Cutting and stacking tips

[Gasass]

After burning for a year, I've come up with a couple ideas to help me in my wood processing that I'd like to share. If anyone has any other tips, feel free to chime in.

I get most of my wood from scrounging. The Keystone only holds up to 16" splits and, quite often, I find myself needing to cut off a couple inches from the round. I use two 2x3"s, parallel to each other, to help hold the round in place as I cut it. I drilled holes in my splitting round and attached wooden dowels to the 2x's, so they are easily removable. Also drilled an extra set of holes for smaller rounds.

I'm somewhat limited on space and sometimes find myself needing to stack a new load of scrounge on an existing pile of splits, before I can find a permanent home for the new score. In order to keep the new splits separate from the older splits, I run a piece of caution tape over the stack of splits and then stack my new scrounge.

 

[Soundchasm]

I especially like the caution tape. If I've done the bucking, splitting and stacking, I use "crime scene" tape...

 

[Paulywalnut]

Looks like a good idea. You've figured out a way to do a tedious job much easier.
Is the caution tape to keep the cats and squirrels off?

 

[Sinngetreu]

I'm not quite sure what it is about the crime scene tape, but I REALLY like it!

 

[bigbarf48]

I like the 2x idea! Nice looking stacks too

 

[Lumberjack]

The BEST trick I ever learned was to use an old tire to hold the round / rounds in place while splitting. It saves you from having to bend over after each swing to pick up the splits. Find a large chopping block to set the tire on, fill it up with rounds and swing away.

Sorry no pics...do a Youtube search for great769....he has a good video of it.

 

[paul bunion]

For re-cutting long splits I scrapped together a jig out of pallets and a of 2x scraps. One pallet down flat (on top of a few others to bring it up off the ground) and 2 upright and parallel about 10" apart on top of it and a 2x10 in back forming an open box 16" deep. A few other pieces of scrap 2x's firm it all up. Cutting is fast as you load it up full with splits (10 or more depending on how you split) and run your saw through all of them at once.

 

[Ralphie Boy]

Okay, I'm confessing my sins here! I had MANY, so many I don't want to count, cord of wood cut to 24 and 26 inches for an open fire place. Well I had an insert installed that only takes 18" N. - S. and 22" E. - W. so I bought one of these from Bailey's after trying several "homemade projects". Blasted thing is made in China, but other than that it works fine for "makin' short 'ens outa long 'ens!" And man, do I have PILES and PILES of shorty's now! Works great for what it was designed to do as well. I've tossed it in the buggy, on the back of my little tractor, and hauled it into the woods several times now. It tends to make me cut limbs I may have left to rot before.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Gasass, about the only thing I'd add would be on the stacking and the tape line. I would probably stack the wood up to the height you want so that the newer wood would then be down rather than all of it on top of the older wood. Whatever works!

 

[Gasass]

Gasass, about the only thing I'd add would be on the stacking and the tape line. I would probably stack the wood up to the height you want so that the newer wood would then be down rather than all of it on top of the older wood. Whatever works!

I hear what you're are saying and do it that way sometimes. However, the pic is a stack of oak that will be there a couple years. I stacked some silver maple on top that will be ready to burn next season.

 

[Beer Belly]

Okay, I'm confessing my sins here! I had MANY, so many I don't want to count, cord of wood cut to 24 and 26 inches for an open fire place. Well I had an insert installed that only takes 18" N. - S. and 22" E. - W. so I bought one of these from Bailey's after trying several "homemade projects". Blasted thing is made in China, but other than that it works fine for "makin' short 'ens outa long 'ens!" And man, do I have PILES and PILES of shorty's now! Works great for what it was designed to do as well. I've tossed it in the buggy, on the back of my little tractor, and hauled it into the woods several times now. It tends to make me cut limbs I may have left to rot before.
View attachment 122522

Shorties are great....save them for when you wanna give the stove a boost....throw in a few shorties (only a few)