Drying eucalyptus
- Thread starter davidwyby
- Start date
- Replies 170
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Dave Shepard
Square peg, round world.
Cracks like that are tough, the way it runs out of the log.
SeanKroll
Treehouser
I wonder what you'd get if quartersawing.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #154
Burnham
Woods walker
Jumbo sized. Do you never use splitting wedges, @davidwyby ? I'm not thinking I can recall you doing so, but that could be wrong, easily.
If I was to go after hand-splitting any of these nasties you show, I'd without a doubt be using multiple wedges.
If I was to go after hand-splitting any of these nasties you show, I'd without a doubt be using multiple wedges.
What wedges do you use Burnham? I like the conical wedges for the first set, then use typical wedges breaking down the rest. Easier to get set, and sometimes you get lucky and get multiple splits, which I think is the design goal, but hardly ever works.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #158
Nope. If I have to wedge, I saw. I like sawing.
That cut was actually a bummer. Looking at the outside of that chunk and all its brothers I figured they were cracked to trash/firewood. Apparently diameter slows drying and cracking. Maybe round tables then if I coat and store them inside to dry.
That cut was actually a bummer. Looking at the outside of that chunk and all its brothers I figured they were cracked to trash/firewood. Apparently diameter slows drying and cracking. Maybe round tables then if I coat and store them inside to dry.
Burnham
Woods walker
I only use the standard steel splitting wedges. Those cone shaped ones seem to me like they would be hard to get seated...but I have never tried one. I have 4, and on rare occasions have had all 4 in a single large round 
. Like this.
I dislike sawing on rounds to reduce them. I have to do it from time to time, when large knots defy splitting into small enough pieces for the woodstove. But only when there is no other choice. Not sure why...maybe just because it disrupts my normal workflow as I make firewood.
. Like this.I dislike sawing on rounds to reduce them. I have to do it from time to time, when large knots defy splitting into small enough pieces for the woodstove. But only when there is no other choice. Not sure why...maybe just because it disrupts my normal workflow as I make firewood
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Burnham
Woods walker
Agreed! That describes my feelings exactly.
Cobleskill
Treehouser
My stepson had a conical wedge called a wood grenade. We don't know if was drunk or sober thing but it ended up going in to the wood stove. Could have been stuck in a piece and he didn't see it throwing it in. We used to laugh at him and asked him if the wood grenade blew up.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #163
Wood Grenades work well in harder wood and soft wood soaks them up IIRC. Same with my Oz blocksplitter.
When I have to saw rounds, I know I’m going to. Big and or tough. I saw the log into rounds and roll the rounds alternating in opposite directions, then slice them up, but radially, not thru. Flop flat and chop em up. Cutting across the rings makes it easy, splits easy with the rings.
When I have to saw rounds, I know I’m going to. Big and or tough. I saw the log into rounds and roll the rounds alternating in opposite directions, then slice them up, but radially, not thru. Flop flat and chop em up. Cutting across the rings makes it easy, splits easy with the rings.
Burnham
Woods walker
Table top .
.
SeanKroll
Treehouser
Do you know about Anchor Seal and the something-glycol @davidwyby ?
That all lines up with what I’ve seen too. Milling green, keeping boards short, and shielding from sun/wind make a huge difference with eucalyptus. Pentacryl should help a lot as well—especially on end grain—curious to hear how it performs for you once you start using it.
SeanKroll
Treehouser
Are you trapping and monitoring the humidity to slow drying?
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #171
Not nearly that high tech. More like throw a tarp over it and hope. I may get a wood moisture meter for Christmas
