Firewood processing setup... Let's see/hear yours!

[goofa]

Have been processing firewood for only about 6 years now. I've been steadily processing more each year. Next year I will be around 70 full cord. A few years ago I bought a hud-son splitter with 4 way wedge. Then this year I found a good log supplier and started buying logs. I guess without being too long winded I am looking for suggestions to make things more efficient. I know some may say use a processor....that's not an option at this time. A conveyor may be in the future. So a quick explanation of my process. I have the logs setup on a log cribbing. I roll one log down and flush up one end having the cribbage marked out to 16". I make all my cuts then carry each round over to the end of the log pile and semi neatly stack by the splitter. I continue this for probably an hour and a half or until I have enough wood to fill my dump trailer after it's split. Trailer is 6'*10'* 42" high sides approximately 3.75 "FACE" cords. The splitter has a log lift that I generally use as a table and stack rounds on there then split throwing into trailer by hand. Trailer is backed right up to splitter. Anyone have any pictures or comments on there setup would be awesome. I will post pictures ASAP. I'm trying to figure out a way to have a way to cut the logs into rounds right at the pile and move to the splitter. I'm obviously over handling the wood. I also am not looking to break the bank. Thanks for the comments/suggestions in advance.

 

[BenTN]

I am mot a pro but the operation i have near the house uses a tire loader with grapple to move logs to the splitter area then bucks near splitter, splits and conveyor into a large 50 cord pile. Conveyors are cheapish and less maintenance than other machinery i would think. I have read similar discussions on FF and most processors swear by their skidsteers with grapples and mini excavators with thumbs.

 

[Ashful]

I’ve gotten very efficient at getting the trees on the ground, out of the woods, and to my home... but once it’s there, your process is already more efficient than mine.

 

[Tar12]

DYNA has rentals all over the country....go to the website if your interested in this option...fresh chains are provided with each rental.

 

[goofa]

I don't have a loader for my tractor and don't plan on buying one because I don't trust the front end enough. Buying a skid steer or excavator is sadly not an option therefore that also rules out the Dyna rental, because I have no way to load the logs on to the log deck...sigh..... And the more machinery thing creates another twist...mud and this weekend I just obtained 50 more face cord for next year because I have clean not dirty or muddy wood. Had never given that a thought.

 

[goofa]

My latest thought this afternoon is to add a 2 spool auto cycle valve to my splitter. Yes I know that can add a safety factor, but it also puts you away from the splitter as it works. I'm thinking it may almost cut my time in half. Here it goes.... Buck one log on the cribbage, carry/roll rounds 20' to splitter then hit the auto cycle and go get another round, letting the splitter work. instead of stacking rounds until enough necessary to fill trailer then re stacking onto log lift of splitter, then splitting and so forth. To me it seems it would almost be like having another person running the splitter. I've constantly thought gee if I could buck while I had someone splitting I'd be getting stuff done! But I'm to cheap/ stubborn to pay someone to help. Right now it takes me approximately 3.5-4 hours to cut, split and deliver a dump trailer load locally.

 

[Jags]

Why is the splitter so far away from the bucking operation? I try to get my splitter as close as reasonable to where/what I am cutting.

 

[goofa]

The splitter is about 10-15 feet from the end of the log pile so as I have room to move around the log pile to roll logs down and a small area to stack the rounds before splitting. So it's really not that far. From the far end of the logs it may be 30'. Don't want the splitter in front of the log pile because of chips and a potential runaway log when rolling from the top of the pile down to the cutting area. I will do my best to get some pictures. Probably tomorrow.

 

[Firewood Bandit]

Cutting down the handling is key. Sounds like the conveyer would be a good start.

 

[maple1]

There's absolutely no reason to be carrying or piling rounds. If I have a pile of logs to work at I just start cutting the pile. No reason to roll logs either. Just cut. Work from all ends and sides. No measuring or marking except with the bar by a quick sideways flip. Then if you get too many rounds accumulated, back the splitter right into them and start splitting. Toss into trailer off the splitter. I find it kind of boggling how much some handle their wood.

 

[firefighterjake]

There's absolutely no reason to be carrying or piling rounds. If I have a pile of logs to work at I just start cutting the pile. No reason to roll logs either. Just cut. Work from all ends and sides. No measuring or marking except with the bar by a quick sideways flip. Then if you get too many rounds accumulated, back the splitter right into them and start splitting. Toss into trailer off the splitter. I find it kind of boggling how much some handle their wood.

But I like handling my wood . . . it gives me something to do on the weekends, when I'm bored or when I am procrastinating on working on another project.

 

[Paulywalnut]

My process is long and arduous. I handle a piece of firewood let's see, I find a beautiful round 20 inches long. I need 16. I pick it up put it on the splitter,split it 4 times. Throw it on the pile. Take it to my stack area, stack it, when seasoned put in my tractor cart to go to either the shed or right into the stove. 8 times. Worth it though. No help for you but your process sounds like a plan on a large scale.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

There's absolutely no reason to be carrying or piling rounds. If I have a pile of logs to work at I just start cutting the pile. No reason to roll logs either. Just cut. Work from all ends and sides. No measuring or marking except with the bar by a quick sideways flip. Then if you get too many rounds accumulated, back the splitter right into them and start splitting. Toss into trailer off the splitter. I find it kind of boggling how much some handle their wood.

You don't live on the side of a steep hill with only 3 or 4 small level spots. It's less mind boggling if you take yourself out of your narrowly defined personal experience.

 

[markam]

Here is my high-tech setup. an 8 lb maul, a 20 year old wheelbarrow and whatever patch of ground the wood stops rolling on. About 3 cords/year goes through this bad boy.

 

[FTG-05]

My process:

- Cut the tree down or it's already down due to age, dying, wind storm, whatever.
- Cut the branches off right there, no branches and small crap, creating trip hazards, in the processing area.
- Cut the trunk into grapple-ready lengths; use the grapple as necessary to lift trunks so they can be cut.
- Use the tractor's grapple to move trunks to processing area.
- Use the grapple to round the trunks (no bending or moving wood except for the last 5' or so of trunk).
- Fill the tractor FEL bucket (or grapple) with rounds and move to splitter (which is 5-10' from where I'll be stacking it.
- Lift and rotate rounds to splitter (which is stationed near waist height, so no bending over and lifting), split and then toss splits near stack area.
- Stack the splits.

For the most part, I'm only handling the wood personally in the last 3 steps (although I may move wood for rounding as necessary).

Some random pics:

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

My process:

- Cut the tree down or it's already down due to age, dying, wind storm, whatever.
- Cut the branches off right there, no branches and small crap, creating trip hazards, in the processing area.
- Cut the trunk into grapple-ready lengths; use the grapple as necessary to lift trunks so they can be cut.
- Use the tractor's grapple to move trunks to processing area.
- Use the grapple to round the trunks (no bending or moving wood except for the last 5' or so of trunk).
- Fill the tractor FEL bucket (or grapple) with rounds and move to splitter (which is 5-10' from where I'll be stacking it.
- Lift and rotate rounds to splitter (which is stationed near waist height, so no bending over and lifting), split and then toss splits near stack area.
- Stack the splits.

For the most part, I'm only handling the wood personally in the last 3 steps (although I may move wood for rounding as necessary).

Some random pics:

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Beautiful set up, FTG, tractor, shed, and property, all.

 

[goofa]

 

[goofa]

Found these pictures at one point in a Google search. Thought this was a pretty neat setup and close to what I'm in need of. Not trying to steal the original owner/poster of pictures. The blocks still have to be manually moved on roller conveyor to the splitter. Not really sure how easily it would be to buck above/over the rollers. Something similar to this is what I have in mind. Id like to have 16" laid out so I don't have to measure each log. Then the other thought is how easily will rounds drop down to rollers without too much fight or pinched saw... You know the usual aggravations?

 

[goofa]

After closer look it looks as though the bucking is done on the side opposite the rollers according to the chips on the ground. So then you'd have to fight the rounds through the cribbing to the other side on to the rollers. Beautiful setup just still seems timely. Also does anyone have any experience with auto cycle valves? Thanks for all the responses and great setups!

 

[FTG-05]

Beautiful set up, FTG, tractor, shed, and property, all.

Thanks Ed, appreciate it!

 

[kennyp2339]

build a carry all for the rear 3point, cut your logs roll them onto the carry all, raise the 3 point so the logs are up higher to the splitter so theres less bending / lifting, stack on pallets and use 2nd carry all frame as forks to move stacked pallets into the drying area.

 

[gerry100]

In the spring -

Drop the tree in the woods behind the house, buck,split with maul. Move in tractor bucket to shed and stack
( after 38yrs, there's few easy ones left)

In the fall.

Buck log lengths by road, split tractor up to shed and stack.

Four plus cords/year for a few more years anyway

 

[maple1]

You don't live on the side of a steep hill with only 3 or 4 small level spots. It's less mind boggling if you take yourself out of your narrowly defined personal experience.

No, I don't live on the side of a steep hill and not sure how that came in or up unless from someone elses personal experience. The OP didn't say he did either - and I was responding to the OP and how he described his situation, nothing was said there about lack of workable space. Quite the opposite actually. And he also said comments would be awesome.

If one is processing logs that should mean lots or room to work at the pile - the log truck had to get there to unload them, he likely wouldn't do that on the side of a steep hill. And you don't need much extra room beyond what the pile takes up to just get at processing right at the pile. I just don't see how carrying and piling rounds is anything except a hit on processing efficiency, and think it is very tiring along with being over handling - also what the OP was about. A splitter can be kept hooked up to an ATV or lawn tractor and easily moved. If it's not too big it can easily be moved around some by hand to follow the rounds (what I do sometimes), and still be a capable splitter. Also sounds like a big splitter isn't a necessity if rounds are being carried and piled. I can get my splitter right next to the tree back in the woods, or right into a pile of rounds that were cut right off a log pile - I don't think there is anything with much bigger efficiency potential than getting the splitter right into the rounds where they are created.

I guess my summing up comment (that I think was asked for) based on personal experience (where else are comments supposed to come from?) is that when processing from a pile of logs, anything that involves not cutting & splitting right where the logs are sitting adds extra handling & inefficiencies. The OP would have to assess all the comments he gets from everyones personal experiences, and adapt/apply to his own situation - all the comments & suggestions he gets will not all be 'right' for him.

 

[RowCropRenegade]

Bringing the logs to the processing area has saved many steps for me. I use this 333 skid steerer on tracks for around the farm so it isn't practical for most wood gatherers to own. The grapple bucket on any FEL is worth every penny for anyone owning a loader tractor.

 

[saewoody]

But I like handling my wood . . . it gives me something to do on the weekends, when I'm bored or when I am procrastinating on working on another project.

Agreed, but I think it’s more fun when the wife is around to help[emoji6]


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