updated log pile
- Thread starter gotboostido
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WoodyIsGoody
Minister of Fire
That bar is plenty long for everything there although you might be little down on power. A good sharp chain will be mandatory.
Have fun!
ValleyCottageSplitter
Feeling the Heat
Nice, with some of those close ups it looks like a lot of them are oaks. Pretty sure pic 2 is a white oak and I see many red oaks in some of the others. I'm not sure about that larger one in pic1, maybe sassafras or something by the color? Maybe another red oak? They look pretty nice and straight. Should not give you too much trouble splitting.
Red oak goes bad pretty quickly. You might want to get those cut, split and stacked within 6mo if they are directly on the ground. Otherwise you might want to get them on some type of board or riser.
I would start looking for firewood storage ASAP so you have a place to put them!
Red oak goes bad pretty quickly. You might want to get those cut, split and stacked within 6mo if they are directly on the ground. Otherwise you might want to get them on some type of board or riser.
I would start looking for firewood storage ASAP so you have a place to put them!
You are correct pic 2 is a white oak. And the larger trunk is some type of oak. Im beginning to think i bit of more than i can chew. Lol. I have a place for wood storage. But there is about 15 18"×10' logs laying there. And will need to need to be cleaned up. So i have a lot of work to do.
I'll bet a beaver could chew it.
Just schedule one log every two-three days (at least until the soreness is gone) and you will have it done in two months.
Soundchasm
Minister of Fire
Man, it looks daunting for sure. Can't recall if anyone hipped you up to the toolless wood rack. They're not permanent and that's the beautiful part. You could set up as many as you can handle right next to your work. Buck, buck, buck, and stack, stack, stack. Then they're off the ground for as long as you need until you can split and move to the permanent home. One will hold about .4 cord. Then you've also got a reasonably good measure instead of a heap. Use no less than three concrete blocks per rack.
Nice pile of future firewood. Put that little pull-on to work. It will do it.
WoodyIsGoody
Minister of Fire
That's a lot of wood. But you can't wait for the soreness to be gone, it'll never get done. The trick is to stretch out, warm up, work methodically and plan on being sore until you get 'er whipped. The bigger problem might be where to put it all.
velvetfoot
Minister of Fire
Soundchasm
Minister of Fire
My motto is "if it's hard work you're doing it wrong". Tap into your inner Archimedes. Don't use your hands as tools. RSI is as real as toothpaste. You're going to make certain motions 500+ times. Give it some thought as required. You'll surprise yourself how much effort (injury) you can spare yourself.
Give each session a fresh look for strategy to improve on the previous session. It's kind of fun that way.
Give each session a fresh look for strategy to improve on the previous session. It's kind of fun that way.
ValleyCottageSplitter
Feeling the Heat
If you want a slightly less tool-less version, I modified a rack to hold a 4' wide tarp using some cross beams. It is still completely portable. It currently holds 1 cord (4'x6';1/4 per section), but I may expand for 2+ once some of this stuff starts paying off. It was about $75/cord for materials+tarp.
It's been working great. The ash went from 34->23% MC after 4mo, while the Norway Maple is at 27-31% after 6mo (2 in this rack). We'll see how it handles with the snow pretty soon...
That would be his original 15 logs. Looks like he's got more like 50 logs! If he's doing 1 log/2 days that's going to be about 3.5-4 months
I'm sure you could go much faster though. With not much warming up I bucked about a cord (9 logs) in about 2 hours (and I picked a 90°F day
). That was done delicately inside a Uhaul trailer too.If you find you're going too slow gotboostido, I'm sure someone nearby on Hearth.com would be happy to help buck some logs for a little bit of woody reward! If you are lucky maybe someone will offer a splitter too...
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With that kind of volume I'd go with a bigger saw because it would be so much more enjoyable. The bigger saws aren't usually as enjoyable unless they are being put to the test. Plus if the rounds are too big to split you can noodle them to manageable chunks with the bigger saw.
Not that the Poulan 18" can't pull it off... If you were only doing a log or two I'd say no need for anything larger.
Not that the Poulan 18" can't pull it off... If you were only doing a log or two I'd say no need for anything larger.
Thanks for all the help. I have so much bleeping wood here. Im done with the tree service. They dropped 50 trees. A bunch of pine. Which got chipped on site. And a ton of small trees.i had them save all the straight poles. Im by no means an experience woodsman. But i do know what a cord of wood looks like. Ive probably split 10 cords in my lifetime. But i would estimate i have ten cords laying around. On top of the wood in the pictures we dropped 5 mature silver maples. And that is all piled up. Ive also upgraded the saw. I returned the 460 rancher. And went big. And grabbed a 562 xp with a 20" bar. I be honest this thing makes me a little nervous. I tested it out on a 21" silver maple. And it ripped through it no problem. Also ive cleared an area for 4 cords not sure what i will put under the wood. Im thinking 16'x4' boxes made of 2×6 pt wood filled with stone. With a vapor barrier under it. Elevated just slightly off the ground. For waTer run off. I'll have to do some math to see how much stone i will need. Well anyways i will keep you guys posted. Till then happy burning
Soundchasm
Minister of Fire
Water, water, water, and not a drop to drink! Fuel for years but none for tonight. 
I worked one live cut silver maple. That thing was heavy as hell and dried out like balsa wood. But, it seasoned quickly, less than 12 months split small. So maybe work the smaller silver stuff to get it into rounds and maybe it could be ready first. But it's the "pine" of hardwoods.
For your new Husky, find the carb adjuster tool online. It's absolutely mandatory. And get a file and guide for the chain. Also mandatory. Filing seems crazy at first until you get the hang of it. Then it takes ten minutes for my 16" bar at the end of the day. So if I've used two more more tanks of gas, the chain gets a touch-up. BEST ten minutes you can spend.
I out-cut a guy who had a 460 rancher all day (for a few days) with my tiny little 435 16". All I had to do was touch up my chain each night. I rarely gloat, but...
I worked one live cut silver maple. That thing was heavy as hell and dried out like balsa wood. But, it seasoned quickly, less than 12 months split small. So maybe work the smaller silver stuff to get it into rounds and maybe it could be ready first. But it's the "pine" of hardwoods.
For your new Husky, find the carb adjuster tool online. It's absolutely mandatory. And get a file and guide for the chain. Also mandatory. Filing seems crazy at first until you get the hang of it. Then it takes ten minutes for my 16" bar at the end of the day. So if I've used two more more tanks of gas, the chain gets a touch-up. BEST ten minutes you can spend.
I out-cut a guy who had a 460 rancher all day (for a few days) with my tiny little 435 16". All I had to do was touch up my chain each night. I rarely gloat, but...
A brandy new saw with way more hp and speed than you are used to SHOULD make you nervous - at least for a little bit. That is your brain telling you to walk before you run with this thing. Remember - these bigger saws should be treated like they are one step from jumping up to kill you - well, cuz they are.
Being a nervous to begin with is good on a bigger more powerful saw. Have an exit plan for each cut since it happens quickly and be methodical in the work you do so that none of the safety steps are missed.
Once you get a few hours into it you'll be able to appreciate how much easier you are able to cut large volumes of wood. I had the same nervous feeling going from my little MS211 to a 365 Special. Now the 365 Special feels right at home for larger logs and the MS211 shines at limbs and small work.
Once you get a few hours into it you'll be able to appreciate how much easier you are able to cut large volumes of wood. I had the same nervous feeling going from my little MS211 to a 365 Special. Now the 365 Special feels right at home for larger logs and the MS211 shines at limbs and small work.
Petstang
Member
Try not to get too discouraged. It's a lot of wood. We all have underestimated how long it would take to process a job. If it takes all winter, who cares? As long as the wood is off your lawn and not blocking the driveway, I think you are fine. If some rots before you can process it, don't worry. It's all gravy at this point anyway. You paid to cut the the trees down. Free heat was just a bonus. You're not a business selling wood to make a profit, so don't worry if it takes a long time.
However, it you want the wood out of there fast, get some help or put an ad on Craigslist for free wood. All of it would be gone in two weeks.
As for the stone, it's probably over kill. I have put my stacks on 4x4s and it dried just fine. No need for vapor barrier.
Hang in there!
However, it you want the wood out of there fast, get some help or put an ad on Craigslist for free wood. All of it would be gone in two weeks.
As for the stone, it's probably over kill. I have put my stacks on 4x4s and it dried just fine. No need for vapor barrier.
Hang in there!
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