Plugging Away Pays Off Over Time

[Eric Johnson]

Lots of people, especially wood rookies, try to cut all their wood over a long weekend or in some marathon session. Unfortunately, people who do this tend to wait until it's too late--no hope of burning dry wood this season. There are exceptions to every rule, of course, but I think that's a common pattern.

Yep, I used to do that, too. Now, I just plug away at it all summer and fall until I cut, haul, split and stack the wood I'll need for the winter after next. Takes the pressure off. I generally cut, haul, split and stack 3 pickup loads (narrow bed Ford Ranger) per week (after work) for a weekly total of about one full cord of 24-inch wood for my boiler. I cut mostly beech with some hard maple and yellow birch thrown in for good measure.

Here's what I did yesterday.

On the truck:

On the ground:

On the pile:

When I'm done next week, I'll have cut 10 cords this season.

 

[CageMaster]

very well done...i wish i could dedicate that much time per week to doing wood...if you average if out thats probably what i works out too however myself and my cutting companions around here tend to do one or two full day saturdays per month in winter and i do the odd evening here and there in the summer to put up between 8-10 cords each per year for personal use.

 

[ScotO]

Nice job, EJ!

 

[RORY12553]

This is my second year splitting. I have a hard time splitting in the heat but love it when it's 30 degrees out. I found it is great excercise but like anything else can't be over done. I too cant' commit to doing it every weekend to much other stuff going on.

 

[PA. Woodsman]

Looks GREAT!!

Wood gathering and all it entails is like a friend of mine used to say "its like eating an elephant-you can't do it all at once. A little at a time" !

 

[TimJ]

I take the same philosophy Eric. I don't want my cutting season to end.

 

[smokinj]

I like the late fall til early spring plugging way myself. Done one load all summer long.

 

[Eric Johnson]

Another thing I quit doing is obsessing on chunks that won't split. Generally, there's an obvious reason why. Instead of wearing myself out and/or busting my maul handle for the sake of pride, now I just grab the saw and cut down through the rough spot--usually a big knot, crotch or defect. Of course, I always give it the old College Try first--on both ends--just to make sure. I still have some small amount of pride left.

 

[smokinj]

Another thing I quit doing is obsessing on chunks that won't split. Generally, there's an obvious reason why. Instead of wearing myself out and/or busting my maul handle for the sake of pride, now I just grab the saw and cut down through the rough spot--usually a big knot, crotch or defect. Of course, I always give it the old College Try first--on both ends--just to make sure. I still have some small amount of pride left.

I never started that one. If it dont roll easy into the splitter then its gettin noddle. Big rounds are no joke even when there perfect!

 

[Thistle]

I never started that one. If it dont roll easy into the splitter then its gettin noddle. Big rounds are no joke even when there perfect!

4-5 swings w/ the X25,if that dont work then its the 20lb Monster Maul.If THAT dont do it after a couple,then its sawed in half or quartered depending on its size..

 

[AJS56]

Nice work Eric, from a fellow "Ranger Buddy" as my wife likes to call me as I'm kinda fond of my little Ford Ranger. As you posted, I also "whittle away" at my firewood supply rather than doing it all at once in a big project/rush kind of effort. The main differenc e for me is that I tend to work through the fall and winter when the temps are below the mid 50's. I never was fond of working in heat (must have got that from having to bale hay in the summer!), but I enjoy the cooler months both out in the woods and in the barnyard wood processing area. Good work, and to each his own!

 

[etiger2007]

I dont blame you , no use on killing yourself

 

[Jags]

Good to see that you are back in the game full swing, Eric.

 

[red oak]

Lots of people, especially wood rookies, try to cut all their wood over a long weekend or in some marathon session. Unfortunately, people who do this tend to wait until it's too late--no hope of burning dry wood this season. There are exceptions to every rule, of course, but I think that's a common pattern.

Yep, I used to do that, too. Now, I just plug away at it all summer and fall until I cut, haul, split and stack the wood I'll need for the winter after next. Takes the pressure off. I generally cut, haul, split and stack 3 pickup loads (narrow bed Ford Ranger) per week (after work) for a weekly total of about one full cord of 24-inch wood for my boiler. I cut mostly beech with some hard maple and yellow birch thrown in for good measure.

Here's what I did yesterday.

On the truck:

On the ground:

On the pile:

When I'm done next week, I'll have cut 10 cords this season.

Yes, wood is not a job like making hay or changing the oil. Those jobs, you do it and they're done. Wood is NEVER done! So I do a bit here and there and constantly try to get a little more ahead. I don't do much in the summer although I did get a bit antsy this year and split two rather large oak trees in August. Made me appreciate working in the fall and spring!

 

[red oak]

Another thing I quit doing is obsessing on chunks that won't split. Generally, there's an obvious reason why. Instead of wearing myself out and/or busting my maul handle for the sake of pride, now I just grab the saw and cut down through the rough spot--usually a big knot, crotch or defect. Of course, I always give it the old College Try first--on both ends--just to make sure. I still have some small amount of pride left.

Amen to that - some of those pieces I used to swing at dozens of times and after all that got 4 splits? So now if it doesn't split easily it's either 1. reserved for the outdoor fire pit or 2. set aside for the saw. Work smarter not harder.

 

[bogydave]

Nice load & stacks.
Like the space between rows & the rope mid-row to hold the row together
I use pallets or small spruce logs to get the wood off the ground, birch rots fast here if on the ground.

Too many bugs herein the woods to cut in the summer. Early spring & fall works best for me.
I don't turn down any scrounges thru the summer though.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Lots of people, especially wood rookies, try to cut all their wood over a long weekend or in some marathon session. Unfortunately, people who do this tend to wait until it's too late--no hope of burning dry wood this season. There are exceptions to every rule, of course, but I think that's a common pattern.

Yep, I used to do that, too. Now, I just plug away at it all summer and fall until I cut, haul, split and stack the wood I'll need for the winter after next. Takes the pressure off. I generally cut, haul, split and stack 3 pickup loads (narrow bed Ford Ranger) per week (after work) for a weekly total of about one full cord of 24-inch wood for my boiler. I cut mostly beech with some hard maple and yellow birch thrown in for good measure.

When I'm done next week, I'll have cut 10 cords this season.

Words of wisdom there Eric. You are certainly right about wood rookies.

We do very much like you except that we don't do it in the summer months. Don't like slapping bugs, sweat running into the eyes and on eyeglasses, upsetting wildlife, etc. So we start cutting right after deer season, which here, means December 1 but many times I'll start on Thanksgiving weekend. Cut off and on all winter, then split and stack in the spring right after snow melt. This has worked out well for many, many moons now and we'll continue.

Oh how I wish I had some of your beech. The only ones we have left are very young trees and I'll never see the trees at maturity.

 

[Eric Johnson]

the rope mid-row to hold the row together

That polypropylene rope is amazing stuff. I've been doing it this way for more than 10 years, and never once has a rope broken. And I use them over and over. As you stack the wood on the rope, it pulls the two posts together.

You're right about birch rotting easily. Beech is not much better. I have to try not to get too far ahead, or I wind up burning some rotten wood, which just makes me madder than hell. I should really build an open wood shed with a metal roof that would hold about 24 cords. As it is, I stash about 8 cords in my side of the garage in the spring, then shove another two cords in when I put the lawnmower away in the fall. That's basically a winter's worth of fuel stacked under a roof and around the boiler. I generally replace some of the wood that I burn as the winter rolls along, mostly just to stay ahead of the game so I don't have to do as much work in the spring, when riding a bike is more fun than hauling wood through the mud.

 

[cptoneleg]

That polypropylene rope is amazing stuff. I've been doing it this way for more than 10 years, and never once has a rope broken. And I use them over and over. As you stack the wood on the rope, it pulls the two posts together.

You're right about birch rotting easily. Beech is not much better. I have to try not to get too far ahead, or I wind up burning some rotten wood, which just makes me madder than hell. I should really build an open wood shed with a metal roof that would hold about 24 cords. As it is, I stash about 8 cords in my side of the garage in the spring, then shove another two cords in when I put the lawnmower away in the fall. That's basically a winter's worth of fuel stacked under a roof and around the boiler. I generally replace some of the wood that I burn as the winter rolls along, mostly just to stay ahead of the game so I don't have to do as much work in the spring, when riding a bike is more fun than hauling wood through the mud.

You burn 10 cords a season?? Or just stash 10 under cover?

 

[onetracker]

That polypropylene rope is amazing stuff. I've been doing it this way for more than 10 years, and never once has a rope broken. And I use them over and over. As you stack the wood on the rope, it pulls the two posts together.

You're right about birch rotting easily. Beech is not much better. I have to try not to get too far ahead, or I wind up burning some rotten wood, which just makes me madder than hell. I should really build an open wood shed with a metal roof that would hold about 24 cords. As it is, I stash about 8 cords in my side of the garage in the spring, then shove another two cords in when I put the lawnmower away in the fall. That's basically a winter's worth of fuel stacked under a roof and around the boiler. I generally replace some of the wood that I burn as the winter rolls along, mostly just to stay ahead of the game so I don't have to do as much work in the spring, when riding a bike is more fun than hauling wood through the mud.

great work strategy. i love beech but i rarely get any.
i employ the same stacking method using fence wire intead of rope. it $7 a roll and last for years. i can twist it to adjust the tension on the posts too. no need to build braces or cross-stack the ends. although those work fine and sure look perty - i just don't have the patience.

 

[Eric Johnson]

The fence wire idea is a good one. I thought about using cable, but decided to try the rope instead, and realized that wire rope would be overkill.

I burn about 10 cords in an average winter, but I like to put up 12--just in case. I have a bit of a problem with stopping once I get started. I'm always, "heck, there's room for another row" which is about 2 cords. The back yard tends to fill up over time.

I always admire those beautiful rows the old timers and other obsessive rural types like to make, but like you, I don't have the patience (or the eye) for that.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

And we won't forget that barn full of wood you had Eric.

 

[mywaynow]

Too many bugs herein the woods to cut in the summer. Early spring & fall works best for me.
I don't turn down any scrounges thru the summer though.

Don't know about Alaska, but here we have these 8 legged monsters called Spiders! They can take a body part off in mere seconds. Don't mind the heat, but the spiders are a different story.

 

[Thistle]

I cut year round,3-4 days a month in spare time.Only time I stay out of the woods is temps over 95/under 10 degrees,lightning/strong winds or when snow is more than several inches deep.Light rain/snow dont slow me down that much.