It doesn't get any easier

[bogieb]

Tennis elbow...
It's certainly easier without tennis elbow...
I wouldn't have guessed that tennis elbow would slow me down!

Weird as it sounds, I can control my tennis elbow with tricep exercises using light weights (tricep extensions and kickbacks - sometimes body weight dips). I don't have to do them all the time, just when it starts flaring up - which is usually after doing some heavy lifting. I'm thinking that in my case, it is mostly caused by an imbalance of my bicep and tricep muscles.

 

[marty319]

Last of the 5 cords I cut.i can feel it.

 

[weee123]

I am lucky enough to still be in my 20's (until march) so I can get a lot done and still feel pretty good. I do some trading with a neighbor who has acquired lots of tools, tractors, and other goodies that he lets me use in exchange for a hand on projects that benefit from a guy my age. Easier said than done but reaching out for a hand can be helpful and whoever helps you would likely benefit from your years of knowledge and experience in whatever the task is.

No kidding, I’m turning 30 in March as well.


Glad to see you got it all split up in time!

 

[marty319]

Well another year older and wood cutting season about to start,have 10 cords on the yard so only cutting 3 this year,using the heat pump more in shoulder season saves me from cutting my usual 5 cords.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

I turned 58, I retired this past January. I feel great, lost 20lbs since I'm not stress eating. I can see getting older at some point will get in the way. I only burn like 3 cords per year so I should be able to keep up for a long time. I kept some really nice equipment, which will make life so much easier. I have a great setup already but I will improve the process. The cold doesn't bother me so I normally start processing January. I spoke to my son yesterday morning about not selling wood anymore. The fall of 26 will be my last year..

 

[Highbeam]

In most markets, buying split cordwood is still much much cheaper than using your home’s thermostatic heating system. You still get to do work loading the stove.

I’m young but realized years ago that buying delivered logs is a very good use of money. Similar to using a hydraulic splitter.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

In most markets, buying split cordwood is still much much cheaper than using your home’s thermostatic heating system. You still get to do work loading the stove.

I’m young but realized years ago that buying delivered logs is a very good use of money. Similar to using a hydraulic splitter.

I'm not sure what I'll do if it gets to me buying split wood. I've seen the stuff being sold and I'm not impressed. Most of the wood is sitting on the ground, uncovered, and split a month or two before it's sold

 

[Highbeam]

I'm not sure what I'll do if it gets to me buying split wood. I've seen the stuff being sold and I'm not impressed. Most of the wood is sitting on the ground, uncovered, and split a month or two before it's sold

True that bought wood will never match up with the quality a capable hearth.com member can produce. Assume it’s green, get it stacked and seasoned before you need it.

Another option if you demand high quality is the pressed sawdust firewood products like NIELs. No bugs, dirt, smaller footprint, less handling.

I guess my point is to not let the difficulties of firewood management be the reason you stop burning.

 

[begreen]

We've been lucky that there is a consistent and reliable commercial wood seller in our area. The wood quality, length, and split sizes are good and the same year after year. They have mondo mass splitting machines running thousands of cords a year through them and they deliver an honest full cord of wood.

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[Slimdusty]

My rural neighbor hires a young teenager to assist him with firewood and all sorts of chores around his place. Great for the young man to earn a few bucks and be exposed to work, even better for my neighbor as he can continue living the country lifestyle for awhile longer, he is almost 80.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

Most of the wood is sitting on the ground, uncovered, and split a month or two before it's sold

So buy two years ahead, if you have room for it.


I've moved to putting my splits into IBC tote cages, then I move them with a carryall on my Kubota's 3PH. Saves a LOT of wheelbarrow work. I split right into the cage, and I don't bother to stack it neatly. Then move it to the storage area (in the sun).

When I need wood in the house, I grab a tote and drop it not far from my door. This way, I don't stack it at all until I take a load into the house and put it down next to the woodstove.

If you have a tractor and have the room, it's a great way to go.

 

[sixer]

Great thread here. I'm 46 and I feel like I'm in the best shape of my life (always been in pretty good shape) and it's due in no small part to the "wood life". Sometimes I can over-do it but most of the time doing all of this work actually helps with those random aches and pains. Sometimes I'll be sore from the chainsawing, loading, hauling, splitting, and stacking but it ends up resulting in bigger muscles which in turn can help prevent the "over-doing it" next time. Plus it sure is a lot of fun. There are two types of people: those who think this is fun, and those who don't!

I've also discovered that wood processing and ham radio are complementary hobbies. I've been into radio almost my whole life. The wood life is relatively new the past 4 years. Any time I'm doing antenna work there are tall trees I try to get lines into and shorter trees that are in the way. The shorter ones come down, thus providing wood to process. I "found" a bunch I didn't know I had when harvesting the more recent stuff I knew about. This "surprise" consisted of some very large white and black birch and a couple medium sized oaks probably down for about 2 years.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

So buy two years ahead, if you have room for it.


I've moved to putting my splits into IBC tote cages, then I move them with a carryall on my Kubota's 3PH. Saves a LOT of wheelbarrow work. I split right into the cage, and I don't bother to stack it neatly. Then move it to the storage area (in the sun).

When I need wood in the house, I grab a tote and drop it not far from my door. This way, I don't stack it at all until I take a load into the house and put it down next to the woodstove.

If you have a tractor and have the room, it's a great way to go.

I think that your missing the point. The point is that your paying good money, in my area a cord of hardwoods is going for 250/300 a cord. For wood that is not ready to burn and is split like an 8th graders first day on the job.

I have plenty of space, I'm sitting on 14 cords CSS and probably 6/7 cords in log length.