Cheap, quick, Firewood Storage and Transport

[Charlesaf3]

I'd sure love to get ahold of some of those, look like a good basis for all sorts of things.

Getting free pallets - most nursery's have them to give away. Also lumberyards. It generally doesn't pay to ship them back unless they are special.

 

[MotorSeven]

But how do you get the bottom layers of wood out? Do your shirts have 42" sleeves?

Good point........36.5 sleeve length seems to get it done ok! Shorter might neede a step stool................

 

[Charlesaf3]

Good point........36.5 sleeve length seems to get it done ok! Shorter might neede a step stool................

Sounds like a reasonable sleeve length to me - may I recommend LL Bean's dress shirts? 37s are tough to find I find.

 

[beenthere]

Prolly when MotorSeven gets down to the last couple layers, he rolls the bin/cage on its side, and easy pickins.

 

[Alan L.]

I just stack it on the ground, uncovered. Seems once you get the fire going the wet logs burn just fine. Yea, I end up with some rotted logs on the bottom, but only if it is next season when I get down to them. We'll use this cord and a half to the ground as much as possible rather than taking all off the top.

 

[beenthere]

Alan L.
When burning wood to heat the house, it doesn't pay to burn wet wood, or wood that hasn't properly seasoned (takes a couple years). Doing all the work to split and move wood, one wants to get all the heat into the home rather than use it to evaporate water.
I split and stack on pallets right away, so I don't have to handle the wood any more than absolutely necessary. Once on the pallet, it stays there until 2-3 yrs later when it sets in the garage within easy distance to the wood burner.
Gone are the days I moved split wood several times from split pile to stacked pile, then into a trailer to restack in the garage, and then finally into the wood burner. Seemed I could recognize each piece going into the burner because I'd handled it so often. Like tossing an old buddy into the fire.

 

[Charlesaf3]

I used to use the same system AlanL, possibly due to the ocean climate, it all seems to stay damp. I've found burning dry wood is much easier all around.

And like been there says, handling the wood a bunch of times starts to get a little annoying. Putting it directly on a pallet you can move around with a tractor is much easier.

And, not to keep beating a dead horse, the pallet system is basically free. I wouldn't pay $100s to do it, but 5 minutes with a nail gun? Well worth it.

 

[beenthere]

Charlesaf3
I may just have to invest some money in a nail gun now, seein as how you are so convincing that this is the way to go. Don't let me find out that it is in the $100's. (just kidding)

One thing that I have noticed with the pallet system, is they sit on the ground for a couple years, and the wood in pallets doesn't last too long in those damp conditions. Cycling a pallet more that twice over a 4-5 year period is about the limit one can expect. Good to look for oak pallets that will last a bit longer. The upright pallets can be the lighter, less rot resistant woods, as they don't contact the ground.

 

[Charlesaf3]

Charlesaf3
I may just have to invest some money in a nail gun now, seein as how you are so convincing that this is the way to go. Don't let me find out that it is in the $100's. (just kidding)

One thing that I have noticed with the pallet system, is they sit on the ground for a couple years, and the wood in pallets doesn't last too long in those damp conditions. Cycling a pallet more that twice over a 4-5 year period is about the limit one can expect. Good to look for oak pallets that will last a bit longer. The upright pallets can be the lighter, less rot resistant woods, as they don't contact the ground.

Fair points! Nail guns are pricey, but I already own them, so I'm not factoring that in. A hammer and a bunch of nails would work, but it wouldn't be a 5 minute job anymore.

Yeah, the pallets will rot. You could stop it by putting waste pallets under them. Or rotating them - it doesn't really matter which side is up. By my thought is let them rot, then trash them - pallets are free, why worry about them.

key thing is that the rot doesn't get to the firewood.

 

[Charlesaf3]

Oh, on the nail gun front, if you are going to buy a framing gun, I'd highly recommend the Hitachi. The NR83A is the universal contractors choice around here. Not sure what the current model number is. Pricey, but worth it. I'd have no hesitation buying a used one.

I haven't used the Harbor Freight framing gun, but I will say I have a lot of HF pneumatic nailers and have been surprised by how decent they are. Generally very good value.