It'll split but it is "stringy" it will crack in 2 or 3 swings but just wont come apart. The heart is not in the center but rather shifted 2/3 to 3/4 to one side. Would that cause problems?
Tips on spliting red oak
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oilstinks said:
Dude you got a freak tree. I bet this tree took some hard wind several yeas ago and got sorta twisted. Since that time it healed up causing it to get "stringy".
We have that here in Oklahoma. Some storms just twist on the tree enough to cause internal damage but not break it. Hackberry wood is bad about that here.
BJ64 said:
It does happen. I split up a bunch of Acer Rubrum this spring, and all went well until i got to the biggest, straightest tree.
That bugger didn't have one easy split in it. Every round required multiple blows - only red I ever split that was stringy.
No offense at all to the OP, but every time I flash by the forums and see "help splitting Red Oak" I giggle.
Sometimes, when the sun is just right in the sky, and there's a slight breeze, and my focus is particularly keen, I can split red oak by cocking my head a little to the side and glaring at it just right.
Just kidding!
As I noted above, species are typically predictable, but there are substantial variances among different members of any species.
The only species that I have ever split that was worth splitting that was easier than Quercus rubra was Fraxinus americana.
what's with all the scientific names for red maple and white ash. myself, got some Acer platanoides last week, fresh cut rounds that dont split only squirt-will let dry out a few weeks before trying again to split.
I have the same problem but with hickory. Pound a small sharp wedge about two inches from the bark line and it will start to split. If the small one goes in without splitting go to the next size up and in the same line as the one in the round. Some times I drive a wedge into a large round and let it sit in the sun for about two hours. Every once in a while you will come back and see the fracture line radiating from the wedge. Once that happens it only takes one or two good hits with-the maul.
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