Log Truck Day!

[Caw]

Tractor battery died this morning so that was a nice start. I popped over to Autozone and treated myself to a fancy schmancy Starbucks concoction for my troubles lol. We rebounded and worked 9:30 to 4:30 straight. Had the family over to help plus visit and we had a good system going...even started to stack a bit:

Grandpa - MS250 18" + Sawdust duty
Me - Husky 440 18" + Maul + fire pit duty
Wife - 36" Fiskars + tractor duty
Grandma - kids duty.
Sister - dogs duty.

 

[MoDoug]

That's some good looking fire wood, and what a great way for the family to spend time together! The kiln I'm building is going to look a lot like your racks, I need to take some pics. Let me guess, the trash can is for kindling?

 

[Caw]

Good guess but its actually for sawdust. Just a place to put it until we throw it in the truck to bring to the brush dump. I keep my kindling in boxes in the shed...I just rotate a box inside when I run out.

 

[Caw]

It was very cold and windy today so I decided to make it a clean up and supply procurement day. Went and got materials for my last two racks and made two dump trips. Almost filled the whole truck bed with sawdust! I love this little trailer I got from TSC. It's not fancy or heavy duty...just sheet metal and a basic dump feature/removable rear...but it is perfect for lugging around lumber/splits/tools etc. Saves me a lot of backache.

 

[MoDoug]

I have a little trailer just like that, only green, and it's amazing how much weight they can haul. Mine is a little long in the tooth and today I had to put new tires on from being dry rotted. Aren't they fun to back up.

 

[Caw]

Oh boy do I love to back it up. It usually goes something like....go 3 feet then jack knife uncontrollably . I try to go around in a circle whenever possible.

 

[Woody5506]

I really don't like box elder but man for a log load like that I'd glady accept it. That's awesome. Nice straight logs too for the most part. Looks like you have the ideal tree guy!

 

[Caw]

I really don't like box elder but man for a log load like that I'd glady accept it. That's awesome. Nice straight logs too for the most part. Looks like you have the ideal tree guy!

Yeah it's in the "Machine Split Only" pile. It was only two logs but they were gnarly so I'm not even gonna attempt the axe. For my neighbors splitter coming this weekend.

Im about to get out there and finish bucking. Looking at what I have I'd say the log drop was:

50% red oak
20% red maple
20% ash - standing dead but not rotten. This would be usable now in a pinch. It's around 21% right now.
10% box elder and cherry

Biggest log was a 32" cherry but it wasn't very long maybe 8-9'. Jankiest log was the box elder. Most annoying log was one of the big ash that was covered in dead PI vines. Heaviest stuff is the red oak...it's all 28%+...even the small stuff is heavy. Overall though it's all high quality. Great species, mostly straight, and almost no rot...a firewood guy's dream come true!

Hoping I can finish bucking before the snow this afternoon. Gotta get some tarp over the new stack too for temporary coverage. Gonna build the roof when the stacks are full.

 

[Caw]

Have some weather coming in this afternoon so I decided to power finish bucking this morning. I ran out of gas with literally 3 cuts left....so I tossed in little 40:1 (saw is 50:1) I had for my weedwhacker to finish it off. Ran fine. I wasn't driving all the way to the store today!

Before:

After:

Ash:

Maple:

Oak/Box Elder/Cherry:

Oak:

Lots of splitting ahead of me. It's a little over 4 cords left to split. I'm borrowing my neighbors 25 ton this weekend so I should be able to get through a lot of it. I'll finish whatever oak is left by hand...it splits like butter. I'm just glad I don't have to attempt the Box Elder...that stuff is gnarly.

We even had time to get in some bonus ice skating across the street! We have a really nice pond across the street that's about 1.5x the size of a full rink and 3-4 feet deep. The kids played some hockey while I zoomed around:

 

[Caw]

Glad I finished earlier today:

 

[Caw]

I have the log splitter coming tomorrow so I was moving around some logs prepping the area and my damn pickaroon broke! MF-ing F S F F F! The tip just snapped right off into a log. Ugh. I'll get my money back but that doesn't help me this weekend. Back to old school back breaking labor!

Im going to get a LogRite 30" as a replacement. They are expensive but built built last.

LogRite:

 

[Caw]

Got the splitter fired up after work today. I was only able to get 2 hours in but made a good dent in the maple rounds:

I'll be splitting dawn until dusk tomorrow trying trying beat the approaching snow storm. I'm just temp stacking in the driveway for now so I can tarp through the snow/melt. My tractor won't make it to my wood racks with snow on the ground.

 

[Caw]

I managed to split all the remaining non oak just before dark yesterday. We're expecting 12-18" of wet snow today so I worked non-stop all day to get it done/covered. I'll move it all out back to it's permanent home once the snow melts. I keep telling my wife we need an ATV!

 

[Marine woodsman]

Two guys, two axes, a 5 year old, and a case of beer. Not a bad way to spend an afternoon! Only got a few hours in today but we made a dent in the red oak:

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You did great and even got the family involved. I can't get anyone to help around here...lol. nice collection going on there.

 

[Caw]

Couldn't have finished without the help. Unfortunately though the big single stack toppled in the blizzards 18" of medium wet snow and 35+ mph winds. My dad and brother in law stacked that one grumble.

I'm by far the fastest splitter so I figured I'd do that and gamble that they could make a sturdy stack. I checked it as I was covering it and it was janky. Typical front stack bias, seems everyone who isn't used to it always stacks closer to themselves as they go up. The cross stacks on one end were also sketchy. I didn't have time to fix it before the snow so I just rolled the dice on it and lost. Took me over an hour to fix it this morning and every piece has snow on it. Ugh. Oh well this is the risk you take doing this stuff this time of year. At least all my main stacks came away unscathed, just a little snow on top of the splits under the lean-to roof from when it was blowing sideways. I can live with that.

Took 2+ hrs to do the driveway, walkways, clean the cars, move them, and do under/around them. Just a total bear. At least I have 2 cords of oak rounds in the driveway I didn't have to clean lol. I'll get to them when the snow melts.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

I think I'd reshape that pick before I'd toss it.

 

[Caw]

I think I'd reshape that pick before I'd toss it.

I just sent it back for a full refund and bought the LogRite. Might have messed with it if I couldn't return it. After using the LogRite just once I'm glad I did it, its a far superior tool.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Excellent!

 

[Caw]

Nice day out today so I took the opportunity to move some wood. We have about 18" of wet snow on the ground so I just lugged some by hand for the exercise. Stuffed up one of my bays with cherry, ash, and maple. This is the remainder of my wood for this year...about 2 cords. I am hoping to only use half of it. We'll see!

 

[RandyBoBandy]

Two guys, two axes, a 5 year old, and a case of beer. Not a bad way to spend an afternoon! Only got a few hours in today but we made a dent in the red oak:

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Is that a kings county pickaroon? I just picked one up on Amazon. I’ve used it twice so far and I love it. The head design is perfect for snagging splits.

 

[Caw]

Is that a kings county pickaroon? I just picked one up on Amazon. I’ve used it twice so far and I love it. The head design is perfect for snagging splits.

Yep, it was. It worked well for a week but I sent it back though because the tip broke off in a log. It was like 8 degrees that day and I was moving dense green red oak so I think that had something to do with it.

I'd say for the $30 it was a fine tool. Gets the job done on a budget. If you ever want to graduate to something more solid invest the $70 in a LogRite. It's a high quality tool and im very happy with it.

 

[RandyBoBandy]

Yep, it was. It worked well for a week but I sent it back though because the tip broke off in a log. It was like 8 degrees that day and I was moving dense green red oak so I think that had something to do with it.

I'd say for the $30 it was a fine tool. Gets the job done on a budget. If you ever want to graduate to something more solid invest the $70 in a LogRite. It's a high quality tool and im very happy with it.

Well that’s discouraging. I’ve only used mine twice and I really like the head design over the 36” council tool pickaroon I have. If I’m correct the LogRite has a round handle? My neighbor has one and I find I’d not like round handles on pickaroon.

 

[Caw]

Don't get me wrong it worked really well until it broke. I was moving a lot of wood with it. I think the steel probably isn't rated for the super cold I was using it in and got brittle. I am not easy on my logging/splitting tools but who is...it's hard work.

The LogRite does have a round handle. I at first too thought I wouldn't like that...I want to feel the head orientation via the handle. However I've found that I can tell which way it's pointing even with the non descript handle, I can feel the balance of the tool I my hand/arm. So I'm used to it now and it's a very well made tool...no way I'm breaking this unless I try. It's not cast like the tip of the Kings, it's solid metal welded to more solid metal. I'm also enjoying the 30". Its long enough I can drag stuff a 6'2" but light enough I can still pick stuff up easily.

My only complaint is that the handle is a little too girthy. A problem we all have, right? But really the handle feels a little big in my hand and I wear XL gloves. If you have small hands that may be an issue for you. Otherwise I simply love it.

I'd have used both if I had them. The kings is great for small stuff and logrite for big boys but overall I'm glad I invested in the LogRite.

 

[Caw]

So I went ahead and did something both wonderful and stupid at the same time...

One of my tree guys called and had 2 cords of small maples he took down in town. How could I say no? . Mostly red maple, this will be ready for next year.

 

[thewoodlands]

Nice work @Caw .