This is more wood than I thought.

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rudysmallfry

rudysmallfry

Minister of Fire
Hearth Supporter
Nov 29, 2005
617
Milford, CT
So some of you read about my huge score about a month ago when I woke up to the sound of chain saws across the street. I told the tree guys to feel free to dump the wood in my driveway and have since spent hours cutting it up into rounds. I have about 3/4 of it done. Can anyone tell from the pile how much wood I actually scored? Wood ID would also be appreciated. I'm thinking all Maples, but not sure. I'm very impressed with my little Stihl MS-180. It's really hanging in there.
 

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I'm pretty sure it's all silver maple. The picture of the rounds I would guess to be maybe 1.5 - 2 cord, but don't hold me to that! It looks pretty deep though, so I think that about where you'll end up after splitting and stacking.
 
Norway Maple? Couple cords, max.
 
Some of it has really coarse bark and almost looks like cherry, but I don't remember seeing anything other than Maple leaves over there over the years. I've gotten really good at cutting on the ground and am finally in the home stretch with this batch. Next it's off to the store to buy myself a fiskars splitting axe for Christmas. I'm rather proud of myself since I am new to chain saws as of last year and had only cut large limbs before this score.

I didn't realize that women + any power tool = hot. While I was taking a break and sharpening my chain, a guy came by walking his dog and said, "I'll never say this in front of my wife, but that's really hot". There I am standing there in blue chaps, dirty sweat pants, sawdust in my hair and googles on and apparently it's all overlooked due to the aforementioned power tool. Gotta love the male mind!
 
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rudysmallfry said:
Some of it has really coarse bark and almost looks like cherry, but I don't remember seeing anything other than Maple leaves over there over the years. I've gotten really good at cutting on the ground and am finally in the home stretch with this batch. Next it's off to the store to buy myself a fiskars splitting axe for Christmas. I'm rather proud of myself since I am new to chain saws as of last year and had only cut large limbs before this score.

I didn't realize that women + any power tool = hot. While I was taking a break and sharpening my chain, a guy came by walking his dog and said, "I'll never say this in front of my wife, but that's really hot". There I am standing there in blue chaps, dirty sweat pants, sawdust in my hair and googles on and apparently it's all overlooked due to the aforementioned power tool. Gotta love the male mind!
Click to expand...

I've never seen a woman run a chainsaw, and this entire time I thought I was giving advice to a male.. I'm impressed ;)
 
Thanks. I was rather worried I was taking on more than I could handle, but I've watched the guy around the corner from me use his chainsaw in shorts, sandals with a beer never too far away and he's still alive with all his limbs, so I figured I could figure it out. How long does silver maple take to season assuming I split it soon?
 
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rudysmallfry said:
Thanks. I was rather worried I was taking on more than I could handle, but I've watched the guy around the corner from me use his chainsaw in shorts, sandals with a beer never too far away and he's still alive with all his limbs, so I figured I could figure it out. How long does silver maple take to season assuming I split it soon?
Click to expand...

Silver maple should be good to go in 10-12 months as long as they aren't huge splits.
 
1-1/2 cords
 
rudysmallfry said:
Thanks. I was rather worried I was taking on more than I could handle, but I've watched the guy around the corner from me use his chainsaw in shorts, sandals with a beer never too far away and he's still alive with all his limbs, so I figured I could figure it out. How long does silver maple take to season assuming I split it soon?
Click to expand...
Yeah..... Chainsaw sandals and beer should not be in the same sentence......
I would like to see more pics, some splits, closer bark, a babe in chaps
 
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I don't think that's silver maple....
 
I am thinking 2-3 cords, closer to 2 if you split it small and stack it tight. Not counting what's under the blue tarp in the first pic.

But I am calibrated for 16" rounds. How long are you cutting those? 20-22"?
 
One thing I've found about maple, is it can look like almost half the other species of wood out there! One thing is for sure, its made out of wood and it will burn. ;)

Great score, especially that you didn't even have to go get it! I might have missed it, but the stuff under the blue tarp isnt part of this right? I'd say probably under 2 cords myself, just a guess.

rudysmallfry said:
Some of it has really coarse bark and almost looks like cherry, but I don't remember seeing anything other than Maple leaves over there over the years. I've gotten really good at cutting on the ground and am finally in the home stretch with this batch. Next it's off to the store to buy myself a fiskars splitting axe for Christmas. I'm rather proud of myself since I am new to chain saws as of last year and had only cut large limbs before this score.

I didn't realize that women + any power tool = hot. While I was taking a break and sharpening my chain, a guy came by walking his dog and said, "I'll never say this in front of my wife, but that's really hot". There I am standing there in blue chaps, dirty sweat pants, sawdust in my hair and googles on and apparently it's all overlooked due to the aforementioned power tool. Gotta love the male mind!
Click to expand...

Well my wife always said I looked hot when I was outside running saw or swinging an axe, dirty as all get out and sweating right through jeans, so I guess that applies to both genders really! Just that its more rare/unexpected with the gals methinks. Power tools aside, it is nice to find a gal that actually enjoys doing a little bit of hard work and getting dirty. Too many would rather not risk breaking a nail and rather turn on houswives of wherever reality tv and sit on a couch lol!
 
Nice score, I too will go with the Norway maple which by the way is a grade above Red or Silver.

I'm also a fan of the MS-180
 
The "hottest" thing is, she was sharpening her chain.
 
Yeah, the stuff under the blue tarp is last year's score. I did come across a branch with oak leaves on it today, so at least on of those is an oak. Roundish leaves, so I think that's red oak? I am shooting for 20" rounds. My stove takes 22", but I like to leave a little room for error. I cut the fatter stuff shorter so it's easier to split.

In case you guys haven't already guessed, I'm a bit of a tomboy. When my sister was playing with Barbie's, I was outside playing with frogs. I am a Patriots season ticket holder, have remodeled my house mostly solo, ride horses and play softball. I think I have a dress in my closet, but it's most likely sharing a hanger with my ski pants. Makeup and broken fingernails are not on my agenda!
 
1 full cord, maybe 1.25 if you are not a tight stacker
 
rudysmallfry said:
Yeah, the stuff under the blue tarp is last year's score. I did come across a branch with oak leaves on it today, so at least on of those is an oak. Roundish leaves, so I think that's red oak? I am shooting for 20" rounds. My stove takes 22", but I like to leave a little room for error. I cut the fatter stuff shorter so it's easier to split.

In case you guys haven't already guessed, I'm a bit of a tomboy. When my sister was playing with Barbie's, I was outside playing with frogs. I am a Patriots season ticket holder, have remodeled my house mostly solo, ride horses and play softball. I think I have a dress in my closet, but it's most likely sharing a hanger with my ski pants. Makeup and broken fingernails are not on my agenda!
Click to expand...

Oak leaves with the roundish lobes are some form of white oak.
 
rudysmallfry said:
Crap. White oak sucks.
Click to expand...
Nope, it's awesome. So is Red. Just needs plenty of time to dry. Try to separate any oak out from the Maple as you split it & stack separate. Oak won't be ready for next season. The Maple should be.
I agree that most looks like Norway Maple
 
I just have to figure out which is which. I'll repost pics when I'm ready to start splitting so I don't get them mixed up.
 
For some reason I have a heck of a time getting white oak to burn. It just sits there and laughs at me while everything else in the stove burns happily away.
 
rudysmallfry said:
For some reason I have a heck of a time getting white oak to burn. It just sits there and laughs at me while everything else in the stove burns happily away.
Click to expand...

That's because it's wet. Oak is extremely dense and takes 2-3 years to dry. My experience with oak has been similar to yours <>
 
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