Why big rounds are worth big efforts

[mywaynow]

This round started about 28 inches in diameter. It yielded 28 logs that were all 10 inch circumferance or larger splits. 3x3x4 wedges- 2.5 inch squares, etc. Definitely worth the effort.

 

[gzecc]

Not if you need a $1000 piece of equipment to get it done. Really big rounds are hard to transport and split. I usually turn them down, if I can't roll them up my trailer ramp. Unless they are ash or black locust. Then I'll kill myself to load them.

 

[jerseykat1]

Not if you need a $1000 piece of equipment to get it done. Really big rounds are hard to transport and split. I usually turn them down, if I can't roll them up my trailer ramp. Unless they are ash or black locust. Then I'll kill myself to load them.

What's so special about black locust? And do you have any pics of black locust? I already know ash is great wood, just not sure I have ever burnt any black locust, yellow locust yes but black locust??

 

[lukem]

Not if you need a $1000 piece of equipment to get it done. Really big rounds are hard to transport and split. I usually turn them down, if I can't roll them up my trailer ramp. Unless they are ash or black locust. Then I'll kill myself to load them.

What's so special about black locust? And do you have any pics of black locust? I already know ash is great wood, just not sure I have ever burnt any black locust, yellow locust yes but black locust??

Black Locust is like oak without the 2-3 year wait for drying.

 

[Stump_Branch]

Black locust has a very high BTU rating. it also seasons relatively quick. not the best smelling word in the world but worth it.

 

[gzecc]

Not if you need a $1000 piece of equipment to get it done. Really big rounds are hard to transport and split. I usually turn them down, if I can't roll them up my trailer ramp. Unless they are ash or black locust. Then I'll kill myself to load them.

What's so special about black locust? And do you have any pics of black locust? I already know ash is great wood, just not sure I have ever burnt any black locust, yellow locust yes but black locust??

Black Locust is like oak without the 2-3 year wait for drying.

Ditto

 

[Thistle]

Since I sold my 20 ton Speeco H/V splitter 5 yrs ago,I've gone back to splitting by hand.It dont matter whether its a 8" straight grained Red Oak or a 3ft gnarly Mulberry or Silver Maple.If I have the room for it,it all comes home.Its no big deal to quarter the big ones with sledge/wedges or make a couple rip cuts to load them easier.I can always wait for a cooler or less busy day for final splitting.Any wood I split now will be great next winter,then its time to relax once its all done.

 

[zzr7ky]

My sons used to load stuff down to 2" diameter or so thinking they were saving effort since it didn't need splitting.

Now they appreciate large rounds. They're a very efficient shape. Lots of wood, little handling until the wood is right next to the wood stack!

I never thought much obout giant rounds being heavy. Breaking down overwieght rounds is easily accomplished. I take a couple steel wedges in my saw kit that goes in the woods with me. I have cut wooden wedges (Gluts) to split scrounged wood.

 

[lukem]

My sons used to load stuff down to 2" diameter or so thinking they were saving effort since it didn't need splitting.

Now they appreciate large rounds. They're a very efficient shape. Lots of wood, little handling until the wood is right next to the wood stack!

I never thought much obout giant rounds being heavy. Breaking down overwieght rounds is easily accomplished. I take a couple steel wedges in my saw kit that goes in the woods with me. I have cut wooden wedges (Gluts) to split scrounged wood.

I haul everything home in rounds. Takes maybe 15 minutes to load up a half cord this way. If they are too big to lift I score them with my saw a couple inches deep and them bust them in half with a wedge. Takes 2 minutes.

 

[gzecc]

Not if you need a $1000 piece of equipment to get it done. Really big rounds are hard to transport and split. I usually turn them down, if I can't roll them up my trailer ramp. Unless they are ash or black locust. Then I'll kill myself to load them.

What's so special about black locust? And do you have any pics of black locust? I already know ash is great wood, just not sure I have ever burnt any black locust, yellow locust yes but black locust??

Google black locust images. There are many. Its very identifiable once you know it.
Its close to mulburry interior but a yellowish green and a much more corse bark.
Unless you are near me in NJ. Then its crappy wood!

 

[WoodpileOCD]

I love big rounds of wood that's decently split-able. I have a hand truck with 12" tires on it that is designed for moving full 55 gal drums and it sure makes moving big rounds up the ramp to the trailer easy enough. Of course any 'huge' rounds I noodle or split into manageable pieces first. Learned early on that most any big job can be broken down into smaller ones. Wedges are a must for scrounging and I like the idea of scoring a big round with the saw first. I'll have to try that at the next opportunity.

 

[Hiram Maxim]

Not if you need a $1000 piece of equipment to get it done. Really big rounds are hard to transport and split. I usually turn them down, if I can't roll them up my trailer ramp. Unless they are ash or black locust. Then I'll kill myself to load them.

What's so special about black locust? And do you have any pics of black locust? I already know ash is great wood, just not sure I have ever burnt any black locust, yellow locust yes but black locust??

If someone said you can only burn one species of wood for the rest of your life......Black Locust would be my choice! ;-P

Burns hot, burns long, splits like a dream, grows like a weed, reproduces very quickly, and drys pretty darn fast.

Will make your Ash seem very mediocre.

 

[Wood Duck]

Not if you need a $1000 piece of equipment to get it done. Really big rounds are hard to transport and split. I usually turn them down, if I can't roll them up my trailer ramp. Unless they are ash or black locust. Then I'll kill myself to load them.

What's so special about black locust? And do you have any pics of black locust? I already know ash is great wood, just not sure I have ever burnt any black locust, yellow locust yes but black locust??

There is no tree known as Yellow Locust, but Black Locust has sort of yellow wood, so maybe we're all talking about the same tree. You must have lots of Black Locust near you if you live in NJ.

 

[CountryBoy19]

Not if you need a $1000 piece of equipment to get it done. Really big rounds are hard to transport and split. I usually turn them down, if I can't roll them up my trailer ramp. Unless they are ash or black locust. Then I'll kill myself to load them.

What's so special about black locust? And do you have any pics of black locust? I already know ash is great wood, just not sure I have ever burnt any black locust, yellow locust yes but black locust??

If someone said you can only burn one species of wood for the rest of your life......Black Locust would be my choice! ;-P

Burns hot, burns long, splits like a dream, grows like a weed, reproduces very quickly, and drys pretty darn fast.

Will make your Ash seem very mediocre.

This ^^^ If I had to choose a single wood to grow as a sustainable firewood supply, black locust would be it. Black locust grows like a weed, it's very straight/tall in most cases, and splits really easy. Also, when cut, rather than die, it sends up suckers. Prune back all but one, and within a year or two you'll end up with a sapling 3+ inches diameter because it doesn't have to re-grow the root system, it's already established.

 

[Hiram Maxim]

Not if you need a $1000 piece of equipment to get it done. Really big rounds are hard to transport and split. I usually turn them down, if I can't roll them up my trailer ramp. Unless they are ash or black locust. Then I'll kill myself to load them.

What's so special about black locust? And do you have any pics of black locust? I already know ash is great wood, just not sure I have ever burnt any black locust, yellow locust yes but black locust??

There is no tree known as Yellow Locust, but Black Locust has sort of yellow wood, so maybe we're all talking about the same tree. You must have lots of Black Locust near you if you live in NJ.

he might mean honey locusts?

 

[Thistle]

he might mean honey locusts?

Honey Locust is sometimes called that here in the Midwest.Dont know about elsewhere.

 

[Kenster]

I love big rounds cut from thick straight trunks. I brought home a pickup bed full of green Water Oak last week. I had to quarter them in the field to be able to lift them into the truck. I weighed one of the quarters on a bathroom scale when I got home--- 76 pounds!! Do the math and you'll see why I had to break up the rounds. The quarters were hard enough to lift!

I split about half of this haul yesterday. My Fiskars SS tore those quarters up easily enough. They split nice and clean and easy. I'll take big rounds over curve, gnarly, knotty limb wood any day.

 

[CTYank]

Not if you need a $1000 piece of equipment to get it done. Really big rounds are hard to transport and split. I usually turn them down, if I can't roll them up my trailer ramp. Unless they are ash or black locust. Then I'll kill myself to load them.

What's so special about black locust? And do you have any pics of black locust? I already know ash is great wood, just not sure I have ever burnt any black locust, yellow locust yes but black locust??

Try some. You'll never go back. Seriously, you might have an enjoyable epiphany coming. Ash, IMHO, is good, not quite great.

 

[CTYank]

Nobody's yet pointed out that most of the amateur scroungers that get to a roadside pile before you, load up their Jettas with the little limb wood. Don't tell them that the real volume/mass of wood is in the large rounds, and it doesn't take much to bust them up. A side benefit: less bark means less ash.
If I can get to it with a saw & maul, I'll happily take it.

 

[basswidow]

I agree - big rounds are worth the effort. You get more out of them. But my ideal size is 5 gal bucket size. Perfect for cutting, lifting, splitting. If I get into those big wash tub size rounds - I score them and split them with a wedge too. EASY.


I am gonna disagree on the black locust. Everyone here on Hearth.com LOVES black locust. I burned about 2 cords of it this year (see my avatar photo). I was disappointed in the heat output. It wasn't as strong as my cherry and it doesn't hold a candle to well seasoned oak. Seriously, If I have a scrounge for BL - I may pass on it for better wood. Call me crazy - it was a let down.

There's a big black locust down right now on Schooly Mt at the fire station in NJ. Huge trunk. Have at it! I'll pass on it.

BL is easy to work with. Splits good by hand and seasons quick. Lots of little splinters if you handle it without gloves. Big bark does stink alittle - but that doesn't bother me. I just wasn't WOW'd by BL.

 

[ecocavalier02]

Not if you need a $1000 piece of equipment to get it done. Really big rounds are hard to transport and split. I usually turn them down, if I can't roll them up my trailer ramp. Unless they are ash or black locust. Then I'll kill myself to load them.

1000 bucks is nothin in the long run. i saved more that on oil this year. and that roudn in the picture i could lift itnto my pickup myself. i deal with stuff 3 times bigger and its still worth it. just bring the splitter or wedge or noodle it soi can lift it.

 

[smokinj]

Not if you need a $1000 piece of equipment to get it done. Really big rounds are hard to transport and split. I usually turn them down, if I can't roll them up my trailer ramp. Unless they are ash or black locust. Then I'll kill myself to load them.

1000 bucks is nothin in the long run. i saved more that on oil this year. and that roudn in the picture i could lift itnto my pickup myself. i deal with stuff 3 times bigger and its still worth it. just bring the splitter or wedge or noodle it soi can lift it.

lol +1

 

[mywaynow]

I don't know what equipment was being referred to for 1000 dollars. The splitter in that pic is 1500, and worth every dime. I have split at least 20 cords with that splitter. No cost for wood other than my muscle, gas for the truck, saw and splitter. 20 cords at 175 each is 3500, and that would be picked up pricing. Take the value of that wood vs. oil heat, which is going to be costing allot this year and I say that wood is worth 7k to me. If not for the stove, I would be filling my tank again this month. Usually takes a fill in November and again in March. 3000 plus in oil. My guess is that this tank will last 2 years, since the heat has not run since Dec. 3rd, when I started burning. I do use oil for domestic water, so it runs intermittently during the day.

One tip if you have over-sized logs to deal with, and have some time in dealing with them. Let them sit for 6 months, on edge. They split themselves! You can knock the large rounds to chunks that can be picked up or easily maneuvered, with a swing or 2 with the maul.

 

[Kenster]

Here is an example of why I love big rounds. The pics below are of ONE quarter of a round I cut last week. This quarter is about 21 inches tall and weighed about 76 pounds. There are three different shots of the quarter and the last pic is of 19 splits I got out that one quarter of a round. Enough for a couple of nights burning. This is fresh green Water oak. Very wet. It's going to be at least two years before it will be ready to burn. I finished splitting and stacking this haul this afternoon. It was a pickup bed full of rounds. Split and stacked, I'm guessing maybe a quarter cord. Plenty more where that came from. More than I could burn in a few lifetimes.

The brown spot on the bark, below, is what you get when you cut wood in an active pasture.

 

[SolarAndWood]

i deal with stuff 3 times bigger and its still worth it. just bring the splitter or wedge or noodle it soi can lift it.

throw a 2x10 in the truck. easier to roll up a ramp and you still have something you can roll at the other end.