Least work to cut, split and stack a cord?
- Thread starter peakbagger
- Start date
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Sawset
Minister of Fire
So thats a problem.
If it were flat or a slope to get an atv around (or garden tractor), then:
I use a low to the ground (8") cart to get rounds out of the woods. Easy to tilt heavy rounds onto. Handles 600lb. Strap it all down, out to the truck and trailer. Trailer is custom made, torsion bar axle, 12" off the ground, 2000lb. Tilt off the cart onto the trailer. Lighter stuff goes in the truck. Splitting is done at home, hydraulic, all in one spot. Anticipating a hoist or lift and permanent table to work with there, we'll see. Into a wheelbarrow, then on the stacks. One thing is, I used to crisscross the stack ends both outside and in the garage. Have since gone with t posts outside, 1.5" conduit from floor through the ceiling in the garage. No crisscross puzzles to figure out.
But if the terrain is rugged as you say:
Time and added power are the solutions. Just a matter of how much of each. Winching logs - it takes 14 - 8" logs to equal one 30".
Winching rounds - carry 140 - 8" rounds (14 of those 15ft logs cut into rounds) or winch 10 - 30" rounds. If the capstan took time to setup, and unsnag while running, then I would figure that as part of the cost of doing business. Or add more power and expense. Those new logging grapple machines sure are nice - if you have semi trailers to fill. Steepness is no problem there - they can winch the whole machine up as they go.
I have a splitting auger for my skid steer that has made firewood processing very efficient. I can split 8 to 20' long logs (depending on species) with one pass with the auger. Bigger diameter logs I'll split a couple times. Then I lift the log with the auger, set it on a pile of splits or sawbuck, buck to length, then hand split to final size with x27 or maul. The auger busts the rounds into halves or quarters, and handling and hand splitting is easy from there. Usually the logs stay together enough that I don't have to do extra bucking. I don't have to lift the big rounds anymore, but also don't have to auger split individual rounds.
EbS-P
Minister of Fire
Noodling seems like extra steps and time as I see it. But if you can’t choose the perfect tree it’s just what you have to do.
I just processed pine tree that was 24” -26” at the base That the tree service took down in two pieces. It Was the perfect size to do all by hand. Rounds could be rolled by hand. Split with a maul down the middle and loaded by hand or thrown over my fence. With access to big equipment I would load the logs, buck in the truck to trailer ( ok so I wouldn’t do this as my saw skills aren’t that good.) throw out in to be split in front of my woodshed.
The consensus I’m seeing is keep it as big as you can Safely manage as long as you can. And I agree with that.
Evan
I just processed pine tree that was 24” -26” at the base That the tree service took down in two pieces. It Was the perfect size to do all by hand. Rounds could be rolled by hand. Split with a maul down the middle and loaded by hand or thrown over my fence. With access to big equipment I would load the logs, buck in the truck to trailer ( ok so I wouldn’t do this as my saw skills aren’t that good.) throw out in to be split in front of my woodshed.
The consensus I’m seeing is keep it as big as you can Safely manage as long as you can. And I agree with that.
Evan
