Cuttin' wood

[jimmyj]

Got a load of logs in to cut up for firewood. Approximately 70 logs in the pile, mostly maple with a few black cherry and a few yellow birch. The logs were great and the log guy said that due to low demand the sawmills are rejecting hardwoods that they would have sawn just a year ago. Almost made me sad cutting a few of the good ones up for splitting.

Anyhow, the logs were a good 25 feet long I would bet and the pile was 40 feet wide (almost). It is supposed to work out to over 7 cords but I will have to stack it to find out. The tractor moved a few really easy with the manure fork in place and will be great for moving the split wood over to the shed.

Here are a few action shots - note that I did in fact wear my chaps most of the time but I confess to not the first day. Took me just under 3 weeks to get it all split.


The supervisor is one of my dogs - "Sadie."

 

[3RRL]

Jimmy,
That's a lot of logs and a lot of hard work.
I know, because that's what I've been working on for the last couple weeks. Only difference is you have more logs than I do. However, I had to limb all those logs and chip what I didn't cut for firewood. That was as much work as cutting the dang logs! And I still haven't split it yet.
How long will that 7 cords last you?
Looks like your pooch is waiting for you to get done.

 

[jimmyj]

7 cords will last me 2 years. I have about 2 in the woodshed right now so I am pondering selling 2 (my shed only holds 7 cords) as I could pay for more than half the price of the logs with that small sale.

The quality of the logs is so good the masochistic side of me is thinking of ordering a 2nd load and selling half of it. Then, I could be 3 years ahead and get a most of the price of a good splitter out of the work (now I'm borrowing my uncle's splitter - see the thread in "safety" about me dropping the darned thing out of my truck).

I was lucky, it's such a waste the way they do this. They take the sawlog only up till the 2nd branch and anything above that, including the 1st two branches gets left in the bush. What a waste it must be.

P.S. I have a high stress office job and this is my therapy. I love physical work at the end of the day for some crazy reason.

 

[6sunset6]

So what do you do with all of that after it is split? I have quite a bit split now and logs on the ground , just cut , I have to haul out. My shed holds 5 cords and right now I have another 3 on pallets. I cannot decide whether to tarp the pallets or not. I think it is critical to get the splits off the ground but I cannot decide about tarping. I am leaning towards some kind of top only cover or tarp.

 

[jimmyj]

Lots of guys have theories about wood for sure. I must be off the ground I agree. I also think it should be covered.

The best wood I get is stuff that is 2 years dried and in a shed of some sort. The excess I will probably put into the barn but sometimes I just put tin over the top and leave the sides to the air. Our wood is so dry it almost lights without kindling.

If you don't have a shed, cover the top only for the summer and then before the rainy season starts in the fall cover the whole works. Nothing like summer days to dry it out really good.

 

[GBeck]

jimmyj - where abouts are you located in Ont... I have been looking to get some logs......if you don't mind me asking what did you pay for a truck load

 

[Bedlam]

Nice pile. It must be the feeling of security that makes firewood so pleasing.Almost the same feeling watching the smoke roll out of the chimney.
Interesting how time seem to change around my parts in the North East, They have diverted allot of wood to the power plants for electric. Last year I wasn't able to get my normal load.Well I could have at almost double the previous cost.
I suspect with it going to the power plants its not likely to feel a downturn ..
its better cut this time of year rather than in august heat...

 

[Oldchuck]

So what do you do with all of that after it is split? I have quite a bit split now and logs on the ground , just cut , I have to haul out. My shed holds 5 cords and right now I have another 3 on pallets. I cannot decide whether to tarp the pallets or not. I think it is critical to get the splits off the ground but I cannot decide about tarping. I am leaning towards some kind of top only cover or tarp.

Wood needs air and warmth to dry well. And, yes, get it off the ground. As far as tarping goes I'd say yes and no. If it's nice weather leave it breathe. Come a rainy spell, cover it up.

 

[jimmyj]

I have started putting it into my woodshed. It's a 3 sided tin shed with a roof and the wood sits on skids. I stack it in rows 8' long and 6' high so each row is about half a cord. (The shed is divided up onto three 8 foot internal compartments so you can have wood of different ages separate from each other. In the summer I take the tin sides off to let the sun and wind get to it but in early fall I put the sides back on and the result is amazingly dry wood (and clean too).

GBeck - PM me if you want more info or the phone #. The logs sure have gone up in price after last year. The load was $1040 and I figure it will be about $140 a cord. I'll know exactly once I stack it and see how much I really got. That is good compared to at least $275 a cord for good cut split and delivered. I can buy crummy wood for about $250 a cord but why bother. We are about 1 hour northeast of Toronto, or 1 hour north of Oshawa. I have already been offered $300 a cord for my stuff by a neighbour who wants to buy 2 cord. That would really offset my cost and maybe I will order another load in the fall to stay far ahead.

I agree, a full woodshed is a primally comforting feeling. I love it!

 

[Botabill]

Hi Jimmyj. I sent you a PM about your log source as you are in my neighbourhood sort of but I forgot to ask... What kind of dog is that. Thought it might be a briard.