What do I need to retrieve and split wood?

[cjgoode]

Have 6 acres on a steep wooded mountain. Lots of downed trees up there. Would like to start collecting it for firewood. What tools would people recommend to safely get and split it, most likely split most up on the mountain, some of its quite large.

I have
1. Good Stihl MS260 chainsaw with 18 bar chains and tools to sharpen. Been using it to just clear trees for years.
2. Chainsaw chaps, gloves and helmet with face shield.
3. Some axes.
4. Woodchuck quad to roll and lift logs (Just got it)

Plan to get
5. 3/4 ton Rope puller with 100' of rope.

Clearly I need a maul, wedges

Anything else anyone can think of within reason to make the work easier and SAFER. Any tips for working on steep hillsides. As of now I think I am only recovering downed trees, most fell naturally in various wind storms, some where the power company cut them down and left them recently. Then I will move on to felling some of the dead trees down the road.

 

[lindnova]

Sounds like you have a good start. How steep and far from landings is this mountain? Do you have access on top or bottom?

I have some pretty steep hills and usually cut into chunks then roll down the hill. Tedious and slow, but worth it for me with good oak only. Not worth it for junk wood when I have lots of that on field edges.

 

[jwfirebird]

most normal wheelbase quads aren't going to drag anything up hill. I used one for a while but all you could do is strap one side to a tree and use a winch an a good doubling pulley.

the utvs will actutually work a lot better than you would think, my rhino and max are about ten feet long, eps makes the max feel like a normal one but hills and hill work are way better

 

[cjgoode]

We can get a 4 wheeler about half way up, I have some old King Quads with full front and rear lockers and super granny gears. I would not want to come down with a log or a trailer. Its a narrow very long 6 acres to the top, house is at the bottom power lines cross about 1/3 of the way up. So I can drive around and onto the shelf for the power line crossing. Lot of good hard wood up there for the newly installed wood stove.

 

[jackatc1]

A snatch block, wire choker or short chain on the rope
to keep it from scouring the rope.

The snatch block if placed correctly will keep you safely out of the fall line.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

Have 6 acres on a steep wooded mountain. Lots of downed trees up there. Would like to start collecting it for firewood. What tools would people recommend to safely get and split it, most likely split most up on the mountain, some of its quite large.

I have
1. Good Stihl MS260 chainsaw with 18 bar chains and tools to sharpen. Been using it to just clear trees for years.
2. Chainsaw chaps, gloves and helmet with face shield.
3. Some axes.
4. Woodchuck quad to roll and lift logs (Just got it)

Plan to get
5. 3/4 ton Rope puller with 100' of rope.

Clearly I need a maul, wedges

Anything else anyone can think of within reason to make the work easier and SAFER. Any tips for working on steep hillsides. As of now I think I am only recovering downed trees, most fell naturally in various wind storms, some where the power company cut them down and left them recently. Then I will move on to felling some of the dead trees down the road.

I have almost the identical situation.

I've brought down about 5 cords by way of rolling, in a couple of ways. First, just setting them on edge and giving a push. Way too dangerous, they accelerate on the way down, and would destroy a car or put a hole in the side of the house if they made it past the edge of the woods. One made it, but luckily got caught in a tangle of vines and briars.

Next, I made a harness that I secure to each round with lag bolts on both cut sides, then walked each round to the bottom. Works well, but it is an incredible amount of hard, slow, work. Also hard on the knees and dangerous on the steep parts.

Probably brought down another cord with the wheelbarrow after splitting the rounds on the hill. This is not my solution, I'm just not man enough to handle the wheelbarrow full of green oak on that steep slope too many more times.

I've been contemplating some sort of rope based lift, like the tow rope you use on the bunny slope at the ski resort, coupled with either a four or three wheeled cart.

 

[Tar12]

Dang Ed I would have to seriously reconsider firewood if I had to go through that much effort!

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

Dang Ed I would have to seriously reconsider firewood if I had to go through that much effort!

Other people go to the gym, I wrangle firewood down the hill.

I consider it an exercise in character building, and suppose the fact that most of my wood is so hard to get at is part of the retribution for bad behavior earlier in life. ;-)

 

[Tar12]

Other people go to the gym, I wrangle firewood down the hill.

I consider it an exercise in character building, and suppose the fact that most of my wood is so hard to get at is part of the retribution for bad behavior earlier in life. ;-)

If its retribution then I wouldn't have it so easy! lol

 

[cjgoode]

Its free wood, free exercise, fresh air, and a feeling of accomplishment compared to handing some guy in a pickup truck a pile of cash.

 

[armanidog]

I have almost the identical situation.

I've brought down about 5 cords by way of rolling, in a couple of ways. First, just setting them on edge and giving a push. Way too dangerous, they accelerate on the way down, and would destroy a car or put a hole in the side of the house if they made it past the edge of the woods. One made it, but luckily got caught in a tangle of vines and briars.

Next, I made a harness that I secure to each round with lag bolts on both cut sides, then walked each round to the bottom. Works well, but it is an incredible amount of hard, slow, work. Also hard on the knees and dangerous on the steep parts.

Probably brought down another cord with the wheelbarrow after splitting the rounds on the hill. This is not my solution, I'm just not man enough to handle the wheelbarrow full of green oak on that steep slope too many more times.

I've been contemplating some sort of rope based lift, like the tow rope you use on the bunny slope at the ski resort, coupled with either a four or three wheeled cart.

I remembered seeing this video about a year ago. I'm not sure how big your logs are or if this would work. Maybe put a cart on both ends and use some kind of anchor to ease it down the hill?.

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[Easy Livin’ 3000]

I remembered seeing this video about a year ago. I'm not sure how big your logs are or if this would work. Maybe put a cart on both ends and use some kind of anchor to ease it down the hill?.

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He should make two carts and ride it down the hill.

 

[BenTN]

Along with the snatch block jack mentioned a skidding cone or homemade contraption to bring the logs down to your power line shelf and process there. Also a cant hook or peavey come in handy.

 

[cjgoode]

Its more about the challenge and experience but I also want the wood, and here is what I am looking at.
Looking up, we own all the way to the ridge.

This is about 1/3 of the way up just above the powerline crossing, logs I want are above this. I am thinking a rolling cart might not work

And probably 1/2 way up, here is one of my many downed trees I want to get.

 

[BenTN]

If that was my situation I would cut the logs 8-12' and winch them down hill to a semi level area, whether that is the power line clearing or the yard. Bucking those logs in place opens the risk of Runaway rounds headed for your home and vehicles. That appears pretty steep ground and a 50+lb round can gain significant speed. Some sort of skidding cone will help getting thru and over small stumps which probably litter that power line clearing. A snatch block will keep you clear of the path of the log in case it decides that gravity wins. Operate within the limits of your equipment( rope, puller, snatch block) to keep yourself and family safe.

 

[Simonkenton]

Sylva, huh? I am just down the road in Marshall.
What kind of wood is it? If it is locust, well and good. If it is oak, down but not rotten, well and good.
If it oak that has been down for several years, go up there and cut a tree in two and inspect. If it is 25 percent rotten, forget it!
Or, if it is sub par wood like poplar or white pine, fugeddaboudit! Not worth the trouble.

I would recommend that you get the maul that I have, the Monster Maul. But they went out of business 30 years ago, you might find one on craigslist if you are lucky.
So, get one of these Ochsenkopf wedges.

http://www.baileysonline.com/Forest...00-Twisted-Aluminium-Splitting-Wedge-Oval.axd

Yes it is expensive at $75 but worth it. I bought one several years ago. It will split anything. Made by Krauts, it is aluminum and it is spiral shaped, so that it twists as you hammer it into the wood.
That is for the really bad pieces. Also get a good maul, I don't know what is second-best after the Monster Maul.

I have a log cart. We use it to move logs around when building a log cabin.
But you don't want to use a cart! They work great on the flat land but lack brakes. You are gonna get in way over your head if you put one of those logs on wheels on that hill.

 

[cjgoode]

Very few if any pine trees, do not think much poplar but some, seems like a lot of oak, wild cherry, and black locust. Cutting a piece of black locust makes my stihl act like a sears saw that was run through the dirt, and those thorns are a nightmare. But I think most of the big wood I want to get is some type of oak, definitely a lot harder the poplar. But I will waste my time with poplar, burns great nice fire even if it does go fast. I do need to work on my tree identification skills, maybe next time I am up will have the neighbor walk around and teach me. Would like to make a wood pile of the burns easy and looks nice and the pile of heat the house with a long burn and high BTU pile.

 

[Simonkenton]

Locust is tough on the saw but it is the best firewood available in the state.
As for the poplar, to each his own. I am burning up several cords of black walnut right now, it is decent firewood, lots better than poplar, but not as good as oak and certainly not as good as locust.

Not gonna mess with any more of the walnut I want just the top tier wood.

 

[jwfirebird]

If that was my situation I would cut the logs 8-12' and winch them down hill to a semi level area, whether that is the power line clearing or the yard. Bucking those logs in place opens the risk of Runaway rounds headed for your home and vehicles. That appears pretty steep ground and a 50+lb round can gain significant speed. Some sort of skidding cone will help getting thru and over small stumps which probably litter that power line clearing. A snatch block will keep you clear of the path of the log in case it decides that gravity wins. Operate within the limits of your equipment( rope, puller, snatch block) to keep yourself and family safe.

second this, i think its going to weigh a ton. wouldnt be messing with rope. good 3500-4500 lb winch and doubling pulley wrapped around the tree section, quad wedged against some trees, snug it up before cutting anything, then lower it slowly. i used a superwinch for a long time, that one i never had to screw with. under mud and water a ton. all i ever had to do is replace he cable once and contactor after about 8 years. i also got amsteel for it you really need to use pulleys like they say with that but lasts longer than the steel did that way

 

[jwfirebird]

i also weld a 2 inch receiver in all my machines solid to the frame in the front and back, so you can hook it either place. they have hitch extensions pretty cheap at harbor freight.

 

[armanidog]

That is too steep for any kind of cart or dolly.
Maybe consider cutting the trees you want and cut of the branches,etc. Then hire someone with a cable skidder come and haul the logs down to your house, if that's not too much slope for a skidder. .I imagine it shouldn't be too much for a day's worth of skidding.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

Sylva, huh? I am just down the road in Marshall.
What kind of wood is it? If it is locust, well and good. If it is oak, down but not rotten, well and good.
If it oak that has been down for several years, go up there and cut a tree in two and inspect. If it is 25 percent rotten, forget it!
Or, if it is sub par wood like poplar or white pine, fugeddaboudit! Not worth the trouble.

I would recommend that you get the maul that I have, the Monster Maul. But they went out of business 30 years ago, you might find one on craigslist if you are lucky.
So, get one of these Ochsenkopf wedges.

http://www.baileysonline.com/Forest...00-Twisted-Aluminium-Splitting-Wedge-Oval.axd

Yes it is expensive at $75 but worth it. I bought one several years ago. It will split anything. Made by Krauts, it is aluminum and it is spiral shaped, so that it twists as you hammer it into the wood.
That is for the really bad pieces. Also get a good maul, I don't know what is second-best after the Monster Maul.


View attachment 220577
I have a log cart. We use it to move logs around when building a log cabin.
But you don't want to use a cart! They work great on the flat land but lack brakes. You are gonna get in way over your head if you put one of those logs on wheels on that hill.

That monster maul is so great that the company went out of business, and no one else copies the design. I've spent enough hours on the wrong end of one to know why people don't like them. Way overkill on the weight and that rigid steel handle transfers 100% of the shock right back to the user. No thanks.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

Locust is tough on the saw but it is the best firewood available in the state.
As for the poplar, to each his own. I am burning up several cords of black walnut right now, it is decent firewood, lots better than poplar, but not as good as oak and certainly not as good as locust.

Not gonna mess with any more of the walnut I want just the top tier wood.

Poplar warms just fine if that's what you've got. Not everyone has unlimited access to that vicious locust.

 

[Hasufel]

That monster maul is so great that the company went out of business, and no one else copies the design. I've spent enough hours on the wrong end of one to know why people don't like them. Way overkill on the weight and that rigid steel handle transfers 100% of the shock right back to the user. No thanks.

If you miss it that much you could try one of these: Ironton Heavy-Duty Splitting Maul — 12-Lb.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

If you miss it that much you could try one of these: Ironton Heavy-Duty Splitting Maul — 12-Lb.
View attachment 220781

I stand corrected. Copies are all over the interweb. This one is a slight improvement over the original, doesn't have the stepped handle. In reading the reviews, it reminded me of another feature that I hated- it has a round handle. Ergonomics be damned! In the marketing, it should say, "guaranteed to wreck your joints as you split".

I'll stick with my set of fiskars splitters, thanks.