I cut one tree this year that proved unreasonably difficult to split, so instead I cut it into Swedish Torches with my chainsaw. This turns out to be great for outdoor cooking as it provides a stable flat surface.
It is in fact an elm, as Greg guessed. I split some of it in the spring, decided it was not worth the effort I was putting into it and set the bucked logs aside to dry all summer. It's still entirely too much effort to split in the fall. This, however, is a good use for it.
I did not grow up with wood as fuel, and did not start splitting until I was 25. The first tree I cut on the property was an elm that was leaning over the house, and I felt I was a very inadequate woodsman when I was unable to split it. I bought different mauls, sharpened them insanely, and read up on technique and still could do nothing with the very green elm. Was I that much of a weakling? I put the 16x20" pieces away until the dead of winter, and was able to knock the twisty bastards apart then. I did start to appreciate that the twisting might be the problem. Yet it was not until spring when I took out some birches and geared up for another weekend of headaches stretching into Wednesday that I fully appreciated the difference. That stuff was easy. One swipe, didn't even have to hit the center perfectly.
I have had nothing to do with elm since. When I had to cut one, I would just bring the pieces to friends who burned outdoors. So when you said "unreasonably difficult to split" I wondered immediately what wood it was.
6 comments:
I've been tempted to cut Swedish torches into a giant multi-stemmed boxelder stump that I wish to get rid of.
Requires a day I can spend monitoring the fire, however
Slippery elm? I hate splitting those
Greg
Osage orange is no fun cutting or splitting.
What type of tree was it?
It is in fact an elm, as Greg guessed. I split some of it in the spring, decided it was not worth the effort I was putting into it and set the bucked logs aside to dry all summer. It's still entirely too much effort to split in the fall. This, however, is a good use for it.
I did not grow up with wood as fuel, and did not start splitting until I was 25. The first tree I cut on the property was an elm that was leaning over the house, and I felt I was a very inadequate woodsman when I was unable to split it. I bought different mauls, sharpened them insanely, and read up on technique and still could do nothing with the very green elm. Was I that much of a weakling? I put the 16x20" pieces away until the dead of winter, and was able to knock the twisty bastards apart then. I did start to appreciate that the twisting might be the problem. Yet it was not until spring when I took out some birches and geared up for another weekend of headaches stretching into Wednesday that I fully appreciated the difference. That stuff was easy. One swipe, didn't even have to hit the center perfectly.
I have had nothing to do with elm since. When I had to cut one, I would just bring the pieces to friends who burned outdoors. So when you said "unreasonably difficult to split" I wondered immediately what wood it was.
Elms just don't like people, be the tree living or dead. They seem to go out of their way to be difficult.
Note: I am slightly biased because of almost being brained twice by falling branches. Elms were very, very popular public park trees out here.
LittleRed1
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