How long should I cut the rounds...?

[rjustice4]

I'm new to the forum (and woodburning), and have a newbie question.

I just purchased a PE Spectrum, with a maximum log length of 18". This weekend, I'd like to get started cutting the pile in the attached photo into rounds, so I can split next weekend. I'm wondering if you folks would be so kind as to give me some advice on the length I should cut the rounds. Should they all be max length (18"), or should I mix it up a bit (some 12", some 8").

The logs are cedar and pine.

The stove is in my studio/office, and I'll be burning it 9-5.

Thanks for your help.

Bob

P.S. For those that like to play the "guess how much wood in the pile game", I'd appreciate your estimate on how much split wood I'll get from the pile....

 

[MrGriz]

Hi Bob and welcome to the forum. I usually cut my wood about 2" less than the max length. With an 18" max, I would say 16" is a good length. You want to leave a bit of room for air flow beyond the ends of the splits.

I usually cut everything to approximately the same length, except for those odd sized end pieces. What I then do is split some smaller and leave some larger and some in rounds. That way, I can pack the firebox well and it's nice to have some small splits on hand for starting or re-lightinig a fire.

 

[burntime]

Exactly what Griz said. There are always going to be the wierd pieces...those go in the stove early in the season.

 

[rjustice4]

Thanks guys....I would have cut them the wrong length, and been very frustrated....glad I asked.

Bob

 

[nshif]

Id go 16 too, its nice to have a little room to work with. Id guess 2- 21/2 cords from what I can see in the pics. Do you plan to burn this wood this year? If so youd better get it split ASAP and even so it may still be a bit green.

 

[n6crv]

My guess is alot.

 

[Gunner]

16"

2.5 cords

Get it split and out of the shade!

 

[nshif]

At second look maybe 3 cords Pics arnt that clear on my PC ( a POS ) Where are you? the terrain looks very close to here same trees and all.

 

[rjustice4]

nshif, I'm in your neck of the woods. Arnold. 4000 ft elevation, on Highway 4.

I'm planning to get it split this weekend, and to monitor the moisture content with a moisture meter. Am thinking of buying one of these, unless anyone has other suggestions:

http://www.coleparmer.com/catalog/product_view.asp?sku=8653104&pfx;=

 

[nshif]

Thought it looked like home. Im on 88 just above 4000' so just above you. Would dries pretty fast here especially cedar and pine and with the weather weve been having. But still I wouldnt waste any time. get it cut split and in the sun! If it doesnt look like it will be ready and you want to make the trip I have excess cedar and pine and we could trade out a load of green for dry. Nice to hear from a local!

 

[rjustice4]

Thanks for the offer, nshif, I might just take you up on that offer. I have about 3/4 of a chord that's dry to start out with, but then will need to use the new stuff. Might not be dry by then, so I'll stay in touch.

(On the topic of "it's a small world", I responed to a post on hearth.com last week, and it turns out the original poster just bought a cabin right next door to a lot that I own around the corner from my house. I hadn't met her in person yet....)

 

[nshif]

Ive found its a very small world up here. have run into quite a few folks I knew down in the bay area years ago. If youd like to swap some out just dont wait to far into winter because this pile is " down the hill in the back 40 " and not to accessable in the winter.

 

[TMonter]

My Quad takes 18" pieces but I cut at 15.5" to take some of the variability out of the cuts. I mark my logs but inevitably knots and other imperfections in logs make the pieces have some variability. This way I'm not stuck with pieces that won't fit into the stove. (which my wife hates)

After four seasons of cutting I'm starting to get this down to a science.

 

[jpl1nh]

About 16" length and approx 2 cords. Or another way to answer your question "How long should I cut the rounds...?": Until you you run out of wood :cheese:

 

[Robbie]

If you are new at cutting too..........(maybe not)

Cut a solid limb 16 inches long and spray paint it orange or red so you can keep up with it.

Lay this on the logs one at a time and use a chain saw to either "mark" every 16 or go ahead and cut all the way through (careful not to cut your guide).

Most importantly, when you have a pile of logs and a chain saw running, please be very very careful and make each step slowly or you will roll a log and possibly get hurt either by wrenching an ankle or worse, making contact with a moving saw blade.

Those stacked logs sometimes can be very hard to walk around on and cut without falling........one at a time.




Robbie

 

[Gooserider]

What I do, rather than have to carry around an extra marking guide is to measure from the tip of my bar down the saw and note where my "cut length" falls on the saw - if need be I put a paint mark on the spot. Then I just rotate the saw 90* so that it is along the length of the log, with the tip on the previous cut, and see where the mark falls, pick a corresponding spot on the log (lichen patch, ding in the bark, etc.) swing the saw back to normal position and cut... Very quick and easy w/ practice, and gets rid of all the extra equipment...

A friend who has a whole collection of chainsaws, has one saw that he uses just for marking - He drilled a hole in the bar just behind the sprocket, and put a chunk of threaded rod in it the right length. He runs an otherwise worn out chain on it, and just uses that saw to put marks on the logs where he will cut with a good saw later.

BTW, I find the best approach with piles is to work my way around them, taking off the ends that stick out, and the cutting up the logs I can reach on top. This usually exposes more of the pile so that you can repeat the process. As I get rounds cut I let them drop off the pile, or roll them off, depending on how they fit on the pile - however I don't start a cut without figuring out what both the round I cut off, and the remainder of the log are going to do when they separate. Sometimes I'll cut a log 3/4 through for all the cuts, then roll it off the pile and finish it on the ground, the key thing is to make sure you are working on something stable, and that you aren't going to get rolled on.

Be careful and wear your PPE!

Gooserider

 

[rjustice4]

Thanks for the tips, everyone! I should be good to start on the pile tonight.

I'll be really careful...and post pictures of the pile as I cut it up....

Bob