Ideas for wood intake process improvement

[spuldup]

Here in this video I show my process of moving wood from woodpile to feed area. Just wondering if anybody has an idea of how to reduce the labor required.
Thanks

 

[Prometeo]

you could try stacking them on pallets and then moving based on need, drying, and fire

 

[Ctwoodtick]

In the short term with little time/money investment- not too much. You have a good little set up already.
Maybe making a through-the-wall chute set up where the firewood can then fall into a box near the stove could work well.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Just as a heds up.. when were moving our wood from where to wood is ro the stack we use or he house.. we dont restack.. it gets THROWN into a wheelbarrow or bucket of the machine and then gets stack

 

[Ctwoodtick]

Just as a heds up.. when were moving our wood from where to wood is ro the stack we use or he house.. we dont restack.. it gets THROWN into a wheelbarrow or bucket of the machine and then gets stack

I know the OP said that he stacks it in though bucket, and then again in the house, but I’m assuming when he said stacked, he probably was just referring to the fact he has to add the step of putting it into the bucket, and then from the bucket into the house.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

I know the OP said that he stacks it in though bucket, and then again in the house, but I’m assuming when he said stacked, he probably was just referring to the fact he has to add the step of putting it into the bucket, and then from the bucket into the house.

IDK to me.. It looks stacked in the bucket.. I could be wrong.. hes using a grapple bucket.. and its not sold..

 

[mpaul]

Create the pallets in a manner that allows you to transport with your tractor. Move one pallet of wood at a time as needed.

 

[Murray01]

It’s not firewood unless it’s been rehandled at least 6 times.

Out of the bush 1
Onto the splitter 2
Onto the pile 3
Into the house 4
Into the fireplace 5
Ash out 6

Theres 6 times the wood has heated you up plus the actual fire. Compared to fossil fuel/electric heat wood is better bang for your buck.
I do like the idea in Post 3. My FIL built a wood chute with a hopper that his tractor could dump a bucket load of wood into a box. He had a wood over electric furnace that was always hungry.

 

[spuldup]

I know the OP said that he stacks it in though bucket, and then again in the house, but I’m assuming when he said stacked, he probably was just referring to the fact he has to add the step of putting it into the bucket, and then from the bucket into the

Yessir, I maximize the splits/rounds per bucket. Tossing splits into a 66" bucket would take many, many more trips. The trips are not so bad now but when it's below freezing, I prefer to optimize.

 

[spuldup]

It’s not firewood unless it’s been rehandled at least 6 times.

Out of the bush 1
Onto the splitter 2
Onto the pile 3
Into the house 4
Into the fireplace 5
Ash out 6

Theres 6 times the wood has heated you up plus the actual fire. Compared to fossil fuel/electric heat wood is better bang for your buck.
I do like the idea in Post 3. My FIL built a wood chute with a hopper that his tractor could dump a bucket load of wood into a box. He had a wood over electric furnace that was always hungry.

This speaks of wisdom...

Step one is the hardest for me. I need to get some down and figger it all out.

 

[Ctwoodtick]

Yessir, I maximize the splits/rounds per bucket. Tossing splits into a 66" bucket would take many, many more trips. The trips are not so bad now but when it's below freezing, I prefer to optimize.

Oh ok. In that case maybe increase the amount of wood in/right near the house.?

 

[qwee]

I might dig out the little hill in front of the door, but it is hard to see. Go back several feet to ground level and build a wood processing/woodshed area. So, you would be making a little wall - say 20' to 30' long. The wall could be part of the back of the woodshed. You already have a tractor so digging it out wouldn't be a problem.

Maybe build an opening at the top of the hill/back of the woodshed where you could drop the rounds into the processing area with your tractor. The idea is to get the wood operations closer to the door. But I don't have a tractor. Your way seems to be working.

 

[spuldup]

I like the ideas around stacking on pallets and moving them by the door, thanks. I also have seen guys use the IBC totes, but have no idea where to acquire them in my area.

 

[ericm979]

I got my totes off craigslist. All of the usual sites where people advertise stuff will have them. If you are going to get them with the bladders, which is typical, you want ones that are "food grade" and transported some sort of food product like cooking oil or vinegar. Otherwise they may have held nasty chemicals. Some people rinse them out well but that takes work so often there's a residue inside. Open them up and check before you buy. Most are 275 gallons but there are also 330 gallon sizes.

Your tractor will probably not be able to move an IBC tote stacked full especially if its hardwood. Stacked full a 275 gallon tote holds a bit over 1/3 cord. The tote itself weighs about 140 lbs including bladder which is about 30-40 lbs.

My system which is probably not appropriate for you is to store wood in IBC totes or a woodshed. Once burning season starts I move a tote at a time up close to the house, filling it from the shed if needed. I load Akro plastic bins from the tote and stack them on the porch under the roof. The bins hold about 40-50 lbs of wood and are about as long as the splits my stove will accept. I can put a bin next to the stove and feed it from there. The advantage of the bins is that I'm not trying to carry armloads of splits through the house and the bins contain any mess that falls from the splits.

 

[spuldup]

@ericm979 Tanks for the numbers. Good point on the lift capacity. The Kioti is rated 1200lbs lift at the pins but on forks probably half that. I'll look on FB and buy one to test. If it doesn't work, they have other uses.

 

[Max W]

Having a machine with a bucket is great but it’s leading you to handle the wood that extra time. If you are physically able a simple wheelbarrow would allow you to bring the wood right to the inside wood rack and you might be surprised at how much wood you can get in each load.

edit. Just noticed how old the op is. A wheelbarrow with a plank can be helpful to get wood to an inside rack in a lot of places.

 

[spuldup]

Having a machine with a bucket is great but it’s leading you to handle the wood that extra time. If you are physically able a simple wheelbarrow would allow you to bring the wood right to the inside wood rack and you might be surprised at how much wood you can get in each load.

edit. Just noticed how old the op is. A wheelbarrow with a plank can be helpful to get wood to an inside rack in a lot of places.

I did not mention that I also use those firewood sling/bag things to carry in small loads. Maybe during the weekdays when I don't have the tractor out for something else. That's still another stack/unstack. Wheelbarrow has got to be better than those, thanks!