First Red Fir of the year

[TMonter]

First tree of the year here, got a late start but another 4-5 loads and I should be set for a while. Tree was standing dead Douglas Fir but still pretty green. I was able to drop it right on the road as you can see.This is why it's nice to have enough wood to be a couple years ahead. Chainsaw sitting on the log has a 24 inch bar and the tree was about 28-30 inches at the butt.

 

[NordicSplitter]

Wow..That's great. How many face cords do you think you will get ?

 

[Seanm]

Looks like a great haul! I miss hauling wood in a long box! We have a bit of fir here as well but I havent been able to find any dead stuff near me this year. Mostly standing dead lodgepole pine beetle wood from a few years ago and a bunch of Larch with the tops broken off.

 

[TMonter]

Wow..That's great. How many face cords do you think you will get ?

No idea on face cords but what you see in the picture is almost exactly a full cord. I typically burn about 3-4 cord a year depending on the winter.

lodgepole is good firewood and I usually burn about half a cord a year in the shoulder seasons since it doesn't hold a fire as well as red fir.

 

[TMonter]

Here is my second load of the season, I'm running a bit behind due to work and other projects. Need about 3 more loads like this to get caught up. The sad thing is I had to leave almost a full row of rounds up on the mountain due to time. Hopefully they are there later this week.

 

[bens_igloo]

Here is my second load of the season, I'm running a bit behind due to work and other projects. Need about 3 more loads like this to get caught up. The sad thing is I had to leave almost a full row of rounds up on the mountain due to time. Hopefully they are there later this week.

View attachment 137637

Now that is a nice haul !! Pics like that make me wish I had a truck instead of my SUV!

 

[Rossco]

Lovely wood, nice and clean, Splits great.

 

[Jags]

T - I see pics like that and the first thing that pops into my head is "well THAT sure ain't no white oak".

 

[Rossco]

T - I see pics like that and the first thing that pops into my head is "well THAT sure ain't no white oak".

Yeah when I looked at the pics I thought : That should be ready to burn soon

 

[Jags]

Yeah when I looked at the pics I thought : That should be ready to burn soon

I was thinking more along the lines of 4 blown out tires.

 

[Rossco]

I was thinking more along the lines of 4 blown out tires.

Bent axle tube's.

 

[TMonter]

Well that is next year's wood I have this year's wood already seasoned sitting in the wood racks. You are right, if it was green oak no way I could put that much on the truck. The truck sat pretty low with that load but was not bottomed by any stretch. When I run a load this big I typically run 60 psi in the tires. The first load at the top of the page was actually heaver than this one since the tree was way more green than this one. I'm pretty sure these two trees were dead for a couple seasons before I cut them.

Side view of the full truck

 

[Highbeam]

I have Ford's short bed 6'8" so can't quite get that 6th row in and only 4 stake pockets. I have a question about your side boards. I have similar boards in the stake pockets and I worry about them breaking off so I load conservatively above the bed rails. Not you! Have you ever broken the stakes?

 

[TMonter]

I have Ford's short bed 6'8" so can't quite get that 6th row in and only 4 stake pockets. I have a question about your side boards. I have similar boards in the stake pockets and I worry about them breaking off so I load conservatively above the bed rails. Not you! Have you ever broken the stakes?

No never had one break in the ~10 years I've been hauling wood. I do strap the center two together after I get the second row in though, I use a ratchet strap to hold the two sides together I can take a picture as I unload the wood later today. The biggest issue I have had in the side boards to tend to crack as they age and unless I stain the sides every few years to keep the wood somewhat pliable that seems to be an issue.

The uprights are fir 2x3's that have been trimmed down a bit and then sanded to have smooth corners. Everything has been stained with a Behr water based exterior stain.

 

[Highbeam]

Mine sound similar in construction but only tall enough to cover the glass.

Sure beats going vertical with 32" rounds.

 

[TMonter]

I think your sides are sturdier construction. Mine are 1x4's but they flex quite a bit and I've never broken one. Which reminds me I need to go clamp and glue a couple of the slats this week. I'm considering painting the ends with a marine varnish to prevent cracking.

 

[TMonter]

Here is a picture of yesterday's load of firewood and the tree on the ground before processing. I also included a picture for you Highbeam about how I strap the middle of the rack. The racks really don't see much of the weight, ideally your stacked wood is pretty self supporting other than the racks holding the weight of a couple edge pieces. (Assuming you stack it neatly). The chainsaw in the foreground is a 372XP with a 24" bar.