Tractors and wood! Show your pics

[ning]

Those of you using tote cages for wood - so far I've cut a window in one side of mine, but I've left the top ring undisturbed. Has anyone had trouble with the cage spreading open because of the top ring being cut, or do they seem really solid still?
It's definitely a pain to reach deep into the tote with that top ring in the way but I was concerned about long-term stability.

I suppose if it was water in a soft bladder there'd be too much pressure pushing outwards, but the wood is almost entirely pushing downwards, with just a bit leaning on the sides so there's not a lot of stress on the cage?

 

[deezler]

Those of you using tote cages for wood - Has anyone had trouble with the cage spreading open because of the top ring being cut, or do they seem really solid still?

No problems here with the top band being cut. I can't imagine reaching logs out of the bottom of the tote with that top bar in the way! no thank you.

The only thing I will note, is that if you are stacking a FULL tote of wet wood atop another one that is cut out, yeah it can spread a bit. So far that hasn't meant I've had any problems stacking them - yet.

 

[Jstpssng]

What do you think ? The fir stumps should not be as tough as the hardwood you did and the machine is totally manual but again no clue what that means having never run one. Thanks

How long ago were the trees cut? As you know, they are soft wood and will rot down fast. I took out an old maple stump which was on my mother's lawn. After getting a quote of $300 I realized that a bar and chain were cheaper, so dug down around it some, put an older chain on my 545 and started cutting. By the time I got the stump out the smoke was pouring off the chain and I got quite a workout, but managed to keep from burning up my bar. A new chain was around twenty bucks.

 

[Gordon Gould]

How long ago were the trees cut? As you know, they are soft wood and will rot down fast. I took out an old maple stump which was on my mother's lawn. After getting a quote of $300 I realized that a bar and chain were cheaper, so dug down around it some, put an older chain on my 545 and started cutting. By the time I got the stump out the smoke was pouring off the chain and I got quite a workout, but managed to keep from burning up my bar. A new chain was around twenty bucks.

From what I can tell the stumps aren't to old - no signs of rot and solid, bark still sight, but discolored to grey. What you did with your saw was our initial thought also then as we waited for cooler weather I started wondering about a grinder. From what I learned above the saw them off flush method will probably be what we do. I have plenty of old saw chains. They have tiny teeth, some broke too, but still cut and are totally expendable.

gg

 

[shooterdon]

Those of you using tote cages for wood - so far I've cut a window in one side of mine, but I've left the top ring undisturbed. Has anyone had trouble with the cage spreading open because of the top ring being cut, or do they seem really solid still?
It's definitely a pain to reach deep into the tote with that top ring in the way but I was concerned about long-term stability.

I suppose if it was water in a soft bladder there'd be too much pressure pushing outwards, but the wood is almost entirely pushing downwards, with just a bit leaning on the sides so there's not a lot of stress on the cage?

I do not stack my totes of wood. If I did I would want that top ring intact. No problems with cutting out the top ring and part of the side and my totes hold 1.4 face cords of wood with how I modify them. Cannot post a picture from this device but they are pictured in this thread in old posts.

 

[newkiotiguy]

Those of you using tote cages for wood - so far I've cut a window in one side of mine, but I've left the top ring undisturbed. Has anyone had trouble with the cage spreading open because of the top ring being cut, or do they seem really solid still?
It's definitely a pain to reach deep into the tote with that top ring in the way but I was concerned about long-term stability.

I suppose if it was water in a soft bladder there'd be too much pressure pushing outwards, but the wood is almost entirely pushing downwards, with just a bit leaning on the sides so there's not a lot of stress on the cage?

I've stacked them without a problem in the short term. I have basically no flat land on my property, besides my driveway, so I can't store them doubled up. I would never leave the top uncut. That sounds horrible.

 

[WinterDeere]

I've stacked them without a problem in the short term. I have basically no flat land on my property, besides my driveway, so I can't store them doubled up. I would never leave the top uncut. That sounds horrible.

One word: "terrace". My wood processing area was also on a slope, but a rubble wall and an afternoon with the FEL now has me a nice flat terrace, where I do my processing and stacking. I did leave the area where my sheds are arranged a little sloped, so water runs off below them, I just stacked concrete block on the ground to create level piers under the sheds:

 

[BackRoad]

Heavy Duty Mr. Winterdeere! I'd be happy move into one of those !!!

The storage racks look to be maybe 7'(?) deep?

Do you stack with 3 rows of splits?

 

[Rockbadchild]

One word: "terrace". My wood processing area was also on a slope, but a rubble wall and an afternoon with the FEL now has me a nice flat terrace, where I do my processing and stacking. I did leave the area where my sheds are arranged a little sloped, so water runs off below them, I just stacked concrete block on the ground to create level piers under the sheds:

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very nice design... I wish I would've seen this before I built mine, I would've done wider overhand but very nice.

 

[WinterDeere]

Heavy Duty Mr. Winterdeere! I'd be happy move into one of those !!!

The storage racks look to be maybe 7'(?) deep?

Do you stack with 3 rows of splits?

My latest stoves operate best with 18" lengths, so I cut to 18" and stack two rows deep on the front side of the shed and another 2 rows deep on the back side, for four rows total depth. I did it this way so I can easily stack or retrieve wood from either side, without having to walk into a deep shed. I'm moving a lot of wood (up to 14 cords some years), so I want to make it as quick and efficient as possible. every step counts when you're repeating it thousands of times per year.

The base of each rack is 6' x 16' = 96 ft2, as our township requires a permit for anything over 100 ft2, and I wanted to stay just below that. There is a roughly 10" overhang on the roof, to keep the wood dry in raking wind, the roof is actually closer to 7' 9" ft. deep.

Having dry wood is priceless, when you're trying to actually heat with it, versus just ambiance fires. We have about 8100 sq.ft. here, and I'm heating about 7800 sq.ft. of that. Wood carries the majority of the load in something like 5800 sq.ft. of that space, with the balance covered by a mix of oil, electric, and propane.

 

[arrow]

No problems here with the top band being cut. I can't imagine reaching logs out of the bottom of the tote with that top bar in the way! no thank you.

The only thing I will note, is that if you are stacking a FULL tote of wet wood atop another one that is cut out, yeah it can spread a bit. So far that hasn't meant I've had any problems stacking them - yet.

Nice set up deez.
Wondering what the snow load is for your structure even though you probably don’t get any.

 

[deezler]

Nice set up deez.
Wondering what the snow load is for your structure even though you probably don’t get any.

Our annual snowfall average is around 50-60", but its very rare to get over ~8-10" at one time.

I have no idea what the snow rating is on the carport, but if we got slammed with a blizzard, I might buy a roof snow rake

 

[arrow]

Our annual snowfall average is around 50-60", but its very rare to get over ~8-10" at one time.

I have no idea what the snow rating is on the carport, but if we got slammed with a blizzard, I might buy a roof snow rake

Ok. Thanks
Hope you interpreted my humor.
I think snow is going the way of the dinosaurs in certain parts.
We got 8” total last year and 106” in 97.

 

[deezler]

Definitely on a downward trend here. What I notice most distinctly is that we never get long stretches of true deep winter anymore, where multiple snowfalls can pile up and stay. Instead we're lucky to get any decent snowstorm, and then it typically melts within a week every time. The worst part is that many storms in Dec-March now, we're right near the rain snow line. Meaning you can get your hopes up for several good inches of snow, and then instead we just get a couple inches of heavy wet slop.

Only upside being that my annual firewood usage is going down a bit also, meaning less hours of labor investment are required to produce it.

 

[Yogi05]

Ok. Thanks
Hope you interpreted my humor.
I think snow is going the way of the dinosaurs in certain parts.
We got 8” total last year and 106” in 97.

Is there some incantation for that?
A boisterous dance maybe?
Tell me !!

 

[Sawyer Rob]

A while ago my grandson said "Grandpa, I don't have any wooden blocks to play with at home". SO, here's my fix for that.

First, I found an old 4x4 by the sawmill and cut off some pieces, then squaring them up,

That made 16 blocks and that didn't seem like enough, so I sawed them in half and sanded them,

Next it was time to scrounge up some boards lying around the shop, cut them to size to make a box to hold the blocks, here I have it mocked up,

and of course, he will need some handholds to carry this box full of wood blocks, so I cut some in the end pieces,

All that's left to do on it now, is some final sanding and put some finish on it!

I think he's going to like his new blocks!

SR

 

[BackRoad]

So simply wondering...

Does anyone start a fire in their fireplace with a split of pine added in, using it like a chunk of fatwood?

I've never burned pine in an inside fire, but was just wondering if it might help get a fire going quickly without introducing creosote concerns.

 

[WinterDeere]

So simply wondering...

Does anyone start a fire in their fireplace with a split of pine added in, using it like a chunk of fatwood?

I've never burned pine in an inside fire, but was just wondering if it might help get a fire going quickly without introducing creosote concerns.

There is no problem with burning pine, as long as it is dry. All old lore linking pine with creosote formation comes from the fact that pine can be burned nearly green. It is the burning of green (wet) wood that causes creosote formation, as the moisture sent up your chimney carries the creosote-forming compounds, and is likely to condense on the cooler chimney liner surface on its way up the pipe.

Dry your pine properly, and it will not deposit any more creosote in your chimney, than any other wood you're burning.

If east-coast lore about pine being so terrible had any truth to it, folks in the Pacific Northwest would be screwed... pine and other similar conifers is all they have!

As to starting fires, I've been using SuperCedars, the last several years. I usually time it to buy during one of their sales, but even at full retail, they work out to about 30 cents per fire. I'm heating my home with wood, saving more than $5k per year on oil, so I don't mind spending a few pennies per fire for the convenience. No kindling needed, just stuff the stove with my usual oak or hickory, place 1/4 of a SuperCedar puck under the load, and light with a match.

 

[deezler]

^ correct. However, Pine does spit and pop some sparks, and has relatively low BTU content per log compared to good hardwoods (species dependent of course).

Hardwood also creates plenty of creosote if your burn it before fully dry.

Millions of folks all across the western states have no choice but to burn pine in their woodstoves, and it does just fine. Those of us east of the Mississippi are just lucky to be able to select hardwoods instead.

 

[Jstpssng]

Those of us east of the Mississippi are just lucky to be able to select hardwoods instead

Some of us east of the Mississippi are lucky enough to select which hardwoods we burn.