Splitting oak...help!

[dirty boy]

I acquired some oak earlier in the year that an elderly lady had in her barn for quite some time...apparently from the '87 storm.

 

So...I tried splitting it last weekend..nearly broke my hands!

 

Given some of it is 450mm in diameter and a maul and grenade won't touch it, has anyone got any advice please?

 

Cheers

[sandspider]

Get a powered log splitter! Dry oak is hard to split.

[dirty boy]

Get a powered log splitter! Dry oak is hard to split.

 

You're telling me! What sort of power do I need? Can't afford a honking great machine, nor do I have the space to store one!

[Windy Trick]

Ask somebody local to you with a hydraulic splitter and tractor to give you a day of their time, generally they charge by the hour so be nice!

[mendiplogs]

I acquired some oak earlier in the year that an elderly lady had in her barn for quite some time...apparently from the '87 storm.

 

So...I tried splitting it last weekend..nearly broke my hands!

 

Given some of it is 450mm in diameter and a maul and grenade won't touch it, has anyone got any advice please?

 

Cheers

 

Hi BOY ALL BEST with that mate it gone very hard in that time have you a splitter or some very good wedges like thanks and all the best with off to the dentist in 45 minutes thanks Jon

[mendiplogs]

You're telling me! What sort of power do I need? Can't afford a honking great machine, nor do I have the space to store one!

 

Hi mate large power but work from outside edge to the middle and read the wood if there's knots just look at timber thanks Jon

[se7enthdevil]

try a chainsaw:lol::lol:

 

 

dry oak is damn near impossible to split in big chunks once it's had 5 years to dry let alone 25+.

 

ring it in to 6" this will give you a better chance of splitting.

[GreenGui]

I had some oak timber out of an old roof put up in the 1920's. Although older than yours I found that it was impossible to split (using hydraulic splitter and cone splitter) and so hard cutting it with a chain saw quickly dulled the teeth, it did not burn well to boot. Ended up using it as border edging round the garden.

 

Try burning a bit, you might find its more trouble than its worth if its seasoned bone dry.

[Cae Ffynnon]

How long are the lengths? Might be better off selling them as beams...

 

Jon might want a bit to bite on at the dentist.. good luck with that.

 

Chris

[renewablejohn]

Why do you think they use oak beams in old houses its not for the structural strength but its ability to withstand fire with normally just the outside inch charred.