Splitter Droppings.

[valley ranch]

Greetings, You know all the chips, chunks, bits and pieces that pile up around the splitter? Well, the girls gathered and filled trash bags full, and we took them ,about 25, down to the Nevada ranch.

When we go down to the lower ranch its cold inside. When I start a fire in that little Nordic they, those chips burn hot and heat that place fast.
Gota arrange a box or something, the bags are a messy way of handling that type of fuel.

Richard

 

[2PistolPacker]

I have fought this problem for years and decided to buy some Contico Tuff Bins w/locks to store my scrap kindling. I have 8 of these bins, 3 are full of the kindling, 5 others are loaded with firewood. I keep one bin full of logs in the garage and can easily move a full bin with a 2 wheeler to replace an empty bin. Dry wood and no mess in the garage. I used to save everything to use as kindling, now I only save actual wood shards and chunks, chain saw dust gets tilled into the garden while bark and all other wood debris gets burned in the outdoor fireplace. It took me several years to figure out a system that is easy and clean. Now that I started using Super Cedars and quit using kindling to start my fires, what do I do with 3 bins of kindling?

 

[BobUrban]

The never ending "what to do with the mess" thread. We all get it and have differing uses. Mine gets raked around the processing area to keep the mud down or used for trail maintenance but it sure does burn great when needed.

 

[kennyp2339]

I just cleaned my "shorts & uglies" up, I got probably a 1/2 face cord out of it, there still to wet from laying on the ground but they will come in handy next fall when I do small fires to take the edge off. Its funny how they add up, it doesn't look like much but when you put it all together there's a wow factor.

 

[HackBerry]

I'm currently trying to figure out what to do with a big pile of Black Locust bark.

 

[2PistolPacker]

I'm currently trying to figure out what to do with a big pile of Black Locust bark.

Someone told me that bark is a great producer of creosote, so I burned it outside. In fact I burned the BL bark and trash as soon as the wood was split because there were white 1" long larvae under it.

 

[Grateful11]

I need to start saving it for little outdoor fire pit.

 

[Fred Wright]

Splitter scraps make for excellent kindling. We have a couple wheeled trash cans we no longer use for trash since the local hauler issues their own to customers.

So every year after the splitting's done I rake up the scraps and fill those cans. We got 2 1/2 cans this year ~ partially filled another old can that was setting around doing nothing.

 

[lindnova]

The wood chips & pieces: I pick those up and put them in cardboard boxes. If I sell some wood to a friend or something I have included a box and have several boxes sitting in the basement that I am slowly whittling away at using for kindling. I occasionally go to Aldi foods and if you have been there, they don't provide bags unless you pay for them ($0.05/EA for paper or more for cloth). Most people bring their own or use boxes from the store which is encouraged; anything to save a few pennies. I like the chip boxes. Find one that only has a couple bags left and use it to put some groceries in. Then I reuse it again. They have handles and work good for the kindling - especially if I am ahead on the splitting and the box may sit for over a year before I use it.

Bark: I was dumping it on my septic system where there were low spots, but now I got that all leveled up last summer. Now I dump it in a hole where I stole dirt and sand to level up the septic system. Should last me a few years before it is full, then I will have some good compost from it or just leave it. Otherwise I just throw it in the field or un-mowed areas. I guess I have the luxury of space compared to a confined yard. If I was confined to a city yard, I would haul it to the recycling center where they take leaves and lawn waste to make into compost.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

Splitter scraps make for excellent kindling. We have a couple wheeled trash cans we no longer use for trash since the local hauler issues their own to customers.

So every year after the splitting's done I rake up the scraps and fill those cans. We got 2 1/2 cans this year ~ partially filled another old can that was setting around doing nothing.

That's what I do too, the cans with lids keeps the kindling scrap nice and dry.....
Also you should split on a tarp, when your done splitting the scrap slides easily into the can and there is nothing left to clean up, kinda like you weren't even there.....

 

[SawdustSA]

I use the splitter scraps in my flower beds. It covers the soil to prevent weeds from growing and reduce evaporation in summer. I also think it is pleasing on the eye.

 

[OhioBurner©]

I've never used a hydraulic splitter but my little pieces left over from the axe get put into 5 gallon buckets for firestarter and kindling. Split maybe around 3 cords of ash so far this fall and filled up 3 buckets and ran out of empty ones so started filling up a box thats about 2-3 pail equivalent, filled that up and now the ground is still covered in pieces. This ash is giving me a ton of small chips and pieces. And still another cord to go.

 

[Cluttermagnet]

Pretty much every fire I start is done using some splitter scraps. I find the stuff highly valuable.
I'm always picking it up and saving it, bags, bushels, whatever. It's amazing how much of it I
go through in an entire season. I also use proportionally even more kindling when starting
fires, and that's the stuff I just can't seem to get enough of. Maybe some pallet wood this
winter if I get around to picking up some old pallets and dragging them home...

 

[Coach B]

I like to pick up the bigger scraps as I process the wood and put them into the stacks. Then when I come back a couple years later to actually burn the wood the scraps are there to be used for kindling.

 

[Got Wood]

collect and use for kindling

 

[jillybeansisme]

Thanks for all the ideas! Pretty soon I'll actually be doing some of this. I love Hearth.com and all that I've been learning. You guys and gals are great!