Scramble mode how you setting for this winter?

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fabsroman said:
Me, I am scrambling like crazy. I have 1.4 cords (i.e., 15' x 6' x 2') stacked with a small second stack started out. have a little over a truckload split sitting at my parents and waiting to be hauled up here this weekend or next week. Will probably be getting another cord next week. I have a bunch of wood left to c/s/s at a client's place down the road. I should be a year ahead by the end of the year, but who knows. Might even end up 2 years ahead, but time will tell.

My big issue right now is hoping that this stuff dries enough before I need to start using it. Hoping to get some dead dry stuff from that client mentioned above because I know the trees have been down for 3+ years. I'll know a little more about that come the end of the month.

Yeah, I wouldn't really count on the trees that have been down, though it probably depends upon the type. This past winter I bought some land that had some red oaks on it that had been dropped and cut into 4' sections. According to a neighbor the wood was like that for about 3 years. Some of it was stacked, a lot of it wasn't, and as I'm splitting it I'm realizing none of it is dry enough for this year. Granted, this is red oak and it's 14-24" in diameter. There were a few red maples too, but I'm finding a lot of punk in those. I hope you have better luck than me.
 
Should be all set for this year- about 4 cord up and drying since March/April. Think I am going to have to buy a grapple load to get going on next year's wood and part of the year after that. With the new stove, I am hoping for some more efficient burns and a reduction in the wood used. We shall see.
 
fahmahbob said:
fabsroman said:
Me, I am scrambling like crazy. I have 1.4 cords (i.e., 15' x 6' x 2') stacked with a small second stack started out. have a little over a truckload split sitting at my parents and waiting to be hauled up here this weekend or next week. Will probably be getting another cord next week. I have a bunch of wood left to c/s/s at a client's place down the road. I should be a year ahead by the end of the year, but who knows. Might even end up 2 years ahead, but time will tell.

My big issue right now is hoping that this stuff dries enough before I need to start using it. Hoping to get some dead dry stuff from that client mentioned above because I know the trees have been down for 3+ years. I'll know a little more about that come the end of the month.

Yeah, I wouldn't really count on the trees that have been down, though it probably depends upon the type. This past winter I bought some land that had some red oaks on it that had been dropped and cut into 4' sections. According to a neighbor the wood was like that for about 3 years. Some of it was stacked, a lot of it wasn't, and as I'm splitting it I'm realizing none of it is dry enough for this year. Granted, this is red oak and it's 14-24" in diameter. There were a few red maples too, but I'm finding a lot of punk in those. I hope you have better luck than me.

Yeah, I hope I have better luck than you too. I guess I am going to get over there ASAP and see what the situation is. Worst case scenario I heat with natural gas this winter and start using wood next winter. My dad has 2 cords of pretty well seasoned wood that I might use, but we shall see. His only use for it is a fireplace right now, which is a complete waste of it. If he gets an insert, then that will be a different matter.
 
Hey fabs, go for the tops & smaller limbs on the dead stuff first, that will be easy to get seasoned by fall. It's a bit more work, but way cheaper than NG.
 
smokinjay said:
Girlfriends son is on scramble mode this weekend. He has big piles of monster rounds and the city is on him. (Party Saturday) ;-) He buying! Where are you at? Hope its at-least a year ahead and Fishing!

Splitter is tune-up, and ready for a 5 cord weekend and lots of young HP!


Over four years ahead (sold the fifth year) and some arse :vampire: from Indiana talked me into getting an alaskan chainsaw mill!

Sounds like the splitting party will be a good time.

zap
 
I said to myself that if I ever made it to 40 cords C/S/S, I would sell off the splitter and saw and relax for 4-5 years. Thinking I should bump the number up to 60, just so I don't get there in the near future.
 
mywaynow said:
I would sell off the splitter and saw

Blasphemy. Incidentally, 40 cord can turn into 25 in 9 months if you have other projects going and sell a little.
 
The selling part intrigues me, though scares me at the same time. I have had some ask to buy already, but don't know if I could let any go. I may cook 5-6 cords in a long season, so I am arouind 6 years ahead now. Problem is I enjoy the work. I feel like I am in better shape/stronger now than I have ever been. Maybe 75 cords?
 
mywaynow said:
I have had some ask to buy already, but don't know if I could let any go.

Saws need bars/chains, hydraulic pump in the dumper died, trailer tire blew out, want some lights housed in steel for the trailer, trailer could use a paint job and some brakes, and have been eyeing a mill for a while. Makes it a little easier to let some go when the shopping list gets to this point.
 
mywaynow said:
The selling part intrigues me, though scares me at the same time. I have had some ask to buy already, but don't know if I could let any go. I may cook 5-6 cords in a long season, so I am arouind 6 years ahead now. Problem is I enjoy the work. I feel like I am in better shape/stronger now than I have ever been. Maybe 75 cords?

I have the same issue as you though not to the same magnitude. I was a first year burner last year consuming 2.1 cords (waited til December to start though)but now I am over 4 years ahead. fortunately it's almost all oak so it should not rot. I have given some away already to people that need it. I thought about selling a couple of cords but only for a premium price because it would be seasoned wood. I want to keep going because I love the work as well. Fortunately I have a date with 2 large trees when the weather cools.

No reason to sell any equipment though :)
 
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