Firewood: To split, or not to split?

[dave1949]

I hear ya. Today, I'd buy or build a firewood processor in a heartbeat.

But back when I was much younger, I put myself thru college with the GI bill and selling firewood just that way. It was the 'energy crisis' of the 70's and you could really sell firewood at the time. I bought an old rust bucket '59 Chevy pickup, installed a new short block engine, built a wood flat bed on the back that could hold good 1/2 cord, and peddled one load every afternoon after classes, 2 loads on Saturdays, door-to-door for $25/load.

Started with an old Homelite XL-12 inherited from family, soon bought my first Sthil....041 Farm Boss...and paid for the saw in 2 weeks ! I cleaned up laps from timber sales on the National Forest and had an unlimited supply. Did it for 2 years nearly every day the weather would co-operate.

Wife had a job as a pharmacy clerk, and we actually lived pretty good ! Didn't have to borrow a dime for school, boy, THOSE were the days !

Yep, those were the days. College costs have outpaced firewood prices unfortunately.

I don't know how to figure the amortization of a processor, or how many cords of standing timber is needed to justify one. They aren't cheap and once committed to buying one you have to put the wood through them or have an expensive barn ornament. On the other hand, already having a tractor provides the tools to handle log lengths.

A tractor, stand alone splitter and decent chain saw is probably the sweet spot for a one-time, weekend warrior clearing of small ?? acreage.

 

[rswyan]

That is the question <sorry Shakespeare fans>

I don't use any firewood for heat right now (may change eventually), but I have a LOT of trees that need to be cut down, or cleaned up....mostly standing dead Ash, and Maple. ... So, I'm going to start selling the wood rather than give it away. ...

I'd be concerned about selling the Ash ... due the possible spread of the Emerald Ash Borer.

You might want to check Federal and Michigan state regs ... due to the quarantines both the Feds and the State of Michigan have established.

 

[vtsnowedin]

I'd be concerned about selling the Ash ... due the possible spread of the Emerald Ash Borer.

You might want to check Federal and Michigan state regs ... due to the quarantines both the Feds and the State of Michigan have established.

If your ash trees are dying(and mine are) the borers have already come and passed you by. Just don't ship any wood north to a place they haven't got yet.

 

[TnAndy]

Yep, those were the days. College costs have outpaced firewood prices unfortunately.

Yep. College tuition is up by a factor of nearly 10 where I attended, and a cord of wood is only up by a factor of 3 over the same time period.

A tractor, stand alone splitter and decent chain saw is probably the sweet spot for a one-time, weekend warrior clearing of small ?? acreage.

That is the sweet spot I've been in now for the last 25 years, cutting 5-8 cords/yr for our personal use.

 

[TnAndy]

Y
Oh to be young, single and debt free again.

and gas 50 cents/gallon.....

 

[Buggs67]

I split everything above 4" and quarter everything larger than 8". It seasons faster and open grain starts to burn faster. Bark slows down the burn. I shoot for 4"x4" to 6"x6" 18". Stack/pile and cover for 2 years. FWIW

 

[GManBart]

I'd be concerned about selling the Ash ... due the possible spread of the Emerald Ash Borer.

You might want to check Federal and Michigan state regs ... due to the quarantines both the Feds and the State of Michigan have established.

Good point. I had already checked on this, and Michigan laws allow transportation, and sale, of Ash firewood within the lower peninsula. I checked the Federal laws on this a while back and can't recall the details, but didn't see anything that would cause a problem.

 

[GManBart]

Took a couple of pictures today of the expanded/new piles...

Some of the really big stuff in the far right pile (32-36") is likely Cottonwood, so I'm not planning to sell it, but had to get it cleared anyway.



Nice new pile of 10-18" logs:

 

[vtsnowedin]

and gas 50 cents/gallon.....

But what were you making an hour then? I had one job at minimum wage of $2.30 per hour then moved up to a gobermint job of $4.20 / hour. It takes about $25/hour to buy the same gas today but that is pretty common.

 

[Looking4new]

Good looking wood. I insist that my wood be in the 8-10" diameter range (16" long) for about half of the order (6.5 cords) and a little smaller (6-8" dia.) for the other half. I buy my wood already cut and split, the farmer that does it delivers as well. I am on his way to town.

 

[vtsnowedin]

A tractor, stand alone splitter and decent chain saw is probably the sweet spot for a one-time, weekend warrior clearing of small ?? acreage.

Yes indeed but before I get into cutting much more wood for sale I'm going to swap out my wood splitter for one that is set up better. The ram needs to be the pusher and the wedge needs to be at the fixed end with work table on each side and beyond so that halves don't fall away when they need to be quartered.

 

[vtsnowedin]

A tractor, stand alone splitter and decent chain saw is probably the sweet spot for a one-time, weekend warrior clearing of small ?? acreage.

Yes indeed but before I get into cutting much more wood for sale I'm going to swap out my wood splitter for one that is set up better. The ram needs to be the pusher and the wedge needs to be at the fixed end with work table on each side and beyond so that halves don't fall away when they need to be quartered.

 

[TnAndy]

Yes indeed but before I get into cutting much more wood for sale I'm going to swap out my wood splitter for one that is set up better. The ram needs to be the pusher and the wedge needs to be at the fixed end with work table on each side and beyond so that halves don't fall away when they need to be quartered.

Get a 4 way wedge.

 

[oosik]

Many years ago I sold firewood for a couple years. I was also burning wood at the time. I rapidly found that most people want it split, trucked to their property and stacked in some ungodly location and then will give you $40 for a full cord. Around here "face cord" is an unknown item. I enjoyed working with the equipment and all, but soon found that the operation was costing a lot more than I was taking in.

When I decided that folks could come and get the wood themselves - no one wanted to - and that was fine - I just quit selling.

 

[vtsnowedin]

Many years ago I sold firewood for a couple years. I was also burning wood at the time. I rapidly found that most people want it split, trucked to their property and stacked in some ungodly location and then will give you $40 for a full cord. Around here "face cord" is an unknown item. I enjoyed working with the equipment and all, but soon found that the operation was costing a lot more than I was taking in.
When I decided that folks could come and get the wood themselves - no one wanted to - and that was fine - I just quit selling.

Well $3.00/gallon heating oil makes people a lot more reasonable. But back the dump truck up close to the shed or garage and collect the cash before you dump the load. If they won't pay you can just drive it to the next customer.

 

[Looking4new]

My guy delivers and it is dumped right in front of the window it will be going through. That window is at the 'house' end of the driveway.
The order is a 'standing order' and is paid for in advance. I would rather he owe me the wood than me owe him the money.

 

[DieselnHooters]

Many years ago I sold firewood for a couple years. I was also burning wood at the time. I rapidly found that most people want it split, trucked to their property and stacked in some ungodly location and then will give you $40 for a full cord. Around here "face cord" is an unknown item. I enjoyed working with the equipment and all, but soon found that the operation was costing a lot more than I was taking in.

When I decided that folks could come and get the wood themselves - no one wanted to - and that was fine - I just quit selling.

The only way to make a small fortune selling firewood is to start off with a big fortune.

 

[clemsonfor]

That is the question <sorry Shakespeare fans>

I don't use any firewood for heat right now (may change eventually), but I have a LOT of trees that need to be cut down, or cleaned up....mostly standing dead Ash, and Maple. In the past I was having friends, neighbors, and coworkers come by with their trucks/trailers and load up all they could take. I finally got tired of doing all the work (felling, limbing, bucking, and stacking) and essentially handing out $100 bills on a regular basis. So, I'm going to start selling the wood rather than give it away. Around here lots of people have roadside setups with face cords ready for loading, and get from $65-75 for them...I have a perfect spot for this ready to go.

I'm just not sure about what to do with the smaller rounds that are bigger than kindling, but not big enough to split....what is the minimum size (diameter) you would expect to see included in stacked wood for sale? Similarly, how big would be okay to leave unsplit?

Everybody loves pictures, so I'll give you one of the start I have on stocking up on wood. I cleared a small area behind our house over several days and wound up with at least double the wood in the picture below. To give you an idea of size, look at the far pile and the log that's on the ground at the far left...it was 30" across at the widest spot (28" bar on my big saw, so I'm confident of the size).

Split it and keep it for yourself. Wood is best if seasoned 3 years especially species like oak.

If you keep it under a shed(dry) it wont rot or go bad.

 

[check]

and gas 50 cents/gallon.....

20 cents a gallon for me! (And no, I am ot 90.)

 

[check]

Those are nice dogs. Why don't you consider selling some of it to someone who makes furniture, or flooring?