Splitting Eucalyptus

[djbobbins]

I felled and split 2 x 40 foot eucs which were in our garden when we moved to this house. All split by hand (well, maul / wedges / 14lb hammer).

Definitely split it green (although just as it starts to dry out you can find some hands cracks).

It burns well but I found it needed at least 3 summers to be properly seasoned, even when split to log size.

[Gav73]

2 minutes ago, djbobbins said:

I felled and split 2 x 40 foot eucs which were in our garden when we moved to this house. All split by hand (well, maul / wedges / 14lb hammer).

Definitely split it green (although just as it starts to dry out you can find some hands cracks).

It burns well but I found it needed at least 3 summers to be properly seasoned, even when split to log size.

Wow that’s a long time to season! I find that the time it takes to season depends on where I stack it. I can get some of my firewood down to 25% within 6 months if it’s in the most sunny and windy spot of the garden

[nepia]

Especially when it's from a hy crack  ?

[djbobbins]

Wow that’s a long time to season! I find that the time it takes to season depends on where I stack it. I can get some of my firewood down to 25% within 6 months if it’s in the most sunny and windy spot of the garden

I think I started burning the very smallest pieces (2 inches or so) after 1 summer, then most of the bigger logs the winter after that. It was only when I’d had the rest seasoning for another summer that I realised I should have tried to keep it longer, but in reality I didn’t really have enough space to store the euc and other firewood stocks too.

[neiln]

There are many different eucalyptus.  I've had the one that pops up in gardens as a decorative tree a few times. E.Gunni possibly.  Never had to deal with it stuff past about errrrr 15" diameter maybe less.  Can't say I found that hard to split.  Split green.  It splits itself loads as it dries iirc, it doesn't check, it just opens one or 2 big cracks.

 

[Rob_the_Sparky]

Must be a different type to what I get, as with others lovely wood to burn but has a corkscrew grain making splitting "fun".

[Acerforestry]

I can see why in some places they will try to produce plantations as a firewood crop. Fast growing and according to a log client of mine whom I supplied some to a year or so back, virtually took the log stove temp off the scale. Lovely stuff, truly

Edited November 27, 2020 by Acerforestry

[Bernie SE163]

I split a load of this last year as it was easier  to split for customer than remove from garden due to access, we were splitting with axes, it can be done if you do it within 10 days of being felled.