my weekend wood gathering

[Seanm]

I havent spent much time posting my wood gathering on hearth so I thought I would take a few pictures of the Lodgepole Pines that I bucked up yesterday and then the splitting I did today. I noticed that I was so into it I left my phone in the truck while I was bucking so none of them in log form. This was from two blow down beetle kills that blew over a week ago in a rather strong wind storm we had. Ive had my eye on them for awhile and I was right in assuming they would be good to go. I did think it would be easier than it was to pull them out of the bush but half of each tree was overhanging in an avalanche path so they were hard to reach, I had to be extra careful since I was on my own. You can see Tundra my husky was hard at work while I was splitting. This wood is put aside for my fall burning and about sets me up for this winter. Cheers!

 

[Rossco]

Nice pics, score and cool dog, You have plenty of wood or is that Hadrians wall in the back ground

I got some similar the other day going to the lake. Always take me saw. One piece is near split in half.



Hope you don't mind me posting the pic?

 

[Seanm]

Nice pics, score and cool dog, You have plenty of wood or is that Hadrians wall in the back ground

I got some similar the other day going to the lake. Always take me saw. One piece is near split in half.



Hope you don't mind me posting the pic?

Nice rounds... Nope dont mind at all, besides after seeing all the oak and bl on this site we need to see more softwood from the west!
That wall is just part of it, its double row of 18s at 4.5 feet high. Ive tried something different this year. Ive separated my Larch and Birch from my lodgepole so I have a clearer idea on how much overnight burning wood I have left.

 

[Rossco]

Yeah that's a nice wood pile and a nice Moisture meter (Where did you get that?)

Will you burn all that this season? I only hope to burn a few 10x8ft rows this time around.

With this new 'Super' stove there shouldn't be a day / night mix. I always kept big Fir splits for bed time. Won't need the liquor store either as it turns the ashes into wine.

 

[Seanm]

Yeah that's a nice wood pile and a nice Moisture meter (Where did you get that?)

Will you burn all that this season? I only hope to burn a few 10x8ft rows this time around.

With this new 'Super' stove there shouldn't be a day / night mix. Won't need the liquor store either as it turns the ashes into wine.

I think my wife got it off of amazon for Christmas the first year I had the 27. Yes I will burn that and more but I start my burning sometime in late September and mostly heat a 2600 sq ft house with it. Your new stove will be great with the softwoods. Youre in the unique position of going from "our" stove to a blaze king. It will be a neat comparison. Also will be interesting to see how much you go through but like you said you wait until -10 before you start burning. I would switch to mostly Larch if I could but im worried about using up my supply in the wood lot aka close to me crown land.

 

[Rossco]

I think my wife got it off of amazon for Christmas the first year I had the 27. Yes I will burn that and more but I start my burning sometime in late September and mostly heat a 2600 sq ft house with it. Your new stove will be great with the softwoods. Youre in the unique position of going from "our" stove to a blaze king. It will be a neat comparison. Also will be interesting to see how much you go through but like you said you wait until -10 before you start burning. I would switch to mostly Larch if I could but im worried about using up my supply in the wood lot aka close to me crown land.

Great I will keep an eye out for a decent meter like that. Some are garbage, some give 'odd' readings etc.

I hear you on the wood supply. If it wasn't for the bettle kill, wood around here would be shy. I have a nice spot for Larch / Fir but its not on the door step.

The new set up should be ok but am not gonna cut the wires to the furnace.

The real comparison will the the 27 vs the garbage stove In the shop.

I have an eye on a real local SNAG that am gonna take a look at tomorrow. Will snap a few.

 

[blacktail]

Nice!
Que the east coasters saying you can't burn that for a couple of years.

 

[Seanm]

Nice!
Que the east coasters saying you can't burn that for a couple of years.

Yeah in that regard we are lucky out here of course the downside is the shorter burn times. I dont know what I would do if I had to get 3 years ahead as I dont have the space even though I would go through less wood in a year.

 

[Soundchasm]

That is the grooviest reverse-selfie I've seen. Gorgeous. And that's a massive stack, but you have massive needs up there, no doubt.

Isn't that electric splitter the one that gives a little extra HP when initially splitting? Do you think it works that way or is it more of a marketing ploy? I love mine, but I keep running into stuff that just won't go w/o a little help from the saw. Scotty in Engineering tells me he's giving me all she's got, Sir, she canno' take no more.

 

[Rossco]

Yeah the Hardwood burners get a while longer but need a 1 ton Dually to carry the same amount I get in my heavy half.

 

[Seanm]

That is the grooviest reverse-selfie I've seen. Gorgeous. And that's a massive stack, but you have massive needs up there, no doubt.

Isn't that electric splitter the one that gives a little extra HP when initially splitting? Do you think it works that way or is it more of a marketing ploy? I love mine, but I keep running into stuff that just won't go w/o a little help from the saw. Scotty in Engineering tells me he's giving me all she's got, Sir, she canno' take no more.

Im not sure if it gives a bit more... I never noticed that. Its a 6.5 ton yardworks which I think in the states goes under a different name. It has a softwood and a hardwood setting. Do you have the same one? I find I use the hardwood setting on most rounds. I havent had to much trouble getting through much and I put some pretty big rounds on that splitter. Dont get me wrong it groans a bit but Im glad I went with this one instead of the 4 ton. My only complaint is its so darn heavy at 176 lbs and those wheels are kind of crummy. My back doesnt like wheeling that thing around.

 

[Soundchasm]

I've got a 5-ton unit from Home Depot that is around 100 lbs. Seems like there's only 2-3 different kinds of electric splitters, but about 50 brands after they get done painting them. Thought I saw a yellow one that had the same profile as yours that indicated it switched from a slightly slower, more powerful initial split into a quicker travel time after the break. But the video recorded a fairly significant electric motor screech that would be tough to get used to. Reminded me of a circular saw.

The unit I have is fairly quiet, but the silence is regularly interrupted by the sound of the chain saw ripping a starter cut in a lot of rounds. But overall, I've gotten a lot more out of it than the $300 I put into it. It's amazing.

 

[BrotherBart]

But overall, I've gotten a lot more out of it than the $300 I put into it. It's amazing.

Guess ya don't want to hear about mine from HF, $225, freight included?

 

[Seanm]

But overall, I've gotten a lot more out of it than the $300 I put into it.

Mine was $450 at Canadian Tire and was a sale price. I think the regular price was $550. Its slower than splitting by hand but much nicer on the back and shoulders for sure!

 

[Rossco]

Yeah am still splitting by hand with a Fiskars.

I was thinking about an Electric spiltter just to half the rounds (Hardest part of splitting) then axing the rest.

 

[Seanm]

Yeah am still splitting by hand with a Fiskars.

I was thinking about an Electric spiltter just to half the rounds (Hardest part of splitting) then axing the rest.

Years ago I would split a cord of wood to relax but now I cant do it much. The vibration is hard on my spine. I think if all I had to do was a cord a year then I would be fine but Its a regular thing for me. I was out yesterday and got some red cedar for kindling and also visited the high country for some sub alpine fir. The weather ended off quite nice. Sometimes our softwoods can be hard to split especially on those big ones eh? Its a handy tool for sure!

 

[BoiledOver]

Yeah am still splitting by hand with a Fiskars.

I was thinking about an Electric spiltter just to half the rounds (Hardest part of splitting) then axing the rest.

Yeah I didn't take those electrics very serious but finally sprung $260 US for a 4 ton. It truly fits the process well. Buck and then split with the fiskars, allow to season. The electric is located next to the boiler and used to resplit whatever looks like it needs it.

Back to the OP. I see that in the west folks appreciate a larch for firewood so I have question for you Seanm. We have several tall ones here and may at anytime take a lightning strike. What about bucking and splitting, sure looks like a lot of knots. How do ya compare it with the birch?

 

[BrotherBart]

used to resplit whatever looks like it needs it

Amen. That thing sitting in the breezeway is a dream come true instead of running out into rain or snow to make that one split. With the stove sitting mostly stuffed and taking off but that last one just won't quite go in.

 

[Seanm]

Back to the OP. I see that in the west folks appreciate a larch for firewood so I have question for you Seanm. We have several tall ones here and may at anytime take a lightning strike. What about bucking and splitting, sure looks like a lot of knots. How do ya compare it with the birch?

One thing I notice around here is that some of the mature Larch have the tops broken off due to wind. I find larch harder than Birch. Birch seems to split quite easy compared but our Larch here is quite tall with not a lot of branches till you get up high. In the splitter the Birch tends to pop open easier. I keep my baby fiskars handy on the 18 inch long rounds of Larch (which is all of them) due to the stringy strands as it splits open. The knots tend to make it groan... I was looking for a picture of some tall Larch but found this one which I find very pretty. I took this one last fall, Lots of Larch here! This is a bass lake I like to fish with my son.

 

[Rossco]

Think I might keep an eye out for an electric unit when they come in sale.

Larch is the hardest of all soft wood and is harder and heavier than some genuine hardwoods.

The trees I like are from stands or dense areas. Only 10-15% of the tree has branches. The pyramid is small.

Also! It tends to gather rock and dirt in the bark as it grows. This means the loggers dont really like to take it down, great when it grows with Fir as its left to bask in the sun after or cut and left for dead.

It's also really rot resistant, Makes for some good down dead.

 

[Seanm]

Larch is the hardest of all soft wood and is harder and heavier than some genuine hardwoods

Someone here said awhile back that fir was the king of softwoods but we know its Larch eh?

 

[Rossco]

Someone here said awhile back that fir was the king of softwoods but we know its Larch eh?

Oh yeah. Fir / Larch - Larch / Fir.

Am no expert but I find Larch don't have that Sappy / Snappy problem that some older growth Fir's have.

Nice pic of the fall. The amber colour dominates the landscape around here at that time of year. Hope I won't see that for a while yet!

 

[Seanm]

I agree and if you check here on chimney sweeps btu charts Larch is up there on the chart.