# How to break driftwood into smaller pieces?



## thelub (Jan 4, 2013)

Put it on a ledge and step on it?


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

Figure out how you want to display it and make the cuts so that the cuts will be at the back of the display or hidden under the substrate. 

Dry wood is probably easier to snap the way thelub suggests. You will get a ragged edge that looks more natural. Just trim the sharpest points so the fish do not get hurt. You could hit these points with a hammer to dull them. Just what would happen to the wood as it is drifting downstream, getting smashed into rocks. 

Larger wood is much harder to break. Depending on species, a really hard wood like Manzanita would probably have to be cut, then you should attack the cut edge with a hammer or whatever until it looks more natural. 

I just put those cut edges toward the back of the display and put another branch in front of them.


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## xmas_one (Feb 5, 2010)




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## Aqguy (Oct 30, 2013)

Diana said:


> Figure out how you want to display it and make the cuts so that the cuts will be at the back of the display or hidden under the substrate.
> 
> Dry wood is probably easier to snap the way thelub suggests. You will get a ragged edge that looks more natural. Just trim the sharpest points so the fish do not get hurt. You could hit these points with a hammer to dull them. Just what would happen to the wood as it is drifting downstream, getting smashed into rocks.
> 
> ...


I just cut up a piece of manzanita man that a hard wood to cut , one piece I ordered was really ugly with tons of jaded edges , so as suggested above I made the cuts on the bottom and back side , tuned into a really cool piece with a hole for the fish to swim thru.
Im boiling now or would post a pic this piece is leaching heavy , maybe from the cuts .


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## lochaber (Jan 23, 2012)

another way to mask cuts and such and make them look more natural is to just go at the cut with a propane torch, burn it pretty good, and then scrub off the char with a brush.


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## Oxl (Oct 21, 2011)

Put on some eye protection then go at it with a sledgehammer...


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## longgonedaddy (Dec 9, 2012)

I use a log splitting axe.


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

lochaber said:


> another way to mask cuts and such and make them look more natural is to just go at the cut with a propane torch, burn it pretty good, and then scrub off the char with a brush.


+1, this can take away any traces of cuts easily. 
The longer you toast it, the better.

Wire brush after and it's look very weathered and old.


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