wood splitting on a Fall day

[sassafraspete]

Just sharing a picture of the 2 best tools I have ever purchased. One of course is the Branson 4020. The other is a 30 ton wood splitter with hydraulic log lift from Northern Hydraulics. The attached picture shows my woodsplitting operation this past weekend.

sassafraspete

 

[sassafraspete]

20 yrs ago, when I made the decision to have a wood furnace...I decided to invest in a good splitter. This one from Northern has been a dandy. For big logs, I just roll up on the lift and raise to the splitter....for smaller logs, I use the lift as a shelf and hold several chunks while I am splitting. Having the I-beam up high really saves on the back. As a one man operation, I can split a bunch of wood in a day.

 

[beenthere]

Are you splitting ash?

I'd like that lift for my white oak 'logs' that are 20-25" in diameter, and about 20" long. I will load two (sometimes 3) in the FEL bucket and drive over to use as a lift and 'table' by the splitter. Takes the lifting out of it, and also acts as a shelf to slide the halves and quarters onto that need more splitting.

Nice combination of rigs there.

 

[sassafraspete]

The split pile in the background is all hickory. The pile in the foreground is a mixture of small poplar, cherry, and oak that I had from working on clearing some woods for a barn site. I don't normally burn poplar, but I saved the sawable logs, and anything left that was burn size I kept to split. I'll use it for a quick fire in the wood stove.

I find out every day what a helper the front end loader is...what a great tool. The instructions on the spliter say not to split over a 12 inch log....I only laugh at that ...as I routinely split the big ones... like you say , 25 " and oak even.

Only one time had a problem when my wife was running controls and I rolled a big one onto the I beam....didn't see the knot sticking out at the bottom...as she moved to log along with the hydraulic ram... I noticed the lift moving sideways also! Had to do a weld job on that one.

 

[beenthere]

When I saw the split pile I thought hickory (light and dark color) then I saw the unsplit pile of wood and thought poplar. But putting the two piles together, changed my mind to white ash, but now see it much clearer. Thanks.

Hopefully this week will get me back to the big wood in my wood pile, splitting for the year 2006-07.

 

[Egon]

Nice looking tractor and splitter Pete.

We installed a woodburning fireplace insert this fall. Being a Praire boy have a lot of mental anguish cutting down any tree other than pine or poplar for burning.

Egon /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[gmason]

Pete, yea very nice setup.
Actually, I'm looking at that splitter now also. I need to split logs in the 30" length rage and that is the only model I've found that has the 30" piston.

They've got them for around $2500, but I'm waiting for them to have the 10% off sale again.

gary

 

[GEB]

Oh yeah, thats looks like a nice play ground, I really enjoy
splitting wood on a cool fall day.
Up until last year we always split the old fashion way.
My dad picked up a spliter, then this year I got myself one.
To say the least it's much funner with the spliter /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
I got a tree down now, but it's to wet to get too it.
I've got some trees that I cant figure out what they are,
maybe if i post a pic someone will know?
I do know they grow fast then fall !
They burn good ...little fast but I got plenty.
Gene

 

[sassafraspete]

Egon, I certainly can understand your mental anguish and I have the same reverence for wood that you do. I generally have all the wood I need by cutting dead trees or blow downs. I wish I had a personal sawmill, as I can't stand to see trees that will make lumber split for the wood stove...breaks the woodworker's heart in me. Interestingly, when I've been out west on vacation, I find in coming home that I've really missed the hardwood trees. I suspect you feel the same about the piney woods. After a long summer time trip out west , I can be driving home on I-70 accross the Illinois farmland and when reaching TerreHaute turn off on Indiana SR46 and start driving through the cool canopy of Southern Indiana hardwoods.... I feel like I am home. I see nightly footage from Iraq on the news and look at all that sand . dust , and dryness, and have to pinch myself and thank my lucky stars for the place I have to live in.

sassafraspete

 

[sassafraspete]

Gary, I used to raise Bell peppers to sell to local grocery stores. I found that it was best to stake and tie them up for support, just like you would tomatoes. I cut some 30" oak chunks and split first into boards...then into stakes using this splitter. It worked quite well. I made a game out of seeing how square I could split them. Caution on splitting the big, longer chunks for your stove....they are too heavy for the lady folk to handle sometimes. I find the shorter lengths to be much easier to handle. Maybe those Top & Tilt guys can provide the technology for making a lift. That is a pricey option on the Northern....but in my mind makes all the difference...it is just so handy and saves the back.

 

[Egon]

Pete:

The only part I miss are the mountains. The backcountry trails either on ski's or on a bicycle and the smell of alpine fir. Even that was starting to wane as the crowds got larger.

Of course there some mid week days on the ski hill when one could just ski in and get on the chair - no line up's. Remember one day 09:00 Am to o4o PM with a half hour for lunch. About every fifth or sixth run would take a groomed run to rest the legs.

Egon /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[sassafraspete]

Gene, I hear you on the wetness..... We've had so much rain here lately that you can't go out in the woods with the tractor for you surely will cut up some ruts. Maybe if you had one of those lightweight other brand tractors....but with these heavy , traction grabbing Bransons or Centurys... we'll just have to be patient.

 

[sassafraspete]

Egon, the only pines we have here are ones that have been planted....some are old xmas tree farming experiments left over, or government planted pines on land bought from home owners during the depression. One of my favorite "back in the woods" places to hike ...especially with snow on the ground, is a stand of white pine that were planted back in the 50s. I love to go there and just smell the air, and listen to the quiet. Have you ever smelled the bark of a jeffery pine? Got to smell some of these out at Lake Tahoe CA....smells like vanilla.

As for the ski hills, your description takes me back. We have a few here in Indiana....all of 5-800 feet vertical...but get on the big mountains out west where you can ski 5 miles without stopping and in amongst the pines....now that's a nice vision. I am envious if you have the mountains as your playground. I had 2 canadian visitors at work today....they were from Vancouver. They said it was 20 minutes to whistler from where they lived. That would be tough to take....but like you....if you can avoid the crowds... what a great place to spend some time.

Geez, this started out as a wood splitting thread...now Egon has me skiing.

sassafraspete

 

[Egon]

Pete:

Never seen a Jeffery pine but we have lots of white pine here.

Back to skiing: As I worked a rotating 12 hour shift once a month we had 7 days consecutive days off. Many years I manged to get upwards of 30 or more hill/backcountry days in not counting driving. Stayed in Hostels or huts so the expense was bearable. Night life was non exsitent as tired old bodies need rest and recuperation time. My niece and her husband have lived in Whistler since the mid 70's. That was back before Blackcomb was even a thought.

If one of the other Pete's is reading I have also skied at Stowe back in the 60's.

Egon /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[sassafraspete]

Egon, you've got me dreaming again. I definately want to visit Canada some in the future....however may have to wait for that exchange rate to be working in the right direction.

Heck with splitting wood....let's see , where did I put those skis....and that wax?

 

[gmason]

Pete, You better believe it!! I've cut up some Hickory lately and it puts Oak to shame on the weight. It's like picking up a block of foam vs a block of cement. Even after a year of drying(not split) the Hickory is still a bear to pick up.

thanks
gary