Fun Spring Coming...

[Barn86]

This will be my first time truly cutting and splitting wood... I've downed trees, but never specifically to split... however... well... see below.


This is probably to be split and dried over the following winter, it's all Fir/Larch, and then used in winter 24/25, unless it will get to 16-18% by next winter (was dropped a month ago). This was 31 trees. I probably have 20 more I want to cut, about 12 down around the property that need cut up but not split... and probably 20-30 more I want to thin out...

Plan is to cut, split, make a few cord out of pallets, and then just tarp the top layer.

Questions...

Yea, I'm not cut out to hand split this all... suggestions on splitters?
Does the above plan make sense?
I know it's soft wood and could only be a year, but 2 years make more sense?

Guess I'm getting used to using a chainsaw every day next spring... I probably went overkill on it, but eh, an MS462 will do the job... and work with an alaskan mill whenever I feel like building one.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

That’s quite a bit of wood. How many cords are you planning on burning each year? You may want to hold off on cutting more trees until those are processed.

 

[Barn86]

No idea yet... first year will be august once the house is completed.

I may try and sort the larch from the fir and save the larch, but i think that's only 6 trees. Probably won't get all of it split, but will have to arrange it to not sit on the ground all summer.

 

[peakbagger]

If you have neighbors, ask around to see if you can borrow one or partner up with someone else. Unless you have firewood business, a log splitter is used a couple of times a year and goes faster with a couple of folks. If you can spread the work and the investment, its the way to go. Alternatively keep an eye for used splitters, they are pretty simple and unless abused they will run for long time. The biggest issue is if the owner uses regular pump gas. If they do not use ethanol free , fuel stabilizer of drain the fuel, the ethanol is going to gunk up the carb in couple of seasons and make the engine run poorly or not at all. Worse case is you need to buy a carb kit.

 

[Tar12]

You can rent a splitter...get it all bucked to length and go to town on it..

 

[Eman85]

I'd try some splitters first before buying. I've used a few different types and like mine as I can stand up straight and work, not bent over constantly. Mine also splits vertical for the big ones I don't want to lift. As far as sharing I would say don't do it. Never seems to work out.

 

[Wood1Dennis]

I would think, especially with softwood, that if you have a sunny open spot the stuff you get cut split and stacked early in spring could be dry by the heating season next year.

 

[Barn86]

I would think, especially with softwood, that if you have a sunny open spot the stuff you get cut split and stacked early in spring could be dry by the heating season next year.

There's really not a major "sunny" area on the property. Decent windflow as the trees are all 50', but nothing really with a massive amount of direct sun currently.

 

[spuldup]

If you will split close to a 120V power source, you could look at electric hydraulic splitters. Since you are in MO with gorgeous views but soft wood, the low tonnage of such a unit shouldn't be a big problem.

 

[Barn86]

If you will split close to a 120V power source, you could look at electric hydraulic splitters. Since you are in MO with gorgeous views but soft wood, the low tonnage of such a unit shouldn't be a big problem.

MT not MO... one has mountains... the other has misery...

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Id grab gas splitter.. split away from the house as it makes a mess.. Id hold up on cutting more down and process what you have. wood that sits un split starts to rot.. even oak. There is nothing wrong with splitting what you have and then cutting more log lenth.. Do you have your wood storage set up.. tarps suck.. woodsheds dont

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I’d also keep the branches next time. You dont even need to split them!

 

[Isaac Carlson]

How far is the pile from a power source? I converted my splitter to electric (240v) and absolutely love it. It's a 20 ton splitter, so it splits everything. I put a 100 ft cord on it and a removable 4 way wedge. The 4 way wedge is a must have for any splitter.

A wood shed is a must have as well. Tarps leak and hold in moisture. If you stack the logs on a couple of logs going the other way they will last much longer.

 

[TomMcDonald]

Get a few friends over, a case of beer and spend a day or two splitting by hand. Doug fir should be easy.

 

[j7art2]

I'd try some splitters first before buying. I've used a few different types and like mine as I can stand up straight and work, not bent over constantly. Mine also splits vertical for the big ones I don't want to lift. As far as sharing I would say don't do it. Never seems to work out.

Almost all the splitters you buy at Home Depot, Lowes, Menards, Family Farm and Home, and Tractor Supply are identical in design these days. Most of them run a typical Kohler or B&S Engine. Probably made in the same factory, just to different specs. Putting my old 35 ton Dirty Hand Tools next to my new 25 ton PowerKNX, I couldn't tell you the difference other than color, engine, and slightly larger ram in the DHT. DHT ran the Kohler, PowerKNX runs a B&S, same horsepower. There are of course a few exceptions, like the DR, or the dual split design Harbor Freight splitter, but the vast majority are going to be pretty close to the same if not the exact same.

I couldn't leave the Kohler engine outside unless tarped or it'd fill the engine full of water every hint of rain it got, so that's specifically why I didn't get one with that engine the second time around.

If you intend to do any serious heating with wood, I'd highly recommend just buying over renting.

 

[Wildflush]

If you use the tarps correctly they work well. Got about a cord of my dads 5 plus year old cherry which was tarp top covered and dry as a bone. I fold my commercial tarps top covering the pile ends open. No moisture or leaks. Use para cord and masonry bricks with holes draped over the tarps. Much cheaper than building a wood shed at todays lumber prices.

 

[CatfishHunter]

If you stack the logs on a couple of logs going the other way they will last much longer.

I often do this when it is too wet or the snow is too deep to move logs. I'll take some of the branches or a couple of rotted logs from nearby and use them as a base for stacking wood, until I can get them cut up and moved to my wood shed.