# Firewood jigs to make life easier



## b33p3r (Oct 25, 2012)

I'm only burning wood for 3 years now but am already 50 years old. I don't have that well conditioned back of someone who has been doing it since they are younger and I probably never will. I also don't have a tractor to lift the heavy stuff. With that said, how about all you veterans and/or smarter people sharing some of your tools/tips/tricks/jigs for cutting wood to save on your bodies.  My back will appreciate them I'm sure!


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## cptoneleg (Oct 25, 2012)

I'm 64 c/s/stacking your own wood is hard work-  I don't have a tractor- just the basic stuff chain saw , splitter. 

Good Luck


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## PapaDave (Oct 25, 2012)

I have a garden tractor/trailer, chainsaw, and splitter.
Oh, and my manual labor. I'm 58.
This will be year seven and I'm already _thinking_ of just doing the c/s/d thing again.


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## TimJ (Oct 25, 2012)

I'll be 61 years old in another 2 weeks and I havn't got any smarter. I can't figure out how to take manuel labor out of the firewood equation. ..........and if it comes down to spending big bucks to eliminate a portion of it, I always opt for keeping the money in my pocket and my back sore. I won't even spend the money on a milk crate


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## jcjohnston (Oct 25, 2012)

best tool I came across recently, from Baileys, is a rubber strap twin hook deal to make picking up the log easier. With one in each hand I bend over way less and never have to use two hands on one log and rest it against my belly to get it to the splitter. These are a life saver in my world.


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## onetracker (Oct 25, 2012)

2 things i have going for me: a strong back and a weak mind. 

i DID get a little smarter this year (after 37 years of wood burning) and purchased a splitter. now i'm magically 3 years ahead...i never got that far ahead when i was splitting by hand.


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## weatherguy (Oct 25, 2012)

jcjohnston said:


> best tool I came across recently, from Baileys, is a rubber strap twin hook deal to make picking up the log easier. With one in each hand I bend over way less and never have to use two hands on one log and rest it against my belly to get it to the splitter. These are a life saver in my world.


 Couldnt agree more, I bought two different sizes in case I come across some longer rounds, some of the tree companies cut the rounds 18 inches long and I have to trim them and I have one thats perfect for the 16-17 inches I cut my rounds.


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## albert1029 (Oct 25, 2012)

I'll be 63 in a few days...my knees are toast but I go hard until I know it's time to take a break...this is my 5th year of social hoarding...went harder this year than usual and actually feel better...


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## Flatbedford (Oct 25, 2012)

Its hard work. Period. I'm 42 now and been doing this seriously for about 5 years now, but messing with wood and saws for just over 20 years and I have gotten a little smarter. I take my splitting axe with me when I scrounge so I can bust the big rounds into manageable pieces before I lift them onto the  truck. I bought a couple Pickeroons so I can drag logs and roounds around without bending over, or pull them out of the truck from the ground.







I try to split as I unload the truck so that I can use gravity to get them on the chopping block. I also bought and old garden tractor for fairly cheap to haul the wood around instead of the wheel barrow.






Its still hard work, but every little bit helps.


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## tcassavaugh (Oct 25, 2012)

i get my brothers to help out.....well, they at least came down and helped me clear a bunch of the blow overs. with the hurricane headded to the east coast and turning just north of the chesapeake, we might have a lot more wood around in the atlantic region.

cass


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## bogydave (Oct 25, 2012)

Roll the big rounds, split vertical, use any mechanical advantage you can.
Slow & easy. Think it thru & get after it 
Oh yea. Ibuprofen (better health thru chemistry)


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## rideau (Oct 25, 2012)

63, 8th year, 10 pound sledge and twisted wedge, gets easier every year.  Only problem is my darn hip joint.


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## timusp40 (Oct 25, 2012)

Not going to mention the age thing again. I do split my hand though. Some out there don't have their woodburner yet and I'm one of them. So my thinking is to keep working on the stacks at a little at a time getting a scrounge here and there. When the stove does arrive, I should be a good 3 years ahead with seasoned splits ready to go. This should make keeping ahead easier on the old body.
Take care,
Tim


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## Thistle (Oct 25, 2012)

49 last month,been working in the woods part time since I was 17ish.Plus commercial construction full time,some heavy & dangerous jobs since I was 21.The usual muscle aches & pains from age,over exertion & weather conditions plus once every year or two my back might go out for a couple days.Listen to the body now compared to when I was younger.Still have the strength when I was 25-30,but no where near the endurance now.As I've gotten older I dont try & do everything all in one session.Take frequent breaks,stay hydrated,quit when I'm tired etc.Nothing to prove anymore,the work will still be there when I return in a few days or weeks.

Different 'helpers' & shortcuts as I gotten older to make work easier & more productive.Various heavy ropes,cables,3 different length log chains,come-a-long,small 12V winch,hi-lift jack if needed,cant hook,peavey,heavy timber tongs to pull with pickup or garden tractor,contractors wheelbarrow,2 wheel handtruck for flatter ground,6 ft johnson bar made from 1 1/2" rebar etc.Even used an old 7ft ash toboggan in deeper snow to haul wood short distances from shed to the house.

And sometimes a couple Naproxen maybe 1-2 days monthly for those extra heavy days.Generally it depends on how I feel when I wake up whether its gonna be a painful day or not.If its a cold rainy or snowy day,that means more aches.


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## Flatbedford (Oct 25, 2012)

Staying ahead is easy. Its getting ahead that's tough! I had the perfect combination of storms and lucky scrounges in 2011 and was able to c/s/s two years worth. Its gonna be easy now.


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## Backwoods Savage (Oct 25, 2012)

b33p3r said:


> I'm only burning wood for 3 years now but am already 50 years old. I don't have that well conditioned back of someone who has been doing it since they are younger and I probably never will. I also don't have a tractor to lift the heavy stuff. With that said, how about all you veterans and/or smarter people sharing some of your tools/tips/tricks/jigs for cutting wood to save on your bodies. My back will appreciate them I'm sure!


 
I've only been burning wood a few years more than your age and I'm probably getting dumber but who knows? I used to do all the splitting by hand but an injury forced me into hydraulics and I wish I'd gone that route many years before! It really is worth it if you get the right splitter and work right. Work smart and that means splitting the wood just like you do by hand, with the log standing upright. This means you need a vertical splitter and if you are like me, I like something to sit on. But it has to be the right height for it to work nicely.

But to take it from the start, we have our own woodlot and I own only one small chain saw. I wrestled with the big saws when I was a young lad and don't want to do that today so I have a Stihl Farm Boss 290 with a 16" bar. It does all I need done.

We cut during the winter months which for us means we usually start cutting around Dec 1 and finish by March 1. We stack the wood during the winter and then after snow melt we do all the splitting. Immediately after splitting we stack the wood. We have an atv and a trailer for hauling the wood. Other tools are a cant hook (a must), a hookeroon and log tongs.








We stack the wood on poles that we cut in the woods (you can see some under the stacks in the last photo. We leave the wood stacked like this through the summer and fall but before the snow piles up we then cover the top of the wood stacks using old galvanized roofing. We do move enough wood into the barn for the winter needs but leave the rest outside. We try to always have a minimum of 3 year wood supply all cut, split and stacked. We do not have nor need a moisture meter as we make certain we have enough time for the wood to dry properly.


The biggest helpers we have are the chain saw, cant hook and hydraulic splitter. The splitter is a 20 ton that is over 20 years old and it works nicely. The log tongs are a recent purchase and I wish I'd had these sooner. For example, many times we have to work with snow on the logs or wet wood. Now we don't have to handle the wood and have wet gloves and this also means we don't have to bend the back so much to pick up the wood. Also, when cutting trees we sometimes have to cut into short sections to drag out to the trailer and I don't like dragging the whole tree because of dirt getting into the bark and dulling the saw. Now I cut into 4' sections and those tongs work nicely for dragging those short sections out.


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## barn burner (Oct 25, 2012)

As others have said, it helps a lot to have something to move and pick up rounds such as a pickeroon or tongs. I have a different approach to these two tools. I like to use 2 camp axes instead. They're about 16-18" long so i don't have to bend over to pick up wood. I can take two axes ( one per hand) and bury each one of them into a round and carry two medium sized rounds at a time. Camp axes can fit into a hammer holder and be worn comfortably while processing. They can be used to drive wedges when felling and bucking. They can also be used as a wedge themselves while bucking so your not having to carry around wedges in you back pocket. Camp axes are also useful for knocking small limbs off your logs or rounds. When it comes to splitting and your round doesn't pop apart cleanly, a good sharp camp axe can cut thorough the wood strands holding the round together. To me, camp axes are very useful when processing. That and Ibuprofen


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## Auzzie Gumtree (Oct 25, 2012)

Best invention yet is the tyre on the round. Dont know who thought of it but it saves me so much bending over - i think i will patent it and sell on Ebay  it must have been an Aussie invention as we are soooooo lazy.


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## Shadow&Flame (Oct 25, 2012)

Auzzie Gumtree said:


> Best invention yet is the tyre on the round. Dont know who thought of it but it saves me so much bending over - i think i will patent it and sell on Ebay  it must have been an Aussie invention as we are soooooo lazy.
> 
> View attachment 78667
> View attachment 78668


 
So thats why my buddy moved to Australia...knew there was more to it than just a beautiful woman...


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## Sprinter (Oct 26, 2012)

jcjohnston said:


> best tool I came across recently, from Baileys, is a rubber strap twin hook deal to make picking up the log easier. With one in each hand I bend over way less and never have to use two hands on one log and rest it against my belly to get it to the splitter. These are a life saver in my world.


What are these?  Could you provide a link?  Thanks.


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## Shane N (Oct 26, 2012)

I'd guess something like this:




Just one brand and model (http://www.timbertufftools.com/product3-hand-tools-timber-claw-16in.php). There are lots of companies that make these.


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## Cluttermagnet (Oct 26, 2012)

This is a good idea thread. I need to look into getting some sort of tongs like Dennis and Thistle mentioned- or those strap hooks that jcjohnston and ShaneN mentioned. I just bought one of those 299 dollar electric splitters. It's a horizontal. Ugh! I'm doing a lot of 'different' lifting lately because of that new splitter. Vertical gas hydraulic splitters are sure easier IMO.








I have a cant hook like Dennis, also a 'timberjack' which is similar. Both are very good tools.

A pickaroon is starting to look really good.


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## nate379 (Oct 26, 2012)

Percoset, Vicodin, Tramadol, Mobic  and I'm still a "young buck" compared to many of you guys.

Best thing for me is to not do the same thing for too long. I'll cut wood for a tank of fuel, maybe 2 and then split for a bit, maybe then go b/s with the horse owners (I have my wood at a friends farm).


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## Gasifier (Oct 26, 2012)

tcassavaugh said:


> i get my brothers to help out.....well, they at least came down and helped me clear a bunch of the blow overs. with the hurricane headded to the east coast and turning just north of the chesapeake, we might have a lot more wood around in the atlantic region.
> 
> cass


 
This right here can be a huge plus. If you can find a couple of family members and/or friends to help out when there is a big portion of the work to be done it can make a huge difference. For example when I am moving a lot of wood. Even just having the wife and kids help out for a while makes it go a lot faster. The kids work with us for a little while, but they are pretty little yet. But having my wife as the second person loading and unloading and stacking right along side me really makes it go *twice* as fast. Go figure. Right?  But if you can't or don't have any family near by, maybe you could find a friend or two and tell them the food off the grill and some beers is on you. Or a young man, teenager, whoever could stand to make some money to help you out. I have a lot of nephews and over the years have had all of them work with me on yard work, house work, etc. etc. I pay them well, for what young people get paid, and they are happy and I am happy. Unfortunately, most of them are gone to college or beyond that. Hey wait. Does that mean I am getting old?


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## Gark (Oct 26, 2012)

60 years old and the peavy is so handy to roll the logs around. I do all possible to only lift splits off the ground. Gravity fights me too much to be lifting big rounds or whole logs.


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## BillsWS (Oct 26, 2012)

b33p3r said:


> I'm only burning wood for 3 years now but am already 50 years old. I don't have that well conditioned back of someone who has been doing it since they are younger and I probably never will. I also don't have a tractor to lift the heavy stuff. With that said, how about all you veterans and/or smarter people sharing some of your tools/tips/tricks/jigs for cutting wood to save on your bodies. My back will appreciate them I'm sure!


 
With all due respect b33p3r and everyone else here, to place the demands of c/s/s on yourself without being conditioned for it is the perfect formula for injury.  The fact is that conditioning can be improved at any age.  Yes, I am suggesting exercise.  Improving your capacity and mechanics will prevent injury and raise pain free performance (also well established).  But let me warm you, I listen to the objections, reasons and arguments against exercise from those who don't want to exercise every day.  So if you don't agree, don't bother to post, I have likely already heard it.


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## onion (Oct 26, 2012)

BillsWS said:


> With all due respect b33p3r and everyone else here, to place the demands of c/s/s on yourself without being conditioned for it is the perfect formula for injury. The fact is that conditioning can be improved at any age. Yes, I am suggesting exercise. Improving your capacity and mechanics will prevent injury and raise pain free performance (also well established). But let me warm you, I listen to the objections, reasons and arguments against exercise from those who don't want to exercise every day. So if you don't agree, don't bother to post, I have likely already heard it.


 
I couldn't agree more.  I'm 39.  Earlier this year I decided I was sick of being 100 lbs overweight and went to a gym, hired a trainer and she has kicked my ass into gear.  55 lbs down so far and splitting wood gets easier each time I do it.  Its amazing how much work you can do if you are able to breathe the whole time


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## Gasifier (Oct 26, 2012)

Absolutely BillsWS! Couldn't agree more with you there man. Being in decent shape is critical. B33p3f, even if you start out at 50 years old, you can bring yourself into great shape. And you will then add years to your life. And you will feel great! Just like anything, start out slowly and give your body time to adjust. It is absolutely amazing what your body and mind can adjust to if you give it time. I have always tried to stay in decent shape. But foolishly started smoking at an early age. I quit cold turkey at least 100 times over 20 years by the time I stuck to it. I then decided I was going to get myself into better shape at 37 years old. The best shape ever. I slowly started walking more and working out a little more. Within about six months I was jogging and then after a year I started pushing the jogging even further. Then ran my first half-marathon at 38 years old! I am now on a routine of cardio exercise every other day, and strength training with light weight every other day. This gives the mucles time to adjust and heal. Take a look at modern strength training that is done by college and pro athletes. It is called functional strength training. Nothing like the old weight lifting/body building. Not singling out muscle groups for exercise, but using many of them together to complete exercises. There are some good books out there.

But I believe processing wood is just as good if you set a good pace and go at it steady. Take your time b33p3f. Definetely use your brain and any advantage you can to help your processing out and save yourself from any very heavy lifting. It does not take much to hurt your back. But all the light lifting of your wood after it is already split is good for you. One of the best pieces of advice my parents gave me and I have always tried to do. Everything in moderation, and nothing in excess.
Oops. Started a book of my own. Sorry.


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## BillsWS (Oct 26, 2012)

Right on Onion and Gassifier!  Check out this video, jazzes me up every time :  http://youtu.be/gG82FnZx9dk


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## nate379 (Oct 26, 2012)

Hmm.

One of the reasons I cut wood is for the excersize.  I'd MUCH rather do something productive and burn some calories vs wasting my time running on some never ending belt (treadmill)


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## Gasifier (Oct 26, 2012)

BillsWS said:


> Right on Onion and Gassifier! Check out this video, jazzes me up every time : http://youtu.be/gG82FnZx9dk


 
That stuff is great. But everyone needs to be very careful with any type of exercise. I know several guys and girls who crossfit. And have seen several of them set back by injury. One of the guys, who is in the outstanding shape, is now recovering from surgery. That will slow you down a bit. Everyone pushes everyone else. And it is great. But sometimes you let the encouragement get the best of you and want to keep up with other people. And then end up doing the exercises with too much weight. Remember. Better to be able to keep working out then recovering from injury. Six months of hard work can be completely lost in six weeks of recovery. Stay healthy everyone!


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## Gasifier (Oct 26, 2012)

nate379 said:


> Hmm.
> 
> One of the reasons I cut wood is for the excersize. I'd MUCH rather do something productive and burn some calories vs wasting my time running on some never ending belt (treadmill)


 I run outside. I hate the treadmill.


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## Gasifier (Oct 26, 2012)

But sometimes in the nasty ass winter weather I have to do some on the treadmill.


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## muncybob (Oct 26, 2012)

I'm fortunate I guess as I have never had a weight problem and thanks to my genes it's unlikely that I ever will. But, there are plenty of people that are not overweight that ARE out of shape. If you are physically able to harvest wood to burn you are likely physically able to keep yourself in decent condition. Sure, getting firewood processed is in itself exercise but it can't stop there. As mentioned there are plenty of ways to keeping in good shape, each person's need in this area are different...it's getting into a routine and sticking with it that is the key.

But I digress....the pickeroon is the best bag for the buck I have in my arsenal. Makes pulling splits out of the truck so much easier as now I only have to hop into the truck bed once versus several times when unloading. The other thing that saves my back is not a jig but rather a method, rounds directly off the truck and onto the splitter. No additional bending over unless the rounds are huge....then I adopt the milk crate and vertical split approach.

As for age, I'm older than most but younger than others


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## onion (Oct 26, 2012)

Gasifier said:


> That stuff is great. But everyone needs to be very careful with any type of exercise. I know several guys and girls who crossfit. And have seen several of them set back by injury. One of the guys, who is in the outstanding shape, is now recovering from surgery. That will slow you down a bit. Everyone pushes everyone else. And it is great. But sometimes you let the encouragement get the best of you and want to keep up with other people. And then end up doing the exercises with too much weight. Remember. Better to be able to keep working out then recovering from injury. Six months of hard work can be completely lost in six weeks of recovery. Stay healthy everyone!


 
I'm a perfect example of that.  I decided to start running WAY too early.  Stress fractures in both knees had me off the treadmill and elliptical for 4 weeks.  I learned to HATE the recumbent bike with a passion.  I also have a torn rotator cuff (been like that for years) which limits what I can do lifting.  I've decided against surgery in the short term so I can keep working out.  Once I hit my goal weight and can start running I'll have the surgery.  

Splitting by hand and stacking wood is a fantastic workout btw.  I wear my heart rate monitor sometimes when I do it and can hit nearly 1000 cal/hour if I go at it hard.  Usually justifies a few cold ones and a steak that night .


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## jeff_t (Oct 26, 2012)

Get a job and give up the white russians, man.

I'm hoping with my teenage nephews coming into the picture, I won't have to do much but run a saw.


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## BillsWS (Oct 26, 2012)

Gasifier said:


> That stuff is great. But everyone needs to be very careful with any type of exercise. I know several guys and girls who crossfit. And have seen several of them set back by injury. One of the guys, who is in the outstanding shape, is now recovering from surgery. That will slow you down a bit. Everyone pushes everyone else. And it is great. But sometimes you let the encouragement get the best of you and want to keep up with other people. And then end up doing the exercises with too much weight. Remember. Better to be able to keep working out then recovering from injury. Six months of hard work can be completely lost in six weeks of recovery. Stay healthy everyone!


 
Cutting wood is great, but you have to be very careful doing it.  I know several guys and girls who cut wood and I have seen several of them get a back injury.  Some even have back surgery even those in outstanding shape.   I think it is best not to cut wood and leave it to the professionals.  Takes way too long to recover from an injury.   Yada, yada, yada. 

I have been coaching CrossFit since 2008 and I am a chiropractor with 26 years of experience. We have had NO INJURIES during this time.  My oldest cliennt is 81 years old. We teach our people to leave their ego at the door.  Work within your capacity.  Good coaching is absolutely necessary. There are a lot of stupid people doing what they say is CrossFit and getting hurt.  But yet there are published articles of people rehabilitating disc herniations, back problems and even coming back from catastrophic injuries doing CrossFit http://library.crossfit.com/free/video/CFJ_Peterson_Forever_Strong.wmv    But I guess YMMV.


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## Flatbedford (Oct 26, 2012)

muncybob said:


> ..the pickeroon is the best bag for the buck I have in my arsenal. Makes pulling splits out of the truck so much easier as now I only have to hop into the truck bed once versus several times when unloading.


 
Get a long enough one and you'll never hop into the truck bed.


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## Monosperma (Oct 26, 2012)

Apart from the chainsaw, having another person help with the cutting more than doubles the speed.  With someone pulling away unusable small branches so the chainsaw operator doesn't have to stop and do that keeps the saw cutting more, idling less.  I'd way rather cut 2 truckloads with 2 people than 1 by myself.  It's not just the company, it's faster.


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## tim1 (Oct 27, 2012)

After my boys left home, wood harvesting was a lot harder. I buy logs that I load with my loader tractor,cut them on the forks of my loader tractor, lift the 36 in rounds on a plate into my Oak and Iron vertical splitter raised 30 inches off ground, so I can stand and rotate the round on the plate into 6-10 chunks, then fill a open ended box 2 foot by 6 feet with splits. Then use the forks to take to shed and stand and stack in shed. Bad back, artifical hips and knee force me to work smarter. Love working wood. Really love hydraulics too. 12 cord put up.  Tim  Oh,65 years young.


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## albert1029 (Oct 27, 2012)

I met this gentleman when I was on a pest control call a few years ago. He was 96 years old. When I pulled into his driveway he was cleaning up his yard, carrying stones and cleaning up brush. I talked to him for an hour or so while working and hung around a while. He showed me different pieces of furniture he made years ago. Sharp as a tack and laughing and joking the whole time. His hands showed how he was still working very hard. Mr. Chester, what a man.


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## TimJ (Oct 27, 2012)

lean mean working machine there


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## GeneralBill (Oct 27, 2012)

Yep, the tire splitter halved my splitting time:

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/my-favorite-wood-splitter.42296/#post-533107


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## b33p3r (Oct 27, 2012)

Thanks everyone for the replies. Just for the record: I'm not complaining about the work. I actually like to be about doing something. Not one for sitting around. Yes I need to drop 30 or so pounds and am working at it. Just looking for tools and such to make things easier so I'm not straining my back. Never had a back injury yet and would like to continue without one.I have gotten a bit smarter with age. I will not work a second past the point my body says stop. That's why I'm looking for specialty tools and ideas. They will enable me to keep at it longer.
    Thanks, lots of good info.


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## albert1029 (Oct 27, 2012)

I didn't think you were complaining...I learned a lot about tools on this thread...the pickeroon is one in particular I have to get...thanks for bringing up the subject...


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## jeepmedic (Oct 27, 2012)

The first year of burning is the worst. The best practice seems to get at least 3 years ahead on your wood supply. We started burning last year and I ended up cutting three years worth of supply from November 2011-August 2012. Now that Im way ahead, Im burning seasoned wood and only have to cut one winter's worth every year to stay ahead.

We burn about 6-7 cords per year, and that gives me basically 2 months to cut, split, and stack each cord.

I have found that it works best for me to fell, buck, and split on site. Then Im not heaving giant wood pieces into the trailer and wrecking my back. Oh, and the vertical splitter works awesome.

When you spread out the work, it makes it much more enjoyable and easier on your body !


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## salmonhunter (Oct 27, 2012)

agreed because of this post im now looking for a peavy. The only place I found one locally is at princessauto and it seems pretty expensive do any of you guys know where I should look to buy one of these online btw im located in canada.


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## Flatbedford (Oct 27, 2012)

You can buy direct from Peavey Manufacturing in Maine. They are great on the phone. I assume they would ship to Canada.
http://www.peaveymfg.com/


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## Backwoods Savage (Oct 27, 2012)

salmonhunter said:


> agreed because of this post im now looking for a peavy. The only place I found one locally is at princessauto and it seems pretty expensive do any of you guys know where I should look to buy one of these online btw im located in canada.


 
You might also look at a cant hook. We much prefer them over the peavy.


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## Backwoods Savage (Oct 27, 2012)

BillsWS said:


> Cutting wood is great, but you have to be very careful doing it. I know several guys and girls who cut wood and I have seen several of them get a back injury. Some even have back surgery even those in outstanding shape. I think it is best not to cut wood and leave it to the professionals. Takes way too long to recover from an injury. Yada, yada, yada.
> 
> I have been coaching CrossFit since 2008 and I am a chiropractor with 26 years of experience. We have had NO INJURIES during this time. My oldest cliennt is 81 years old. We teach our people to leave their ego at the door. Work within your capacity. Good coaching is absolutely necessary. There are a lot of stupid people doing what they say is CrossFit and getting hurt. But yet there are published articles of people rehabilitating disc herniations, back problems and even coming back from catastrophic injuries doing CrossFit http://library.crossfit.com/free/video/CFJ_Peterson_Forever_Strong.wmv But I guess YMMV.


 
Bill, I thought all Yoopers cut their wood! But I respect where you are coming from. Still, most folks do well putting up their own wood. In our case, the wife and I are well past retirement age and still put up more wood than we need every year and absolutely love it. We'll continue as long as we can. As for the exercises, some folks do extremely well with them and they can be good. I do bicycling along with other things and now the bike is inside setting on a trainer. So this allows me to exercise year around.

In my case, I probably should not be doing some of the things I do, or according to some I shouldn't. I started life a bit rough when at a young age I got the polio bug and it left me cripple. Well, I seem to have overcome that okay and even though I've been diagnosed with the post-polio syndrome and they tell me to take it easy, I refuse. Besides, I really do love working in the woods.


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## Archer (Nov 27, 2012)

albert1029 said:


> I met this gentleman when I was on a pest control call a few years ago. He was 96 years old. When I pulled into his driveway he was cleaning up his yard, carrying stones and cleaning up brush. I talked to him for an hour or so while working and hung around a while. He showed me different pieces of furniture he made years ago. Sharp as a tack and laughing and joking the whole time. His hands showed how he was still working very hard. Mr. Chester, what a man.
> View attachment 78780


 
Chester is my Uncle... You are right... he is one tough guy... we just celebrated his 100yr birthday a couple weeks ago with a huge party at the Conway fire dept... I would love to have a copy of this picture... I will try to copy it from your post but if you still have it... please e-mail to me at   bdorn@stny.rr.com.... Thanks


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## albert1029 (Nov 27, 2012)

He is the most interesting person I met during the 4 years I did pest control.  I believe he told me he was part of a longevity study his niece, if I'm not mistaken, contributed to. Please tell him I mentioned him in this forum.  I'll email that picture to you now.


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## mikey517 (Nov 27, 2012)

I'll turn 64 on Thursday. 3rd year of burning full time & third year of c/s/s firewood. Sedentary career before retirement in 2001. Never owned a chainsaw until 2008.
First year of burning, my cholesterol dropped 30 pts., tryglicerides dropped 11 pts., and vitamin D levels increased. Biggest thing I can share...
_*Take your time...set your own pace...don't try to keep up with the young guns!*_

I've averaged 4 to 5 cords pr/yr., and my wife just bought me an Aerins 27 ton splitter. I use ramps to roll large rounds onto the pick-up.
Other than that - take your time!!


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## Thistle (Nov 27, 2012)

mikey517 said:


> _*Take your time...set your own pace...don't try to keep up with the young guns! *_


 

You got it. Turned 49 2 months ago.Working in the woods part time since I was 17,construction full time since I was 20-21. Still have the strength I did at 30-35,but no where near the endurance.Am in no hurry now,do what I can in the time allotted,take breaks when I'm tired,the work will still be there when I return the next day/week/whatever.
Nothing to prove now.Learned lots of shortcuts over the years (not regarding safety however) to make my job easier,more productive,pleasant & efficient.


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## AJS56 (Nov 27, 2012)

Backwoods Savage said:


> You might also look at a cant hook. We much prefer them over the peavy.


 
I looked at the Peavey website, and don't see what the difference between the cant hook and peavey is.  Can someone 'splain it to me?


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## Backwoods Savage (Nov 27, 2012)

AJ, look at the bottom of the handle. On the Peavey you'll see what looks like a spike. On the cant  hook there is a toe, or grabber on the bottom. When rolling the log, the grabber grabs the top of the log but with a peavey the spike just rests on the log. The peavey is great for those river loggers but some seem to like them in the woods too. I'll stay with the cant hook and even when we were logging and working in the mill I never met anyone who preferred the peavey.


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## AJS56 (Nov 27, 2012)

Backwoods Savage said:


> AJ, look at the bottom of the handle. On the Peavey you'll see what looks like a spike. On the cant hook there is a toe, or grabber on the bottom. When rolling the log, the grabber grabs the top of the log but with a peavey the spike just rests on the log. The peavey is great for those river loggers but some seem to like them in the woods too. I'll stay with the cant hook and even when we were logging and working in the mill I never met anyone who preferred the peavey.


 Thanks dennis.  I just looked closer and saw that difference.  I can see where the cant hook could be very useful.  And also those tongs/handle thing you posted a pic of.  My back doesn't like a lot of bent over time, so that could help moving roumds into spliting area, etc.


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## KB007 (Nov 28, 2012)

I'm 50 now and have been doing the c/s/s now for 5 years.  Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) in my business life I have done a fair bit of manufacturing / process consulting.  So, wired that way I tried to breakdown the cut/split/stack into work "cells" and reduce the handling etc.  Drove my neighbour a little nuts  (we work together on a truck load each year).

What did I change?
1) when cutting, first cut a few logs into a "bench" and roll each log onto the bench to cut.  Saves the back a whole lot v/s bending to cut.  We also do the cutting on the downhill side of the log pile, again, helps roll the logs onto the bench for cutting.  Once the pile gets lower, we just move the bench in some and start the process again.
2) as you're cutting, stack the rounds somewhat neatly, this helps later when you go to split (with a splitter) and you always want to move the splitter to the wood, not have to keep moving the wood to the splitter (reduces handling)
3) when we split, we line up our 2 trailers in front of the splitter and the splits go directly into a trailer.  When they're full, they get taken immediately to one of our stacks and stacked.  This saved a lot of time as we don't split into a big pile, then have to handle a second time to load into the trailer. It also ensures we have an even split of the splits (pun intended).  It also breaks up the work motions somewhat, rather than spend all your day doing one set of motions (eg splitting) then another day doing nothing but loading and stacking.  this was probably the biggest change and gets the job done quicker I think.

As others have said, take your time.  I like cutting in the winter, it's fun to be out in the snow and the work keeps you warm.


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## Flatbedford (Nov 28, 2012)

I always split right into my tractor cart too. I couldn't imagine having to haul and stack a huge pile of splits. I would just look like way too much work to do that  way.


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## Jags (Nov 28, 2012)

tim1 said:


> After my boys left home, wood harvesting was a lot harder. I buy logs that I load with my loader tractor,cut them on the forks of my loader tractor, lift the 36 in rounds on a plate into my Oak and Iron vertical splitter raised 30 inches off ground, so I can stand and rotate the round on the plate into 6-10 chunks, then fill a open ended box 2 foot by 6 feet with splits. Then use the forks to take to shed and stand and stack in shed. Bad back, artifical hips and knee force me to work smarter. Love working wood. Really love hydraulics too. 12 cord put up. Tim Oh,65 years young.


 
Man - this post has me itching to build another splitter.  Thanks for the ideas.


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## Flatbedford (Nov 28, 2012)

Jags said:


> Man - this post has me itching to build another splitter. Thanks for the ideas.


 
Send it my way for testing when you are done with it. In fact, I'd even come out and pick it up


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## Jags (Nov 28, 2012)

Flatbedford said:


> Send it my way for testing when you are done with it. In fact, I'd even come out and pick it up


 
It would be of a style that I have never built before (there is one on this forum).  Think of a vertical splitter but at waist high.  Big flat table with a carousel in the middle.  Large rounds are lifted (log lift of course) on to the flat plate and onto the carousel.  Split, spin, split, spin, split, spin.  All at waist height for maneuverability.  It would be cool as heck.


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## Flatbedford (Nov 28, 2012)

Perfect! Let me know when to come get it.


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## scooby074 (Nov 28, 2012)

salmonhunter said:


> agreed because of this post im now looking for a peavy. The only place I found one locally is at princessauto and it seems pretty expensive do any of you guys know where I should look to buy one of these online btw im located in canada.


 
Lee Valley has some Canadian made Peaveys. (they also have log lifts and hookaroons too)

I called Peavy manufacturing earlier this fall and they have no Canadian dealers, and from the tone of the womans voice she didn't seem overly enthusiastic about shipping factory direct to Canada(not to mention it would be a huge cost).

I just noticed in the latest catalog that they are now carrying American made, aluminum handled timberjacks and peaveys, however I cant remember the manufacturer, i do know it isnt Logrite however.

Speaking of logrite, the dealer for this part of Canada (quebec east) is Henley saw.  I cant recomend them 100% either. They've had my new Logrite pickaroon on order for close to 3 months now. If it doesnt come soon, Im ordering direct from Logrite who for $30 shipping said they'd have it here within 10 days.


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## Jags (Nov 28, 2012)

Flatbedford said:


> Perfect! Let me know when to come get it.


 
Hmmm...more thinking to do.  The engineering for accommodating smaller logs that don't need a turning carousel (think turn table in your microwave and setting a cup of coffee to one side or the other)


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## basod (Nov 28, 2012)

Jags said:


> It would be of a style that I have never built before (there is one on this forum). Think of a vertical splitter but at waist high. Big flat table with a carousel in the middle. Large rounds are lifted (log lift of course) on to the flat plate and onto the carousel. Split, spin, split, spin, split, spin. All at waist height for maneuverability. It would be cool as heck.


Did you ever see the dirty jobs episode when he was at a sawmill out west somewhere?
Splitting cedar shakes by hand with something this. It appeared to be the only "safe" looking machine he ran in the whole episode


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## Jags (Nov 28, 2012)

basod said:


> Did you ever see the dirty jobs episode when he was at a sawmill out west somewhere?


 
Yep, I sure did.


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## avc8130 (Nov 28, 2012)

This is the best way I could figure to store and move my wood around.

The rack gets placed next to the splitter and is filled. Then off to the "seasoning" area where I group like batches of ~5 cords by year. When it is time to burn, the rack gets moved to the basement hurricane doors. Splits are thrown into plastic janitor bins and then wheeled to the boiler.

ac


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## scooby074 (Dec 3, 2012)

avc8130 said:


> View attachment 82889
> 
> 
> View attachment 82891
> ...


 

Nice system! Either mesh bags or pallet "boxes" are what Id like to eventually get to. Problem is my BX25 is too small to lift much wood.  Yours looks like a L39? Been happy with it?


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## avc8130 (Dec 3, 2012)

scooby074 said:


> Nice system! Either mesh bags or pallet "boxes" are what Id like to eventually get to. Problem is my BX25 is too small to lift much wood. Yours looks like a L39? Been happy with it?


 
I had thought about bags, but each bag is $10 and requires a pallet to sit on.  At that rate I would have $400 invested into bags that aren't UV stable.

Yup, L39.  I was hesitant to get a machine this large initially.  However, after owning it for about 18 months and putting 85 hours on it, I wouldn't want anything smaller.  In fact, I am strongly considering an L45.

ac


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## scooby074 (Dec 3, 2012)

Ive seen where guys stack the bags directly without pallets on one of the forums I'm a member of, I think it depends on the bag's construction as to how well it will self support. On bag prices,  I know one guy is only paying about $2.50/bag from "Bag Supplies", he seems to like their products and service too.

Yeah, i hear you on thee L45. Its hard to have too much tractor! I bought the BX so that i would have an all in one, mowing and tractor solution... But now I wish I bought a large tractor and a dedicated Zero Turn for the mowing.


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## avc8130 (Dec 3, 2012)

scooby074 said:


> Ive seen where guys stack the bags directly without pallets on one of the forums I'm a member of, I think it depends on the bag's construction as to how well it will self support. On bag prices, I know one guy is only paying about $2.50/bag from "Bag Supplies", he seems to like their products and service too.
> 
> Yeah, i hear you on thee L45. Its hard to have too much tractor! I bought the BX so that i would have an all in one, mowing and tractor solution... But now I wish I bought a large tractor and a dedicated Zero Turn for the mowing.


 
Any more info on "bag supplies"?  $2.50/bag sounds better than scrounging for all of these pallets!

I have the L39 and a zero turn.  I like having the best machine for each purpose.

ac


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## scooby074 (Dec 3, 2012)

BagSupplies dot Com is the place where he gets the bags I believe.

I believe the $2.50 bags he uses are the mesh style that dont have handles on top. I think a pallet is required with this style. They are very similar to Apache/ Fast Firewoods B120 Bag in the video below, just for $2.50 vs $7.20

Here's the link to a thread I started on moving firewood with a small tractor, post #24 is discussion on price: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...256154-moving-firewood-palette-bx-bolt-3.html Its a good talk on the subject of tractors and ways to move wood. Lots of ideas.


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## Machria (Dec 27, 2012)

Thanks to this thread, cutting, splitting and stacking is now much easier. Added a Hookerroon/Pickeroon, Tongs, Log caddy and a Timberjack to my collection.

Used them to tackle a HUGE Locust yesterday, got tons of great wood from it.


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## Flatbedford (Dec 27, 2012)

Enjoy the "free" heat!


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## Machria (Dec 27, 2012)

Flatbedford said:


> Enjoy the "free" heat!


 
Yep, FREE, that is what I keep trying to convice myself.  Anyway, off to the drug store to *purchase* another bottle of Alieve.


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## WoodPorn (Dec 27, 2012)

40 yrs young and always trying to find an easier way...
-Traler w/winch for the heavies and logs on scrounge days
-Peavey or Cant hook for leverage and off ground cutting
-Fiskars for the easy small rounds
-Hydro splitter for everything else
...and of course this, for cadilac comfort transporting.... http://www.flickr.com/photos/90602641@N02/8294187562/


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## WoodPorn (Dec 27, 2012)

onion said:


> I couldn't agree more. I'm 39. Earlier this year I decided I was sick of being 100 lbs overweight and went to a gym, hired a trainer and she has kicked my ass into gear. 55 lbs down so far and splitting wood gets easier each time I do it. Its amazing how much work you can do if you are able to breathe the whole time


 
We could all go to Maine and do some Zumba??


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## firefighterjake (Dec 27, 2012)

WoodPorn said:


> We could all go to Maine and do some Zumba??


 
Hehheh . . . who doesn't like a good Zumba?   Heard about that one did you?


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## albert1029 (Dec 27, 2012)

Machria said:


> Thanks to this thread, cutting, splitting and stacking is now much easier


I'm sure it is easier with all of that great gear...


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## WhitePine (Dec 27, 2012)

> We could all go to Maine and do some Zumba??


 


firefighterjake said:


> Hehheh . . . who doesn't like a good Zumba?   Heard about that one did you?


 
Jeez, I must really be getting old. It took me at least two minutes to figure out what you guys were talking about.


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## scooby074 (Dec 27, 2012)

WoodPorn said:


> ...and of course this, for cadilac comfort transporting.... http://www.flickr.com/photos/90602641@N02/8294187562/


 
That is GREAT!

You didnt happen to do a build thread on that? Does it dump?


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## WoodPorn (Dec 27, 2012)

firefighterjake said:


> Hehheh . . . who doesn't like a good Zumba?   Heard about that one did you?


Who didn't!
I think every guy in New England wanted to get "heart healthy"


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## Boog (Dec 27, 2012)

This has been a great thread, thanks to all of your ideas.  I'm 57 and have mostly just been using "Boog" power to muscle things around, still hand splitting and such.  But my back is starting to feel it now and I know I HAVE TO START WORKING SMARTER.  Thanks again for all the great tips!


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## WoodPorn (Dec 28, 2012)

scooby074 said:


> That is GREAT!
> 
> You didnt happen to do a build thread on that? Does it dump?


I did not, but you can see some pics of the guts here: https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/18cuft-with-1-hand.101519/#post-1305395


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## bboulier (Dec 28, 2012)

BillsWS said:


> With all due respect b33p3r and everyone else here, to place the demands of c/s/s on yourself without being conditioned for it is the perfect formula for injury. The fact is that conditioning can be improved at any age. Yes, I am suggesting exercise. Improving your capacity and mechanics will prevent injury and raise pain free performance (also well established). But let me warm you, I listen to the objections, reasons and arguments against exercise from those who don't want to exercise every day. So if you don't agree, don't bother to post, I have likely already heard it.


I agree fully.  Currently 67, I started serious exercise about 10 years ago because of a broken hip.  Have far fewer back problems and can keep hoisting scrounged logs and my grandson without difficulty.   As you get older, you start losing muscle mass quickly without a well-balanced regular exercise program.  Helps keep the weight down as well.


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