The 12 days of summer

[pyper]

sing to a familiar tune

On the first day of summer Mother Nature gave to me:
A pear tree-e for the wood stove.

On the second day of summer Mother Nature gave to me:
Two more pear trees.
And a pear tree for the wood stove.

I was trying to get to 12, but I'm just not that creative.

We've been cutting up the damaged trees, splitting and stacking. I got a new saw, a STIHL 310, because the little Husqvarna really wasn't up to the task. The pear trees are nice because the branches are straight. We've cutting rounds down to about an inch in diameter. The rounds work well because, well, it doesn't get all that cold around here for the most part. It's nice that they stack so neatly.

We've stacked a cord so far, and there's probably another cord to go, but I'll need to fell the trunks of the pear trees. There's also a big branch off a choke-cherry.

I keep telling my wife that I'm really looking forward to it being cold enough to build a fire.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Pyper, you and your wife will really appreciate all that work next winter. Although I don't cut down to 1" size there is no reason you can't. It just takes a lot of time for a little fuel. Now the trunks on those trees should be really great.

 

[oldspark]

I cut down to about 1 inch but I wonder if it is worth it, I just do it in the "good wood" ash, oak and mulberry. I like to use this stuff in the spring and fall and to start fires with.

 

[midwestcoast]

I've been cutting down to maybe 1.5" as a service to those I scrounge from. Less brush for them to dispose of & they can use a small chipper if they choose. I agree it's more work for less fuel, but since I'm already there & set-up, why not use as much as possible. Those little ones won't stay still for me to cut them though. Anyone got tricks for that?

 

[North of 60]

When there that small though you can really pack the stove tight and still enjoy a nice long burn.
I would say 5 to 10 minutes of work to get an armful load is still worth a day of keeping the house warm.

 

[Needshave]

I've been cutting down to maybe 1.5" as a service to those I scrounge from. Less brush for them to dispose of & they can use a small chipper if they choose. I agree it's more work for less fuel, but since I'm already there & set-up, why not use as much as possible. Those little ones won't stay still for me to cut them though. Anyone got tricks for that?

I use a hatchet and handsaw. I doubt I'm fast though. Maybe an axe would be better?

 

[pyper]

I've been cutting down to maybe 1.5" as a service to those I scrounge from. Less brush for them to dispose of & they can use a small chipper if they choose. I agree it's more work for less fuel, but since I'm already there & set-up, why not use as much as possible. Those little ones won't stay still for me to cut them though. Anyone got tricks for that?

My wife made piles of brush, and then I took the chainsaw and went through the whole pile at 16" intervals. Seemed to work pretty well.

 

[pyper]

Pyper, you and your wife will really appreciate all that work next winter. Although I don't cut down to 1" size there is no reason you can't. It just takes a lot of time for a little fuel. Now the trunks on those trees should be really great.

We had high's in the 60's by mid-January (and last year was much colder than normal), so being able to build small, quick fires is handy.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

60's in January! Wow! We're lucky to see it above 32 in January. It has to be a totally different experience living in the deep south. Good for you Pyper.

 

[Wood Duck]

Sometimes I cut branches as small as an inch, but it sure takes a lot of those small rounds to add much height in the pile. If I feel rushed I stop cutting at around 3 or 4 inches, with more time on my hands I cut smaller. I have a sawbuck, so I stack small branches in it and when I have a nice pile I cut through them all at once. A cord of pear should be great firewood.

 

[pyper]

BEFORE

AFTER

Clickable thumbnails.

I did most of the cutting, but my wife did most of the stacking and all of the cleanup. There are still a few pieces to cut, but those small parts really add up. I'd say about 1/3 of that stack is less than three inches across. It's in three layers (stacks) out from the shed, and the middle layer is mostly small stuff. I'm going to cover it with some scrap metal roofing and it ought to be great for 2011. I might burn some of the smallest stuff this winter though, if it's easy enough to get to.

Mild winters are nice, but we pay for them with miserable summers. I keep reading posts on various forums about the humidity up north being near 80%, and I keep thinking about how I wish it was that dry ;-)