Big Osage tree

[bluejack]

I look every day but don`t very often comment here but I have a question some of you guys could probably answer. Will B and I have permission to cut a large Osage tree(how big) how about 28" in dia. Have any of you tried to split one this big?? Don`t know if we`re up to the task.

[sleek]

I have split bigger. Best thing to do is cut the logos to length, paint the ends, let it sit a few months then start splitting. Sometimes ill start a split and leave it for a few weeks with the wedges in it. It will dry where the split is and open more on its own. When they get that big, you let science do some of the work for you. Even a day or two left with wedges in a split can make a huge difference. Where are yall at? You may have a few folks on here close enough to help.

[Burnsie]

Not 28" - but I split this one.  Brute force and awkwardness were my main tools. 

[bluejack]

WEW are in western Pa. will have to split into staves-it`s too big to carry.

[sleek]

A pair of broke in work gloves and eye protection are your best friends. Bring a couple pledges, 8 pounders are perfect, and as many wedges as you can, I use 8, an ax and a hatchet. Its gonna be a marathon not a race. Split it starting at the small end always, it helps the split track center better. Also, a chainsaw to start a small kerf can help start a wedge. Drink plenty of water because you WILL work up a sweat! Make the staves big and wide as you can carry, then deal with splitting those out at home. I make them 5 or 6 inches wide, then I can get a belly split stave, then split the 5 or 6 inch stave in half. Gives you 3 high quality staves when you would have only got 2. Works great.

[osage outlaw]

I've split a lot of big osage trees.  The biggest yielded 109 staves plus some billets.  I prefer to cut the large ones.  They tend to be straighter and cleaner wood plus all the belly splits don't need cleaned up.  Logs that big will usually have natural splits in them.  Start there.  Getting them in half is the hardest part.  You will need a lot of wedges.  I built a splitting stand on my sloped yard out of telephone poles.  I could roll a log to the end and have it at perfect working height so I didn't have to bend over.  I used a 4 and 6 lb hammer for all my splitting.  I didn't like using a full sized sledge.  When trying to get them busted in half, there will be stringers connecting them.  Two crowbars are handy to pry them apart.  I also had a long wood chisel I would use to cut the stringers deep inside.  I used to split 300-400 osage staves a year.  I tried to stop before I did too much damage to my body but I was too late.  I'm paying for it now.


Wear safety glasses!!!!!!!!!!!   I had a hammer head chip off and hit me right between the eyes.  It felt like I had been punched.  My nose was too sore to touch for days.  If it had hit a half inch either way I would have lost an eye.  Have fun and be careful.     

[sleek]

If anyone knows what they are talking about, its this guy ^

[JW_Halverson]

If anyone knows what they are talking about, its this guy ^

Ya got that right. The Double O has a long backtrail of been there done that.