RooDude09 wrote: ok thx im excite not to spend $40+ on wood each trip out next year. Will it get any easier to chop as it dries? Some pieces are oddly shaped and wont split. Research ive done has mixed reviews on weather to cut right away or let it dry out.
I always use wood such as this the following season. We have cut down some trees here and there last few years and we just split and stack for next year's use, and usually have a prior batch ready to go. And the ones that won't split, if not terribly large, I just burn them as is. They make good slow burning logs on the fire mixed with split ones, unless you have a lot of them like that and if so try a chainsaw.
YEs, you have to check the CG guidelines anytime you bring your own wood. The place I go is fine with it. I always try to buy wood at home vs those ridiculous bundles for five bucks at campstore that don't last two hours.
Black oak from CA or whatever species you have on hand makes excellent firewood, but from experience when we lived in CA and got oak firewood up near Fortuna, you really should split the rounds now before they cure out. That wood gets harder than heck when it dries and becomes a nightmare to split.
When to split the wood depends on the type of wood. Some species split easily wet; others when dry. Some woods are much easier to split than others. Biggest mistake often made is trying to split a whole log instead of taking just a bit off at a time from the sides.
Also, there are many varieties of oak with varying degrees of difficulty in splitting it.
I'm a firebug, so got to have my evening campfire.
I take an electric chainsaw along and cut extant downed wood, if that is permissible. Gas chainsaw makes too much noise.
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I have heated with wood all my life, so am quite experienced with the various woods.
The longer oak dries out, the better it will burn. I don't burn oak until it has cured out of the weather for at least two years, and three is even better.
But with that said; if you have a hot enough fire that has been burning for a long time with a good pile of red ambers, any green wood will burn.
Oak is one of the easiest woods to split and I split it when it is green which allows the split pieces to cure quicker.
Look at the side of the round to see if you're going to be trying to split thru a knot where a branch was. Avoid that split to either side of the knot. Ideally store under cover at least 10' away from wood buildings for a year before burning. Red and white oak are easy to split wet fairly easy dry if you use the natural cracks that develop. Dunno what kind you're working with.
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I have split a lot of oak logs and they split much, much, much easier when still green. I don't know what kind of logs split easier when they are dried because I have never found any that do. You will find them much easier to split if you use a splitting maul instead of an axe. You might also need to use a wedge.
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OK, two questions here, instead of worrying about how hard it is to split, why not just go rent a splitter for a day.
I have to ask, because I must be the only redneck around who has never heard of wood refered to as "Rounds", I know all about face cords, full cords, running feet, & a few others, but have never heard of Rounds, what is that ?
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