maul, and try a few different spots until you find one that gives a little. I find my maul bounces off wood mainly when I hit twisted grain caused by a branch or burl. If this happens I try the other end of the piece.


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## northwinds (Mar 16, 2009)

I hand split some nasty oak this winter that was similar in size.  The suggestion to cut a groove in the round for the wedge is an 
excellent one.  That did the trick for for me.  I also split around the edges when I can, but some of rounds would just
chunk off the first couple of inches off the edge without cracking the round.  No problem at all once I made the groove
with the chain saw.

It's hard work.    After finishing up the last of it, my right arm was so sore that I couldn't pick up my 15 pound dog.
When you pound on a round that just doesn't give, it's very frustrating.


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## Risser09 (Mar 16, 2009)

Isn't oak supposed to be fairly easy to split? Some of the tougher woods I've experienced have been sycamore, sweet gum and hackberry.


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## myzamboni (Mar 16, 2009)

Risser09 said:
			
		

> Isn't oak supposed to be fairly easy to split? Some of the tougher woods I've experienced have been sycamore, sweet gum and hackberry.



I just split some oak this weekend and fortunately had the help of a splitter.  I was sure glad to have access to the splitter. I'll try and get a pic later to post . . .the grain was so twisted I called it Birds-Eye Oak.


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## Chief Ryan (Mar 16, 2009)

Todd said:
			
		

> Maybe it's different out west, but that don't look like the Red Oak around here. Anyways the Red Oak I've split is very easy and with bigger rounds you can just work around the sides towards the middle.



I agree. It doesn't look like the oak i've seen around here. Anyway, the big stuff i start around the edges. If you go right for the middle sometimes the axe bounces right out. I sometimes use a splitting axe then hit it with a sledge, but your better off hitting a wedge. If you miss the end of the axe you can ruin your axe handle.


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## LLigetfa (Mar 16, 2009)

Chief Ryan said:
			
		

> I sometimes use a splitting axe then hit it with a sledge...


tsk, tsk

That sort of abuse can quickly ruin an axe.


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## stockdoct (Mar 16, 2009)

another option, although not a great one....

I've found a 23" round that's 20" deep is impossible for a middle aged guy with a bad shoulder like me to split.  But a 23" diameter round that's only 10" deep is quite easy.   Makes "chunk" wood rather than nice long splits, but it burns all the same I spose.  Chainsaw those rounds to half their depth and splittings no problem.


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## Hurricane (Mar 17, 2009)

Use those shorter splits for the east west loads.
I have taken a round that refused to split and cut it in half then it splits quite easily.


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## myzamboni (Mar 17, 2009)

myzamboni said:
			
		

> Risser09 said:
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Here is an example of the oak 'burl' the splitter helped with:


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## jotul8e2 (Mar 17, 2009)

A contrarian view here...

I never saw any kind of oak with bark like that.  Some kind of beech maybe?

Last week I split a bunch of oak and hickory rounds about that same diameter and 20-22 inches long using my Stihl 6.6 lb. maul.  Unlike many here, I seldom nibble around the edges - it just does not work for me very often.  Nor do I use wedges - because I hate using wedges, that's why!  And, being an eternal optimist, I usually give at least one good whack right in the center.  If that does not work, I'll give it a go about 1/4 of the way across, then another directly opposite.  If that fails, then a chainsaw cut of 8" or so will almost always do the trick.  Oh, and split from the butt end.

For those that can swing a 10 lb. maul, go for it.  I can't.  I just cannot get sufficient head speed after a few rounds.  The Stihl maul is light enough for me to swing good and fast for several hours.  Remeber, Force=mass X velocity.  A heavy maul has little impact if you cannot put any speed on it.

And my way isn't the best, except for me.  I've worked with guys who could take a double bit ax, two wedges, a 10 lb. sledge hammer and turn those rounds into kindling in an amazing short time. 

Mark


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## NoPaint (Mar 17, 2009)

Man I had some red oak like that. Real big at the base and unsplitable. I rented a splitter that would go vertical and just twisted them under it. The splitter made short work of everything. The problem with the logs are that they are going to be real stringy when split. Its gonna be a bear to do by hand but the splitter will get it apart enough to avoid the stringyness.


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## Chief Ryan (Mar 17, 2009)

LLigetfa said:
			
		

> Chief Ryan said:
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I knew i'd yelled at... :red:


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## Chief Ryan (Mar 17, 2009)

Chief Ryan said:
			
		

> LLigetfa said:
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I knew i'd GET yelled at...


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## madrone (Mar 17, 2009)

jotul8e2 said:
			
		

> A contrarian view here...
> 
> I never saw any kind of oak with bark like that.  Some kind of beech maybe?
> 
> Mark



The red oak in my front yard has bark exactly like the stuff pictured, but only on the branches. They're huge branches, though. The trunk is very creased. If these are trunk sections, I'd suspect maple.


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## lexybird (Mar 17, 2009)

CTburns said:
			
		

> I would recommend renting a splitter, maybe you could bang those out in half a day.  If the splitter is only horozontal, then having a friend help will make your life easier.



good advise ,sometimes the easy way is the best way


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## Wet1 (Mar 17, 2009)

The bark in the pic from the first post certainly doesn't look like any red oak I've ever seen either...  Branches yes, but not a trunk of that size.  If it is red oak, it can be some of the easiest splitting wood there is.  Based on the picture and having issues splitting it, I would be very surprised if that is truly red oak.


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## madrone (Mar 17, 2009)

OK, so, not to deny the possibility that it's not red oak, but the tree in my yard has branches easily as large as the ones pictured, with similar bark, and it's indeed a red oak. Additionally, I've had trouble splitting oak at that size, even with sharp wedges. There may be a difference in species from west to east. Without seeing a close-up of the grain, we won't be able to tell from a picture on the net, but I'd say it could very well be red oak.


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## mountaineer79 (Mar 17, 2009)

jotul8e2 said:
			
		

> Remeber, Force=mass X velocity.
> Mark



Actually Force = mass X acceleration.  Momentum = mass X velocity

Most of the larger red oak I've split has been pretty tough.  I can usually break it up with one or two hits, but it's kind of stringy (like elm, but not nearly as bad), so it still tries to hold together even after you get a split started.

I agree with the guys that say that doesn't look like red oak.  It looks like beech to me.


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## jotul8e2 (Mar 18, 2009)

mountaineer79 said:
			
		

> Actually Force = mass X acceleration.  Momentum = mass X velocity



Yes, of course it is.  f=ma.  What did I write, velocity?  Fortunately for me that pop quiz was almost 40 years ago.  Of course, in school today my answer might well be considered correct as well, so long as I feel good about it.

Mark


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## basswidow (Mar 18, 2009)

I am new to splitting wood.

My brother dropped 5 big oaks in his yard last september and they are cut into firewood sized rounds.  They are big - bigger then the ones pictured.  Some - almost 3 feet across.

So we went at them with the sledge and wedge yesterday.  These logs have already started to have some cracks in them (like a plus+ sign in the center),  so my brother would put the wedge into an existing split (near the center) and start to sledge away.  The wedge would go in - but usually popped out and was not splitting the round.  

I told him,  I had learned here to start the wedge near the edge.  He's convinced to start in the middle and on the existing cracks.  So after he gets worn out a bit,  I put the wedge about an inch or two in from the edge of the round and at an angle so that the wedge was drawing a line to the dead center of the round.  A few easy swings and the round split just fine - piece of cake.  Then I did the same for the two halves.  Now it's split 4 ways even.  Out comes the maul and it's was easy work - just like the slap chop. 

Perhaps my sledge and wedge went easier since the rounds were cut last fall?   

One hour and my pick up was stacked full and the wheels almost touch the wells!  That oak is heavy.  But I am glad to have it split -  I hope to get all of it.


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## mountaineer79 (Mar 18, 2009)

jotul8e2 said:
			
		

> mountaineer79 said:
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Sorry I'm a mechanical engineer, so I couldn't resist even though it didn't have anything to do with the thread.


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## Adios Pantalones (Mar 18, 2009)

Put me in with the "that aint red oak" crowd.  You would have an easier time with it if it was red oak, I bet.  Fresh red oak splits pretty easy unless it's huge or has lots of branches.


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## kjolsen (Mar 18, 2009)

Thanks for everyone with the help they've provided. I've been able to go at some of the large rounds with a small wedge. Once the wedge gets some purchase, they split easily (unless there's a knot or branch stub). It's still a job to get the wedge in, though. 

Maybe my logs are pin oak? Not sure of the difference between red and pin. Any difference in terms of their burnability or splittability?


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## Wet1 (Mar 18, 2009)

Red and pin oak are very similar.


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## TreePapa (Mar 18, 2009)

basswidow said:
			
		

> I am new to splitting wood.
> So after he gets worn out a bit,  I put the wedge about an inch or two in from the edge of the round and at an angle so that the wedge was drawing a line to the dead center of the round.  A few easy swings and the round split just fine - piece of cake.



At an angle vertically so the head sticks out toward the edge of the round? or hortizontally? How much of an angle ?

I'm only asking 'cuz I've always tried to split with wedge(s) like your brother did, with about the same results (lots of effort to split smaller rounds).

Thanks,

Peace,
- Sequoia


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## basswidow (Mar 21, 2009)

Tree papa ,

this is my first wedge splitting ever - so I am totally a rookie.  Love this site for taking years off the learning curve.  I may be doing it wrong - but it sure worked well.  So much better then placing the wedge center or midway in a crack.

If you look at a round,  place an X dead center of the round.  Place the wedge on one of the X lines about an inch or so from the outside edge of the round with the cutting blade of the wedge in line with the line of the X so it's pointing toward center.  

When I did this - the rounds split perfectly in half.  Then I repeated this to the half's  and made quarters.  Then was able to lift these pieces and maul split them.  

Putting the wedge dead center or in an existing crack in the middle somewhere - never seemed to work and the wedge would bite but eventually would pop out.  

I can't do it now,  but I will try and post pictures.  I would imagine somewhere in the archives - someone has already posted pictures on placing a wedge to split large rounds.  

It's given me confidence to go after large wood.


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## billb3 (Mar 21, 2009)

There are an awful lot of red oak varieties.

bark is too smooth and grain much too big for any around here.
Eas Coast / Massachusetts
I've just split almost a cord of a red oak that came down in my driveway last Fall (just getting the last of it cut up)
and used just wedges and a 10 pound maul.
No more roundhousing a splitter maul for me.
I try not to roundhouse the maul, too, but sometimes I get a good easy pop that way.
I have the best luck starting at the edge, too, but I'll try to keep the whole round 'together' with 16 to 24 splits to pull apart all at once. (less bending over)  
Hey, splitting by hand is boring.


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