2020 Firewood Thread

[dave_dj1]

Ha! Youtube video worked out.

I've not timed it, but I swear this thing is faster than your typical hydraulic log splitter. It's for sure quieter and more fuel efficient, and easier when dealing with big rounds.

If you think that thing is fast you have been using the wrong hydraulic splitter! I built mine and it has a 30" stroke, 4" cylinder and a 22 gpm pump, it's pretty fast. Try renting a couple of different hydraulic splitters and see if they are faster than your "typical" one.
My brother had a yard machine hydraulic splitter and that thing was sooooo sloooow (I swear you could have a beer, a smoke and take a leak waiting for it) which is part of the reason I built mine the way I did.

 

[Filthy McChevy]

Ha! Youtube video worked out.

I've not timed it, but I swear this thing is faster than your typical hydraulic log splitter. It's for sure quieter and more fuel efficient, and easier when dealing with big rounds.

I got one of those at an auction a couple years back that has old Jeep Bolt pattern. I haven't gotten around to trying it on my Samurai because I have a Hydraulic splitter.

 

[WLDWUN]

I use about a 100' piece of 1/4" aircraft cable to yard with, I usually put a snatch block up in a tree on the opposite side of the log road then one end to the log and the other to the front tow hook on my truck then just back up until the log crosses the road. To be clear this is private land and just skidder trails not really roads.

just be careful as 1/4 wire rope is not that strong and can be broken easily with even a Jeep.

I often use 3/8 wire rope when needed, with a rated pully and 3/8 grade 70 chain
I have broken 5/16 rope as well as 3/8 grade 43 chain. not fun when those let go so always expect something will fail.

 

['84 Bronco II]

Got me about 1.5-2 cords of Ponderosa yesterday up in the Jemez. Nice day for cutting wood

 

[WLDWUN]

going to have lots of pine for the next couple years. have about a dozen trees I am taking down around the house.

this is only the 3rd one I have climbed to take down. Can not drop it is any direction so it comes down from the top piece by piece.
was 90+ feet and took the top 20 off. Will go back up and take the rest of it down in a week or so.

 

[jpmassey]

If you think that thing is fast you have been using the wrong hydraulic splitter! I built mine and it has a 30" stroke, 4" cylinder and a 22 gpm pump, it's pretty fast. Try renting a couple of different hydraulic splitters and see if they are faster than your "typical" one.
My brother had a yard machine hydraulic splitter and that thing was sooooo sloooow (I swear you could have a beer, a smoke and take a leak waiting for it) which is part of the reason I built mine the way I did.

I've got 33 gpm on my skidsteer splitter. 76 hp of hydraulic power!
Nothing like sitting in a heated cap working a splitter.

 

[dave_dj1]

I've got 33 gpm on my skidsteer splitter. 76 hp of hydraulic power!
Nothing like sitting in a heated cap working a splitter.

While I get it, it just doesn't make any sense to me to use a costly machine like that where a 1000 dollar machine would do it. unless you have a processor on the end of it.

 

[[486]]

I have broken 5/16 rope as well as 3/8 grade 43 chain. not fun when those let go so always expect something will fail.

I've managed to break a 3/8" log chain too, somehow it managed to pop two links 4' apart at the same time
as in it broke and I found three short lengths of chain back there
wierd shit

 

[Ted_Kaczynski]

 

[jpmassey]

While I get it, it just doesn't make any sense to me to use a costly machine like that where a 1000 dollar machine would do it. unless you have a processor on the end of it.

I can split more than 1 cord an hour with it, and the wear and tear in there machine is minimal. Not worth buying a skid steer to split wood, but if you have one already, it's a cheap attachment. Plus you don't have to lift anything.

 

[dave_dj1]

Holy hell, 22 pages back! LOL
I got two large loads of some windfall Red Oak today. These have been down a few years but are as solid as new about 1/2" in. I guess technically this will be for 2021 :) They had fallen across a class 4 rd and were cut just enough to be barely out of the way and we have wanted to do something with them. Had the time today.
It was difficult in that the road is washed out way down in so not much room to manipulate the tractor. I did dull a chain but that's minor, it was about shot anyway.

 

[Wendle]

It's not real heat if you can sit your TV on it without it melting

 

[dave_dj1]

Got a couple cords of Ash, Maple and Black Birch today :) I pulled them out Friday and Sunday, bucked them up and brought them home today. It's pretty dry so I'll split some up maybe tomorrow and start burning it right away.

 

[WLDWUN]

go big or go home

my wood tags expire in 2 weeks so I thought I would play with the big saw last night
this is only 5 rounds of a 42" fir tree (under the bark)

the bark was over 4" thick but peeled off easily

 

[Hooligan]

Got a couple cords of Ash, Maple and Black Birch today :) I pulled them out Friday and Sunday, bucked them up and brought them home today. It's pretty dry so I'll split some up maybe tomorrow and start burning it right away.

Nice trailer, I need/want one that size.

 

[dave_dj1]

go big or go home

my wood tags expire in 2 weeks so I thought I would play with the big saw last night
this is only 5 rounds of a 42" fir tree (under the bark)




the bark was over 4" thick but peeled off easily

Nice load of wood! How do the wood tags work? What part of the world are you in?

 

[alk1174]

I see someone else uses a pickaroon to move wood. Sure makes unloading easier.

I do feel sorry for those of you burning evergreens and softwoods but I get it you burn what you can get.

 

[woods]

First year with the bedrooms upstairs. We are BLOWING through the firewood. I fill up the FEL about two or three times a week. its crazy. I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to keep up with it. I seriously think a wood processor is going to be something I'm going to have to buy.

 

[WLDWUN]

Nice load of wood! How do the wood tags work? What part of the world are you in?

Norther CA, in the Sierra foothills

On private land, you can cut as long as you have the land owners permission.
in the National Forest you can cut if you have Fuel Wood tags.
individuals can purchase up to 12 cords worth of tags, they are good until Dec 31st in this Forest (some are different)
cost is $5 per cord
Can cut any size down wood.
Standing dead can be cut April 1 until Nov 31st, 20in diameter for soft wood, 10" diameter for hardwood

you can also get commercial permits for wood
same rules/price as above but they want to know what area you would be removing the wood from.

each tag is broken into 4 pcs or 1/4 cord

on the picture of the wood in the back of my truck I had 5 tags on it. or 1-1/4 cords
3/4 cord was in the truck, and 1/2 was in a trailer behind it

 

[woods]

in the National Forest you can cut if you have Fuel Wood tags.
individuals can purchase up to 12 cords worth of tags, they are good until Dec 31st in this Forest (some are different)
cost is $5 per cord
Can cut any size down wood.
Standing dead can be cut April 1 until Nov 31st, 20in diameter for soft wood, 10" diameter for hardwood

you can also get commercial permits for wood
same rules/price as above but they want to know what area you would be removing the wood from.

That's actually kind of neat.

 

[dave_dj1]

Norther CA, in the Sierra foothills

On private land, you can cut as long as you have the land owners permission.
in the National Forest you can cut if you have Fuel Wood tags.
individuals can purchase up to 12 cords worth of tags, they are good until Dec 31st in this Forest (some are different)
cost is $5 per cord
Can cut any size down wood.
Standing dead can be cut April 1 until Nov 31st, 20in diameter for soft wood, 10" diameter for hardwood

you can also get commercial permits for wood
same rules/price as above but they want to know what area you would be removing the wood from.

each tag is broken into 4 pcs or 1/4 cord



on the picture of the wood in the back of my truck I had 5 tags on it. or 1-1/4 cords
3/4 cord was in the truck, and 1/2 was in a trailer behind it

Thanks for the info. Have you ever been harassed by the tree cops?

 

[WLDWUN]

Thanks for the info. Have you ever been harassed by the tree cops?

in 25 years with hundreds of loads, I have been stopped 3 times.
got hassled once as I did not have the am/pm part marked. other times just checked and on my way.
tags need to be on the back of the load so they can see you have them.

they do have problems with "wood poachers"
the go and cut live trees for firewood. mostly oak as everyone wants that.

 

[WLDWUN]

I see someone else uses a pickaroon to move wood. Sure makes unloading easier.

I do feel sorry for those of you burning evergreens and softwoods but I get it you burn what you can get.

I never go for firewood with out that as well as a cant hook
makes it so much easier to move and roll logs around saving me from having to dull the chain when it gets to the bottom of the cut.

as for the type of wood, as you mentioned, burn what you have.
almost all of it works fine and has about the same BTU/#
oak is great as it is nice and dense, but harder to work with because of that weight
lots around here like Cedar but it is super light so it is gone in no time ( I use it for kindling or when I only want a short fire in the stove)
Ponderosa Pine is everywhere here. it is what I burn during the day as I have so much on the property and I need to get rid of it.
Douglas fir is in that middle ground, not real soft but not like hard woods either. easy to work with. that is why I get that as the wood I sell to fund a vacation so we can go to a place that has no trees

 

[Snoop dogg]

theres 3 rows on the left and 2 rows on the right. Between 8'-10' high. I had a buddy help but i did all the bucking and most of the splitting.... By hand. Mostly after work, as i had better things to do on my weekend. Next year buying a splitter.

 

[Pony_Driver]

I never go for firewood with out that as well as a cant hook
makes it so much easier to move and roll logs around saving me from having to dull the chain when it gets to the bottom of the cut.

as for the type of wood, as you mentioned, burn what you have.
almost all of it works fine and has about the same BTU/#
oak is great as it is nice and dense, but harder to work with because of that weight
lots around here like Cedar but it is super light so it is gone in no time ( I use it for kindling or when I only want a short fire in the stove)
Ponderosa Pine is everywhere here. it is what I burn during the day as I have so much on the property and I need to get rid of it.
Douglas fir is in that middle ground, not real soft but not like hard woods either. easy to work with. that is why I get that as the wood I sell to fund a vacation so we can go to a place that has no trees

On the east coast we burn primarily oak. Pine is used as a starter and cedar isn't common. Cedar will burn quick and smells good, but again it isn't common. We also burn Hickory and other hardwoods, but oak is king.

 

[dave_dj1]

theres 3 rows on the left and 2 rows on the right. Between 8'-10' high. I had a buddy help but i did all the bucking and most of the splitting.... By hand. Mostly after work, as i had better things to do on my weekend. Next year buying a splitter.

Build one!

 

[Snoop dogg]

I hadnt really thought about that. I can metal fab and have use of the shop at work. Briggs motor, hydro pump, lines, ram and a make a big metal splitter...trailer??

 

[WLDWUN]

only 3 day s left in the 2020 firewood season.

found this 32 inch oak that came down last week across a Forest road.
got 2 cords of nice oak out of it but was a lot of work moving around.

 

[Pony_Driver]

That's an awesome picture.

I would not like to have to wrestle those rounds around.

 

[dave_dj1]

only 3 day s left in the 2020 firewood season.

found this 32 inch oak that came down last week across a Forest road.
got 2 cords of nice oak out of it but was a lot of work moving around.

Nice score!