Wood To Long (End Cuts?)

[Curtis Koble]

Just picked up two truck loads of full rounds that are 22" to 24" long. The max size I can fit is 20" and that is just a bit to long. Should I cut them in half before splitting or just cut off the ends? I would assume that if I cut just 4" off I can use those pieses for the warmer weather. I'm sure the sharpies know what to do .

 

[joshuaviktor]

Small pieces burn fast and hot. Larger pieces burn slower. Cut them in half, they're too short for efficient burning. Cut ends off, you've got loads of perfect, and loads of kindling. Short on kindling? Cut the ends. Short on wood in general? Cut em in half.

Up to you. But have fun and be careful with the chainsaw. Just ask Eric "Missingfingers" Johnson.

Joshua

<grin>

 

[Hokerer]

You could cut them in half and then use the "load front to back" method that some here espouse.

 

[Rick]

I have far too much wood that is too long. I generally just cut them in half as I don't have a preferenece to length. I'm always afraid that in my attempt to cut them "just right", I'll end up still a bit too long.

Rick

 

[crow]

I had the same problem...and I have been splitting my wood , and then cutting it down.
I do a mix of taking the ends off (for fire starting/ kindling) and in half for front to back loading .
It works great .
I'm using a black and decker alligator lopper that was suggested to me by another member on the forum.
It's great if your splits are fairly narrow(3-4 inches ).
If your splits are bigger , you will need to use a chainsaw.
I was not comfortable using a chainsaw, and I need small splits for my small firebox... so it worked out perfectly for me.

 

[wahoowad]

I use my chopsaw a lot.

 

[JAred]

Here,Here,

I fired Up the old montgomery wards Radial Arm saw to cut some splits down to lenght using a coarse riping blade. Kind of hairy..work but managed to cut-m-down. Alot safer than the chain saw.

 

[Mike Wilson]

I have some "too long" splits as well. I find that I can use a good number of them by placing them diagonally in the stove. This works well for lazy afternoon burns, not the overnight burns.

 

[babalu87]

Cut off what you have to
You can pack the small pieces in for overnight burns

 

[fbelec]

you can also try cutting some to twenty inches and some in half. you'll have the best of both worlds. use the short stuff when your home all day and long for the night and work time. my stove can handle 24 inch splits if i need a good hot or long or both type of burn and the wood i have is short then i use short pieces on the side. i even stand them up if i have to so i can pack the fire box and it works well.

 

[fbelec]

I'm not so sure that I'd employ a valued electric saw for the task....I think it could be tough on the bearings.

also you when you start cutting hardwood you don't get to much cutting before the blade is junk
and those arn't cheap

 

[hydestone]

I had a bunch of wood that I cut to length for my old fireplace that is too long for my stove.

I took a couple of 4" x 4" oak skids, placed them parallel against one another and cut some grooves at a the desired length. Then I would grab a split and put it on the skids, line up the left end with a groove, put my foot on the split and cut it above the groove on the right. This works well but it tough on the back!

 

[wg_bent]

This is a kinda usage question. How long would you cut wood if you were cutting long logs? I got about 1/2 a cord of nice seasoned Elm ( I hate splitting Elm, but ya know...the darn stuff burns pretty good...even better when it's free) The peices were about 2' long, and I basically cut them all right in half. Since my stove has roughly a 16" stated max, and I like to load front to back most times, a 12" log works pretty well. It cuts down on my load a bit, but I always have coals left in the morning, so It works pretty well for me. Someone said cut so you've got short and long peices. I'd agree with that if the wood is easy to split. Short peices for day, long ones to maximize the load for overnight. In the case of the Elm the wood is very hard to split, so the 12" peices were better for splitting. It if were Maple or Ash, longer would have worked out better. Consider ease of stacking also. Short peices can be a pain.

 

[Eric Johnson]

You snuck that one by me when I wasn't looking Josh.

Hey, I still have all my fingers. All 12 of 'em!

And that's probably because I've never tried to shorten any firewood.

Cutting firewood down to a shorter length is something I hope I never have to do. There's really no good way to do it and probably no safe way. Consider the rotational force that the chain saw chain is bringing to bear on what's basically a projectile, and you can see what I'm talking about. Think about it.

Usually when you're cutting a chunk of wood, it's attached to the rest of the log or tree until it is severed and drops to the ground. That's a lot safer than attacking it all by itself.

 

[crow]

You snuck that one by me when I wasn't looking Josh.

Hey, I still have all my fingers. All 12 of 'em!

And that's probably because I've never tried to shorten any firewood.

Cutting firewood down to a shorter length is something I hope I never have to do. There's really no good way to do it and probably no safe way. Consider the rotational force that the chain saw chain is bringing to bear on what's basically a projectile, and you can see what I'm talking about. Think about it.

Usually when you're cutting a chunk of wood, it's attached to the rest of the log or tree until it is severed and drops to the ground. That's a lot safer than attacking it all by itself.

That was why I was so happy with the alligator lopper(B&D). A small piece or two sometimes fly when the cut blade makes it all the way thru, but because the thing basically has jaws, it isn't totally out of control.

Still, you can only use it on fairly narrow splits.

It is a supreme drag to have to cut the wood down extra... but ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

I'm hoping I won't have this problem next year.
But If I do, at least I'll have a way to deal with it.

Glad you have all your digits. I was worried.

 

[elkimmeg]

I use my chopsaw a lot.

I thought about using mine 12" Makita compound silde but having to re calibrate it cost about $250
Its too valuable to me cutting finish. Got an older one here 10" non sliding I could use. It would
work on smaller sizes up to 4/4

 

[Scraper]

Cut the rounds first...then you're not having to cut each split.

 

[wahoowad]

My chopsaw is a low-budget 10" Makita - and I got it used no less. I use it to cut fallen poplar branches for kindling a lot as well as sometimes trimming splits to size if they happen to be over 18 inches. All I pretty much use the saw for is cutting 2x4 type stock so I don't really care if the blade is a little dull. it cuts like a beaver on crack even after all the stuff I've cut with it. It sure didn't give me any problems when I made that wood storage bench.

Now i *did* a new blade for some fine trim I was putting in the house, but then saved that blade and put the ol' workhorse blade back on. Mind you, I'm not cutting every split, maybe a couple dozen at most.