Can you ever have too much in the stacks?

[JustWood]

The hardest and most time consuming part of firewood is getting it home. Scrounge the gravy ,,, leave the rest.
Cutting and splitting once home can be 10 or 20 minutes at a time as time allows itself.
Twer me,,, I would get as much home as you could if you have the time now. Summer gets here and you can process as needed between cutting the grass.

 

[7acres]

I think you need to start processing 4-5 years worth of splits. Focus your time and energy on this. You have a lot of long term wood on the property but seem to have little short term wood in the pipe, short term meaning at least 3 years of wood that is split, stacked and under 20% MC.....but we are all different......

Right on, 1500. I'm definitely behind at this point. I'm going to shoot to do a bunch of splitting next weekend.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

Right on, 1500. I'm definitely behind at this point. I'm going to shoot to do a bunch of splitting next weekend.

Thanks man, it doesn't mean you can't pick up loads here and there to keep the bank full, but the actual split wood is what you want to really load up on for years to come and then always keep as much rounds as you have space for just waiting for their turn to be processed, that way you never run out of wood, especially under 20% MC wood......

 

[Sledhead00]

I would get ahead first on your splitting and stacking unless you think some of the primo wood will disappear while you are doing this but from what you say it doesnt sound like it. That oak will take years to dry so it should be taken care of right away but not before you set yourself up for next winter, to me that is the priority. Dont pass up on some cedar, it will keep forever and you cant go wrong with having a cord and a half ready for fire start ups. It will dry quick once split and stacked. You will love it for kindling and the knotty stuff can be burned during shoulder season. I must add that this is a nice problem that you have

Agree, I wouldn't go crazy on getting a crazy amount of cedar,but like mentioned above cedar will be great for shoulder season and burning down mounds of coals in the depths of winter.. I have a lot of cedar siding scraps that I'm using for this exact purpose right now..

 

[Knots]

It's a form of insurance. If you get hurt or have a family emergency that demands lots of time, you've got that cushion of dry firewood to fall back on. I hope to have 4 season's worth put up by next fall.

 

[Hogwildz]

NO

 

[7acres]

It's a form of insurance. If you get hurt or have a family emergency that demands lots of time, you've got that cushion of dry firewood to fall back on. I hope to have 4 season's worth put up by next fall.

Very good point, Knots. I was telling the wife the other day that the wood pile is a type of retirement fund. When I have enough to last me the rest of my life then I'm set. At 2.5 cords a year for 40 years I need my wood fund funded to the tune of 100 cords. That'll get me by till I'm 77.

 

[blades]

the simple answer is "No you can never have enough CSS firewood"

 

[MrWhoopee]

In my ongoing efforts to minimize work and back strain, my wood gathering/processing has evolved into a straight line from truck to stack. Once I have lifted the rounds into the truck, they go directly into the splitter (which sits at truck bed height), then into the wheelbarrow and onto the stack. This minimizes handling and lifting, but it also slows the process of gathering because I can't go get more until I've split and stacked the current load. This hasn't been a problem in recent years, as we've had virtually no winter. We have continued to cut right through. I am currently 3-5 years ahead, which means I can be selective about what I take. If it's good wood and close to home, I'll take it. I can also take the green wood that others leave because I don't need it for next winter. No need to settle for the low btu or punky stuff because you need wood for this winter.

As Knots said, you never know when an injury or circumstances might prevent you from cutting. At 63, I'm also looking at leaving several years of wood for my wife if I should suddenly check out. That should give her time to find a younger man.

So, unless you can no longer park your cars on your property, you still don't have enough wood.

 

[kennyp2339]

It's so true about having enough in case of an emergency, I busted my behind last year and the year before to get ahead, low and behold this past fall I had a knee injury that took me out from the beginning of November to xmas, I was already set to go with wood close to the house for winter and still have enough for 2 more winters CSS. Now this spring I'll prepare for winter 17-18 winter and be set to go

 

[Dune]

Gather while the gettingis good.
I had a pile so huge IIhad to process for 5years.
You get far enough ahead ou don't need to split nearly as much. Anything that will fit in the stove will season given enough time.
I am burning 8"rounds today.

 

[Hogwildz]

Don't be so quick to pass up cedar and any other soft woods. They have a definite place.
Burning colas down, shoulder season, small filler loads between full loads when it is cold as it is out lately.
It can be as valuable as hard wood in some circumstances.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

Cedar is one of my favorite woods, I burn it in my out door fire pits, it makes the whole neighborhood smell great, I used to use it as kindling to start fires in my insert, but having under 20% MC wood there us no need for kindling anymore...

 

[Ashful]

...can you ever have too much wood? I calculate that when I get what I have split I'll be 5-7 years ahead on firewood. If I scrounge all this stuff from the power company I'll probably be 10 years ahead or better. I've got the space for it. Were you in my situation what would you do? Keep scrounging?

Time is your limiting factor. Better spend some of it splitting, now.

As to having too much, I had over 20 cords CSS'd this fall. I've burned 5, but stacked another 3, so I guess I'm in the upper teens, now. Sounds good, I guess, except now I'm thinking of swapping my stoves for ones that won't fit the splits I have. So, yes... there are times when you can have too much wood.

edit: cedar, poplar, etc. I use cedar exclusively for kindling, and it's great for that, but I wouldn't want to heat with it. Poplar is a complete waste of time, IMO. Takes every bit as long to split as ash, but vaporizes in half the time. I'd not be wasting my limited time on splitting if, if there is better wood available.

 

[Isaac Carlson]

I have piles of rounds in the yard waiting to be split. I have sold some and will be sitting on the rest once split and stacked. I have room for at least 35 cord in one end of a shed and probably 70-80 cord if I use the whole thing. I could fit 300 cord in my bigger shed, but then I wouldn't have a shop to work in.
I want to get as far ahead as I can, but it takes time, and energy, and more time and energy. Keep scrounging wood and you will find places to put it.
Fill the basement, garage, barn, silo, etc...just keep going.


EDIT: I was just talking with my wife and we figured we had room to store 3 or 4 HUNDRED YEARS worth of wood if we filled the sheds and the barn. She asked if it would still be good at that age or if it would rot. I might just have to find out! It sure would burn good if it didn't rot....

 

[BobUrban]

80 people - yes that reads, EIGHT ZERO" have 49% of ALL the money in the world By the end of 2015 it will be 50% meaning less than 100 people control 50% of all money(and power) on earth!! Ask one of them if you can ever have "too" much??

The answer is NO

 

[Dune]

I have piles of rounds in the yard waiting to be split. I have sold some and will be sitting on the rest once split and stacked. I have room for at least 35 cord in one end of a shed and probably 70-80 cord if I use the whole thing. I could fit 300 cord in my bigger shed, but then I wouldn't have a shop to work in.
I want to get as far ahead as I can, but it takes time, and energy, and more time and energy. Keep scrounging wood and you will find places to put it.
Fill the basement, garage, barn, silo, etc...just keep going.


EDIT: I was just talking with my wife and we figured we had room to store 3 or 4 HUNDRED YEARS worth of wood if we filled the sheds and the barn. She asked if it would still be good at that age or if it would rot. I might just have to find out! It sure would burn good if it didn't rot....

Depending upon how old you are, it could be somewhat of a waste of time putting up more than say 70-80 years worth.

 

[Isaac Carlson]

I would be fine with 100+ years worth. My son could use it. He is 8 now, so there would be enough for his kids too.
With the way things are going, it may be smart to get 100 years ahead on wood. You may not be able to cut it some day.
I'm not trying to go off half cocked here, just keeping an open mind. A friend of mine just bought a dump bed 350 so it will be easier to get ahead.
I want to make the splitter a bit faster. That would cut the prep time in half.

 

[Isaac Carlson]

If I figure it takes a week to put up a year of wood, just to allow spare time, I could have 10 years worth in 2 months. 100 years worth would take 2 years if I worked year round and 4 years if I only worked in the summer. That isn't too bad for 100 years of heat.

 

[Ashful]

With the way things are going, it may be smart to get 100 years ahead on wood. You may not be able to cut it some day.

"... and they used to burn trees for heat!"

Maybe they'll have better options, by then. Which of our grandparents could have predicted the current drone legislation debate?

 

[Dune]

I would be fine with 100+ years worth. My son could use it. He is 8 now, so there would be enough for his kids too.
With the way things are going, it may be smart to get 100 years ahead on wood. You may not be able to cut it some day.
I'm not trying to go off half cocked here, just keeping an open mind. A friend of mine just bought a dump bed 350 so it will be easier to get ahead.
I want to make the splitter a bit faster. That would cut the prep time in half.

I was trying to be sarcastic.

By all means, get several hundred years ahead. I would if I had the time/space.

 

[Oldman47]

80 people - yes that reads, EIGHT ZERO" have 49% of ALL the money in the world By the end of 2015 it will be 50% meaning less than 100 people control 50% of all money(and power) on earth!! Ask one of them if you can ever have "too" much??

The answer is NO

No matter how decadent your life style, that really is too much for each one. They could donate half to charity and still have so much they would not know what to do with it all. My own work history does not put me in that area or the top 1% but I have all I need for what I want to do for the rest of my life, unless inflation manages to eat it all. My own perspective is that anyone with any kind of reasonable desires could easily live on what I earned over my working life. I can't spend all winter in Hawaii or do similarly wasteful things but I never expect to worry about how I will stay warm, or dry or what I will have to eat. Folks with double or triple my resources could spend winter in Hawaii but so what? Does anyone really need that to be happy?

 

[Oldman47]

Depending upon how old you are, it could be somewhat of a waste of time putting up more than say 70-80 years worth.

If I ever put up more than 20 years of wood I would be kidding myself. I am already 67 and how many people live an independent life beyond 87 years old? I may not be alive by then and if I am I may be in a nursing home or other supported care facility. A few years from now when I think I am ahead that far it will be time to start selling the surplus to new wood burners who failed to understand what they were getting into. If I keep plugging away at generating 2 or 3 years of wood each year I will have a nice side business and maybe will survive to use a little of it to maybe 90 years old. I need to talk to my 93 year old dad about this.

 

[Dune]

If I ever put up more than 20 years of wood I would be kidding myself. I am already 67 and how many people live an independent life beyond 87 years old?

Hopefully you sir. I would go for it.

Let me put it this way; I wouldn't want to be out dragging bucking and splitting (or felling and stacking for that matter) at age 87.
Get it done
while you are young.

 

[Ashful]

When I was a kid, I would collect and split wood along with my father, grandfather, grandfather's BIL, and great-grandfather. Great-grandpop was 95, still keeping his fireplace going nearly 24/7 and living independently on 7 acres, when he broke a hip and passed within the year. Seemed like a good life to me. Unfortunately, dad and grandpop also died within 5 years of that... not so lucky. All of them left behind wood stacks!