Ash v. Red Oak when frozen to the ground...

[Dalmatian90]

Odd observation from Tuesday when I split wood at lunch time:

Red Oak and Ash, frozen to the ground. Was the bottom of a row I set up in my splitting area maybe six weeks ago.

Axle turned pry bar and a sledge hammer.

The oak all popped loose with a lot of persuasion. Usually I just tap the wood with my Fiskars axe. Sometimes whack. I knew from the day before this stuff was frozen in good so I grabbed a couple more tools before I started...and was getting worried I'd bend the axle, and that's my stoutest prying tool. Without revealing specifics of my weight and axle length, shall we just say we're talking in the area of 1500 foot-lbs that could be applied

The ash...still sits frozen to the ground. Got the red oak from either side, but I guess the ash bark gives more surface area for the ice to form into.

So here's your lesson:
Always use red oak for your bottom row when staging wood in winter to be split.

 

[Cheesecutter]

I stage my rounds on small diameter limb wood to keep them off the ground. Even treated 2x4s work nicely for this. I've also used 20' lengths of 1 1/2" well pipe with good results.

 

[mainewoods]

I also cut a bunch of 2-5" dia. limbs to lay my wood on, whether logs or 4'. Especially if I know they won't be processed right off.

 

[old_soul]

Odd observation from Tuesday when I split wood at lunch time:

Red Oak and Ash, frozen to the ground. Was the bottom of a row I set up in my splitting area maybe six weeks ago.

Axle turned pry bar and a sledge hammer.

The oak all popped loose with a lot of persuasion. Usually I just tap the wood with my Fiskars axe. Sometimes whack. I knew from the day before this stuff was frozen in good so I grabbed a couple more tools before I started...and was getting worried I'd bend the axle, and that's my stoutest prying tool. Without revealing specifics of my weight and axle length, shall we just say we're talking in the area of 1500 foot-lbs that could be applied

The ash...still sits frozen to the ground. Got the red oak from either side, but I guess the ash bark gives more surface area for the ice to form into.

So here's your lesson:
Always use red oak for your bottom row when staging wood in winter to be split.

been a bad winter for this around here too............

Even worse is trying to drive t posts into frozen ground for stacking lol

We got 12+ cord in a pile waiting to be stacked.

 

[mainewoods]

I've used a Dewalt hammer drill and concrete bit several times to make holes in frozen ground.

 

[Dalmatian90]

I've used a Dewalt hammer drill and concrete bit several times to make holes in frozen ground.

Darn you Mainewoods...next time my frustration with rocky New England soil and setting T posts in my garden boils over, you'll be to blame for the expensive and impulsive trip to Lowes...

 

[mainewoods]

I only used a DeWalt because I already had one. You can get a 5/8- in. Hitachi for $60.

 

[flotek]

Don't lay oak on the ground I put my crappy wood like hemlock down first that way if any wood is absorbing moisture it won't be my good stash