I had a large oak tree cut down in 2005 and had them cut the trunk into 6-f= oot sections, planning to cut each into 18-inch quarters for splitting into= firewood. In retrospect, it would have been better to have them cut up the= trunk but it's too late now. =20
I've whittled away at the branches over the years and finally got around to= the trunk segments. These are about three feet in diameter at the bottom a= nd end up about two feet in diameter at the other end. I've cut a few segme= nts and split them, but this stuff is tough! The wood stayed hard in the ce= nter, didn't decay, probably because of the thickness, and when I hit the h= eart wood, it dulls my chain real quick.=20
The largest segment has three partial cuts around the circumference, but th= e parts are still joined in the center. I was thinking of pouring water int= o the groove that I've already cut in hopes that it might soften the core. = Any other ideas?
Paul