Wood Chunk Question


 

Ryan O

New member
Hi All,

My buddy just got a Yoder Horizontal smoker and purchased a ton of oak wood. He gave me a bunch for free, but they need to be cut into chunks.

They are in all a quarter log (like firewood is)

Whats the best method...my electric hand saw is too small to do it cleanly.

Mitre saw best bet? Appreciate any thoughts.

Thanks!
 
I've used my Reciprocating saw more than once to make wood chunks. You can buy trimming blades at Home Depot for it, they works great
 
A miter saw can be VERY dangerous when trying to cut irregular objects. Unless you have the piece firmly up against the fence an flat on the bed, they have a tendency to suddenly rotate whatever you're cutting and turn it into a projectile.

I'd use a "Demolition" blade in a reciprocating saw. It's a lot slower but you'll still have your eyes and fingers when you're done.
 
Yea, I use a bow saw or a sawzall with a pruning blade. Like Phil said a chop saw is to dangerous when trying to cut an irregular piece.
I've been a Carpenter for 40 plus years and would never use a miter box on wood splits or limbs.

Tim
 
I have to agree with the above posters about *not* using an electric miter saw for wood splits!

I borrowed my brother's saw just for that purpose, and due to the irregular shape of the splits, I jammed the saw more than once (in spite of securing the wood as best I could). And just as I was nearing the end of the job, the saw jammed once more, and the saw mount broke into.

I could have easily got hurt, but I must've had an angel on my shoulder that day. :eek:

Of all the power tools I have ever used, a rotating saw blade has to be one of the scariest. I also did a stint one summer off-bearing lumber at a sawmill. Occasionally that big diesel-powered rotating blade would sling a loose piece of wood into the ceiling. :eek:
 
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This sounds like a recipe for disaster. Trying to chop up logs into small chunks, whatever method, will only result in you ending up paying a visit to the local accident & emergency hospital along with the other. Along with amateurs sports men & women, DIY'ers and other weekend warriors. Gets quite busy on a Sunday.
 
I use a bow saw with the piece held in a vise. With a good blade it's still very quick and less risky.
 
Take a hatchet and split them in to smaller splits or sticks. As long as they fit in the fire ring it doesn't matter how long they are.
 
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A miter box is made to cut S4S lumber ( square 4 sides ) The blade rotation is towards the fence and when you lower it the blade also forces the work downward, so you have two different forces going here, backwards and downwards.
You try and lower it too fast the saw will bind, because the kerf of the blade hasn't had a chance to clear out the sawdust. But you are cutting a square piece of lumber so the saw will just stall.
Now cutting an irregular piece that has knots or bark on the side is different. That same stall can become a kick-back because that knot or bark on the side came loose and your work shifted.
When that happens you have two options to worry about, your fingers or your face/eyes. ( I caught one in the chest one time a piece of oak handrail )

Tim
 
Take a hatchet and split them in to smaller splits or sticks. As long as they fit in the fire ring it doesn't matter how long they are.

Sounds difficult with hickory? At least that type of wood has some the toughest fibers I have ever seen. No wonder they use it for tool handles.
 
Not really if you know how to split wood by hand. I mean it's already split logs so it's not like your tackling a large log.
 
So what if you were tackling a large log? Somebody gave me two hunks of hickory that are 8-10" diameter and close to 2' long. He was going to use them to turn lamps or something and these had splits that made them useless for that. I haven't done anything with them because I can't figure out how to approach it. I don't have log splitting equipment and it's certainly not worth buying any for just these two logs. I have a couple old hatchets and I think there might be an ax in the garage. I think there's a bow saw around here somewhere. I guess I could try to wedge one of the hatchets into the existing split and then pound on it with a sledge and hope for the best.
 
I'd split it in to thin sticks. Then break them in half over my knee, or prop it up against a sold object and use the sole of my boot.
 
Don't try splitting it in 1/2. Work the out side by splitting sticks off. If you don't have a splitting maul then you may have to use a hammer on a wedge or the back side of your hatchet.
 
I saw a guy split white maple with a wedge and a maul (sledge hammer should do too). He made it look easy.
 
I've got a fair amount of oak right now.

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