How'd it go today?

[MasterBlaster]

If you're happy, that's all that matters.

 

[SeanKroll]

To me, firewood is a byproduct if being paid to haul off raw materials.


Yes, knocking off arcs will narrow the round before splitting across the pith.

How much are you letting wood sit from cut to split?

I think a couple weeks of sitting, then split on a frozen morning, ideally.

Let the shrinkage cracks/ checks start to develop. Split where the wood wants to split.

Handle as little as possible.

???Piled on a floor of 'free' pallets. Back your truck up to the pile, load, move the pallet aside, drive in deeper to a sea of firewood???

Pickeroon FTW. I like the Woodchuck from TreeStuff.



Elm was used for wagon wheels, too.

 

[rfwoody]

Thanks Sean, yeah backing into a sea of pallets piled with wood sounds like a good method --- just need to be able to judge a full load from stack in truck.

I have a pickeroon, which I use for getting leverage to pull over big rounds, etc...... haven't found it useful for handling small pieces... but maybe I don't know how to use it right(?).

Just wanted to say, Sean, ha, your advice/ribbing about my truck and the rattle cans............ it's been wet here......fwiw... planning on spraying some white paint on soon............ "advice" and putting forth what I'm doing out in the light of day for other, more knowledgeable folks to see, comment on, react to, etc. is main reason I come to this great site............ so just not wanting my laziness, etc. to reflect poorly on good advice,etc.., etc....... also sometimes I'm thick-headed and slow to "get it" too............

got to go walking now....

 

[stig]

Stig, what is a "forwarder"?.

This:


<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pNZO4FrCzv0" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Mick!]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXQoHpTQZYE

Some bloke from the UK contacted me about a 3 year old ad for my 076 that I never sold, at first I said no, CBAed, but he persisted, so I dug it out after not being started for 18 months, off she goes.

Paid 100quid 20 years ago, got 300 for it. What a beaut!

 

[MasterBlaster]

Excellent!!!

 

[stig]

Way to go!

 

[Burnham]

Indeed.

Wonder what my 064 would fetch these days. Not selling, just wondering .

 

[cory]

Do you know about working around the outside of the round, between branch stubs, if possible?

That is super key.

Another biggie for hand splitting is setting the rounds into an old pick up tire so they stay upright through multiple wacks. If a piece is too big for the tire it doesn't need the tire until is is split smaller. If a piece is too small for the tire, insert multiple pieces to fill the tire. Huge time saver and adds satisfying efficiency.

Ironically, splitting by hand seems to be favored by old folks more than youngins

Cool video, Stig. Ive never seen one work in person but they are rugged, impressive machines, and generally easy on the forest, right?

 

[rfwoody]

Stig, what's a "forwarder"?

This:

wow. that guy looks like he makes it look easy.

must be fun (work) working in those woods all day.

====

ha, CBAed, looked it up, funny, never heard that one before, but I can totally relate.

Thanks Cory,

Yeah, I learned about the tire from my youtube buddy, Tim Gruchow. wouldn't want to split without it.

very interesting about the older vs. younger hand splitting.

So Cory (or Sean) what exactly does that mean "working between branch stubs" .... does that just mean try to split all the clear(er) wood away and leave the ugly knarls for last? thx.

 

[Cobleskill]

If you can split wood with one crack by hand it is much faster than a log splitter. I go with Stig's rule-more than 3 cracks and still not split-off to the log splitter pile.

 

[cory]

So Cory (or Sean) what exactly does that mean "working between branch stubs" .... does that just mean try to split all the clear(er) wood away and leave the ugly knarls for last? thx.

It means knocking pieces off around the outside circumference of the log even if the log is clear (unless it is small diameter then of course crack it right in half). Yes, knock off the easy stuff to leave the gnarly stuff exposed with minimal defenses.

 

[cory]

If you can split wood with one crack by hand it is much faster than a log splitter.

I always wondered about that, I've never used a splitter

 

[pete mctree]

Cool Stig, exciting times for you business

 

[rfwoody]

cory, you split wood manually?

Sean, just saw that Woodchuck Skideroon you reviewed. Looks good... as do those other Woodchuck tools/peaveys.

 

[cory]

Yes, for my use at home.

 

[Stumpshot]

That's why I mentioned the return time on the TSC splitter -- they brag about 10 sec. total time for split + return.
One thing that would help with hand splitting would be a lever axe:
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SaEHuDsSVog" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[SeanKroll]

wow. that guy looks like he makes it look easy.

must be fun (work) working in those woods all day.

====

ha, CBAed, looked it up, funny, never heard that one before, but I can totally relate.

Thanks Cory,

Yeah, I learned about the tire from my youtube buddy, Tim Gruchow. wouldn't want to split without it.

very interesting about the older vs. younger hand splitting.

So Cory (or Sean) what exactly does that mean "working between branch stubs" .... does that just mean try to split all the clear(er) wood away and leave the ugly knarls for last? thx.

Yes, don't try to split stubs/ branch cores. never gonna win. If really knotty, cut them smaller. "Noodling" is cutting along the third axis, not ripping, not cross-cutting, noodle your way through, don't rip your way through.


The pickeroon is a good labor saver, saving lots of bending. It can be solidly banged into a small round log as a dragging handle, if any useful stubs are absent. Pulls wood from the truck, as well as lifts it off the ground without bending.

 

[MasterBlaster]

So, everybody all mute today? This night's alright for fighting, according to a certain Sir Elton John!

 

[flushcut]

My firewood delivery system

 

[MasterBlaster]

How do you get it out??? By hand, one piece at a time?

 

[SkwerI]

No, charge a refundable pallet deposit.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Pallet? You mean that metal container? So how much is the deposit??? I can't see anyone wanting to pay to dig the wood outta that contraption. Around here, they like it delivered and stacked.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Some folks like it that way. Handy to some.
Easy transport too.
I built my decks with something like that in mind for my elder years
Use the folks and load it on the deck.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Interesting. So how much is the deposit? It can't be too low, those are some pricey looking containers.

Can a customer opt out of the container?