When Splits Are to Big for New Insert

Would work for just a few too-long splits providing they are small enough . . . for a lot of long splits or splits that are larger many folks will build a bucking stand where they can load up a whole bunch of wood (sometime strapped or bunjied together) and then use a chainsaw to cut off a few inches.

That is one thing I wondered about when getting a new stove. I don't want to go through recutting 5cords of wood to fit a new stove. Also I notice the new shoves want small splits .. I tend to like Med-large splits . Or at least a mix.

I'm in the process of cutting down 20 cord right now, having swapped stoves over the summer, to two that take smaller splits.

Answer is a rack quickly cribbed together from scraps, and a big chainsaw. Rack is built to depth of new split length, so front rails become bar guide rails. Strap bundle down with a ratchet strap, lest the top few splits tumble toward you when chain bites into them.

i get all my wood from scrounges, hence I get wood in all lengths. Every so often I get a piece that I thought would fit in the insert. After about 2 minutes I realize that I am never going to get the door closed. I then get to run through the house with a flaming torch. Fun times, fun times.

markam said:

i get all my wood from scrounges, hence I get wood in all lengths. Every so often I get a piece that I thought would fit in the insert. After about 2 minutes I realize that I am never going to get the door closed. I then get to run through the house with a flaming torch. Fun times, fun times.

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Been there, done that. Worse, I once pulled a split out of the firebox, thinking it wasn't lit, and set it in the bin beside the stove. An hour later, I'm walking out the door to work, and notice a split burning in the bin next to the stove. Could've ended real bad, if I had been any quicker getting out of the house.

It helps to have a reference for your max split length. In my old stoves, it was exactly half the width of my 40" wide pallet racks. Gotta pick a similar easy to eye reference for the new stove, but since I'm manually cutting down 20 cords of 20" wood to 17", I have two years left before that's an issue.

Ashful said:

Strap bundle down with a ratchet strap

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Thanks for that. Light bulb went off when I read this and used it all day while cutting/reducing down branches. Was going to use rope (forgot I even had straps). Two on the did the job.

If I have a split that is a little too long I cut it in half, rather than cut a few inches off the end. When cut in half, most oversize splits become the right length to load n/s (with an end facing the stove door). My stove takes up to 18 inches East/west, and about 10 inches N/S.

Ashful said:

once pulled a split out of the firebox, thinking it wasn't lit, and set it in the bin beside the stove. An hour later, I'm walking out the door to work, and notice a split burning in the bin next to the stove.

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I've done this a couple times with wood that wasn't too long, but with an ugly chunk that didn't fit. Made myself a rule: once it goes part way in the stove, it burns, or I take it outside (even if not ignited) and leave on concrete well away from other ignition sources.

CincyBurner said:

I've done this a couple times with wood that wasn't too long, but with an ugly chunk that didn't fit. Made myself a rule: once it goes part way in the stove, it burns, or I take it outside (even if not ignited) and leave on concrete well away from other ignition sources.

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Yep... I made the same rule with myself, after that day. I have a fireplace on the back patio, and anything that comes out of a stove gets chucked in there.

NickDL said:

We finally had a new insert installed into our Heatilator prefab. Needless to say, it takes much smaller than what the prefab could accommodate. So I pulled out the miter saw & stand to care of the ones that were to big. The new insert calls for 16" splits but can take as big as 18". Fortunately the pile that I was working with didn't have to many oversized splits. Later in the week in going to go & check the rest of the wood piles.

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Dang, that thing looks huge. How large is the blade on that?

I'm gonna have to try this. Mine has a 10" blade, so I'll be limited in how many I can cut cleanly through, but it looks like a great idea.

NickDL said:

We finally had a new insert installed into our Heatilator prefab. Needless to say, it takes much smaller than what the prefab could accommodate. So I pulled out the miter saw & stand to care of the ones that were to big. The new insert calls for 16" splits but can take as big as 18". Fortunately the pile that I was working with didn't have to many oversized splits. Later in the week in going to go & check the rest of the wood piles.

View attachment 167009

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I had a bunch that I cut for a furnace and didnt use. They were to long for N/S loading so I used them a couple at a time W/E during early evening fires / shoulder season. Took a couple of years to use them up but they were dry by the time they were used.

bob