Frozen wood

[bag of hammers]

don't have to stop to slap bugs and skeeters.

Last official skeeter kill here this year was Nov 18. We were almost praying for winter to arrive just to knock down the crazy bugs this year.

 

[rideau]

The one place I DO get mosquitoes in the winter is in the house...when snow melts on the wood I bring in after a storm...always seem to get one or two of our friends flying around.

Once, many, many years ago before I knew better I took a load of firewood to my Dad on Nantucket. Half an hour into the drive, heading south, starting killing what seemed like an endless stream of the darn things on the windshield....

 

[bag of hammers]

The grounds this fall (just before freezing up here) looked like it did in the Spring. Nothing dried out this year - in fact more water on the ground than in previous Spring thaws. I'm afraid to see what next Spring brings us on the skeeter front.

Sorry OP for sidetracking the thread. On the original post, I have no problem cutting up whatever I can find in the Winter. Pine (pitch) can be messy but as Backwoods mentioned you can deal with it. As mentioned, the snow can get in the way, but leaving the frozen rounds piled up until it we get a thaw and I can move them later is an option. If it's a decent winter day, I'll even split some of the easier stuff on the spot and throw it in a sled and drag it across the property - not very efficient at all, but just another excuse for me and pup(s) to be outside getting some exercise. If you can get an outside fire going at the same time, its even better to be out cutting this time of year.

 

[WriteNoob]

We do all our cutting during the winter. Haven't yet started this year but will be starting in another week or so. As for differences when wood is frozen, no. Also many think wood is frozen as soon as we start getting below freezing temperatures but the interior takes some time to reach that frozen stage.

So to put it bluntly, we just never pay no attention to it as it cuts just as well in winter as it does in summer, but we sweat a lot less and don't have to stop to slap bugs and skeeters.

I was fixing an overhead door (my job) at the post office in Phillips, Wisconsin, yesterday (it was about -10, that morning) when a gentleman of about 80, or so came stomping in with a big smile for everyone.

"Fine day!", says he, "Deer flies ain't bitin' near's bad as I expected."

I've been all around the world, but darned if I still don't love home, best.

 

[1750]

I haven't noticed a difference when cutting but I can say for sure that when splitting by hand with a maul, green frozen cottonwood splits much easier than when it is dry. I have been reading the forum for a while and finally saw a question I could provide some input for.

Alright, the really good news is that the frozen hemlock splits much, MUCH better than the non-frozen hemlock.

Though I lack the mythical X27, I busted the heck out of that stuff this weekend with my plain ol' True Temper splitting maul.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Welcome to the forum WriteNoob. The old man is right!

 

[Twisted Priorities]

We find that live trees that are cut down and buck durning the year are easier than cutting dead frozen trees in the winter. The dead white ash (standing, leaning or downed) are harder on chains and takes longer to buck.
Has anyone else noticed this ?

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Not me. And we've been cutting dead white ash for many years now in addition to some dead pin oaks.

 

[Valhalla]

To the subject line, I do try to split some fresh cut rounds when frozen. Prefer early spring and late fall.