Why is cutting wood so addictive?

[Newburnerwisconsin]

Seriously, is anyone else always looking for firewood and trees that may be dead or ready to come down? I noticed it during deer hunting....I was looking more for wood than waiting for deer.

 

[woodsHAM]

Same here, mainly because our hunting season/weather has sucked this year! Great time to get ahead on wood.

 

[Paulywalnut]

My wife gets mad at me driving and looking on the side of the roads, instead of the middle of the road. I'm addicted too. I could split wood all day.

 

[Firefighter938]

The other day I was in the county on a tall ridge cutting wood and stopped to take a break and drink some water. As I sat there I could hear a saw in the far off distance. Music to my ears. It has been great weather here for cutting wood.

 

[Babaganoosh]

It's probably because we as humans have taken on jobs and a lifestyle that isn't fulfilling like how life used to be. We don't really build stuff anymore, lots of jobs are now service jobs, hell we don't even walk a file down the hall to another person if we work in an office, we just email it over. None of this is fulfilling or satisfying mentally. Cutting firewood, especially if its start to finish from a tree, to rounds, to splits, to stacks is fulfilling and satisfying at a core level. You took one thing and thru hard work and determination you made it into something of value. That my friends is very addicting. That and not having to pay those utility bills!

 

[DougA]

Every time I go for a walk on our property or anywhere in the countryside, all I see a trees that I could be cutting. My wood sheds are full, I am so upset!!
I was Italy a week ago and I was still looking at dead trees that I wanted to bring home with me. At Villa Gregorio in Tivoli, they had wood all cut and piled up. I wanted to stash a few pieces in my backpack.
I need a shrink & a drink.

 

[saskwoodburner]

Seriously, is anyone else always looking for firewood and trees that may be dead or ready to come down? I noticed it during deer hunting....I was looking more for wood than waiting for deer.

You're not alone, I do the same thing. I catch grief from the missus when I say "there's a few nice ones" and I'm talking about trees and she thinks deer.

 

[heavy hammer]

Babaganoosh is right another reason to is that many of us have been doing this since we were kids. Many of us have been around cutting splitting stacking and burning wood for as long as we can remember. And who doesn't enjoy the heat from a good fire. Especially if you work outside in the winter.

 

[TheAardvark]

It's probably because we as humans have taken on jobs and a lifestyle that isn't fulfilling like how life used to be. We don't really build stuff anymore, lots of jobs are now service jobs, hell we don't even walk a file down the hall to another person if we work in an office, we just email it over. None of this is fulfilling or satisfying mentally. Cutting firewood, especially if its start to finish from a tree, to rounds, to splits, to stacks is fulfilling and satisfying at a core level. You took one thing and thru hard work and determination you made it into something of value. That my friends is very addicting. That and not having to pay those utility bills!

You took the words right out of my mouth.

 

[Sconnie Burner]

Its an addiction alright! I do the same as others have mentioned. I actually go kinda stir crazy if I don't get out and run the saw or splitter at least once or twice a month! I have 11 full cords (not including this years wood) cut, split, and stacked because of this said addiction. Thats almost 4 years worth. And I sold a good 2 cords of "campfire wood" that I worked up the previous fall and early this spring. Love being outside in the woods with my equipment.

 

[bag of hammers]

Babaganoosh said it well. To add to that, one of the few times I'm not stressed about things is when I'm cutting / splitting. It's hard on the back but good for the soul...

 

[firefighterjake]

For me it has been fun work since it fills that primal need of being a successful hunter/gatherer with an immediate payback ... I know that by "gathering" wood now I will keep myself and my family warm during the long, dark and cold days in the future.

Seeing the immediate results of fuel stacked up is a great reward or incentive as I can visually measure my success and have an easy and objective way to measure that success ... in other words I can see the cords stacking up.

 

[firefighterjake]

Plus ... chain saw ... what red blooded American male doesn't like running a chainsaw?

 

[DoubleB]

Great thoughts above. For me, it's also that I have to think and make decisions all day at my job. That actually wears me out. With firewood the thinking and decisions aren't too complicated, so it's nice to be productive without having to think much about it. Obviously think about safety and how to stack without it falling over. But you get my drift.

 

[NoGoodAtScreenNames]

I have a few logs in my yard from trees we had cut down in the spring. I don't have a chainsaw so I just go out every weekend and chop out a round or two with an axe. Most of you guys would have it css in 20 minutes but I like taking my time. The grass isn't growing, the leaves aren't dropping and the snow isn't falling so I need something to do outside. Hard work, but a nice feeling on that swing when the log breaks in two.

 

[barmstrong2]

Funny thing, as a kid I always said I would never burn wood because my summers were always preplanned for me. I miss that time spent with my Dad now, felling trees, limbing, lugging the logs... Kinda wish I'd made more of it.

 

[saskwoodburner]

I have a few logs in my yard from trees we had cut down in the spring. I don't have a chainsaw so I just go out every weekend and chop out a round or two with an axe. Most of you guys would have it css in 20 minutes but I like taking my time. The grass isn't growing, the leaves aren't dropping and the snow isn't falling so I need something to do outside. Hard work, but a nice feeling on that swing when the log breaks in two.

Sounds like you need a Swede saw in your arsenal. Don't worry, you'd still get a work out.

 

[sportbikerider78]

It's probably because we as humans have taken on jobs and a lifestyle that isn't fulfilling like how life used to be. We don't really build stuff anymore, lots of jobs are now service jobs, hell we don't even walk a file down the hall to another person if we work in an office, we just email it over. None of this is fulfilling or satisfying mentally. Cutting firewood, especially if its start to finish from a tree, to rounds, to splits, to stacks is fulfilling and satisfying at a core level. You took one thing and thru hard work and determination you made it into something of value. That my friends is very addicting. That and not having to pay those utility bills!

There is a great deal of truth to this. It is why I have moved my career from managing operations to managing manufacturing engineering. I want to focus on doing large projects, not making the doughnuts.
For me, it is just time outdoors. I love being on my property and sculpting it into something more beautiful than what it is right now. I also love power equipment like saws, splitters and atv's. Also, a manly element of destruction in as well while you are falling a big tree.

 

[Wood Duck]

I think cutting wood is a good mixture of hunting/gathering plus some exercise and fresh air, so it makes you feel good on a primal level.

 

[barmstrong2]

Just makes you want to howl at the moon, huh?

 

[NoGoodAtScreenNames]

Sounds like you need a Swede saw in your arsenal. Don't worry, you'd still get a work out.

I do it more for the outside air than for exercise for sure. It is tempting me to get a load of logs and a chain saw though. But then I'd have to learn to use it properly. I love being outside cutting wood but I love coming back inside with ten fingers more. [emoji16]

 

[CIRENHOJ]

When I was younger I did a lot of weight lifting and have since stopped due to time constraints, cost, and injury here and there, etc. Now going out and wresting around with wood gives me some resistance type exercise. Add to the fact that I'm a home body in that I would rather stay home than go out and do something else. I'm always hunting for a scrounge and always adding people to my "possible wood source" list when I find they own some wooded property.

 

[blades]

Aw Heck, beside everything mentioned above it's the only way I can thumb my nose at the utility. At least for part of the year.

 

[fire_man]

Babaganoosh said it well. To add to that, one of the few times I'm not stressed about things is when I'm cutting / splitting. It's hard on the back but good for the soul...

Absolutely right. I've always said cutting and splitting is my way of de-stressing from the job.

Does this qualify as addicted? I've got 24 cord on my property, just hurt my chronic bad back cutting wood, but am test-lifting the chainsaw every day to see if I'm healed enough to cut some more.

 

[BigFir]

I like hearing these things hit the ground!