On 28 Jan 2008 08:56:55 GMT
Huge wrote:

On 2008-01-27, Nick Maclaren wrote:

Oak is one of the harder ones to split.

I've just split several tonnes of oak, without any great issue. Any logs less
than about a foot in diameter split down the middle, any larger you can nibble
round the outside, splitting off "flakes" until it's small enough to split in
two. I did it with a hand axe.


I agree, I find oak one of the easier woods to split because it has a straight grain.
If it is well seasoned the knots break easily. Now ash, is a real pain, especially
if a bit green or knotty.

I split around 10 cords per winter, but with a maul not an axe. This is heavy to
swing (and so hard to aim) but splits much better. You don't have to be particularly
strong, my wife uses it too.

For really big logs you need a wedge and sledge hammer. I've succeeded with
this even on very large lime trees, which are the very devil to split because the
grain is all over the place, and as the woods a bit soft the maul just sinks in.

David obviously you'd better stay away from splitting. And, I do think you'll find
if the chain is well sharpened, it won't smoke going through that beam. (This said
I can cut about two beams before the smoke starts...)

-E
--
Emery Davis
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