Nice Day For A Woodcut

[hobbyheater]

This is the third Saturday Ryan and I have gone to get his next winter's supply of firewood. Last fall, this pile was so wet that it would not burn. The small logs we cut and split today are 17% to 20% in moisture content. It was a nice day for a woodcut - around 70 degrees and just enough of a breeze to keep the bugs away.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Nice work Hobbyheater. One caution I would throw out to you is where you sit. Sitting for sure is the way I go but I sit directly in front of the log. The reason for this is that occasionally you will get a split that will fly on you. If this happened where you are sitting, the boys might not like it and your voice might go up an octane or two. But I'm betting that you know very well which types of wood will fly on you. Another reason I like to sit in front is that it is easier to put the long on the stand and if needed, I can put my elbows on my legs using that as a fulcrum.

 

[hobbyheater]

Nice work Hobbyheater. One caution I would throw out to you is where you sit. Sitting for sure is the way I go but I sit directly in front of the log. The reason for this is that occasionally you will get a split that will fly on you. If this happened where you are sitting, the boys might not like it and your voice might go up an octane or two. But I'm betting that you know very well which types of wood will fly on you. Another reason I like to sit in front is that it is easier to put the long on the stand and if needed, I can put my elbows on my legs using that as a fulcrum.

This was some very easy splitting wood and Ryan very much likes to be involved and help, so running the splitter is something that he can do. Because of the four way wedge, wood can fly almost any direction. When running the machine myself, I split the smaller pieces off on the side away from me, that way the flying blocks hit the splitter fender instead of me. The picture below shows the damage done to a steel fender by these flying blocks. I also wear fallers pants with full length pads and this does give a little cushion if a block should come towards me. I do have another pair of fallers pants and maybe next time we go out I will ask Ryan to wear a pair. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Wood Duck]

It looks like you're cutting in a clear cut. Is that public land?

 

[bogydave]

Good of you to help. What goes around comes around
Looks like Ryan was having fun splitting. The pickaroon made a good foot rest.

Couldn't tell what was in the splitter in the pic. was birch or aspen?

Is the electric splitter in the last pic used to make the splits smaller once they are home?

 

[Oregon Bigfoot]

I wish I had a hydraulic splitter. I got spoiled the 3 times I used my friends, before he passed away. I love going up into the forest and cutting wood. Nothing like it. My great uncle lived in Victoria, before he passed away.

Is that hemlock?

 

[hobbyheater]

It looks like you're cutting in a clear cut. Is that public land?

It is public (tree farm license). The stacks are waste wood that was too wet to burn last fall.

 

[hobbyheater]

Good of you to help. What goes around comes around
Looks like Ryan was having fun splitting. The pickaroon made a good foot rest.

The pickaroon gives Ryan a little more reach to bring the blocks to the splitter.

Couldn't tell what was in the splitter in the pic. was birch or aspen?

The wood in the pile is second growth Douglas fir and Western hemlock. The bigger face you see in the pile is hemlock, a wood that needs two years under cover split to become dry enough to burn. Ryan' wood shed holds one season's supply of wood so we are getting the smaller diameter fir that is dry enough to burn now.

Is the electric splitter in the last pic used to make the splits smaller once they are home?

The electric splitter is Ryan's and he does use it to make the spilts smaller. There are several other people that bring him rounds or wood that needs to be split smaller and it is real handy for making kindling.

 

[hobbyheater]

I wish I had a hydraulic splitter. I got spoiled the 3 times I used my friends, before he passed away. I love going up into the forest and cutting wood. Nothing like it. My great uncle lived in Victoria, before he passed away.

Is that hemlock?

The pile is hemlock and fir. The wood splitter makes firewood a lot of fun!