: My neighbor cut down a large oak and I now own a 5' long x 18" diameter
: chunk of the trunk. I figure that it should provide me with enough rib
: stock to last a lifetime, IF I can figure out how to reduce it to usable
: size pieces.

Fortunately your log is only 5 feet long. That is a size where it is barely manageable and splitable by hand.

Un-fortunately your log is 5 feet long, so it is too long to go on most of those hydraulic rams which split firewood, and you will have to split it by hand.

The easiest(?) thing to do is to split it where it is. If you can get it into two pieces then you are talking about manageable sizes. split those pieces and you'll have quarters which you can carry by yourself.

Start driving a steel wedge into the end of the log, near the bark. After a few solid blows with a slede hammer the wedge will stick firmly in place. a few more blows and you may see a crack starting to develop ahead of the wedge, and to its side. Once the cracks are started you place another wedge into them and bang that in to spread the crack. That should loosen the first wedge so you can move it alon the log to "develop" or widen the crack.

You can hold a crack open with a wooden wedge -- and since you can make those for next to nothing it is worthwhile having many on hand. Using wider wooden wedges helps to free the steel wedge when it gets stuck, too.

You need at least one steel wedge. You can buy them at hardware stores for about $8-$10 BUT: Working with just one steel wedge is masochism. I tried it and I didn't like it. Consider getting two or three. When my single wedge got firmly stuck, work stopped. I was able to borrow a couple from a neighbor and the job proceeded. The bigger the log the more wedges you'll want.

Wedges are not the only way to split a log.

Any way you can open a crack in the log is a good way to go. If you can run a circular saw along the length of the log, then you 'll have a groove 3 inches deep, and only have to split the remaining 15 inches. It is not much, but it can be a start, and you can use wooden wedges inserted in this groove to start things.

If you can do a freehand cut with a chainsaw to rip the log in half, then get out the chainsaw. If you don't have a chainsaw, you can rent one by the hour, 1/2 day, or day from Home Depot or similar stores. Go slowly and carefully. You will not regret renting the strongest chainsaw they have, but even the smallest one will help you -- it will just cut slower and take a bit longer.

The worst part is the initial splitting of the log. Once you have it in half then it is considerably easier (but still not easy) to split each of those halves and end up with quarters.

Don't worry if the splitting or cutting go a bit astray. Even if it looks like you have a lot of waste at the ragged edge, you'll still have a lot of good wood left on those remaining pieces.

You may want to check with whoever is running the sawmill you will use and see if they have a preference on using round logs, or split ones. There is no sense splitting it if they want to work with a round log. They will also know of someone who has the equipment/truck/jack/etc. to remove the log from where it is and to transport it to the sawmill. After all, every log that comes to their sawmill had to be transported there by someone -- so there must be a lot of people moving logs for a living.

Just some thoughts.

PGJ