Tractors and wood! Show your pics

[MadJack]

A buddy of mine reached out on Thursday, asking if the splitter and I were free for a whole day of work this past Saturday. An old boss of his had asked for help getting some wood put up for the winter.

I rarely have plans, and the Rugged made needed a proper workout since I replaced the main hydraulic line. Five of us, including the homeowner, worked all day from about 8am to 3pm. White and Red oak mostly. Next time, I'm going to road my Kubota there as it's only 3 or 4 miles from the homestead and would have been a real help with some of the rounds we handled.


Homeowners were extremely grateful for the help and wood, and fed us an excellent lunch. When all was said and done, the final tally was 3 full cords.

Work parties are so under rated nowadays! IF you find people to show up, it can be a great social gathering with a pile of friendly ball busting.
Best part is knowing someone who really needed help, got the help they needed.

 

[MaxLee]

I got one as a Christmas gift. WOW, amazing tool! WAYYYYY better than my pickaroons!

Yeah I like mine too. Usually hesitant about things like this but this works great. Thats why I had you check it out ...

 

[MaxLee]

Ah jeez, looks like I’ll be buying another pickaroon.
I’ve had this Fiskars for about 6 years now and use it every time I do firewood. The tip broke off as you can see, and I found that I hated NOT using the pickaroon. I guess I didn’t realize how much I like it.

I also have a Logrite pickaroon, which I used as my backup, but after being used to the light weight and better ergonomics/grip on the fiskars, I found I MUCH prefer it over the Logrite, and it’s cheaper as a bonus.

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The dump trailer sure isn’t pretty, but it’s darn functional.

Have you seen the LogOx hauler?

 

[John_Mc]

Not really a fan of the Log Ox hauler myself. I find a pair of handheld tongs (such as those sold by Husqvarna and others) to be much more convenient. They are light weight and fit in a holster on the belt of my chaps, making them easy to bring along in the woods, and the length is more convenient for loading rounds onto my log splitter. I have a 4 ft LogRite Peavey for rolling larger logs.

 

[Piston]

Have you seen the LogOx hauler?

I have seen a lot of marketing for it over the last couple of years, but I have not personally tried one so can't comment on how well they work. I did look up their website after you posted and it seems like an interesting tool, but I don't see how it compares to a pickaroon? It seems more like a cant hook had relations with a log tong and birthed a gimicky combination tool.
The logox weighs 6.5 pounds, vs the Fiskars much lighter 1.5 pounds.

I'd be willing to try one though, I never knew how much I'd love the pickaroon until I started using it, so it's possible the logox would fit that bill as well.
I do have new Fiskars on it's way though!

 

[MaxLee]

I have seen a lot of marketing for it over the last couple of years, but I have not personally tried one so can't comment on how well they work. I did look up their website after you posted and it seems like an interesting tool, but I don't see how it compares to a pickaroon? It seems more like a cant hook had relations with a log tong and birthed a gimicky combination tool.
The logox weighs 6.5 pounds, vs the Fiskars much lighter 1.5 pounds.

I'd be willing to try one though, I never knew how much I'd love the pickaroon until I started using it, so it's possible the logox would fit that bill as well.
I do have new Fiskars on it's way though!

Yeah marketing is what got me lol. I like it alot but never used a pickaroon so I can't compare it. I guess like any thing if it works use it

 

[John_Mc]

A few years ago, Log Ox sent out free samples to a LOT of YouTube channels. It seemed as though they were everywhere I looked.

 

[MaxLee]

A few years ago, Log Ox sent out free samples to a LOT of YouTube channels. It seemed as though they were everywhere I looked.

I am in a FB tractor group and LogOx promotes the crap out of it. I am not disappointed I bought it. Used it alot since I bought it

 

[MadJack]

I still prefer a pickeroon, in 24" or 26" handle. And a simple carpenters hammer holster keeps it at hand when needed!
I find simple . . . is easier.

 

[Gordon Gould]

After that long thaw between Christmas and New Years which caused mud season conditions in a lot of local places things here have stiffened up enough now so that I can restart my firewood work. Here are some tractor and wood pics of one tree I pulled out today - a dead maple, you can just see my tractor way back there behind that hemlock.

All of a sudden we had a snow squall. Covered everything in 10 minutes. I can't get my tractor beyond that birch tree because it drops right off into a big hole. So I set up my snatch block.

After limbing I cut the two leaders off the main stem. Then I winched them into a neat bunch just short of the self release snatch block.

Then I winched them as a group thru the block, around that birch tree, and up to the tractor.

Locked the cable brake, raised the winch, and headed out the trail to the firewood landing about 1/4 mile away.

gg

 

[fatjay]

I normally cut and split wood, but I hurt my hand and back, so I can't be swinging a maul safely. So I went on marketplace and was flooded with folks selling wood. No one lists prices, which irritates me, so I sent a few messages. Everyone comes back with ~240/cord, displaying pristine stacks, 16-18", stacked 3 deep on a pallet. I'm like ok, I'll bite.

The ads were a lie.

I get this knotty, twisted trash in lengths from 10"-28" with zero consistency at all. The guy doesn't know how to back up his truck and position it where I want it dumped and leaves ruts in the yard. I can smooth that out, but come on.

Anyway loaded it into the trailer and backed the trailer right up to the back porch.

 

[Thomas]

After that long thaw between Christmas and New Years which caused mud season conditions in a lot of local places things here have stiffened up enough now so that I can restart my firewood work. Here are some tractor and wood pics of one tree I pulled out today - a dead maple, you can just see my tractor way back there behind that hemlock.


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All of a sudden we had a snow squall. Covered everything in 10 minutes. I can't get my tractor beyond that birch tree because it drops right off into a big hole. So I set up my snatch block.


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After limbing I cut the two leaders off the main stem. Then I winched them into a neat bunch just short of the self release snatch block.


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Then I winched them as a group thru the block, around that birch tree, and up to the tractor.


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Locked the cable brake, raised the winch, and headed out the trail to the firewood landing about 1/4 mile away.


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gg

That's beefy pull.

 

[John_Mc]

I normally cut and split wood, but I hurt my hand and back, so I can't be swinging a maul safely. So I went on marketplace and was flooded with folks selling wood. No one lists prices, which irritates me, so I sent a few messages. Everyone comes back with ~240/cord, displaying pristine stacks, 16-18", stacked 3 deep on a pallet. I'm like ok, I'll bite.

The ads were a lie.

I get this knotty, twisted trash in lengths from 10"-28" with zero consistency at all. The guy doesn't know how to back up his truck and position it where I want it dumped and leaves ruts in the yard. I can smooth that out, but come on.

Anyway loaded it into the trailer and backed the trailer right up to the back porch.

Knotty and twisted doesn't really bother me if it's someone else doing the splitting.

As far as the other issues: I'd be looking for another firewood supplier if I were not in a position to do it myself. I expect a few shorts here and there (the last cut when they get to the end of a log), but just random lengths all over the map is not acceptable for something advertised as 16-18" lengths.

I will say the $240/cord would be a great price around here for fully seasoned hardwoods that are good firewood species (split and cut to the right length). You're hard pressed to find a full 4'x4'x8' cord for less than $350, unless it's some random person trying to get rid of a cord or two that they no longer need.

 

[fatjay]

Knotty and twisted doesn't really bother me if it's someone else doing the splitting.

As far as the other issues: I'd be looking for another firewood supplier if I were not in a position to do it myself. I expect a few shorts here and there (the last cut when they get to the end of a log), but just random lengths all over the map is not acceptable for something advertised as 16-18" lengths.

I will say the $240/cord would be a great price around here for fully seasoned hardwoods that are good firewood species (split and cut to the right length). You're hard pressed to find a full 4'x4'x8' cord for less than $350, unless it's some random person trying to get rid of a cord or two that they no longer need.

You're in VT, all you have is wood, why is wood so expensive there?

My issue with knotty wood is it doesn't fit in the stove very well. I mean stuff that has a 90 degree right angle in the middle, or a hard curve. My wood stove isn't very big, I can fit 3-4 normal pieces in at a time, but curved stuff i'm looking at 1-2.

I have 4 bricks on the bottom side and a grate on top, so ash drains down and I can rake the coals and scoop ash very easily, while providing airflow to the bottom. But as a result, it makes my burn box smaller.

Thing is i specifically asked about sizes, and he assured me it was. And that's why I'm annoyed.

 

[John_Mc]

You're in VT, all you have is wood, why is wood so expensive there?

It's an expensive place to live in general. I suspect the fact that we are midway between Burlington (VT's largest city) and Middlebury (college and hospital town) tends to drive the prices up a bit.

Just did a check for updated prices in our area: $495/cord for kiln-dried firewood from two different suppliers. $425/cord is fairly common for "air dried"/fully seasoned and ready to burn. $300 - $325 for green. These are generally all mixed hardwoods - but the reputable sellers mix is predominantly the higher-BTU hardwoods. Basically, you pay through the nose for not getting your buying done early enough to air-dry it yourself.

 

[fatjay]

That's rough, at those prices I'd consider just using oil at it's inflated rate. I hated to spend it while I have a big pile ready to split. I remember 2 years ago when I was irritated it went over $150/cord.

 

[dodge man]

I recently cut split and am now in the process of stacking firewood. It’s probably roughly a chord of wood, maybe a little more. I’m using my tractor, a good Stihl saw and a hydraulic splitter. I’d say in total I’ve spent 40 hours doing this, maybe more. If I paid myself $10 and hour that would be $400 a chord. If I had a big stack of split wood I wouldn’t throw it in my pickup or a dump trailer and dump it for you to stack for $150. I’m not saying what you are paying isn’t or is fair, it’s just I don’t see selling firewood being a money making affair unless you charge more than the going rate.

I also realize some people are much faster, more efficient or have better equipment than me.

 

[shooterdon]

I recently cut split and am now in the process of stacking firewood. It’s probably roughly a chord of wood, maybe a little more. I’m using my tractor, a good Stihl saw and a hydraulic splitter. I’d say in total I’ve spent 40 hours doing this, maybe more. If I paid myself $10 and hour that would be $400 a chord. If I had a big stack of split wood I wouldn’t throw it in my pickup or a dump trailer and dump it for you to stack for $150. I’m not saying what you are paying isn’t or is fair, it’s just I don’t see selling firewood being a money making affair unless you charge more than the going rate.

I also realize some people are much faster, more efficient or have better equipment than me.

I use a "low end" processor that costs $13k. I buy logs for $2100-2250 for 20 logger cords and get just over 16 cords of wood out of them. I deliver 2/3 of cord at a time in my pickup loose stacked in bags or loose stacked in the bed (extended sides). The cost of wood in a load is about $94 and I add $6 for supplies for a cost of $100...for a total cost of $50/face cord.

I sell wood for $80/face cord. Netting a return $30/face cord or $60 per load. I charge $20 for delivery within 15 miles.

By running splits into the bed of the pickup, I produce 2 face cords in 1.5 hours. Comes to an hourly rate of $40/hr. If I use bags, the bag cost of $2/bag/use, and drops my profit from $60/load to $54/load. It also takes more time using bags - 2 hours to produce 2 face cords. Using bags, my hourly rate is $27/hr. I expect the mix of bags vs bed loads to be 50/50 for an average hourly rate of $33.50

Amortizing the processor, and other odds and ends, over 5 years, adds a cost of $3000 per year. I plan to sell 100 cords a year. That works out to $30/cord or just over $10/face cord. That drops the average hourly rate to about $22.50 for the first five years.

This is a side business. Figure 300 hours to produce 100 cords and deliver a net return of over $6500. As profits increase, it may be advantageous to transfer the pickup and tractor to the business to take advantage of tax write offs.

Using a processor is a game changer. But, it requires an epiphany... "free" wood only works for personal use. There is a lot of work, time and effort into getting "free" wood. And most folks end up dealing with large and/or twisted logs which further reduce productivity.

Successful firewood businesses in my area are based on buying logs. Reducing the work required to process firewood, and increasing the number of cords sold is what works. I could never sell 100 cords of firewood using the traditional ways.

Dodgeman hit the nail on the head. The work most people put into "free" firewood is not factored in.

 

[Gordon Gould]

I use a "low end" processor that costs $13k. I buy logs for $2100-2250 for 20 logger cords and get just over 16 cords of wood out of them. I deliver 2/3 of cord at a time in my pickup loose stacked in bags or loose stacked in the bed (extended sides). The cost of wood in a load is about $94 and I add $6 for supplies for a cost of $100...for a total cost of $50/face cord.

I sell wood for $80/face cord. Netting a return $30/face cord or $60 per load. I charge $20 for delivery within 15 miles.

By running splits into the bed of the pickup, I produce 2 face cords in 1.5 hours. Comes to an hourly rate of $40/hr. If I use bags, the bag cost of $2/bag/use, and drops my profit from $60/load to $54/load. It also takes more time using bags - 2 hours to produce 2 face cords. Using bags, my hourly rate is $27/hr. I expect the mix of bags vs bed loads to be 50/50 for an average hourly rate of $33.50

Amortizing the processor, and other odds and ends, over 5 years, adds a cost of $3000 per year. I plan to sell 100 cords a year. That works out to $30/cord or just over $10/face cord. That drops the average hourly rate to about $22.50 for the first five years.

This is a side business. Figure 300 hours to produce 100 cords and deliver a net return of over $6500. As profits increase, it may be advantageous to transfer the pickup and tractor to the business to take advantage of tax write offs.

Using a processor is a game changer. But, it requires an epiphany... "free" wood only works for personal use. There is a lot of work, time and effort into getting "free" wood. And most folks end up dealing with large and/or twisted logs which further reduce productivity.

Successful firewood businesses in my area are based on buying logs. Reducing the work required to process firewood, and increasing the number of cords sold is what works. I could never sell 100 cords of firewood using the traditional ways.

Dodgeman hit the nail on the head. The work most people put into "free" firewood is not factored in.

Good analysis shooter. I like your ambition ! Hope it works out the way you predict !! That will be good and you have the numbers to compare what really happens over the long range and will know where to make adjustments.

Why do you use the bags - it looks like more time and more cost or did I miss something ?

gg

 

[Jstpssng]

Dodgeman hit the nail on the head. The work most people put into "free" firewood is not factored in.

Neither is the entertainment factor. I enjoy working up wood; whether it's firewood, cutting an 8 cord load of tree length to sell to a mill, or producing a load of nice logs to sell. I haven't used it much yet but bought a sawmill a couple of years ago so that I can also produce logs for that.

I hear the same "cost" logic for hunting, fishing, raising livestock or a vegetable garden. If all that I was concerned with was money I would rent a room in town where I can walk everywhere, eat at McD's or from the deli at the grocery store.
For entertainment go to the library, or sit in my room counting my money.
I'd be bored witless, and likely weigh 350 lbs.