As previously posted had to cut 2 large dying maples, one threatening my home, one the hydro line. C/s/s tree by hydro. Tree by house was massive..straight trunk over twenty feet, where forked into two main branches, each 18 in in diameter and long, with MANY 6 inch plus branches off those. Cut tree into 12 to 20 inch lengths depending on diameter, in June split boles over 16 inches in half. NO rain all summer, 90+ weather, lots of wind. Haven't killed myself splitting. Have over one full cord c/s/s/ from this tree, lots to go. Wood is drying nicely as is, cracking, getting to be really easy to split. Hope to finish splitting this coming week. Then, in early autumn it's into the woods to cut into logs the ironwood that has toppled. I have lots of Ironwood, which never lives beyond max 16 inch diameter (that's huge for hophornbeam, which is the species called ironwood here). When the trees die I leave them standing. After a few years the base where actually exposed to earth gradually rots, and eventually the tree topples. At this point the wood is nice and dry. I cut into logs which under 9 inch diameter I don't split. LOVE Ironwood...one of these logs burns overnight, at 16 inch length weighs over 20 pounds, is sufficient to keep house warm overnight except when bitterly cold. Never get bugs in this wood, so it's great to keep long term indoors. I have two36 inch diameter circular cast iron racks, each with a small cast iron bird on center top which are quite attractive. Keep them loaded in the living room with ironwood logs as a reserve for -30 temps, and for severe snowstorms when I don't feel like digging out and trudging out to the woodpile This back up wood would heat the home for several weeks, but I never use it all, and refill each year as I cut my Ironwood. keeping the 6-8 inch nicest logs for this purpose. The ironwood has really long straight trunks with no branches until you get to the top, so makes for easy tight stacking of logs. The few relatively small branches of the crown are great for starting fires and small shoulder season fires to just take the chill off the house. I use every bit of an ironwood.