SOT - splitting cypress rounds

[Jeff Layman]

Many years ago we had an old cypress (probably C. lawsoniana) cut down.
The trunk was cut into rounds which were left to dry out for use in our
log-burning stove.

I've just got round to splitting the rounds and to say it has been
difficult is a bit of an understatement!. Basically, the wood was still
pretty tough (no splits on drying), but, even allowing for that, when
split through the pieces did not separate. On close examination, there
were what looked like several "internal branches" through the centre of
the wood, acting a bit like rebars in concrete. In the end I used a
chisel to cut through them. See photos here:

<https://imgur.com/a/FTRBaXc>

The first shows the "rebars" cut through each side of the split. The
second shows the varying angles they take (see top right one in
particular). The third shows each side of a split log showing the path
of the "rebar".

Anyone seen anything like this before? What are they?

--

Jeff

[Andy Burns]

Chris Hogg wrote:

> Jeff Layman wrote:
>
>> <https://imgur.com/a/FTRBaXc>
>> The first shows the "rebars"

>> Anyone seen anything like this before? What are they?
>

> Surely they are the remains of side branches

That normally end-up as knots in sawn timber

[Jeff Layman]

On 18/09/18 19:08, Chris Hogg wrote:

> Surely they are the remains of side branches that, if not apparent on
> the surface, have snapped off at an earlier stage of the tree's
> growth, and the stumps have been overgrown by the expanding trunk so
> that they are no longer visible on the outside, in much the same way
> as a trunk will 'swallow' fence wire or nails etc or even bicycles!
> https://tinyurl.com/y9fbupgy

I didn't think of that! They do look like branches, but why have I never
noticed them before when splitting other cypress, birch, cherry, sorbus,
etc? I can understand metal from bicycles and other objects remaining in
trees, but I would have thought a tree would have been able to recycle
its own lignin into something usable. Or, if not, form a callous at the
growth point and allow the rest to drop off.

Or am I missing the plot completely and these, in sawn wood, form the knots?

--

Jeff

[David Hill]

They are absorbed into the trunk making it much stronger. The wood is
harder the longer left.
The easier wat to split is from the bottom of the log, still not easy

[Jeff Layman]

Anyone got any links on the internet which actually states this? I am
not doubting the statement at all - I agree with it. But why have I
seen it now only in these cypress logs, and not other types of wood?

> The easier wat to split is from the bottom of the log, still not easy

Is there an easy way to tell top from bottom of an otherwise uniform
appearance log? But you are right - I gave up trying to split some logs
which had branched, even though the rounds were only 10 cm thick. I'll
have to saw through them.

--

Jeff

[Janet]

In article <po25am$ide$1...@dont-email.me>, jmla...@invalid.invalid
says...
> Subject: Re: SOT - splitting cypress rounds
> From: Jeff Layman <jmla...@invalid.invalid>
> Newsgroups: uk.rec.gardening

>
> On 21/09/18 01:18, David Hill wrote:

> > [quoted text muted]

> >> Or am I missing the plot completely and these, in sawn wood, form the
> >> knots?
> >>
> > They are absorbed into the trunk making it much stronger. The wood is
> > harder the longer left.
>
> Anyone got any links on the internet which actually states this? I am
> not doubting the statement at all - I agree with it. But why have I
> seen it now only in these cypress logs, and not other types of wood?
>
> > The easier wat to split is from the bottom of the log, still not easy
>
> Is there an easy way to tell top from bottom of an otherwise uniform
> appearance log? But you are right - I gave up trying to split some logs
> which had branched, even though the rounds were only 10 cm thick. I'll
> have to saw through them.

Let the logs dry under cover until some small gap/split shows where
you can drive in a log bomb. Much more effective than an axe.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Splitter-170mm-Splitting-Easily-
Grenade/dp/B0091SW1NQ

Janet.

[Jeff Layman]

These logs are at least 6 years old and have always been under cover.
Very few show splits, and in those that do the splits are barely a mm
across and 3 or 4 cm long. I am using a small splitting axe (4 cm wide
head with 35 cm handle) - not chopping axe - and once jammed in use a
club hammer to drive it in further. Because of the internal "reinforcing
branches" it makes no difference even when the axe head is level with
the edge of the log - the two pieces do not separate until the branch is
cut with a chisel.

Logs of other wood stored for similar lengths of time show wide cracks
- up to 4 or 5mm and 7 or 8 cm long. If I hit these accurately with the
axe, I can split the log with one hit. If I drive the axe in with the
hammer, it takes only two or three blows to split the log completely apart.

--

Jeff

[Andy Burns]

Jeff Layman wrote:

> why have I seen it now only in these cypress logs, and not other types
> of wood?

A couple of similar examples ...

<https://www.demilked.com/magazine/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/5a4b374ca1224-5a2962ab41ebd_CfdrA4Ur__700.jpg>

<http://tywkiwdbi.blogspot.com/2013/02/interesting-tree-biology.html>

[Jeff Layman]

The second one is fascinating. Whether the other wood was lost by
rotting or ants, it shows just how resistant and tough those internal
branches are. It's perhaps of note that the tree shown was also a conifer.

It seems that the "internal branches" are known by a number of other
names, and are very resinous and hard. There are a couple of comments at
<http://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=54937.0> which note that
they are hard on chainsaws.

--

Jeff

[Andy Burns]

Jeff Layman wrote:

> The second one is fascinating.

I came across this more gruesome example while searching for the images
that I knew I'd seen before ...

<https://allthatsinteresting.com/stuckie-mummy-dog>