Two topics... wood processing retirement and wood cutting time commitment

[velvetfoot]

I get log lengths and process them but that costs money and a significant, for me, amount of time as well. I'd look at this heating cost comparison spreadseet from EIA, (broken link removed to http://search.yahoo.com/r/_ylt=A0oG7lxrneFQnVkAGPdXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE0OWltMjZlBHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDMQRjb2xvA2FjMgR2dGlkA1ZJUDA0OV83Nw--/SIG=120co98tv/EXP=1356991979/**http%3a//www.eia.gov/neic/experts/heatcalc.xls) , put in your values, and make sure that wood heat makes economic sense. It'd be nice to have natural gas available and just burn wood occasionally.

 

[charly]

I'm 58 and still harvesting wood from my farm,,,I'll do it until I can't! Back in my tree climbing days I knew 3 climbers who were all in their 70's,, a little slower but still did the work, talk about inspiration! No nursing for me,,,,I'd rather just drop dead working,,, to me a nursing home would be mental torture,,, as far a free time,, then don't burn wood.... I have 96 acres here and I can tell you I mow about 6-8 acres every week, that's a 6 hour ride on a 52 inch zero turn Ferris mower, plus one whole day is just weed whacking...I told a guy who I let hunt here,,, I feel like I'm maintaining a state park,,,, everyone else gets to enjoy it but me,,,,,, I just maintained everything.... I guess it's all in your drive and what you want... but to answer your question,,, yes ,, you'll have to give up a few things to get some independence,,,,using no oil, natural gas , electric heat or propane doesn't come free! Think about it,,,,,,,just be glad at any age you have your health to get your wood.....That's why I say if you stop using it ,,you lose it! Muscle and a sound mind . I think that's why people lose their minds,,, they sit idle. Ever notice old pilots,, they're not in nursing homes,,, they're just old and still sharp,,,, using their minds to fly.... Here's a video of my inspiration when he hops in that seat he's a young man again,,, you can just see it in his eye's! This is living life!

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[Bster13]

I've got a problem, hehe:

(broken link removed)

 

[firefighterjake]

Random thoughts . . .

For some folks processing wood becomes a new "hobby" . . . albeit one that pays off with financial savings in the end typically. Being outside processing wood whether it's working in a wood lot and doing it all from the felling to the disposal of the ashes or if it's simply stacking wood or anything in between those . . . for some folks it's "work" that is just plain fun.

Hmm . . . not much time now . . . being a home owner with the various remodel projects will take up a lot more of your time often times than working with the wood ever will . . . the nice thing is that while the home is rarely if ever "finished" (by the time you've done most everything there is a pretty good chance you will have to go back and fix a few more things), the work does get easier as time goes by as you learn how to do things right and future projects are usually not major renovations . . . of course if and when kids enter the picture figure on even less time.

Remember this one thing though . . . home, kids, wood, jobs and hobbies . . . all are important to give your time to . . . even hobbies since everyone needs a little bit of play time . . . but the most important thing to remember is to always give time to your fiance and future wife . . . they will be (hopefully) be there long after you've sold your first home, the kids have grown up and moved out, jobs have come and went and hobbies that once interested you no longer have the same appeal.

As for the time . . . if I had to do some number crunching I would guess I maybe would put 1-2 solid weeks into my annual wood processing . . . but I don't know since I tend to work on the wood here and there when I get a few spare hours on a summer evening or a free weekend day when my wife has to work. More over, since it is fun for me I don't really keep track of the time . . . and since I work here and there I never really get burned out. It's a lot easier to work on your wood when you're ahead of the game and don't feel the pressure to get all of next year's wood ready . . .

I also routinely call up a few of my good buddies to see if they want to help . . . it helps make the time more productive . . . and perhaps just as important it gives us a chance to hang out together and have a good time working with power equipment, joking around with each other and having a good meal . . . not to mention the coffee, donuts, beer, etc.

While I may not have every weekend free for my hobbies and play time . . . even without the woodstove I would not have every weekend free since I purposefully set aside every other weekend to spend time with my wife . . . even if it means just hanging around the house doing a renovation project or cleaning the place. That said, I still find time to camp, geocache, ATV, snowmobile, etc. . . . I like processing wood, but it is not by any stretch of the imagination my favorite hobby or past time.

And of course one can always justify the time spent processing wood as time well spent . . . when I last burned only oil I had a good year with only 580 gallons of oil used . . . today that would work out to be a little more than $2,000 . . . for a few weekend days and evenings here and there I can take that money saved and for a little more than that figure purchase two plane tickets and go on a cruise in the southern Caribbean with my wife . . . and even if this means a little bit of oil will get burned while I am away from the cold and snow . . . well I can live with that.

As for the age . . . it isn't so much a number as it is my health. Right now I do it all . . . at some point I suspect I may start buying my wood tree length and processing it . . . and perhaps some day buying it all cut and split . . . and then perhaps one day going with a wood pellet stove.

 

[farmerblue]

With the wood boiler for my house I find it takes about 4 hours to cut, haul, and stack 15 burn cycle (one oven full) of wood. Unless it's under 45* outside It will get one burn cycle a day when I come home from work. When it's between 45 and 32* a burn cycle in the morning and one when I get home from work. Below 32* we just keep tossing wood in and only load it up at night.

Most of the time the wife or one of my kids will help and cane get a lot more done in the same amount of time.

We never split anything under 10”. When we do split wood we make a party out of it and just get it done. I don't own a splitter, but trade the use of it for a day roe t loads of larger rounds delivered to his house. Right now I have a bunch of 24”+ logs piled up that I will cut up and sell in the spring.

When it comes to how much we save I do not know. Our house has a geo heat pump. It was sized for cooling and a propane boiler for backup heat.


I have never thought about what I could be doing when not getting wood.

 

[bluedogz]

I have gotten on the this-is-a-hobby bandwagon too... but this hobby didn't cost me an arm and a leg!

I'm 42, have one arm, broken back and a rebuilt shoulder... and see no reason at all to ever "retire" from my hobby. The cost of such retirement would be several hundred dollars a month to the electric company... not gonna happen.

 

[Bster13]

Got a gift today of Maple from the local arborist:

 

[Bster13]

The arborist estimated I have about a cord stacked loosely thus far (log cabin style throughout). I hope to have 3 cords for next year. Not sure if that will heat my home, but it's worth a shot.

 

[Boog]

Seeing and feeling the benifits of the wood stove that my parents installed when I was in my teens living back on Grand Island, NY, I planned for the long haul. When I moved to Ohio in "77" after college and got my first real job, I specifically looked for some land with nice woods. I first purchased 5 acres, then 20 more off the back, all wooded. When I built on the lot, I installed a combo wood/oil forced air furnace (last summer I installed a 95% efficiency propane job too). The only scrounging I do is to scout around the "back 25" now and then to see what might have come down. Otherwise, I'm following sound management practices outlined by my state forester as to what I cut for timber or heat. I'm 57 now and can't begin to calculate all the money I've saved. The oil gun has not been run at all this year, and the propane only for 1 day when I was routinly cleaning out pipes after Thanksgiving. I really don't feel I've missed out on much otherwise. I love to fish, hunt, camp, basicly anything outdoors (I'm also a Certified Wilderness First Responder) so working out in the woods to me is top quality time, not a loss at all. Sure, I've missed out on whacking a few balls around "Windmill Lake" on occasion, or didn't show up at "Ray's" in Kent to polish off a few brews with some buddies a few times in my life. But did I really miss anything there? I think not.

 

[bogydave]

Have cut wood for years.
Until I retired it was work ( a job that had to get done)& having a log length 9 to 10 cord load delivered worked well.

Now retired. Learning to retire has a "learning curve",
I have made getting wood one of my "retirement jobs",
( lousy hourly pay; but tax free, good exercise , saves $$, & I actually have fun doing it)

Still do the hobby stuff, but look forward to getting the wood in, if it take 2 week or 2 months, that's OK

I enjoy the wood part (fun , rewarding work) as much as the hobby stuff.
Still learning!

 

[BrianK]

How much time a week/month/year do you spend on splitting/cutting/stacking/savaging wood?

You'll have ask Backwoods Savage about that.

 

[Bster13]

Ok, your turn to stack it....too much talking with the neighbors (who think I'm nuts. )

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I am 34 yrs old., newly engaged, new homeowner. I don't necessarily mind all the work I am doing around the house (good exercise!), but I do notice things changing with my free time. I tend to do more home improvement or (lately) splitting/cutting/stacking/savaging wood as opposed to backpacking, camping, working on cars, hobbies of the past, etc. So two questions...

1) How much time a week/month/year do you spend on splitting/cutting/stacking/savaging wood? It's not inconsequential to me thus far. The $ I've invested is not the problem (thus far chainsaw & safety equip., though no wood stove insert yet), but I wonder if folks on this forum who have been doing it for some time feel like they are missing out on other things....When I purchase an insert and have it installed, man is it going to hurt the piggy bank. If a lot of folks thought they were missing out (I see folks in much colder climates collecting a TON more wood that I ~think~ I'll need each year. That's gotta take some time!) I might just turn up the thermostat and pay more bills. Haha.

2) How late in age do you reasonably think (barring major accident or health conditions) your body can go? (Do you notice peers "retiring" around a certain age?) And then what? Buy wood from someone else, knowing you saved a ton of $ all these years processing it yourself already? Turn up the oil/natural gas?

Just curious as I stare at my open masonry fireplace and read forum threads on CAT stoves. Cheers!

Good for you to be thinking ahead. I don't know how much I can help but will try.

1. I have no idea how much time I spend on cutting, splitting, stacking, burning etc. Believe it or not, I've never kept track of the time. For sure it takes me longer now than it used to but I don't mind the time spent. In fact, many times I'll simply stop working and just enjoy where I am or might even go for a short walk looking over the woodlot or something similar.

To dollars spent on saw + other equipment is not high for sure because some of the equipment, plus the saw can be used for other things besides cutting firewood.

Do I feel I have missed out on other things? No. I asked my wife and her answer was, no. Putting up wood is one of the fun things she likes to do. However, our life style is much different than most folks. For example, we rarely even watch television. We rarely "go out" and for sure do not do some of the "normal" things most folks do. I laugh whenever I think back about a fellow who complained that he moved to this area and had lived here for almost 2 months and had not yet taken his wife out to eat. Ha! It was longer than that for us.


2. How late in age can I do this? Only God can answer that but I will answer that I will do it as long as I am physically capable. Many look forward to their years in their 60's but those years are past for me so I am not a young man. Today I finished cutting up and hauling an ash that I had earlier started on. Only got 2 trailer loads and it no doubt took me a lot longer than it would you, but I got it done....and enjoyed the time doing it.

I wish I could do more but I'll just be happy doing what I am capable of doing. As you know, things we do or things that happen to us in our younger years tend to come back to haunt us in later life. So because of your questions I'll throw out a few things for your consideration. In my early life I had polio and was cripple from the waist down. Although I regained my ability to walk, what they now call post-polio syndrome has haunted me. Many times there are days or even weeks when I can do very little. I've also had 3 surgeries on my back with more recommended. I also have 3 very bad discs in my neck. Both hips have been replaced. One shoulder needs surgery. There is more but I think perhaps this is enough to make a point.

My point is that yes, as we age we can expect our bodies to deteriorate a bit and it will take us longer to do some things. Some things we may not be able to do any more so we learn how to do them differently. My wife is close to my age and sometimes I think her physical condition is worse than mine. But we still enjoy working together and you know what? I think I'm falling in love with her.

We raised two sons and while they no doubt at times felt cheated because they had work to do rather than play, we made out very well. We do miss the help they provided so have had to make some adjustments. No problem.


Newly engaged; new home owner. Wow You have a wonderful situation and I do hope you make the most of it. Don't let a day go by without telling that wonderful woman how much you love and appreciate her. Let her help. Work together. Raise a family. Enjoy life.


As for how long I've cut wood, no I did not flip the switch when God said, "Let there be light." But it has been a while. I appear to be a bit older than most folks on this forum but that is okay too. I've made some really good friends from this forum and am very thankful for that. Just yesterday we had a visitor who is a member of this forum and I really enjoyed the time. Let us hope the enjoyment continues for a long, long time.

 

[Shmudda]

First, this is a great thread! It was one of the only ones where I read each and every post

I am currently 50 and still going strong. I have about 10 acres of my ground to scrounge wood with another 10 or so that I actively cut on. As others have said, it's easier to keep up once caught up, right now I bet there's 15 cord or so under tarps waiting for their turn in the stove

I started cutting when I was 7 years old or so with my grandfather. He taught me to work hard, but the poor guy didn't work smart, although he was the best mechanic one could find. He used chainsaws, but other than that it was all manual jackass work using come-a-longs and wheelborrows,thus getting wood was time consuming and tiring. I cut like that with him until 93 when he passed away, it was not work to me, it was quality time spent with an old man I truly admired, loved, and respected.

In 1996 I built a new house where I grew up, right next to my grandfathers home, where my parents now live. They have no desire to burn, but they still have the old Grandma Bear Fisher sitting there ready and waiting. After I built this house put the Liberty in the basement and started my adventure

I burn 3-4 cords per season as the Liberty never goes out. Most of my cutting time is on weekends starting in late September thru December then from March thru April. I usually will take January and February off unless we get good weather. Here's where the working smarter comes in I use quads, winches, tractors, and trailers to get the wood I need, no more wheelbarrows and come-a-longs, that right there will keep me going for many years to come! I do split with a 8 lb maul and won't give that up, also I don't split anything less than 9" in diameter, so that helps. Also, since 1996 when I started burning full time for myself I have never cut down a live tree. I will get blow downs and standing dead, more than I could ever cut!

I love to cut trees, it has become a passion and obsession to a point. My kids and wife know when fall and winter comes its me and the saws, and they leave me be.

I spend considerable time cutting and splitting but it's one of my hobbies I truly love and enjoy, it's not work!

Craig

 

[oldogy]

So two questions...

1) How much time a week/month/year do you spend on splitting/cutting/stacking/savaging wood? It's not inconsequential to me thus far. The $ I've invested

2) How late in age do you reasonably think (barring major accident or health conditions) your body can go? (Do you notice peers "retiring" around a certain age?) And then what? Buy wood from someone else, knowing you saved a ton of $ all these years processing it yourself already? Turn up the oil/natural gas?

1. I tend to work the wood in spurts. I currently down, cut to length, and split here on my place. I did buy a cord of red oak this year because it was such pretty wood and priced right. Wood cutting, splitting is just something I enjoy and something that is enjoyed should be done when I want to. If it is too hot, I ain't going to cut wood. If it is too cold, I ain't going to cut wood. I am playing get ahead as this is just the second year with a clean burn stove.

2. At 74, I am still able to do just about anything with the wood. I have a FEL on a sub compact FWDA tractor that enables me to get the harvest out of the woods. This is the first year for me using a hydraulic splitter and it seems a bit easier on the joints, especially the shoulders. I hope to see many more years doing this stuff. The wood burn hobby fits right in with my other hobbies of old trucks, old tractors and old guns.

 

[Locust Post]

I have not logged on in a long time but occasionally glance at a few posts. I enjoyed this thread so much and especially reading Sav's post that I just had to comment. A few of my friends and I have discussed the time/money savings issue. I have natural gas hot water boiler and if I calculated the money I spend on gas (truck, saw & splitter),chains,oil and upkeep I don't know that I save a bunch but I just love being out their working outside. It is good exercise and the heat it just so much better. I was out trudging through the snow today and cut 2 pickup loads (full size pickup 8ft bed). How much time do I spend, a lot, but love every bit of it. I am 53 soon to be 54 will do it till I can't or until the good Lord calls me home. We like Sav and his wife do not watch much tv but enjoy being in the stove room on a cold winter day reading the bible or another good book while the winter wind whips around outside. Best advise I can give is always be intentional about dating your mate.

 

[fabsroman]

I did not read all the replies, but will give you my scenario and my dad's scenario.

FYI - I got married at 33, and if you think cutting, splitting, and stacking wood will be eating into your free time, wait until you have some kids. Hunting, fishing, shooting, and cycling went down slightly right after home ownership and marriage, but they have almost disappeared after having kids. Want to talk about money? That has pretty much disappeared too. lol Since the Great Recession, we have been maxing out our retirement accounts and the kids' college funds, so working on cars has been more to keep them running than to modify any for speed or off roading. Using wood to heat the house instead of oil is so we can save $2,000+ a year and also be somewhat independent of the utility companies. Debating putting in an electricity generating windmill too so we can do without the utility companies entirely. Keep in mind, that after what my wife makes and the FICA/Medicare that I have to pay, $2,000 after tax dollars is essentially $4,000 of net income before taxes for me. So, not really a drop in the bucket when it comes to billable time. That is essentially 30 billable hours for me. Plus, last year we had the thermostat at 68 degrees and wore sweaters. This year, we have it at 75 degrees and wear short sleeves. If I really get sick of cutting, splitting, and stacking, I will crank it back down to 68.

I am 41 years old and just started heating with wood this year. In general, everything you do has an opportunity cost. Me, I enjoy being outside and working with my 70 year old dad, so that is some pleasure derived from cutting, splitting, and stacking wood. We just split 2 truckloads of wood yesterday with the help of my brother in-law and it took us about 6 hours from start to finish. Still need to stack the stuff though. I took a truck load and my dad took a truck load. That should be a month's supply for both of us and we are both 3 years ahead, if not more, with our wood piles. I eventually hope to get my daughters and son involved in the process and just this morning taught my wife how to start a fire in the furnace.

My parents used to "heat" the house with a fireplace and natural gas, and the fireplace was very inefficient. Two years ago, right after I bought my wood burning furnace, and to the dismay of my mother, my dad finally bought the insert he had wanted for a decade. Now, my mom wants a second one for the upstairs. The basement is so warm now, that they hardly leave it during the winter. Their utility bill has gone down and their house is a lot warmer. At 70 years of age, my dad can no longer lift the large logs, but that is where a cant hook and my brothers and brother in-law come in. However, my dad can still run the handle for the splitter, he can stack in the truck, he can cart small loads to the truck, etc. I am guessing he will still be at it until he is 80+ years old.

If money is not an issue, then I would surely use the natural gas instead of the wood burning furnace. If I was so busy at work (i.e., I bill out a lot more hourly than what I can obtain in wood) that I could not find time to cut wood, then I would use the natural gas. If I truly hated being outdoors cutting, splitting, and stacking, then I would use the natural gas. Ultimately, it comes down to a lot of things for me because I am pretty tight with money, I like being somewhat independent, and I don't really hate cutting, splitting, and stacking. However, you will not find me cutting, splitting, and/or stacking during tax season (i.e., my busy season). Ultimately, you need to decide how much the monetary savings means to you versus missing time doing other hobbies. For me, cutting, splitting, and stack is just another hobby, like working on cars, hunting, fishing, shooting, cycling, working on the house, etc. I am never out there cutting, splitting, and/or stacking and wishing I was out hunting, shooting, cycling, fishing, etc. Now, ask me about mowing the grass. All I can do while I am on that mower is dream about hunting, fishing, shooting, and cycling and then the landscapers bill bursts the dream. If money was no object, somebody else would surely be mowing my grass. Cannot wait for the kids to get old enough to run the zero turn, edger, trimmer, etc.

Simply put, the variables are different for everybody. My dad has been retired for 8 years and this stuff keeps him busy. Me, I have my own law/CPA practice and I usually have some downtime during the middle of the summer and late November to the New Year. I am also very cheap, except for when I buy long term durable goods or anything for my hobbies. I truly believe in paying for quality and longevity, and living well within my means.

 

[fabsroman]

To answer the original post. I spent entirely too much time this year on wood. The good news is that other than some opportunistic scrounges and some more trees on my own property, I don't plan on spending anywhere near that much time in next couple of years. I enjoy it, but there are many other things I enjoy with the reward of labor factor (not to mention making the wife more happy).

My brother's neighbor said she bought 10 cords of green hardwood cut and split for 700 bucks. If that's true and I can get it delivered to my area, I'd never pick up a chainsaw again unless I had to.

10 cords is easily 2 to 3 years worth of heat for me, so that would be a no brainer at $700. Would even think about doing 20 cords at $1,500. Don't think I could even get it that cheap scrounging unless I actually had the logs delivered to my house, although I almost had that happen twice in the past year (lol).

 

[fabsroman]

37 married with two young kids.(3 years+ and 9 months) I find this hobby keeps me close to home and keeps me from missing out on the new things in life that are most important. I still find time to hunt, fish, race my car, go camping etc. I don't do as much as I used to but that has more to do with things in life having different priorities. Cutting, splitting, scrounging wood I try to do in the winter months when I wouldn't be doing much besides sitting in the house. I find this "hobby" brings me just as much joy and satisfaction as any of the other ones. A couple weeks a year dealing with wood with a couple vacation days mixed is about my investment. I try to spread it out so I don't get burned out.

I have a neighbor who is 77 and until some resent back issues he handled all his wood gathering on his own. My back is already shot(microdiscectomy surgery already along with spondylolisthesis) at 37 so who knows how long I'll be able to scrounge. Even being a little slower than I used to be I've processed 8-10 cords over the last year. I plan to work as long as I can and hopefully by the time I can no longer my kids will have some interest. Worst case I start buying wood or buying log loads at some point. I could buy wood and still save a bundle, we only have propane here so it's easy to save when you spend 3-4k yearly heating with propane.

It's hard to imagine giving up wood heat at this point.

You sound like me 4 yeas ago. While reading your post I thought this might be a 4 year old thread that I had already replied to, but then realized I have only been coming to this site for a little over a year. Got you beat now at age 41 with a 5 year old, 3 year old, and 6 week old.

 

[blacktail]

I'm also 34 years old and purchased my house about 16 months ago. Wood heat, to me, is similar to hunting and fishing. I like to go out and kill my own meat instead of paying for it in a store. And I'd rather get my own firewood instead of paying the PUD to heat my home.
I don't know how much time I've spent on wood. Whatever it is, it's time well spent. The time I do spend on wood is better than time people spend on worthless crap like video games or reality TV.
I grew up heating with wood. Some people may be better served by paying a utility company, buying meat, and reading fashion magazines.

 

[Thistle]

Worked in the woods part time since I was 17,heavy commercial construction full time since I was 20-21.Turned 49 back in September.Dont have the endurance that I did at 30-35,but havent lost any of my strength yet.Some days are a bit rough,working in hot weather or cold temps with deep snow can be real tiring but I still feel fairly good most days.Just know my limitations now,not in a hurry or have anything to prove like when younger.Taking frequent breaks,staying hydrated,not trying to 'do it all' in 1 day or cutting session.Except for a 9 yr stretch from 1996 to 2005 when I owned a 20 ton splitter,I've split all my wood manually since I was a teenager.

It keeps me in shape,I havent set foot in a gym since I was 16.Except for a few days where muscles & back gives occasional fits,I sleep like a baby most nights.Time wise,I normally spend 2-4 days per month working in the woods year round when work schedule & weather cooperates.Its a nice diversion from regular job.10 degrees to 90,rain or shine.Wont work when its over 90 with 110 heat index,heavy winds,lightning or thunderstorms/blizzards however.

Gonna keep doing what I've been doing,until I either keel over or cant do it anymore.

 

[Pallet Pete]

I spend whatever time I have to cutting splitting stacking firewood. The time is enjoyable for me because I love being outside execially in fall and winter. It's silly but I hate the summer and late spring when it gets hot out but I love the wood stove heat in the winter. Usually it is Saturdays that I cut split stack.

Pete

 

[velvetfoot]

I just came home from a new year party. Set the thermostat to come on s couple of hours before we got home. I have to say that central heat is nice too!

 

[albert1029]

I'm 63, have an open fireplace which will be re-bricked in one week... I've been processing my own firewood for 5 years and I'm now 2 years ahead, burning approx a cord to cord and 1/2 a year...I spend from a few hours a week to a few hours a day depending on the season and time available...being a new guy from the south where I had a fireplace and paid for firewood like a lot of people here I see the $ value, but I'm also lucky to have access right out my back door...my knees are toast but to me its the process and seeing the beauty of wood in all forms from tree to lumber to firewood stacks, what a great resource it is and the fun it is to work in the forest especially in the cold with the tools it takes to get the job done...I imagine I'll keep at it till I have to crawl...

 

[wood thing]

I wil be 64 in may. I can't wait until the snow is gone to get started, in fact I may not wait. I love cutting & burning wood, its my "golf". My only hope is to continue, good Lord willing.