That's terrible and now even the moisture content is questionable as well and I still need to deal with my wood people for the first time when I go and buy wood after my little wood shed is built to try to get real dry wood so that I can learn how to use my wood stove when it is put in and the prices here for wood is "terrible" but I will take it by ear and see what I am up against trying maybe for about 1/2 cord just to start and have it dry out the rest of the way in the "coming wood shed" someday but these things take time especially when I do not know exactly what I am doing--lol lol . I have an idea about saws and wood holders with straps or not and need to get suggestions about the temperature gauges and what kind to get and should I buy them off my stove dealer--don't know just yet.. I am green like the wood.. lol lol.. Sorry about that cheat job on you but you have the wood---good for you girl--whats money--as I cry---I would like to drive to that old jim bears place in Iowa and pick up some wood--posting of picture before this and his wood pile sure does look beautiful --good for him...Now that we B some its nice meeting you girl..thanks for the story...clancey...
Work Done in 2021
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Solarguy3500
Feeling the Heat
I made some more progress on the maple out in my yard today. Took a few MC readings as I split it today and it ranges from around 25% to 38%. I might do a solar kiln or two with some of this.
Using my tried and true bungee cord method, I can split a whole round and not have to bend over and pick up splits or chase them when they go flying. The bungees I use are called tarp straps on the package and they have holes through them every couple inches so you can adjust the circumference just by using different holes. I'm splitting some larger rounds so I hook 2 of them together to get around them.
26 splits without having to do anything but walk around it and swing my axe.
Unhook the strap and the round just falls apart.
Sometimes I have to pull a few of the splits apart by hand that are hanging together by a few strings, but this maple usually splits pretty clean without too much stringiness.
Using my tried and true bungee cord method, I can split a whole round and not have to bend over and pick up splits or chase them when they go flying. The bungees I use are called tarp straps on the package and they have holes through them every couple inches so you can adjust the circumference just by using different holes. I'm splitting some larger rounds so I hook 2 of them together to get around them.
26 splits without having to do anything but walk around it and swing my axe.
Unhook the strap and the round just falls apart.
Sometimes I have to pull a few of the splits apart by hand that are hanging together by a few strings, but this maple usually splits pretty clean without too much stringiness.
Caw
Minister of Fire
We started with 32 gallons and after about 5 hours and a lot of murdered pallets we've got 1.25 gallons of late season super dark! Will finish it on the stove tomorrow. Should get about 0.75 gallons out of it.
Also managed to splir and haul 4 trailers of red oak splits to the racks. I am soooooo tired. Daughter loves tractor rides lol.
Also managed to splir and haul 4 trailers of red oak splits to the racks. I am soooooo tired. Daughter loves tractor rides lol.
stoveliker
Minister of Fire
Nice. My son like's to help stack, but giving him a hammer to use with the wedge I see he can't control it well, so I'm afraid of him whacking his knees ..
Your training her to be a heavy equipment operator--beautiful child and bless you and yours..clancey
Grizzerbear
Minister of Fire
Well I finally got time to finish up the second hickory tree from a couple weeks back.
This is how I left it a couple weeks ago. I had bucked up all the limb wood and stacked it off to the right.
I wish they were all as easy work as this one. As I got about half way down every time I cut a round off the root wad would roll back enough to lift the next cut to waist level.
I split the big rounds first and went to chuckin them in the back of ole blue. I gotta say the first few rounds I split were nasty. In the old days I probably would have forgotten trying to hand split them and just tossed em in the brush pile. They filled the bed about 3/4 of the way. Then I finished splitting the limb wood to round the bed off.
I couldn't get it all in one load with the tool box in the bed so I got a small pile left there until I start stacking it all next weekend.
This is how I left it a couple weeks ago. I had bucked up all the limb wood and stacked it off to the right.
I wish they were all as easy work as this one. As I got about half way down every time I cut a round off the root wad would roll back enough to lift the next cut to waist level.
I split the big rounds first and went to chuckin them in the back of ole blue. I gotta say the first few rounds I split were nasty. In the old days I probably would have forgotten trying to hand split them and just tossed em in the brush pile. They filled the bed about 3/4 of the way. Then I finished splitting the limb wood to round the bed off.
I couldn't get it all in one load with the tool box in the bed so I got a small pile left there until I start stacking it all next weekend.
Tough to like that post, that’s a real bummer to read & an even bigger bum deal for you.
Caw
Minister of Fire
Just gotta let them try sometimes and deal with the occasional boo boo and hope the wife doesn't kill you. I give my 5 yo an old hatchet and a 3lb sledge and he's a machine. Kid has hands like bricks already!
That’s a big deal for me to separate out by species. That is one of my sections of Cherry but it’s a kind of like a splinter also it’s not a full section so it’s a nagging problem. I’ll post a picture of the nagging barren space tomorrow.I see that cherry! Glad I'm not the only one who likes to divide stacks by species!
Caw
Minister of Fire
When I can't fully segregate I'll go neopolitan ice cream on it. Here we have ash with a thin layer of cherry for flavor, topped with some nice red maple and box elder. Gotta so something to make stacking fun!
DuaeGuttae
Minister of Fire
That’s awesome. This mom might suggest some eye and ear protection, though, to train the habit. Even if he doesn’t make the metal ring loud enough, if you’re working nearby, the sound of a sledge hitting a wedge can be pretty hard on the ears over time. I also think eye protection is a great idea when working with wood, especially with hammering wedges.
I love your maple syrup setup. My mom is from Vermont but lives in Virginia now. She has one sugar maple tree that she planted 47 years ago that she taps and makes syrup as gifts as well. She boils hers down inside on the woodstove, though, because it’s a lot less.
Caw
Minister of Fire
Oh I definitely agree with the protection. I got some nice stihl ears for both kids. He almost always has his ears on hut I have to nag him to wear eyes and a damn jacket. It's 50 out here in New England so he thinks is summer! My daughter puts her ears on for the vacuum.
Thanks about the syrup. It's just a great activity to do with the family and I enjoy giving it as gifts too. We use 2-3 gallons a year ourselves. 2 kids under 6 = lots of weekend pancakes and waffles. If I boiled mine inside I'd have a major mold issue!
Thanks about the syrup. It's just a great activity to do with the family and I enjoy giving it as gifts too. We use 2-3 gallons a year ourselves. 2 kids under 6 = lots of weekend pancakes and waffles. If I boiled mine inside I'd have a major mold issue!
DuaeGuttae
Minister of Fire
We had a day of fragrant yard work. After taking care of the garden and fruit trees in the morning, we continued cleaning up winter storm damage. The first picture is a pile of rosemary I took out. In some place the trunks were thick enough that I needed a pole saw, but it was mostly work with loppers. I may find a piece or two of firewood, but mostly this will be chipped for garden mulch. The pile is over six feet tall for perspective. You can see some growing rosemary on the bank behind it.
This is a Mexican oregano bush that needed to be cut out. I’m hopeful it will grow back from the roots as there seemed to be life there. We have a plant on the west side of the house near the foundation that is very green now. It’s very fragrant with sort of a citrus hint to the oregano.
Here’s more of the chipping shredding pile that‘s growing near the garden. We haven’t moved the rosemary to it, and I also cut an entire hedge of primrose jasmine and a large patch of salvia. The prunings still need to be raked and moved, but we made good progress.
I’ve never cared much about “landscaping” though I love gardening. All of these plants were here when we bought the house, and while I’ve enjoyed the herbs, I haven’t enjoyed all the work in the past month having to clean up so much freeze damage at once. We’re still going to have to work for a while to chip this, and then maybe we can get back to firewood. Our ”kiln” (a back room in an unused barn) is heating up nicely these days, and the small oak rounds stacked in there are showing good checking.
This is a Mexican oregano bush that needed to be cut out. I’m hopeful it will grow back from the roots as there seemed to be life there. We have a plant on the west side of the house near the foundation that is very green now. It’s very fragrant with sort of a citrus hint to the oregano.
Here’s more of the chipping shredding pile that‘s growing near the garden. We haven’t moved the rosemary to it, and I also cut an entire hedge of primrose jasmine and a large patch of salvia. The prunings still need to be raked and moved, but we made good progress.
I’ve never cared much about “landscaping” though I love gardening. All of these plants were here when we bought the house, and while I’ve enjoyed the herbs, I haven’t enjoyed all the work in the past month having to clean up so much freeze damage at once. We’re still going to have to work for a while to chip this, and then maybe we can get back to firewood. Our ”kiln” (a back room in an unused barn) is heating up nicely these days, and the small oak rounds stacked in there are showing good checking.
I was at the state park today & they had a tree service in there cutting down some more Ash trees, they are already limbed up & just need bucked & loaded. What a dilemma: go hoard some more Ash or try to get these piles cleaned up...
That really sucks...
Ash bark peels off as it seasons. Anything with loose bark should be lower mc. Oftentimes I'll have trunks at 40+ mc but branches will be around 30 mc with the bark starting to peel a little. 6" rounds spilt in half or 8-10" split in thirds might be ready by fall. Good luck!
I know you said you don't want to burn wood that isn't well seasoned, but 20-25% ash will burn OK and give some decent heat. As stated previously, I'll burn 25% ash before 22% maple or birch if in a pinch.
kennyp2339
Minister of Fire
One thing is for sure, judging all the posts so far this weekend, everyone seems to have some form of spring fever, lots of people getting out, doing some work and enjoying the fresh air.
kennyp2339
Minister of Fire
yesterdays progress, I hope to knock out the rest of this pile today, also burning bark, sticks and splitter crumbs.
heavy hammer
Minister of Fire
I agree with you kennyp2339. The weather for the middle of March has been pretty nice as of lately. Me and the younger lab spent a few hours in the woods looking for sheds yesterday. We did not have any luck but it was a good day to spend outside. The girls played in their new bounce house and drove their power wheel car around most of the day. I did stack just a little wood in the garage and filled the kindling barrel back up but not a lot of work done just outside hanging out. Today I will move the rest of the wood from the driveway with the tractor I'll get some pics.
kennyp2339
Minister of Fire
done for the day, need to give my body a break so I can go to my real job tomorrow in one piece.
MissMac
Minister of Fire
MissMac
Minister of Fire
Got a start on splitting some ash today. I've called it a day though, as it's started to rain. It has been very mild here all March, and the ground is starting to get soggy. Supposed to be a bit more seasonal this week, so things should firm up again and hopefully i can get most of that wood split before it turns into a mud pit! A lot of what I was splitting today was getting muck/dirt on it, but hey if that's the worst thing that happens today I'm doing all right!
You did a nice job..a lot of work as well...everybody are busy beavers ...that's good...clancey.
My plan this spring is to fell more Ash from this hill but the gully is still blocked off because of the snow so I finished up the Yellow Birch from yesterday ( 3rd picture) and felled a small Ash. After felling the Ash I went over to the Rhino for some water and a apple, that's when the two deer showed up for a meal, I watched them for 15 minutes before they left.
Hopefully by the middle of this week, enough snow will be gone that I can just fell about five or six Ash form the backhill and get the Rhino in the gully. I'm also hoping that the two entrances to our bigger lot will have lost enough snow that I can check for tree damage from the winter.
Hopefully by the middle of this week, enough snow will be gone that I can just fell about five or six Ash form the backhill and get the Rhino in the gully. I'm also hoping that the two entrances to our bigger lot will have lost enough snow that I can check for tree damage from the winter.
MissMac
Minister of Fire
Hey I see you have a log stand - do you usually take that out with you in the bush when you're bucking? How do you find it - very useful?
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