split and stacked today - getting closer to 3 years ahead

[smoke eater]

this is what I accomplished today that should put me solidly 3 years ahead. I split and stacked my ash score from a couple weeks ago. I estimate it to be about 1.5-1.6 cord. since I'm stacking 2 pallets deep, I'm starting to criss-cross the piles, hoping for more airflow. we'll see. I still have a sh*t load of oak and black locust rounds to split, too. todays work was to free up the trailer to go for an oak score I've been putting off for a while. its not going anywhere, but I just want to get it here.

this is the whole load, around 6000 lbs.


todays stacks are on the left. around 5' high. you can see the color difference from the stacks on the right.





this stack turned into the "ugly" stack. huge knotted pieces that were tough to split. I refuse to scrap these. i'll burn them eventually. what do you guys do with these uglies?

 

[aussiedog3]

Nice!! I never wind up bucking to that consistent of a length.
Wow that is a sweet looking load of wood.
You load it like I do. To the hilt, heaviest piece of trunk on the tail end of the trailer and don't forget to throw the wedge on that you cut out when you dropped the tree!
Don't mind the mule, load the wagon!

 

[aussiedog3]

After reading more of your post, you think like I do. If I have wood for the taking somewhere other than at home, I can't wait to get it home.
Just not comfortable, nor does it feel like it's yours until you get it home.

 

[smoke eater]

Nice!! I never wind up bucking to that consistent of a length.
Wow that is a sweet looking load of wood.
You load it like I do. To the hilt, heaviest piece of trunk on the tail end of the trailer and don't forget to throw the wedge on that you cut out when you dropped the tree!
Don't mind the mule, load the wagon!

thanks. the hard work is paying off. my goal for the lengths is 20". my buck bar on the 290 is 18", so I use it as a guide.

 

[jatoxico]

Pretty looking stacks Smoke, well done.

 

[jensent]

The ugly pieces are usually noodled so that they fit our stove and will stack well. Im too lazy to pull the Oak and Iron out of the garage. Actually, splitting 7 to 10 cords each season is keeping me healthy! If I get a large order from a customer I do get the splitter out.
Tom

PS: Im 69yo.

 

[Hills Hoard]

I am just about to post my progress with stacking but you have put me to shame! nice work!

 

[JP11]

I stack on pallets because I'm not as talented as you guys. Uglies just go on top.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I'm not sold on the idea that stacking all the wood criss-cross speeds up the drying process. I think stacking normally with criss-cross only on the ends but when stacking the middle of the stacks, aim for a bit loosely stacked rather than trying to stack pretty and tight. This will allow the air to move through the stacks and dry the wood nicely.

 

[red oak]

That's some nice work! I agree with you, I like to get all the wood for a season on my property, then I can split and stack at my leisure. Uglies that can't fit in the stove go in the firepit pile. Those that don't get burned there get carved up with the chainsaw and burned in the fall. I don't have that many and usually burn them up by the end of October at the latest.

 

[smoke eater]

thanks everyone for the comments and tips. everything helps and I appreciate it. unfortunately , it is going to rain like heck tomorrow. that means one thing right now- MUD. so my quest to finish my splitting of the rounds I have now will be on hold for a day or two. then back to frigid weather again. I hate this yo-yo weather. I was supposed to go to the giants-redskins game tomorrow, but who wants to sit in the cold rain and watch the battle of the nfc losers? it would have been interesting . I'm a giants fan and my wife is a diehard skins fan. guess it will be nachos and drinks flying in the family room tomorrow.

 

[Treacherous]

My dad really needs to get a new stove. He still burns with his '80 Quaker and generally picks up enough wood each year so that he always has 20-30 cords on hand. I kid you not. He has been impressed by my minimal consumption and burn times compared to his old stove so maybe there is hope in the future for change. Here is his latest wood delivery of about 10 cords I guess.

(broken image removed)

 

[weatherguy]

Nice looking stacks, for the uglies I make a pallet box and fill em up, I burn those in shoulder season and save my straight pieces for the colder weather when I'm trying to fill the box to capacity.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

Nice looking stacks, for the uglies I make a pallet box and fill em up, I burn those in shoulder season and save my straight pieces for the colder weather when I'm trying to fill the box to capacity.

I agree, you got nice looking stacks there so I would find a place away from them that you can pile in a box till you actually need them or use them in the firepit, for the uglies...

 

[Fred Wright]

Nice work. Good looking stacks, nice and neat.

The uglies and oddball pieces get tossed aside while I'm splitting. Once the stacks are done they go on the top. They're great for holding plastic sheet covers in place. When no longer needed they go in the stove. We burn 'em all.

 

[bob95065]

Nice work. Good looking stacks, nice and neat.

The uglies and oddball pieces get tossed aside while I'm splitting. Once the stacks are done they go on the top. They're great for holding plastic sheet covers in place. When no longer needed they go in the stove. We burn 'em all.

+1. I do the same thing.

 

[Paulywalnut]

You can make a container out of pallets, throw them in there and air will flow through for drying.
Then they're out of the way and you can grab some once in a while and burn them.