Eucalyptus splitter.

[simonsays]

You are splitting redgum for firewood?? Have you no soul?

Alan

hahahaha:laughing: I must be sacred tree for you OZ folks! For us in SoCal its the most plentiful hardwood.

I have been using a 25-27 ton and yes it will do the job but it is pretty hard on it. I don't like a machine having to work at 90-100% capacity for hours on end.

 

[simonsays]

Here are some pics of the ram.

And here is the calc for it capacity.


I guess I'll be beefing up my H beam

 

[OldMcDonald]

Aussiebushman, I think it depends on the individual tree. I certainly would not want to fell a 500 year old red gum for firewood if I could avoid it, but if it is plentiful and much younger trees are taken, then I see no real objection to taking a few. I always preferred White Box myself.

simonsays, I noted from your opening post that you considered Red Gum a particularly difficult tree to split. You need to get out to Oz and try some of the real tough Eucalypts - spiral growth is an understatement. Or, come and help me to split some old boles of olive trees. Chainsaws are a waste of fuel and sharpening files. A bloody big hammer and several steel wedges are the only way to end up with pieces small enough to put on the stove. The olive stumps are still easier than some Eucalypts.

 

[krankieone]

You are splitting redgum for firewood?? Have you no soul?

Alan

I dont have any on my place I've maimly got longleaf box & stringybark with some black wattle thrown in for variety I only use what has fallen but the redgums start on the northern side of town and are sort after buy people who dont know how good box is.

watching this build with interest

 

[simonsays]

Most of the firewood I cut is dead and has been for awhile. Every once and a while I take a hazard tree down or find recently cut wood.

OLD Mac- The red gum I have been cutting lately has been very twisted and knotty. So it may grow differently here in California. We have many types of Euc but red gum is the best IMO.

 

[OldMcDonald]

Simonsays, I think most eucalypts are not straight grained wherever they grow. The top pic must be a very windy site!! There is a good lean on a couple of those trees.

There are enormous numbers of Eucalyptus globulus (Tasmaninan Blue Gum) here that go for pulpwood. They are used for firewood by those who cannot get anything better, but they burtn very quickly and leave a lot of ash. They tend not be so twisted as many others E. species - at least here. I did not have any on my place in Australia. You could be right about different environments making different spiralling. No doubt somebody could spend a few years researching that if they were funded.

I understand there were quite a lot of Blue Gums planted in California at one time, so you might be able to find some and see what you think of them.

 

[simonsays]

Simonsays, I think most eucalypts are not straight grained wherever they grow. The top pic must be a very windy site!! There is a good lean on a couple of those trees.

Good eye OMD! That lean is caused by the infamous Santa Ana Winds. These winds cause/influence many of our wildfire conflagrations in SoCal. They are known as Foehn Winds and although they do not happen often they are Warm and Fierce. They also tend to blow opposite of the prevailing winds.

My experience is the same on blue gum. To me not preferable.