Should I wait to split?

[ecocavalier02]

I have about a cord of maple that i cut down in march of this year. I plan on burning it in 09 2010 winter. I know maple seasons much faster and am wondering if should wait until spring to split so its not super dry?

 

[CharlieG]

Better dry than wet. Anyway, split whenever i have time. Sooner the better.

 

[willsaw4beer]

The sooner you get it split the drier it will be. And the drier it is the better it burns. Although I'd think splitting it in the spring it'd be dry enough for next fall/winter. I find that the drier wood is before I split it the easier it splits...

 

[jburlingham]

I personally would split it now, and stack it out of the way.

 

[Crofter]

I see you are in CT so relatively high humidity. If you were in Arizona it might be possible to get it overdry but that problem is a rarity. Leaving it on the ground in the round would not be good. Never mind procrastinating; split it and get it over with!

 

[SpiralAcacia]

Can't remember where but I have read splitting the logs has a smaller effect on the drying speed as compared to cutting it to a shorter length.

It mentioned it is so because the bulk of moisture the wood loses during seasoning outs through the tree's natural vessels.

Can the Mightily Experienced verify this??

SA

 

[woodbooga]

All the wood I intend to burn in 09-10 (2.5 cords at present) is split in a big pile. I'll stack later.

I have different motivations for splitting way in advance. Maple rots relatively easily when bark-retained moisture is not released. Even more so with birch and poplar. So I split them as a hedge against rot.

Oak, while more rot resistant, requires more seasoning time. So I split now so it will be plenty seasoned for next year.

And probably the most important reason of all. Splitting (with maul) is my favorite aspect of processing. An unsplit round in my pile sends forth a siren song that, sure as gravity, lures me to the stump, hickory handle in hand...

woooodbooooga...O woooooooodbooga. Here I am. Come to me. I am whole but yearn to be quartered. Regard, if you will, my straight grain and lack of knots. It wooooood be soooooo gooooooooood. But...you...must come...to me

 

[Dok]

I split it as soon as I can get to it. The only exception is if hand splitting sometimes green wood doesn't like to split. I will put that wood aside until it starts checking.

Split wood seasons faster than rounds in my experience. To speed up the drying process I will water down a stack of split wood on a warm day. Capillary action works to pump the moisture out of the wood. Works great on pine, less so on oak.

If you split and stack the maple and keep the rain/snow out of it, it will be in good shape in two years.

Dok

 

[savageactor7]

If you have the time it's always better to split sooner rather than later.

 

[Crofter]

Can't remember where but I have read splitting the logs has a smaller effect on the drying speed as compared to cutting it to a shorter length.

It mentioned it is so because the bulk of moisture the wood loses during seasoning outs through the tree's natural vessels.

Can the Mightily Experienced verify this??

SA

You will have to get someone else to verify that; it runs contrary to my experience.

 

[forestryworks]

split now or forever hold your peace

 

[husky455rancher]

get to splittin

 

[Austin1]

Cant heart to split it How cold does it get in your neck of the woods? I ask this as splitting wood in temps below -10c makes the job much easier. I live in a very dry climate but find even my pine left un split takes two years to dry Split we are talking 8 months and it's nice and dry.

 

[KRS]

And probably the most important reason of all. Splitting (with maul) is my favorite aspect of processing. An unsplit round in my pile sends forth a siren song that, sure as gravity, lures me to the stump, hickory handle in hand...

woooodbooooga...O woooooooodbooga. Here I am. Come to me. I am whole but yearn to be quartered. Regard, if you will, my straight grain and lack of knots. It wooooood be soooooo gooooooooood. But...you...must come...to me

Not getting enough light up there in the north I think :jester:

 

[woodbooga]

Not getting enough light up there in the north I think :jester:

I don't think it's a matter of light. I just like my firewood.

I don't suppose you know of anywhere I can go on the Internet to hang out and discuss firewood with other likeminded folks?

 

[KsWoodsMan]

I have about a cord of maple that i cut down in march of this year. I plan on burning it in 09 2010 winter. I know maple seasons much faster and am wondering if should wait until spring to split so its not super dry?

It's wood, split it !

There will be more wood to split and stack later, I'm pretty sure of it.

 

[KRS]

I don't suppose you know of anywhere I can go on the Internet to hang out and discuss firewood with other likeminded folks?

Just here my friend, just here [group hug]

 

[WetBehindtheEar]

I have about 1.5 cord of split silver maple (softer) that was cut/split in June. It was stacked and sat in the sun during a 2 month drought - much of it is ready to burn now.

I was worried about it being too green but it REALLY goes up quick.

Any recommendations on wood/water percentage testers?

 

[ecocavalier02]

i just wanted to make sure. i have about 6 cords split now. and have about 4 or 5 to split for the 09 10. mostly oak but got that cord of maple and just wanted to see what you guys thought.

 

[Bowtie]

I left a few 22" rounds of mulberry (unsplit) in the timber in November of 2007 that were cut to 20" lengths. I went back last month to start cutting wood for next year's burn, and for S&G's split them. They both were still shiny with moisture from about 4" from the ends. I am burning split pieces from the same tree now, and they are dry and seasoned.

Whoever said that splitting doesnt make a difference must not burn much hardwood.