Wood Processing for burning..

[jimmyj]

Yes, the handling is the bugaboo. Jay, your pallet fork carry thingees are really great. I made a HUGE error when I put the garden in front of the woodshed and one day I'm going to change that so I can drive straight into it with "compartmentalized lots" like your carry thingees.

The best advice I can offer on this topic is think to the future about how you're going to get older and how you (God willing) will have more cool stuff for your tractor to cut down on the manual labour.

I love cutting wood, it's great exercise for me since I have an office job. However, if a person is asking for advice on wood processing then handling the wood as few times as possible is probably tantamount.

Happy and safe cutting everyone!!!!

 

[Ivan49]

This the way I cut down on handling this year. I built a wood processor. I cut the trees and then pick up the whole tree and move it in a clearing to cut the top off and the I cut it into 9 to 10 foot lengths and load it in my dump trailer. Then I move it up closer to the house. I usually have one years supply cut ahead so all I have to do is cut it to size. The only handling that I do is take it off the processor and stack it all the rest is done with the skidsteer or tractor. Other years I would cut it up in the woods and haul it to the woodshed and unload it.

 

[jas67]

It has always seemed to me that what makes cutting, splitting and stacking more labor intensive is how many times you handle each piece. This year I changed things up and was surprised at how quickly it went. First, I built a set of forks for the front bucket. What this allowed was that I could basically haul back an entire de-limbed tree or more if a smaller tree, cut to maybe 12-15 foot lengths. in one load (maybe a 1/3 cord). Then I cut to splitting length, very close to the splitter which is right next to where I stack. Cutting the logs off the forks works well and saves the chain from going into the ground and it does not get dull nearly as quickly and cutting at a height of 3 feet is a lot easier on the back. I used to cut it to length where the tree was cut, but then I had to load the cut to length logs in the bucket and could not haul nearly as much as I can with the forks and had to make a lot more trips.

I didn't have my forks when I cut my logs this spring, but I do now, and will do what you did. My pile of logs was about 6' high, I cut as much as I could at waist to shoulder height right off the pile.

 

[Highbeam]

Highbeam.. How do you unload the rounds when you get back to the house.. I see your useing you flatbed for this... I'v hauled 14' rounds on my flatbed and pull them off with a wench in a tree,," a real pain".. Once and a while I get free wood from someone and this is how i handle it,, but then I have to go back for my tractor...

Those rounds are 36" long and transported on end to maximize cargo volume. TO unload I either tip them over and roll them out or I pick them up and toss them out like any piece of firewood. I travel 50 miles each way to my woodlot so I really want a safe setup when traveling. Also I need to handload the wood so no full length logs.

In your shoes, with the full length logs in your trailer I would just buck them on the trailer and throw the small rounds into the pile for splitting.

 

[JohnDeere4300]

I cut 16 large trees early this spring, and I'm still working on them because we have had a lot of rain... I still have 2 large trees and 3 small ones to cut up, split and stack in the shed... Most of this will be next years wood.

I take my tractor, saw, gas etc.. and I'll go out through the bottom where I cut the trees.. Then I'll cut the top off and push that into a place to burn later.

I then cut up a tree and haul it out in a bottom behind my house, where I split it and then haul it to a woodshed... Most of the trees are very large. The smaller trees I can cut the top off and pull the whole tree out to where I split it.

I use to split all my wood at one time and put all of it in one pile.. It would take months to move and the wood on the bottom would be real wet, and I couldn't use it.

So this year I started doing one tree at a time.. When I haul it out I don't dump it in one big pile.. So when I split it I'll have small piles and it will dry out quick.

I worked most of the day on a very large tree... I got all of it split and then used my firewood trailer to haul 1 load to shed... Tomorrow I'll haul the rest.

Since this wood was cut before the leaves came on, I would probably be able to burn it this year... It's very dry inside and doesn't weigh a lot.. all of this wood is popular.

I handle my firewood too much also, and I do enjoy working on it.. But I wish there was a better way

I also installed a new wood stove this year.. It will burn coal also and I'm looking forward to using it... United States Stove Co. 1557M Add-on Furnace - 5095270 | Tractor Supply Company

 

[Ken45101]

I try to avoid the bigger stuff. Yes, I know you get a lot more wood per tree that way, but I prefer to stay under about 16". Too heavy to maneuver and split. I messed my back up 30 years ago, probably loading a big chunk of sycamore. The smaller stuff is more manageable.

Ken

 

[ToadHill]

JD4300 don't you just love that stright grained ash.

 

[fish6942]

I have a fair number of standing dead trees in my woods that will eventually be used for firewood. I rent a splitter once a year and me, the wife and kids hit it hard for one solid day. I'd prefer to cut the trees occasionally through out the year and stack the unsplit rounds until it's time for the splitter. My other option would be to cut all the trees right before getting the splitter.

Question: Are the rounds more prone to rotting as they sit for months waiting to be split as opposed to leaving them standing until the last minute?

And I agree that the best overall method is the one where you handle the wood the fewest number of times. In past years we've stacked the wood outside under an 8' overhang but it still gets covered with blowing snow. This year we're thinking about keeping a small utility trailer filled with wood and parking it in the heated garage.

 

[Ken45101]

Question: Are the rounds more prone to rotting as they sit for months waiting to be split as opposed to leaving them standing until the last minute?

Birch is very much so (noticing that you are in Minnesota). From what I've heard, if not split, birch will rot before it seasons. Most other woods are not like that, AFAIK.

 

[JohnDeere4300]

I got another large tree out today... I'll split it tomorrow, and I still have 1 large and 3 smaller ones to go.

It's was hard pulling it down hill because the end would dig into the ground... I was able to cut it in half and pull the top part out to where I do my splitting... I then lifted the bigger end up and put a block under it so I could cut it up.. I had to cut it up where I pulled it down, then haul it out 3 stumps at a time.

When I would lift up on the tree and back up, the tractor would try to flip over... And I remember two members on here that done the big flip... I did have my seat belt on

I started on this at 2:00pm and finished at 6:33pm.

Also had some rain last night, and that made it worse trying to get traction... I need to get some AG-tires.

After I get this tree split tomorrow, then I'll start again on another one

Life is great!