Dense hard wood - Page 2

Monkey Uncle · 01-02-2018, 05:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Czarbecue

I bough it in August and It was supposedly cut in June. So it’s been awhile, just maybe some knotty logs then. My firebox is 16x20x16 so it’s on the small side.

Are you splitting the wood shortly before using it? It needs to season for a while after you split it. If the rounds were cut in June and have been whole since then, they will have seasoned some, but not enough to just split and burn. Also, knots are denser than straight-grained wood and will take longer to season.

gcs · 01-02-2018, 09:52 AM

I've split a lot of wood, some pieces are just tough.
You can try splitting from the other direction or splitting the edges off, but if your using a hydraulic splitter, and it's not happening, just chuck it and move on, burn it in a fire pit, chuck it in the woods, use it for a doorstop, but forget about it, it's not worth the aggravation or potential injury.

Czarbecue · 01-02-2018, 10:28 AM

I have a good pile of the bad stuff now. I always pictured knotted logs would be the one with the grain in different directions but these seem rather straight. This stuff just went up to the wedge and it made an indention like it was a piece of clay.

Maybe I’ll wait until I have a larger firebox and burn the crap out of them. They’re about 18 inches long and half of a round branch so it’s freaking huge in my Bandera firebox.

Czarbecue · 01-02-2018, 10:33 AM

Here’s a pic of the firebox last night. Look at that cherry split in the middle not giving a damn. Had to drop in some charcoal to help out but in the morning the whole log was still intact. It was one of the flyers.

Pappy Q · 01-02-2018, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Czarbecue

Here’s a pic of the firebox last night. Look at that cherry split in the middle not giving a damn. Had to drop in some charcoal to help out but in the morning the whole log was still intact. It was one of the flyers.

IMO, your splits are way too big. Half that width will work much better

BeardedBassGuy · 01-02-2018, 12:13 PM

Czar, that's what the wood I got recently did. I'm going to assume it's just in need of more seasoning. I'd set it aside and try it in a few more months.

Czarbecue · 01-02-2018, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pappy Q

IMO, your splits are way too big. Half that width will work much better

Well, that’s the point of this thread. I’m having a hard time splitting my cherry logs.

sudsandswine · 01-02-2018, 02:50 PM

Got a chainsaw? Maybe you can just zip it down the middle.

CT-Mike · 01-02-2018, 03:29 PM

As someone mentioned earlier, wood doesn’t really start to season until it has been split. 6 months is my minimum before I’ll try and use it. A year for oak.

Czarbecue · 01-02-2018, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CT-Mike

As someone mentioned earlier, wood doesn’t really start to season until it has been split.

The wood came split somewhat. It’s the process of breaking them down even more is what I’m having issues with.

See the half logs here. I’m trying to split them again so I won’t have huge spikes in my temps.

Pappy Q · 01-02-2018, 04:28 PM

[QUOTE=Czarbecue;3926785]Well, that’s the point of this thread. I’m having a hard time splitting my cherry logs.[/QUOTE

I guess I thought it was about why the wood wasn’t burning. I apologize for being off topic...

Monkey Uncle · 01-02-2018, 08:02 PM

I heat with wood, and split it all by hand (sledge hammer and wedge), so I've split quite a bit of wood over the years. I'm not seeing anything in that stack that would be a problem to split by hand, much less with a wood splitter. Most of it looks like it could be split with just an ax. I'm wondering if you're orienting it properly in the wood splitter?

Czarbecue · 01-03-2018, 12:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monkey Uncle

I heat with wood, and split it all by hand (sledge hammer and wedge), so I've split quite a bit of wood over the years. I'm not seeing anything in that stack that would be a problem to split by hand, much less with a wood splitter. Most of it looks like it could be split with just an ax. I'm wondering if you're orienting it properly in the wood splitter?

I’ve done bark side down and bark side up. Not sure if it makes a difference.

Monkey Uncle · 01-03-2018, 04:51 AM

Typically you stand the piece of wood on one end and split it from the top down (lengthwise along the grain). It sounds like you're laying it on its side and trying to split it while it is lying flat. While it is possible to split wood that way, it is a whole lot harder.

Lawnguy · 01-03-2018, 05:40 AM

^^^^

What he said.

01-02-2018, 10:28 AM	#18
Czarbecue Babbling Farker Join Date: 06-24-17 Location: Monroe, GA Name/Nickname : Viet King Cong	Dense hard wood I have a good pile of the bad stuff now. I always pictured knotted logs would be the one with the grain in different directions but these seem rather straight. This stuff just went up to the wedge and it made an indention like it was a piece of clay. Maybe I’ll wait until I have a larger firebox and burn the crap out of them. They’re about 18 inches long and half of a round branch so it’s freaking huge in my Bandera firebox. __________________ Boathouse Smokers Big Black Cabinet

01-02-2018, 10:33 AM	#19
Czarbecue Babbling Farker Join Date: 06-24-17 Location: Monroe, GA Name/Nickname : Viet King Cong	Dense hard wood Here’s a pic of the firebox last night. Look at that cherry split in the middle not giving a damn. Had to drop in some charcoal to help out but in the morning the whole log was still intact. It was one of the flyers. __________________ Boathouse Smokers Big Black Cabinet Last edited by Czarbecue; 01-02-2018 at 10:42 AM..

01-02-2018, 02:50 PM	#23
sudsandswine Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 06-23-12 Location: Kansas City	Got a chainsaw? Maybe you can just zip it down the middle. __________________ Shirley Fab 250g trailer \| Primo XL kamado \| [COLOR="Red"]Red[/COLOR] Weber Limited Edition kettle + 26” kettle \| Clonesaker PDS (pretty drum smoker)

01-02-2018, 03:29 PM	#24
CT-Mike is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 01-11-14 Location: SE CT	As someone mentioned earlier, wood doesn’t really start to season until it has been split. 6 months is my minimum before I’ll try and use it. A year for oak. __________________ MMBGE/Large BGE/XL BGE/SF 30x80 - "Ol' Mortimer" [url]www.facebook.com/goindeepbbq[/url]

01-02-2018, 09:52 AM	#17
gcs is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 08-14-13 Location: NY	I've split a lot of wood, some pieces are just tough. You can try splitting from the other direction or splitting the edges off, but if your using a hydraulic splitter, and it's not happening, just chuck it and move on, burn it in a fire pit, chuck it in the woods, use it for a doorstop, but forget about it, it's not worth the aggravation or potential injury.

01-02-2018, 12:13 PM	#21
BeardedBassGuy Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 09-27-17 Location: Grand Prairie, Tx	Czar, that's what the wood I got recently did. I'm going to assume it's just in need of more seasoning. I'd set it aside and try it in a few more months.

01-02-2018, 04:28 PM	#26
Pappy Q is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 04-08-10 Location: Elk Creek, KY	[QUOTE=Czarbecue;3926785]Well, that’s the point of this thread. I’m having a hard time splitting my cherry logs.[/QUOTE I guess I thought it was about why the wood wasn’t burning. I apologize for being off topic...

01-02-2018, 08:02 PM	#27
Monkey Uncle is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 10-26-14 Location: Somewhere, somehow	I heat with wood, and split it all by hand (sledge hammer and wedge), so I've split quite a bit of wood over the years. I'm not seeing anything in that stack that would be a problem to split by hand, much less with a wood splitter. Most of it looks like it could be split with just an ax. I'm wondering if you're orienting it properly in the wood splitter?

01-03-2018, 04:51 AM	#29
Monkey Uncle is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 10-26-14 Location: Somewhere, somehow	Typically you stand the piece of wood on one end and split it from the top down (lengthwise along the grain). It sounds like you're laying it on its side and trying to split it while it is lying flat. While it is possible to split wood that way, it is a whole lot harder.

01-03-2018, 05:40 AM	#30
Lawnguy Babbling Farker Join Date: 11-18-17 Location: Atlanta Georgia	^^^^ What he said.