Polar Maple Vortex

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
  • Hope everyone has a wonderful and warm Thanksgiving!
  • Super Cedar firestarters 30% discount Use code Hearth2024 Click here
Status
Not open for further replies.
So we're expecting over a foot of snow today, but the tree guys are still working. Got a knock on my door this morning with a free delivery. Quite a bit of maple. Will be covered by a foot of snow by the end of the day ... wonder if I should tarp it if I plan to start processing this weekend? Don't think it should matter ... feel kinda strange covering unprocessed wood.

[Hearth.com] Polar Maple Vortex

Although I wouldn't climb a tree in a snow, they said they have another job this morning, and offered even more wood. This is already about 2 weekends worth of work for me, so as much as it pains, me I told them I couldn't take it. Anyone in the Smithtown area this morning looking for a hook up before the snow tonight, send me a private message.
 
Sweet!
 
Jealous! I wish someone would drop off some free wood at my house! That is the best kind of wood score there is.
 
i don't cover mine
 
So we're expecting over a foot of snow today, but the tree guys are still working. Got a knock on my door this morning with a free delivery. Quite a bit of maple. Will be covered by a foot of snow by the end of the day ... wonder if I should tarp it if I plan to start processing this weekend? Don't think it should matter ... feel kinda strange covering unprocessed wood.

View attachment 124848

Although I wouldn't climb a tree in a snow, they said they have another job this morning, and offered even more wood. This is already about 2 weekends worth of work for me, so as much as it pains, me I told them I couldn't take it. Anyone in the Smithtown area this morning looking for a hook up before the snow tonight, send me a private message.

If I was going to process this load soon after the snow, I might cover it, if I had the tarp handy. Depending on the weather though, the tarp could make it worse. Maybe cover 1/2.
 
Covering it would keep the snow off, keep it from freezing together and make your processing a bit easier.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Backwoods Savage
I have never covered unsplit wood, but I also hate to get wet hands while splitting. If you cover it you will have dry hands and not need a maul to break the pieces free of one another.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Backwoods Savage
I'd cover it just to keep my gloves from getting wet. For your convenience of course.
I have an EzUp tent I use for farmers markets that I set up over the splitter and me, next to the pile and just split while its snowing.
Add a little Baileys to the coffee thermos and go to town.
And NEVER say no to free wood....especially dropped at the doorstep.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Backwoods Savage
That wood isn't gonna rot in 2 or 3 weeks. If it were covered for months and months then I'd worry about it a little.
 
It's already been said, but I'll say it again.

If you're concerned about the seasoning, don't worry . . . a few days, weeks, etc. under the snow will make little difference.

If you're concerned about working with wet, snow-covered, slick wood . . . sure, cover it up. Should only take a few minutes.

If you're not adverse to dusting off the snow or searching in the snow for the rounds and don't mind wet gloves . . . don't cover and admire your picturesque snow covered stacks.

If you're telling folks to not drop off any more wood . . . then no complaining if you run out of wood next year. ;) :) On a serious note . . . nice score!!!
 
It's already been said, but I'll say it again.

If you're concerned about the seasoning, don't worry . . . a few days, weeks, etc. under the snow will make little difference.

If you're concerned about working with wet, snow-covered, slick wood . . . sure, cover it up. Should only take a few minutes.

If you're not adverse to dusting off the snow or searching in the snow for the rounds and don't mind wet gloves . . . don't cover and admire your picturesque snow covered stacks.

If you're telling folks to not drop off any more wood . . . then no complaining if you run out of wood next year. ;) :) On a serious note . . . nice score!!!


almost like you've had some experience in this wood processing stuff Jake.;)
 
My rounds start to pile up in October each year and get split in the spring, nothing get covered until it has ben stacked for one year. Of coarse I do have the luxury of storing my rounds on a blacktop driveway so nothing rots.
 
Jealous. I wish there was someone like that in my area I could hook up with. Nice score....
 
I'd tarp it so as not to have to pull rounds out of a mound of snow.
An inch I probably wouldn't bother, but a foot, hell yeah.


Course, we usually get rain in the middle of a snow storm and then freeze after too.
.All froze together is no fun either.
 
Because you plan on working on this wood soon, I would have covered it. Just make handling the wood a bit easier and less messy. By the way, one of these things are worth a lot when it comes to lifting and/or carrying wet or snow covered wood.
[Hearth.com] Polar Maple Vortex The large one is the best. They say 12" but it can handle a lot larger round than that.
 
The snow is going to be dry and so cold the next few days you'll be able to blow it off with a leaf blower.
 
Because you plan on working on this wood soon, I would have covered it. Just make handling the wood a bit easier and less messy. By the way, one of these things are worth a lot when it comes to lifting and/or carrying wet or snow covered wood.
View attachment 124889 The large one is the best. They say 12" but it can handle a lot larger round than that.

Got a set of those tongs, they're keepers.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Backwoods Savage
I'd tarp it. It's not that hard to knock the snow off a tarp as you peel it off the wood pile, even if you don't get to all of it for a while and it melts a bit and then freezes. But if it melts and freezes directly on your random wood pile it would make it much more of a pain in the @ss to deal with.
Or, as somebody suggested, you could try covering half of it, then you'll find out for yourself which half is easier to work with.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Soundchasm
Past tense now but I would have tarped it. I've done it while processing wood before. It is a lot more pleasant to handle when it isn't covered in snow. And safer to handle as it looks like you might be recutting a few of those pieces. It also keeps it from freezing together or to the ground if you get a freeze/thaw cycle. Probably not an issue this week.

If you do need shorten some long pieces, the easiest way that I have found is to do it in bulk. I make a jig between two pallets stood up on their sides. Put a piece of 2x12 in the back as a stop at the length that I like. Load it up and run the saw down the front. I've done after the wood was split. The one thing that I dislike about pre-bucked tree man wood is that you usually get random lengths and wind up with a lot of very short chunks in the end.
 
I have some sitting out back. I just added to the pile and hadn't had the time to get anything to put on top of it yet. I just opted to throw a tarp over it for now till I get the tin to put on top. I din't want to mess with the snow.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Backwoods Savage
Status
Not open for further replies.