Firewood thread!!! Let's see what you got!!!!

[jblnut]

Headed out with the small saws to go firewooding.


We cut up a bunch of poplar that I tipped over this spring. Pops was picking them up with instructions from the supervisor.


We filled the dump trailer decently full and called it a day. It was 77f and Dairy Queen was calling our names !!

 

[I saw a lot]

Got back to the honey locust job and grab another load. Nothing like trucking it all out of a backyard with a two-wheeler. Found this little guy coiled up in the back of one round while loading so had to relocate him to a safer area to live a full life, unless her chickens get it.

 

[I saw a lot]

Let the MS460 and the Husky play as well today. This is the remaining that I will get in a few weeks. She will be keeping some larger rounds for chairs around her firepit so less for me to lug out.

 

[mainer_in_ak]

Nother 8-9 cord of Alaska birch all hand-split. Bucked all the wood with a hunerd dollar echo quick-vent 6700 parts saw that I somehow got runnin and ported. Has flame damage all over it from cutting into roofs on fire. Must've fell of a roof top too i think?Gathered wood with an old 1997 yammy kodiak 400 before wood gets lost in the first big snow storm.

 

[jblnut]

Does anyone cut larger rounds into shorter length pieces instead of cutting them into normal 16 to 20 inch pieces and splitting them? I’d much rather make a few more cuts with the saw while bucking then have to split everything and handle it yet again. The wood will be going to get in an outdoor boiler so large pieces are not an issue as long as they are dry-ish and I can handle them.

 

[Hoser]

If a round looks big and I don’t think I can bust it up easy I just roll it to the side and noodle it into easy pieces.
But I’m trying to get as much sale wood out of a tree as possible so I have to cut everything consistently

 

[jblnut]

If a round looks big and I don’t think I can bust it up easy I just roll it to the side and noodle it into easy pieces.
But I’m trying to get as much sale wood out of a tree as possible so I have to cut everything consistently

Thanks for the response. I should clarify that I’m looking at cutting larger rounds into shorter pieces strictly from a drying perspective.

Will an 8-10” round 20” in diameter dry as well as the same chunk cut 16-20” long and split into 4 pieces ? Again, it’s going in a boiler so I wouldn’t realistically split it more than 4 times. Maybe it’d dry better ?

 

[Hoser]

Split wood always dries fastest in my experience.
But if you cut them into 4” cookies I think you’d be about the same time as split 16”. which means more chainsaw time which is way more fun then splitter time

 

[jblnut]

Split wood always dries fastest in my experience.
But if you cut them into 4” cookies I think you’d be about the same time as split 16”. which means more chainsaw time which is way more fun then splitter time

I don’t know that I quite want to go down 4” chunks for everything all the time, but I was going to cut some four, six, eight, 10 and 12 inch chunks out of the same log and let them dry for a year and see how they are. Im also planning on cutting a 20 inch chunk and splitting it to have as accurate a comparison as possible. I figured I would ask to see if anyone had experience with this first to tell me it won’t work or like you said, maybe it’ll have to be in 4” chunks.

I like my chainsaw time, but my splitter time isn’t so bad either. It’s just one more activity I have to do and if I can cut it out, I will.

 

[Lions fan]

Thanks for the response. I should clarify that I’m looking at cutting larger rounds into shorter pieces strictly from a drying perspective.

Will an 8-10” round 20” in diameter dry as well as the same chunk cut 16-20” long and split into 4 pieces ? Again, it’s going in a boiler so I wouldn’t realistically split it more than 4 times. Maybe it’d dry better ?

I don’t know that I quite want to go down 4” chunks for everything all the time, but I was going to cut some four, six, eight, 10 and 12 inch chunks out of the same log and let them dry for a year and see how they are. Im also planning on cutting a 20 inch chunk and splitting it to have as accurate a comparison as possible. I figured I would ask to see if anyone had experience with this first to tell me it won’t work or like you said, maybe it’ll have to be in 4” chunks.

I like my chainsaw time, but my splitter time isn’t so bad either. It’s just one more activity I have to do and if I can cut it out, I will.
View attachment 437829

Most of us have a pile of "uglies" which includes the short pieces and the twisted up, odd-ball stuff that don't stack. I don't think my uglies dry any quicker than the pretty stuff.

 

[jblnut]

Most of us have a pile of "uglies" which includes the short pieces and the twisted up, odd-ball stuff that don't stack. I don't think my uglies dry any quicker than the pretty stuff.

I’ve given up on stacking all of it and just make a giant pile lol. The outside two rows all the way around are stacked so I can pile it higher but the rest is tossed on the pile with the skiddy. 22-25 cord a year is a lot to stack

 

[Hoser]

I find that will slow drying time more than anything else.
I stack all my wood (aside from the ugly stuff), I’ve never had any luck with heaping it to season, atleast in my climate/ conditions. In drier climates it might work better

 

[jblnut]

I find that will slow drying time more than anything else.
I stack all my wood (aside from the ugly stuff), I’ve never had any luck with heaping it to season, atleast in my climate/ conditions. In drier climates it might work better

When you said “sale wood” in an earlier post do you have a commercial operation or a sideline hobby sort of operation ?

Most of what’s on that pile has been cut down in log form for 3-4yrs and got cut up last fall through now. The rest was poplar, elm and cottonwood that was cut down last winter and was cut up this spring. Most of what is in the bottom is good and dry. The rest will have until early spring to season as it’s on the far side of the pile. The wood boiler will burn green wood, it is quite inefficient, but it does it without complaint.

Surely not trying to poke and start something here ….. There are a few very large firewood operations not too far from me that pile everything they have. It’s all run through a monster firewood processor and that thing drops it into massive piles with its conveyor. They leave the piles sit for a year (or maybe more I should ask them) and start pulling off them to sell to campgrounds and customers.

I’m trying to figure out a way to get the wood in front of the stove without having to touch each piece without having an actual processor. So far I’m down to handling it by hand once which I can live with but I’d like to cut that time out if possible. I’m thinking about building a bucking table with some sort of conveyor to drop it right onto the pile in front of the stove so all I have to do it cut it and it’ll roll onto the conveyor and be ready to go into the stove.

Edit: I should add that last year I stacked every single piece in that pile to see how much I could get in it and how long it’d last. It was a 24x28x5.5’ pile stacked solid through minus one corner chunk for the stove. I figure there was 25 cord on there and I burnt through all but 2-3 cord. It was an amazing looking pile lol

 

[Hoser]

It’s varies depending how busy my other jobs are, but this year was still around 70-75 cord, I was sold out by first week of October, pushing hard because I’d like make over 100 next year but 65 hour weeks are killing that.
I’ve just found stacking wood with good airflow makes for a great product, heaping wood even off the ground makes it better than green but not great (in my opinion).
Every customer I have used to buy from guys like you describe, everyone complained about wet wood.
But they have modern indoor air tight and catalytic stoves, not boilers.
I’m in no way trying to argue or cause malice, just a workaholic who likes firewood sharing his experience.
You have a very slick set up as it is, without going to a processor I don’t see how much better it can get!

 

[jblnut]

It’s varies depending how busy my other jobs are, but this year was still around 70-75 cord, I was sold out by first week of October, pushing hard because I’d like make over 100 next year but 65 hour weeks are killing that.

WOW !! 100 cord goal !! That’s nuts ! Good luck !

I’ve just found stacking wood with good airflow makes for a great product, heaping wood even off the ground makes it better than green but not great (in my opinion).

Not going to argue that stacking will provide a better and quicker dry. My pile is on concrete if that counts as off the ground

Every customer I have used to buy from guys like you describe, everyone complained about wet wood.
But they have modern indoor air tight and catalytic stoves, not boilers.

This boiler will eat just about anything combustable I can fit through the door. I’ve tried a few things not real smiled upon and it couldn’t care less. It smokes more burning 6 month seasoned poplar than it does a rotten old Goodyear. Did that once to see what it’d do and it burnt surprisingly clean.

I’m in no way trying to argue or cause malice, just a workaholic who likes firewood sharing his experience.

Same here !! Sometimes I come across as a bit argumentative but I mean no harm. I’m just curious and I have very poor internet manners lol

You have a very slick set up as it is, without going to a processor I don’t see how much better it can get!

Hey thanks ! I like what we’re doing but am always open to different things. Cutting as much labor out of the processes around here is the number one goal. The best way to cut out labor from burning wood is to let the LP man fill the tank and forget the wood lol

 

[bradb123]

Does anyone cut larger rounds into shorter length pieces instead of cutting them into normal 16 to 20 inch pieces and splitting them? I’d much rather make a few more cuts with the saw while bucking then have to split everything and handle it yet again. The wood will be going to get in an outdoor boiler so large pieces are not an issue as long as they are dry-ish and I can handle them.

Cutting rounds in shorter pieces will not increase the drying time. The quicker you split it, the faster it will dry. Just curious, you have a owb, why are you cutting your wood so short? Also is there no hardwood available in your area? My guess is that you would only burn about 10 cord of hardwood a year versus 25 cord of lesser quality wood.

 

[jblnut]

Cutting rounds in shorter pieces will not increase the drying time. The quicker you split it, the faster it will dry.

Do you mean cutting them in shorter pieces won’t decrease the drying time ?

Just curious, you have a owb, why are you cutting your wood so short?

The first year I had the boiler I cut stuff to 36-40” pieces and hated it all winter. The big heavy chunks were a PITA to handle and I liked being able to load the stove crossways to keep the wood off the sidewalls. It seemed to burn the most efficient when I had smaller pieces in it as well.

Also is there no hardwood available in your area? My guess is that you would only burn about 10 cord of hardwood a year versus 25 cord of lesser quality wood.

Lots of hardwood available here. We’ve been cleaning up ditches and field edges my whole life and used to pile and burn whatever Dad couldn’t get run through the stove in his basement. I figured I may as well burn it as well to make use of the wood we were already handling instead of leaving it to rot or burning it on giant piles to get rid of it.

The boiler is heating right at 10,000sq/ft between the house, farm shop and well shed. I’ll likely never be able to keep ahead of all the crappy fence line wood so it’s likely all this poor stove will ever see lol.

Pops and I cut a few large white oak and a few red oak trees a year but we’ll have the big chunks sawn into lumber to build things with and Pops will keep the tops and small stuff for his stove. Seems like a shame to chunk and burn such nice oak honestly lol.

 

[bradb123]

Do you mean cutting them in shorter pieces won’t decrease the drying time ?


The first year I had the boiler I cut stuff to 36-40” pieces and hated it all winter. The big heavy chunks were a PITA to handle and I liked being able to load the stove crossways to keep the wood off the sidewalls. It seemed to burn the most efficient when I had smaller pieces in it as well.


Lots of hardwood available here. We’ve been cleaning up ditches and field edges my whole life and used to pile and burn whatever Dad couldn’t get run through the stove in his basement. I figured I may as well burn it as well to make use of the wood we were already handling instead of leaving it to rot or burning it on giant piles to get rid of it.

The boiler is heating right at 10,000sq/ft between the house, farm shop and well shed. I’ll likely never be able to keep ahead of all the crappy fence line wood so it’s likely all this poor stove will ever see lol.

Pops and I cut a few large white oak and a few red oak trees a year but we’ll have the big chunks sawn into lumber to build things with and Pops will keep the tops and small stuff for his stove. Seems like a shame to chunk and burn such nice oak honestly lol.

Gotcha, I was just saying that you would burn less wood by using a better quality of firewood. About 90% of trees on the property that I cut on are oak. So that what I cut.

 

[jblnut]

Gotcha, I was just saying that you would burn less wood by using a better quality of firewood. About 90% of trees on the property that I cut on are oak. So that what I cut.

Yeah I’m sure I’d go through half or less like you said. No arguments there !! If I had lots of oak to get rid of I’d absolutely burn that as well !!

When it’s real cold out (-25f and windy) I’ll toss in a few 5-gal pails of coal to help the crappy wood last the night. It’s bonkers how much it’ll add to its run time !!

 

[Jusgunn3]

Do you guys cover your stacked wood during the winter/ rainy seasons?