Polar Maple Vortex

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So we're expecting over a foot of snow today, but the tree guys are still working. Got a knock on my door this morning with a free delivery. Quite a bit of maple. Will be covered by a foot of snow by the end of the day ... wonder if I should tarp it if I plan to start processing this weekend? Don't think it should matter ... feel kinda strange covering unprocessed wood.

maple11.jpg

Although I wouldn't climb a tree in a snow, they said they have another job this morning, and offered even more wood. This is already about 2 weekends worth of work for me, so as much as it pains, me I told them I couldn't take it. Anyone in the Smithtown area this morning looking for a hook up before the snow tonight, send me a private message.
 
Sweet!
 
Jealous! I wish someone would drop off some free wood at my house! That is the best kind of wood score there is.
 
i don't cover mine
 
So we're expecting over a foot of snow today, but the tree guys are still working. Got a knock on my door this morning with a free delivery. Quite a bit of maple. Will be covered by a foot of snow by the end of the day ... wonder if I should tarp it if I plan to start processing this weekend? Don't think it should matter ... feel kinda strange covering unprocessed wood.

View attachment 124848

Although I wouldn't climb a tree in a snow, they said they have another job this morning, and offered even more wood. This is already about 2 weekends worth of work for me, so as much as it pains, me I told them I couldn't take it. Anyone in the Smithtown area this morning looking for a hook up before the snow tonight, send me a private message.

If I was going to process this load soon after the snow, I might cover it, if I had the tarp handy. Depending on the weather though, the tarp could make it worse. Maybe cover 1/2.
 
Covering it would keep the snow off, keep it from freezing together and make your processing a bit easier.
 
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I have never covered unsplit wood, but I also hate to get wet hands while splitting. If you cover it you will have dry hands and not need a maul to break the pieces free of one another.
 
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I'd cover it just to keep my gloves from getting wet. For your convenience of course.
I have an EzUp tent I use for farmers markets that I set up over the splitter and me, next to the pile and just split while its snowing.
Add a little Baileys to the coffee thermos and go to town.
And NEVER say no to free wood....especially dropped at the doorstep.
 
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That wood isn't gonna rot in 2 or 3 weeks. If it were covered for months and months then I'd worry about it a little.
 
It's already been said, but I'll say it again.

If you're concerned about the seasoning, don't worry . . . a few days, weeks, etc. under the snow will make little difference.

If you're concerned about working with wet, snow-covered, slick wood . . . sure, cover it up. Should only take a few minutes.

If you're not adverse to dusting off the snow or searching in the snow for the rounds and don't mind wet gloves . . . don't cover and admire your picturesque snow covered stacks.

If you're telling folks to not drop off any more wood . . . then no complaining if you run out of wood next year. ;) :) On a serious note . . . nice score!!!
 
It's already been said, but I'll say it again.

If you're concerned about the seasoning, don't worry . . . a few days, weeks, etc. under the snow will make little difference.

If you're concerned about working with wet, snow-covered, slick wood . . . sure, cover it up. Should only take a few minutes.

If you're not adverse to dusting off the snow or searching in the snow for the rounds and don't mind wet gloves . . . don't cover and admire your picturesque snow covered stacks.

If you're telling folks to not drop off any more wood . . . then no complaining if you run out of wood next year. ;) :) On a serious note . . . nice score!!!


almost like you've had some experience in this wood processing stuff Jake.;)
 
My rounds start to pile up in October each year and get split in the spring, nothing get covered until it has ben stacked for one year. Of coarse I do have the luxury of storing my rounds on a blacktop driveway so nothing rots.
 
Jealous. I wish there was someone like that in my area I could hook up with. Nice score....
 
I'd tarp it so as not to have to pull rounds out of a mound of snow.
An inch I probably wouldn't bother, but a foot, hell yeah.


Course, we usually get rain in the middle of a snow storm and then freeze after too.
.All froze together is no fun either.
 
Because you plan on working on this wood soon, I would have covered it. Just make handling the wood a bit easier and less messy. By the way, one of these things are worth a lot when it comes to lifting and/or carrying wet or snow covered wood.
Log tongs.jpg The large one is the best. They say 12" but it can handle a lot larger round than that.
 
The snow is going to be dry and so cold the next few days you'll be able to blow it off with a leaf blower.
 
Because you plan on working on this wood soon, I would have covered it. Just make handling the wood a bit easier and less messy. By the way, one of these things are worth a lot when it comes to lifting and/or carrying wet or snow covered wood.
View attachment 124889 The large one is the best. They say 12" but it can handle a lot larger round than that.

Got a set of those tongs, they're keepers.
 
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I'd tarp it. It's not that hard to knock the snow off a tarp as you peel it off the wood pile, even if you don't get to all of it for a while and it melts a bit and then freezes. But if it melts and freezes directly on your random wood pile it would make it much more of a pain in the @ss to deal with.
Or, as somebody suggested, you could try covering half of it, then you'll find out for yourself which half is easier to work with.
 
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Past tense now but I would have tarped it. I've done it while processing wood before. It is a lot more pleasant to handle when it isn't covered in snow. And safer to handle as it looks like you might be recutting a few of those pieces. It also keeps it from freezing together or to the ground if you get a freeze/thaw cycle. Probably not an issue this week.

If you do need shorten some long pieces, the easiest way that I have found is to do it in bulk. I make a jig between two pallets stood up on their sides. Put a piece of 2x12 in the back as a stop at the length that I like. Load it up and run the saw down the front. I've done after the wood was split. The one thing that I dislike about pre-bucked tree man wood is that you usually get random lengths and wind up with a lot of very short chunks in the end.
 
I have some sitting out back. I just added to the pile and hadn't had the time to get anything to put on top of it yet. I just opted to throw a tarp over it for now till I get the tin to put on top. I din't want to mess with the snow.
 
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