Splitting A Butt Cut

A few weeks ago I told you about the big pieces of fir Mike was cutting off the base (butt) of the trees he was falling. He made the heavy butt cuts into 16 inch lengths for me but the pieces still weighed between 150 to 200 lbs each and were much too massive to be moved by rolling away from the sticks, stems, branches and debris from the tree to flat ground.

That was when Mike used the blade of the dozer to scoot the big rounds into a central area out of his way where I could make them up at my leisure. My leisure has come in so to speak and I am now beginning to work my way through the large rounds and make them into pieces I can move.

When splitting wood, I like to check for a natural spot of weakness. Even in a perfect tree, cracks and minor flaws can be spotted as the piece begins to age and dry after being cut.

Using my trusty 10 lb maul and several metal wedges I begin by setting the first wedge. There is also a 16 lb maul available if the piece is extra tough to split.

On this butt cut piece the middle eight inches showed root rot, the tree had been slowly dying from the center out so I have to be careful not to set a wedge in the rotten part lest the wedge would stick deep inside without splitting the outer area at all.

One wedge placement with the maul (this step could take several hefty swings) and a new crack will emerge so I know where to place the second wedge.

The crack was avoiding the punky, rotten middle. The second wedge is placed and striking with long swings of the maul force another crack or widen the ones that are already there. Rather than placing the second wedge on the far side to open the crack as would be with a healthy butt cut, I will need to parcel this piece in partial wedges or slabs.

Trees are smarter than most people realize. When this inside ring began to deteriorate, the outer area of the tree increased the strength of its outside by binding the fibers of the healthier part of the tree. The binding is the natural defense for the tree to withstand weather and time. It also makes it tougher to split when I come into the picture.

The result will be unusual shaped chunks of wood, but beauty is not what we are after, just pieces between 20 to 40 lbs so that they are easily lifted into the bed of the Gator so they can be hauled out of the woods.

It is a rather slow process and I am known to take a break or two or three before getting one round chunk into small enough pieces.

The rotten heart of the tree will remain in the forest and will decompose for the next generation of seedlings.

The chunks from this piece were piled up and will remain exposed to the elements until I have time to haul them down out of the woods.

Typically I only haul one Gator load a day and never come down the hill empty even if I am only in the woods to check the trail cameras, fences or on the look for errant cattle.