Should I take some free cottonwood?

[IchWarriorMkII]

When does this cotton wood get easy to split?

I remember being a kid and it being ferocious to get to split. It seemed stringy and wouldnt easily come apart even it was split 80% down the log.

 

[ShoerFast]

When does this cotton wood get easy to split?

.

Never!

Unless it rots, green , dry, frozen, it is just plain the hardest wood to split / per BTU there is. Splits as hard as piss-elm, (white or American Elm)

Both can be used to build a hub for a wooden wheel (were the spokes fit in the center) because they just don't split well.

 

[ray benson]

I had the best luck taking small pieces off the outside edge and working around the log. Using cracks or trying to split the piece in half was WORK.

 

[ShoerFast]

I had the best luck taking small pieces off the outside edge and working around the log. Using cracks or trying to split the piece in half was WORK.

It was a Cottonwood splitter that invented the phrase "wood heats you twice" !

 

[Bowtie]

cottonwood is terrible firewood, but if I was freezing, I would burn it.Thank God Kansas is loaded with mulberry, locust, hedge and ash.

 

[Moddoo]

Hey, thanks for all the input guys.
If I ever get in touch with the guy, I might cut up one round and see how it splits.
It sounds like I might just be better of spending a little extra time getting some more oak. There is plenty to be had, I just have to go get it.

Still wondering why the one guy don't like oak???

 

[crowbait]

I am amazed at how hard it is to split. Stringiest stuff I've ever seen. Large chunks stall my 25 ton splitter, all the time. A real pain breaking this stuff down.

 

[McNeely]

I threw away two cords of cottonwood because we burn in a stove, and it just clogs it all up with ashes. It will easily right before it rots from the center. I didn't actually trash it, we burned it all in a huge bonfire as we drank, sang and danced around it.

 

[turnkey4099]

I threw away two cords of cottonwood because we burn in a stove, and it just clogs it all up with ashes. It will easily right before it rots from the center. I didn't actually trash it, we burned it all in a huge bonfire as we drank, sang and danced around it.

There seems to be a big difference in the various varieties. Some other threads have said it splits o.k. My experience with it is much like yours. Couldn't split it with wedges, they would just sink in and stick, splitter would stall. I let em sit for a year and same result. Finally halved the blocks down to 8" rounds and it was still a royal baitch to split. Swore I would never touch another chunk of it.

Harry K

 

[Elmore]

Carving Cottonwood

I have heard that a good size Cottonwood can bring some good money. Carvers use it, both the wood and bark.

http://iaia.essortment.com/woodcarvingte_rvxa.htm

 

[Austin1]

There seems to be a big difference in the various varieties. Some other threads have said it splits o.k. My experience with it is much like yours. Couldn't split it with wedges, they would just sink in and stick, splitter would stall. I let em sit for a year and same result. Finally halved the blocks down to 8" rounds and it was still a royal baitch to split. Swore I would never touch another chunk of it.

Harry K

Well to be honest I don't know if I was cutting a cotton wood or not or what spices of tree it was sorry no pic.But my Rancher friend said it was a cotton wood{ Southern Alberta Canada} He asked me if I could take down a tree for him since I own a big saw.It was at least 32'' die my 32'' bar did not make a clean cut across the tree at the most the tree was only 50-60' tall big and fat. I loaded the wood in my truck and trailer took it home and tried to split it what a ***** stringing and tough, I ended up ripping it with the saw.Lot's of work but I am always welcome to come hunt some of his monster whitetail's

 

[rguseman]

Any truth to the rumor that it gives off a rather unpleasant odor when it is burned. I have the opportunity to grab the firewood from a pretty good-sized cottonwood but am a little leary because of splitting issues and the smell issue.

 

[TREEWACKA]

Here in East Texas Cottonwood and Sycamore grow along the creek and river banks and consequently the bark is very gritty. Absolutely no one uses it for firewood to heat with. Every couple of years a timber buyer comes through representing a basket factory in Jacksonville and pays a penance for 8 ft. bolts. Darn if I wouldn't ask the owner if he/she might pay to have the residue wood cleaned up and hauled off. If they needed a fence built, gate or culvert installed, grass mowed or any future landscaping work. Especially since your practically neighbors.