Small "logs"

[swe13]

Just curious what other people do. When processing your trees, what is the smallest diameter that you will bother cutting and saving?

 

[Grizzerbear]

I normally cut and keep limbs down to around the diameter of my wrist/forearm. There really is no wrong or right size but I find much smaller is just more time than its worth for a little amount of wood. It certainly doesn't hurt to keep smaller than that though.

 

[peakbagger]

1.5 to 2" diameter is my limit. if you stack wood in multiple rows save some long ones the width of the overall stack and lay them in between the rows as you stack. This allows you to leave a gap between the rows to increase air flow and drying while keeping the stack solid. It acts like rebar in concrete.

 

[fvhowler]

I will process down to 2 inches and stack the small stuff with larger splits or throw in the kindling pile.

 

[xman23]

It all burns, so 2-3 inch about as small as I go. Peak, exactly what I do with the double rows. It's the best stacking method.

 

[kennyp2339]

If its oak or locust 3" is the smallest I'll go, anything else just gets tossed into the firepit as limb wood from other hardwood species doesnt last as long, at 3" I'll still split it in half for drying reasons.

 

[all night moe]

It really depends on the wood species for me. I go as small as about 2'' in dia. For oaks, hickory, sugar maple, honey locust, ...... i cut them down to 16'' so they fit easily in my stove. For the twisty pieces and wood of lesser "quality," I cut down to 36''. My wood furnace has a 4'D fire box. For black locust I stay a bit bigger in dia for the keepers. The bark is so darn thick.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

The smallest I go is the 2 to 3 inch range. anything smaller then that is not really worth it. I get smaller stuff here and there when splitting. I do like the tops of trees, you just wack and stack, but there comes a point were it looks more like twigs. I used to pass on the canopy of the tree. I fined the 2.5 to 5 in stuff great to put right in the stove

 

[firefighterjake]

2 inches or so . . . growing up we never bothered with the smaller stuff, but we had plenty of wood to pick from vs. today where I scrounge. Plus, as my wife pointed out, I might as well use most of the tree since it's cut down and will still burn. Smaller stuff takes a bit more time, but the trade off is being able to pack the firebox to the gills in the dead of winter with the smaller stuff filling in the gaps.

 

[jatoxico]

The very small stuff can be bagged up in breathable bags to dry. Makes for great kindling and for quick hot shoulder season burns. Waste not want not.

 

[fbelec]

as said above i take it down to 1 inch for starting, filling in the firebox and the top of my piles to smooth out so i don't rip a tarp or plastic covering

 

[incinerator]

I keep anything to burn that won't fit in my small wood chipper. I put the wood chips on the garden. Everything else becomes heat.

 

[Highbeam]

I hate cutting up the little stuff. Way harder on your back and way easier to get your saw chain in the dirt, it takes way more time and fuel for the same volume of firewood. I propose it’s more dangerous too. I really don’t like anything under 4”. I’ll take 40” logs all day long.

 

[all night moe]

I used to have an old Craftsmen chop saw that the table seized on 90*
It was perfect for knocking down stick wood with ease. All my straight stuff up to 4''ish in diam went through it.

 

[Caw]

I try not to waste anything. Pieces that are 2-5" get stacked for the wood stove. Anything smaller goes into the kindling bins, larger goes into the firepit bins. S fire pit is a great way to get rid of yard sticks and non-usable processing scraps. The only things I get rid of are the legit sticks and giant stuff, that all goes to the brush dump.

 

[jatoxico]

Lopping shears for the small stuff.