Processing wood with snow on the ground

[RoseRedHoofbeats]

So, I'm really happy with the wood I bought last fall from the tree service, and I want to try and work out a deal for a few cords of green, unsplit logs. I am chainsaw-less for the moment (insufficient funds) so scrounging and cutting my own isn't going to happen this year. I got split, seasoned wood from them for $150/cord, so does $75/cord sound fair?

We're having a weird winter- usually by now there's always some snow cover, but it's been snowing like crazy every three or four days, then melting before it snows again. I'm from the South and completely flummoxed by snow (by flummoxed I mean I hate it with the fire of a thousand sun and curse its name.) If it's under 40 degrees and stuff's falling out of the sky, I don't go outside unless I absolutely have to. So assumming I get some bucked logs between now and spring thaw (March-April)... what do I DO with it? Just stack it on pallets on a no-snow day, and split on days it isn't snowing?

This is what I get for moving above the Mason-Dixon line. =P

~Rose

 

[mrplow]

jeez, sounds like even at $75/cord, you could pay for a chainsaw that might do you pretty well for the price of 3 cords of wood... Then again if you also don't have a truck, paying for bucked wood may be worth it.

Personally, I split when it's raining, snowing, whatever. If you're splitting by hand, the exercise will keep you warm. I'm betting that the Utah air will dry that wood in less than a full summer, so you could just wait until the temperature warms up and make sure to get it all split before the middle of June. 2 months of Utah Summer, IMO, will do you nicely.

Then again, i'm a noob.

 

[Jack Straw]

I would get 4 cord and rent a splitter for a weekend. $75 per cord is cheap where I live (if its good hardwood). For $300 and the cost of the splitter rental you'd be all set.

 

[RoseRedHoofbeats]

Nah, I want to split by hand- it's part of the experience! Good exericse and cheaper that way. I'm pushing the budget just paying $300 for logs right now anyway.

~Rose

 

[NH_Wood]

jeez, sounds like even at $75/cord, you could pay for a chainsaw that might do you pretty well for the price of 3 cords of wood... Then again if you also don't have a truck, paying for bucked wood may be worth it.

Personally, I split when it's raining, snowing, whatever. If you're splitting by hand, the exercise will keep you warm. I'm betting that the Utah air will dry that wood in less than a full summer, so you could just wait until the temperature warms up and make sure to get it all split before the middle of June. 2 months of Utah Summer, IMO, will do you nicely.

Then again, i'm a noob.

Depends on the type of wood. Cheers!

 

[RNLA]

Hi, I would say if you can get good wood for 75/cord of rounds that would be pretty good. If you stack it on pallets cover the top and wait for a little dryer and warmer weather you would be OK. Just remember only cover the top, preferably with plywood or metal (rigid material), this will allow the air to circulate all around.

 

[RoseRedHoofbeats]

I bought 4.5 cords of about 50% hardwood, 30% fruit and 20% softwood for $600 last September and due to a series of unfortunate events that delayed getting my stove installed (should get done this week, yay!) I haven't burned a lick of it. If I can get another 4.5 cords for $300 now and c/s/s it over the summer and not burn it until I'm done with my old wood (roughly January or so, I'd imagine), I think I should be in pretty good shape.

~Rose

 

[ColdNH]

you live in one of the best areas in the country for deep snow and powder, a snowmobile and skiers heaven, and you have such a deep hate for snow. i hate YOU! (just kidding) but seriously, take up a winter hobby (like skiing or snowmobiling) and your hate for snow will turn into a sick obsession for it.

 

[Jack Straw]

If its easy to split by hand go for it! I don't mind splitting most of my wood by hand. I put the hard splitting wood aside and borrow my father's splitter once a year.

You have to learn to enjoy the snow. The next time it snows sit by a window and drink your favorite beverage (I prefer coffee while watching it snow.) After you observe it for awhile go out and enjoy it. Take up snowshoing or something. It would be a great time to split wood. There is something very special that happens when it snows.

 

[RoseRedHoofbeats]

Are you kidding me? I've got WAY better things to spend my money on then trying to actually go do things ON PURPOSE in that muck! Do you have any idea how expensive ski gear is?? This is why God invented covered riding arenas and space heaters and knitting needles and sewing machines and hot chocolate and down comforters.

My cold tolerance has yet to adjust to living here instead of south Texas, even after three years. I break out my sweaters and gloves at least a month earlier than everyone else here. At least having a wood burning stove will make me look forward to cold days more! Still hate snow. Will always hate snow. Snow sucks. Useless form of precipitation.

~Rose

 

[Jags]

Rose - I can't say that I like snow either, but there is something magical when it is a dead calm 20 degree day with snow lightly falling and the crisp clear "whack" of a round being split. Take a breath - look around and "whack". I'm just tellin' ya....

 

[thewoodlands]

So, I'm really happy with the wood I bought last fall from the tree service, and I want to try and work out a deal for a few cords of green, unsplit logs. I am chainsaw-less for the moment (insufficient funds) so scrounging and cutting my own isn't going to happen this year. I got split, seasoned wood from them for $150/cord, so does $75/cord sound fair?

We're having a weird winter- usually by now there's always some snow cover, but it's been snowing like crazy every three or four days, then melting before it snows again. I'm from the South and completely flummoxed by snow (by flummoxed I mean I hate it with the fire of a thousand sun and curse its name.) If it's under 40 degrees and stuff's falling out of the sky, I don't go outside unless I absolutely have to. So assumming I get some bucked logs between now and spring thaw (March-April)... what do I DO with it? Just stack it on pallets on a no-snow day, and split on days it isn't snowing?

This is what I get for moving above the Mason-Dixon line. =P

~Rose

We live for this (Snow) in the North Country in New York State, nothing like a 10 degree day and working in the woods. Get it,split it then stack it!



zap

 

[RoseRedHoofbeats]

Having something useful to do during the winter might improve my feelings towards it somewhat. I still prefer working up an honest sweat in 100 degree heat than sweating in the COLD and feeling it freeze down your back. I'm a thin-blooded Southern girl. Snow confuses and frightens me by instinct. I grew up thinking 60 degrees was cold and that a half an inch of frost on your car was cause for a snow day. I joke with my husband that I still LIVE in Texas, I just visit here 11 months out of the year...

So basically, get my bucked logs delivered- is it worth stacking them in the round and covering them if I plan to split and stack in a few months? I have about 60' of fenceline with south-western exposure and gets a lot of sun, I should be able to stack roughly 4 cords along its length in two rows. Now all I have to do is procure 30 wooden pallets....

~Rose

 

[quads]

I make firewood all year long, winter or summer, sometimes 0°F. You get used to it and it's good wintertime exercise. I rather enjoy the winter actually. As long as the snow isn't so deep that I can't get out into the woods, I'm out there making firewood. No big deal. Just another day.

 

[Thistle]

I'm the same as most of you.I enjoy working in the woods,cutting,splitting,stacking whenever I get the chance.If its June through August I dont do much on those 90 degree plus days,mainly because my main construction job tires me out.Only time I do much in mid-summer is when there's storm damage to clean up (and there was plenty of that in 2009 & 2010 unfortunately). Rest of the year if I have a spare hour or so on some days,I look forward to swinging my axe or maul.Rain,Snow or Zero temps,it dont matter to me.Split a few Walnut & Mulberry rounds earlier today infact.15 degrees & sunshine,no wind with 5 inches recent powdery snow under my boots,it dont get much better than that!

 

[woodchip]

I used to hate the cold before I bought a woodburner.............

Now I know where to go when I do want the warmth, and the woodland behind our garden always has plenty of branches falling when they are covered in snow.

All you have to do is brush the snow off, and cut them. Snow is dry, so the wood isn't wet, and it's nice clean work.

Needless to say the branch in the picture found it's way into the wood store. Probably 2 or 3 hours of free heat laying there on the ground

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Having something useful to do during the winter might improve my feelings towards it somewhat. I still prefer working up an honest sweat in 100 degree heat than sweating in the COLD and feeling it freeze down your back. I'm a thin-blooded Southern girl. Snow confuses and frightens me by instinct. I grew up thinking 60 degrees was cold and that a half an inch of frost on your car was cause for a snow day. I joke with my husband that I still LIVE in Texas, I just visit here 11 months out of the year...

So basically, get my bucked logs delivered- is it worth stacking them in the round and covering them if I plan to split and stack in a few months? I have about 60' of fenceline with south-western exposure and gets a lot of sun, I should be able to stack roughly 4 cords along its length in two rows. Now all I have to do is procure 30 wooden pallets....

~Rose

Rose, if you buy in log length, there is no reason for covering them. However, I'd have them place two logs one way and then stack the rest on top of those two so that the logs are all up off the ground except for the two bottom logs. This will also make cutting them easier. And if you do that, you can also take another lesson and learn that you do not have to have the pallets to stack the wood on! If you don't have the pallets, then you won't have the eyesore of pallets around after you use up the wood. Simply lay a two rows of split wood about 12" apart and then stack the rest of the wood on just like you will do with the logs. It works and is less messy.

As for getting the log length at half the price as you got before, I seriously doubt that will happen but if so, I congratulate you.

As for the cold and snow, if you allow your body to become accustomed to it you might find it is not really all that bad. Also, working up a sweat while splitting wood when the weather is cold is great. Did you know you can actually work without a coat then? You can even roll up your sleeves. You may start out with a coat but when you warm up, just start peeling off layers. Many times I used to split wood with bare arms showing and I was comfortable. Of course when you sweat, you will find that when you stop you will have to go inside or put clothing back on.

Rather than hate anything or dislike it so much as you do, why not look at things a bit different. You do prefer the hot southern air and that is okay. But you can not change that Utah air so all you can do is change your attitude towards it. Learn to tolerate it and even like it some. It still will probably not be your favorite but it will make your life much easier. Remember, if you can't change the situation, all you can do is change your attitude towards that situation. Life is too short to be any other way.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Rose, I forgot to put this picture in that last post. Look under these stacks and you'll see that I used some poles that I cut in the woods. Under some of those stacks are also some rounds or splits in spots where I did not have enough poles. This is what I was trying to tell you in the last post of using this method rather than the pallets. Pallets have their place but so many times it just looks trashy with a bunch of pallets laying around. I also don't like walking on them! They do work for some folks and I won't knock that but I just prefer this method.

 

[gyrfalcon]

Rose - I can't say that I like snow either, but there is something magical when it is a dead calm 20 degree day with snow lightly falling and the crisp clear "whack" of a round being split. Take a breath - look around and "whack". I'm just tellin' ya....

Amen. But then I'm a lifelong New Englander.

 

[gyrfalcon]

Rose, if you buy in log length, there is no reason for covering them. However, I'd have them place two logs one way and then stack the rest on top of those two so that the logs are all up off the ground except for the two bottom logs. This will also make cutting them easier. And if you do that, you can also take another lesson and learn that you do not have to have the pallets to stack the wood on! If you don't have the pallets, then you won't have the eyesore of pallets around after you use up the wood. Simply lay a two rows of split wood about 12" apart and then stack the rest of the wood on just like you will do with the logs. It works and is less messy.

As for getting the log length at half the price as you got before, I seriously doubt that will happen but if so, I congratulate you.

As for the cold and snow, if you allow your body to become accustomed to it you might find it is not really all that bad. Also, working up a sweat while splitting wood when the weather is cold is great. Did you know you can actually work without a coat then? You can even roll up your sleeves. You may start out with a coat but when you warm up, just start peeling off layers. Many times I used to split wood with bare arms showing and I was comfortable. Of course when you sweat, you will find that when you stop you will have to go inside or put clothing back on.

Rather than hate anything or dislike it so much as you do, why not look at things a bit different. You do prefer the hot southern air and that is okay. But you can not change that Utah air so all you can do is change your attitude towards it. Learn to tolerate it and even like it some. It still will probably not be your favorite but it will make your life much easier. Remember, if you can't change the situation, all you can do is change your attitude towards that situation. Life is too short to be any other way.

Oh, Dennis, we think alike yet again.

I agree, forget covering the logs. Wast of time and effort, especially in Utah.

I go out to split on a cold day with multiple layers, and shed them one by one as I work up some heat. I never have sweat running down my back in the cold, I won't tolerate it.

Attitude toward the cold is everything. If you keep thinking, Oh, poor me, it's coooollld, you're miserable. Take a big sniff of that cold air instead and think, Ah, how fabulously bracing-- and it is. Emotions follow attitude.

 

[woodchip]

Pallets have their place but so many times it just looks trashy with a bunch of pallets laying around. I also don't like walking on them! They do work for some folks and I won't knock that but I just prefer this method.

That is a seriously neat row of stacks. I could be weaned off pallets quite easily if I could get a stack that tidy

 

[firefighterjake]

Random thoughts . . .

Maybe I read through the posts too quickly . . . not sure if you are getting a load of wood that is bucked up, but not split . . . or a load of logs or tree-length wood. Either way . . . the sooner you can get the wood bucked up and split the better off you will be in the long run.

Best deal . . . other than scrounging or having your own wood lot . . . is to get your wood tree-length and process it yourself . . . you will gain a true appreciation for the hardwork that it takes to process wood (and this is minus cutting and trimming the branches aspect).

Don't worry about the snow . . . I would split the wood when you can . . . and if the ground is bare get the wood off the ground in stacks . . . but even if you cannot do so . . . don't worry too much until Spring. My wood outside that I split up this past Summer and Fall is covered in close to 1 1/2-2 feet of snow. Of course my wood for this year (and next year) is safely under cover of my woodshed.

Snow and Winter . . . never really bothered me too much, but I kind of hibernated inside and watched a lot of TV . . . until I took up snowmobiling . . . now I very much look forward to winter and the snow . . . getting a woodstove just makes it even sweeter since there is nothing like sledding all day and then coming inside to a nice warm woodstove. As someone said . . . once you embrace winter and the wonder it offers rather than disliking it so much it becomes a cherished thing . . . to me the world truly changes when it is covered in a new blanket of snow and ice . . . and you've really not seen the outdoors until you've seen it in every season.

 

[Heaterhunter]

Can't get enough of winter. Love to process wood in less than 30 degrees. It's much too hot in the summer, besides in Maine we need to enjoy this time of year on the pond/lake/river/stream/ocean... I love the challenge of eliminating heating zones in my house with alternative heat. I've got 5 and am down to 3 with plans for a pellet insert which would bring me down to 2 plus hot water... Still trying to figure a way to do hot water cheap because I have 3 daughters and a wife that consume large amounts of that!

 

[JustWood]

Eye'm no Doc butt my Rx if'n U R prego iz NO SPLITTY WOOD! No good idea. Me thinx!

 

[RoseRedHoofbeats]

Well, if it helps, I AM a birth professional. Judging by past experience, I can split wood until about I'm about five-six months pregnant. Then my belly gets in the way and my lung capacity's shot, but that won't be until May-June, so I'll have a couple months in there to at least make a dent and show the city-boy husband how it's done. Besides, exercise is good and it'll build up my core muscles. Useful for pushing a baby out. The more active you can be, the easier birth is- you use muscles you didn't even know you HAD in labor. There's nothing about woodcutting, or much of anything for that matter (well, boxing is probably out) that is dangerous to a pregnancy.

I'm not positive on the price, just wondering what I should offer as a starting point. This time I'm probably going to get cut to length but unsplit logs, since I don't have a chainsaw and I'm sort of on a time crunch here. I'll work my way up to bigger logs and then tree-length and then felling my own self, but that won't be for a while yet I imagine.

Thanks for the tip about the pallets! I will definitely follow that method of stacking- I didn't even know where the heck I'd GET so many pallets, so that works for me. And yes, definitely more attractive that way... though I live in a trailer park, so my neighbors could give a flip what my yard looks like. One of the many benefits to living in a tin can.

I'll remember all of you Northern boys telling me to embrace the snow when you're whining about having to work in 100 degrees and 75% humidity this summer. I will be LAUGHING IT UP. (I'm kidding. Mostly.)

~Rose