Posted by David Snyder (208.66.208.96) on March 05, 2008 at 00:58:23:
In Reply to: Re: splitting unseasoned elm posted by George Maple on February 24, 2008 at 00:48:07:
: It is a pretty tough trip to split good hardwood unless it is at least fairly dry. I have never split elm, but Oak just makes the tools bounce off when it is green, but when a year old, it will split with a well swung mall.
An old New Englander told me the best time to split elm is on the coldest day of the year. I think it has to do with the internal sap being cold/frozen and fibers more brittle. But even then it is tough stuff to split, as others have noted. I'd agree to let it sit for a while and then rent a mechanical splitter, especially given the size of the rounds you mentioned.