Chester is my Uncle... You are right... he is one tough guy... we just celebrated his 100yr birthday a couple weeks ago with a huge party at the Conway fire dept... I would love to have a copy of this picture... I will try to copy it from your post but if you still have it... please e-mail to me at bdorn@stny.rr.com.... Thanks
Firewood jigs to make life easier
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Chester is my Uncle... You are right... he is one tough guy... we just celebrated his 100yr birthday a couple weeks ago with a huge party at the Conway fire dept... I would love to have a copy of this picture... I will try to copy it from your post but if you still have it... please e-mail to me at bdorn@stny.rr.com.... Thanks
albert1029
Feeling the Heat
He is the most interesting person I met during the 4 years I did pest control. I believe he told me he was part of a longevity study his niece, if I'm not mistaken, contributed to. Please tell him I mentioned him in this forum. I'll email that picture to you now.
I'll turn 64 on Thursday. 3rd year of burning full time & third year of c/s/s firewood. Sedentary career before retirement in 2001. Never owned a chainsaw until 2008.
First year of burning, my cholesterol dropped 30 pts., tryglicerides dropped 11 pts., and vitamin D levels increased. Biggest thing I can share...
Take your time...set your own pace...don't try to keep up with the young guns!
I've averaged 4 to 5 cords pr/yr., and my wife just bought me an Aerins 27 ton splitter. I use ramps to roll large rounds onto the pick-up.
Other than that - take your time!!
First year of burning, my cholesterol dropped 30 pts., tryglicerides dropped 11 pts., and vitamin D levels increased. Biggest thing I can share...
Take your time...set your own pace...don't try to keep up with the young guns!
I've averaged 4 to 5 cords pr/yr., and my wife just bought me an Aerins 27 ton splitter. I use ramps to roll large rounds onto the pick-up.
Other than that - take your time!!
You got it. Turned 49 2 months ago.Working in the woods part time since I was 17,construction full time since I was 20-21. Still have the strength I did at 30-35,but no where near the endurance.Am in no hurry now,do what I can in the time allotted,take breaks when I'm tired,the work will still be there when I return the next day/week/whatever.
Nothing to prove now.Learned lots of shortcuts over the years (not regarding safety however) to make my job easier,more productive,pleasant & efficient.
AJS56
Burning Hunk
I looked at the Peavey website, and don't see what the difference between the cant hook and peavey is. Can someone 'splain it to me?
AJ, look at the bottom of the handle. On the Peavey you'll see what looks like a spike. On the cant hook there is a toe, or grabber on the bottom. When rolling the log, the grabber grabs the top of the log but with a peavey the spike just rests on the log. The peavey is great for those river loggers but some seem to like them in the woods too. I'll stay with the cant hook and even when we were logging and working in the mill I never met anyone who preferred the peavey.
AJS56
Burning Hunk
Thanks dennis. I just looked closer and saw that difference. I can see where the cant hook could be very useful. And also those tongs/handle thing you posted a pic of. My back doesn't like a lot of bent over time, so that could help moving roumds into spliting area, etc.
I'm 50 now and have been doing the c/s/s now for 5 years. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) in my business life I have done a fair bit of manufacturing / process consulting. So, wired that way I tried to breakdown the cut/split/stack into work "cells" and reduce the handling etc. Drove my neighbour a little nuts 
(we work together on a truck load each year).
What did I change?
1) when cutting, first cut a few logs into a "bench" and roll each log onto the bench to cut. Saves the back a whole lot v/s bending to cut. We also do the cutting on the downhill side of the log pile, again, helps roll the logs onto the bench for cutting. Once the pile gets lower, we just move the bench in some and start the process again.
2) as you're cutting, stack the rounds somewhat neatly, this helps later when you go to split (with a splitter) and you always want to move the splitter to the wood, not have to keep moving the wood to the splitter (reduces handling)
3) when we split, we line up our 2 trailers in front of the splitter and the splits go directly into a trailer. When they're full, they get taken immediately to one of our stacks and stacked. This saved a lot of time as we don't split into a big pile, then have to handle a second time to load into the trailer. It also ensures we have an even split of the splits (pun intended). It also breaks up the work motions somewhat, rather than spend all your day doing one set of motions (eg splitting) then another day doing nothing but loading and stacking. this was probably the biggest change and gets the job done quicker I think.
As others have said, take your time. I like cutting in the winter, it's fun to be out in the snow and the work keeps you warm.
(we work together on a truck load each year).What did I change?
1) when cutting, first cut a few logs into a "bench" and roll each log onto the bench to cut. Saves the back a whole lot v/s bending to cut. We also do the cutting on the downhill side of the log pile, again, helps roll the logs onto the bench for cutting. Once the pile gets lower, we just move the bench in some and start the process again.
2) as you're cutting, stack the rounds somewhat neatly, this helps later when you go to split (with a splitter) and you always want to move the splitter to the wood, not have to keep moving the wood to the splitter (reduces handling)
3) when we split, we line up our 2 trailers in front of the splitter and the splits go directly into a trailer. When they're full, they get taken immediately to one of our stacks and stacked. This saved a lot of time as we don't split into a big pile, then have to handle a second time to load into the trailer. It also ensures we have an even split of the splits (pun intended). It also breaks up the work motions somewhat, rather than spend all your day doing one set of motions (eg splitting) then another day doing nothing but loading and stacking. this was probably the biggest change and gets the job done quicker I think.
As others have said, take your time. I like cutting in the winter, it's fun to be out in the snow and the work keeps you warm.
I always split right into my tractor cart too. I couldn't imagine having to haul and stack a huge pile of splits. I would just look like way too much work to do that way.
Send it my way for testing when you are done with it. In fact, I'd even come out and pick it up
It would be of a style that I have never built before (there is one on this forum). Think of a vertical splitter but at waist high. Big flat table with a carousel in the middle. Large rounds are lifted (log lift of course) on to the flat plate and onto the carousel. Split, spin, split, spin, split, spin. All at waist height for maneuverability. It would be cool as heck.
scooby074
Feeling the Heat
Lee Valley has some Canadian made Peaveys. (they also have log lifts and hookaroons too)
I called Peavy manufacturing earlier this fall and they have no Canadian dealers, and from the tone of the womans voice she didn't seem overly enthusiastic about shipping factory direct to Canada(not to mention it would be a huge cost).
I just noticed in the latest catalog that they are now carrying American made, aluminum handled timberjacks and peaveys, however I cant remember the manufacturer, i do know it isnt Logrite however.
Speaking of logrite, the dealer for this part of Canada (quebec east) is Henley saw. I cant recomend them 100% either. They've had my new Logrite pickaroon on order for close to 3 months now. If it doesnt come soon, Im ordering direct from Logrite who for $30 shipping said they'd have it here within 10 days.
Perfect! Let me know when to come get it.
Hmmm...more thinking to do. The engineering for accommodating smaller logs that don't need a turning carousel (think turn table in your microwave and setting a cup of coffee to one side or the other)
Did you ever see the dirty jobs episode when he was at a sawmill out west somewhere?
Splitting cedar shakes by hand with something this. It appeared to be the only "safe" looking machine he ran in the whole episode
![[Hearth.com] Firewood jigs to make life easier](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/82/82889-1b97634012bd62a86ec562fa660b6d69.jpg?hash=Wrpdm_v3rg "[Hearth.com] Firewood jigs to make life easier")
![[Hearth.com] Firewood jigs to make life easier](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/82/82891-725235a85fdc64e908d164102be7519f.jpg?hash=oeI8xKJZWx "[Hearth.com] Firewood jigs to make life easier")
This is the best way I could figure to store and move my wood around.
The rack gets placed next to the splitter and is filled. Then off to the "seasoning" area where I group like batches of ~5 cords by year. When it is time to burn, the rack gets moved to the basement hurricane doors. Splits are thrown into plastic janitor bins and then wheeled to the boiler.
ac
scooby074
Feeling the Heat
Nice system! Either mesh bags or pallet "boxes" are what Id like to eventually get to. Problem is my BX25 is too small to lift much wood. Yours looks like a L39? Been happy with it?
I had thought about bags, but each bag is $10 and requires a pallet to sit on. At that rate I would have $400 invested into bags that aren't UV stable.
Yup, L39. I was hesitant to get a machine this large initially. However, after owning it for about 18 months and putting 85 hours on it, I wouldn't want anything smaller. In fact, I am strongly considering an L45.
ac
scooby074
Feeling the Heat
Ive seen where guys stack the bags directly without pallets on one of the forums I'm a member of, I think it depends on the bag's construction as to how well it will self support. On bag prices, I know one guy is only paying about $2.50/bag from "Bag Supplies", he seems to like their products and service too.
Yeah, i hear you on thee L45. Its hard to have too much tractor! I bought the BX so that i would have an all in one, mowing and tractor solution... But now I wish I bought a large tractor and a dedicated Zero Turn for the mowing.
Yeah, i hear you on thee L45. Its hard to have too much tractor! I bought the BX so that i would have an all in one, mowing and tractor solution... But now I wish I bought a large tractor and a dedicated Zero Turn for the mowing.
Any more info on "bag supplies"? $2.50/bag sounds better than scrounging for all of these pallets!
I have the L39 and a zero turn. I like having the best machine for each purpose.
ac
scooby074
Feeling the Heat
BagSupplies dot Com is the place where he gets the bags I believe.
I believe the $2.50 bags he uses are the mesh style that dont have handles on top. I think a pallet is required with this style. They are very similar to Apache/ Fast Firewoods B120 Bag in the video below, just for $2.50 vs $7.20
Here's the link to a thread I started on moving firewood with a small tractor, post #24 is discussion on price: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...256154-moving-firewood-palette-bx-bolt-3.html Its a good talk on the subject of tractors and ways to move wood. Lots of ideas.
I believe the $2.50 bags he uses are the mesh style that dont have handles on top. I think a pallet is required with this style. They are very similar to Apache/ Fast Firewoods B120 Bag in the video below, just for $2.50 vs $7.20
Here's the link to a thread I started on moving firewood with a small tractor, post #24 is discussion on price: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...256154-moving-firewood-palette-bx-bolt-3.html Its a good talk on the subject of tractors and ways to move wood. Lots of ideas.
Machria
Minister of Fire
Thanks to this thread, cutting, splitting and stacking is now much easier. Added a Hookerroon/Pickeroon, Tongs, Log caddy and a Timberjack to my collection.
Used them to tackle a HUGE Locust yesterday, got tons of great wood from it.
![[Hearth.com] Firewood jigs to make life easier](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/86/86607-7d1f7672f7c6f221c4a26999f903ff8b.jpg?hash=ZjSdNyz2LU "[Hearth.com] Firewood jigs to make life easier")
Used them to tackle a HUGE Locust yesterday, got tons of great wood from it.
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