Possible large maple score!(update, almost done splitting!)

[rdust]

Amazing how when people know you're heating with wood word travels. A buddy just called to tell me his dad was having a 6' diameter maple dropped and asked if I wanted the wood. He said his dad was going to have them take the bottom due to it's size but he'd keep from where it branched out going up. He said it branches out into 4 and those pieces are good sized rounds in the 2' range if he had to guess. I told him I'd take it all and let me know once it's down.

Now I have to get the rest of my piles split/stacked before I have to deal with this. I'm going to feel like a squirrel getting ready for winter when I have to find places for all this wood.

 

[Wet1]

Sounds like a good reason to go buy a 880 or a 3120!

 

[smokinj]

Sounds like a good reason to go buy a 880 or a 3120!

+1

 

[Jeff S]

That's a really nice score.Too bad you couldn't handle the base,at 6 ft diameter there is almost a face cord per slab.

 

[smokinj]

if it makes you fill any better its proablely more in the 5 ft wide they get termites bad when there that old! 460 or 660 will get the job done (biggest i have ever herd of was 63 in.)

 

[rdust]

if it makes you fill any better its proablely more in the 5 ft wide they get termites bad when there that old! 460 or 660 will get the job done (biggest i have ever herd of was 63 in.)

I was actually thinking it was probably more like 3-4 feet! lol It's probably similar to the big one that got away fish stories. Either way I'll take what I can!

 

[CowboyAndy]

if it makes you fill any better its proablely more in the 5 ft wide they get termites bad when there that old! 460 or 660 will get the job done (biggest i have ever herd of was 63 in.)

I will second that... I just processed a 150 year old maple that was at least 36" at the base, and most of the way up it was punky in the center. lots of ants and other bugs. still a good score though...



GO FOR IT!

 

[Backwoods Savage]

rdust, it sounds like you have things going your way! Congratulations.

 

[Arlo]

Sounds like a good reason to go buy a 880 or a 3120!

Brilliant ! Was thinking the same thing!

 

[rdust]

I picked up the first load from this! It has to be the easiest wood I've ever picked up. I was able to back the trailer right up to it and load up. The tree was right around 5' at chest level so it was a big maple. I figure there is another full load plus some still there. I'm not sure if it'll still be there when I get back into town on Sunday evening though. They aren't going to advertise it but if someone knocks on their door they'll probably let someone take it. I took the easier to handle stuff hoping people won't want to deal with the big chunks I left behind. Probably 4 pieces there were about 8' long and 24" plus in diameter.

 

[04RevX]

Nice load and nice trailer too! Maple is nice and light and splits easy...love working with it.

 

[joshlaugh]

Good score, I love getting free and easy to load wood!

 

[rdust]

Nice load and nice trailer too! Maple is nice and light and splits easy...love working with it.

Thanks, it's a multi-purpose trailer, race car, wood, quads etc.

Good score, I love getting free and easy to load wood!

Not exactly free but we'll call it that! It was pretty inexpensive even with gas on the rise and the wear and tear on my truck/trailer. The easy to load part was a major bonus though.

They live on a dead end street so I hope it's all there when I get back into town. This is all next years wood so I'd like to get as much of it as I can.

 

[CTZR1]

Nice Score.
Nice Trailer Too.

 

[rdust]

Picked up the second load yesterday. I had to leave about a face cord behind, I was tempted to fill the bed but I don't think the 1500 would've enjoyed that!

 

[SolarAndWood]

but I don't think the 1500 would've enjoyed that!

When gas gets back over 4 bucks a gallon, 3/4 ton trucks go cheap.

 

[iceman]

but I don't think the 1500 would've enjoyed that!

When gas gets back over 4 bucks a gallon, 3/4 ton trucks go cheap.

any day now.................... cause its coming soon....

 

[rdust]

When gas gets back over 4 bucks a gallon, 3/4 ton trucks go cheap.

A 3/4 ton diesel is in my future, it's just not my near future.

 

[RIDGERUNNER30]

I recently got a big load of maple for free , some tree cutters had it already cut up in 20in chucks. I'am new to wood burning and most of the wood i have got on hand from last winter is black locust, and red oak. I spilt all this wood with a 8lb maul, but the maple i have is so hard to spilt, are there any tricks to spilting maple by hand? I would love to have a hyd spilter,but my budget is a little tight right now.

 

[Slow1]

I recently got a big load of maple for free , some tree cutters had it already cut up in 20in chucks. I'am new to wood burning and most of the wood i have got on hand from last winter is black locust, and red oak. I spilt all this wood with a 8lb maul, but the maple i have is so hard to spilt, are there any tricks to spilting maple by hand? I would love to have a hyd spilter,but my budget is a little tight right now.

Best advice I ever got for hand splitting: Fiskars splitting axe, the larger one (I forget exactly the name) only found it online - the one at Sears is the smaller one which is nice too but I still like the larger one. Both will beat out your maul! I haven't touched my maul since starting on the Fiskars and I've split a lot of big wood since then. Search the forums for Fiskars splitting axe and you will find all sorts of reviews/comments etc and I doubt you will find much if any disappointment expressed.

 

[SolarAndWood]

A 3/4 ton diesel is in my future, it's just not my near future.

I shopped a while for my 3/4 ton as I wanted a diesel. I look for the 5 to 6 year old truck from south of the salt belt as everything local that age is usually rotten. It seemed that all the diesels were getting a 50% premium even that old. I ended up with the 6L gas Chevy and have been happy with it. A friend of mine just went through the same process with his heart set on the Ford diesel but ended up with gas as well. Unless you are doing a lot of hauling, I'm not sure the diesel is worth the premium.

 

[rdust]

Have most of it split and stacked neatly in a heap-hausen. I have another face cord or two and then I'm done for a while.

Here are a couple pictures, for reference I'm about 6' tall.