Work Done in 2021

[thewoodlands]

I started cleaning up the gully today when I removed some Yellow Birch, maybe one White Birch and some Cherry rounds from a tree mother nature felled over the winter. Since some of the Cherry wasn't in great shape, I started stacking a face cord with it on the bottom and then the Yellow Birch and possibly a White Birch. The birch I felled in the spring thinking that more Ash would get felled which never happened, hopefully those Ash get felled this fall.

I don't think we hit 100 in the sun but I'm thinking it was over 90, I guess it's time I back the screw out of the White Pine some and get it back on the tree.

 

[lowroadacres]

On June 20th I started into a personal challenge. I have posted in the past about the riverfront woodlot I have access to within minutes of my house. My work is crazy long hours.... my choice my issue..... So I dared myself to use the longer hours that the summer solstice afforded. It took me 45 days on the calendar, cutting over 33 sessions all but 2 sessions at sunrise. When I started this stack I had half a cord of box elder piled up at the one end. There is now a 9 cord stack with the balancing 8.5 cords being flood killed ash that has been standing dead or downed for several years. all but a few sticks in stack were cut at well under 20 percent moisture content. This stack is in addition to 6 cords of oak that I will test for moisture content prior to winter.

 

[thewoodlands]

On June 20th I started into a personal challenge. I have posted in the past about the riverfront woodlot I have access to within minutes of my house. My work is crazy long hours.... my choice my issue..... So I dared myself to use the longer hours that the summer solstice afforded. It took me 45 days on the calendar, cutting over 33 sessions all but 2 sessions at sunrise. When I started this stack I had half a cord of box elder piled up at the one end. There is now a 9 cord stack with the balancing 8.5 cords being flood killed ash that has been standing dead or downed for several years. all but a few sticks in stack were cut at well under 20 percent moisture content. This stack is in addition to 6 cords of oak that I will test for moisture content prior to winter.

Nice work @lowroadacres , it always feels nice when the firewood inventory grows.

 

[MissMac]

When I was loading up the trailer with the last load of Yellow Birch, I noticed this Maple that mother nature put down up the hill. I'll see what type of Maple it is before the end of August.

I'm not sure I can get the Rhino in that area, we'll see if it's worth the effort.

that looks like a big tree!

 

[thewoodlands]

that looks like a big tree!

Some big Maples in that area, I'm just not sure if it's soft or hard maple. Either way, I'll get it in our wood stacks by next spring or fall.

If I could get the Rhino in there, it would make it easier but if I can't, I'll clear a few lanes on the hill and roll the rounds down the hill next spring.

 

[lowroadacres]

Nice work @lowroadacres , it always feels nice when the firewood inventory grows.

Once the neighbour's crop is harvested I will be working with my son and son in law to skid out as many trees as possible so that I can work to get as many cords as possible cut and split ready to backfill the stack at home as I empty it. I am tired of having to ration firewood as we have both an open fireplace and a woodstove and I want to be able to run both as often and as long as I want. We have been harvesting out of this riverfront woodlot for the better part of 20 years and haven't even made a dent in the amount of dead ash and box elder that is standing and downed. I have another wood lot 2 miles away that has piles of dead oak. It is is in a steep gully which makes getting it out a bit of a challenge.

 

[thewoodlands]

Once the neighbour's crop is harvested I will be working with my son and son in law to skid out as many trees as possible so that I can work to get as many cords as possible cut and split ready to backfill the stack at home as I empty it. I am tired of having to ration firewood as we have both an open fireplace and a woodstove and I want to be able to run both as often and as long as I want. We have been harvesting out of this riverfront woodlot for the better part of 20 years and haven't even made a dent in the amount of dead ash and box elder that is standing and downed. I have another wood lot 2 miles away that has piles of dead oak. It is is in a steep gully which makes getting it out a bit of a challenge.

Keep working away at it when you can, it all adds up.

 

[SpaceBus]

I'll have to get some pics but I finished cutting up all the slabs from milling last year. The slabs were from July-November last year, with many comin from dead standing logs. Seems that it's all dry enough to burn and maybe two cords worth. Kind of funky shapes and sizes, but will be great for shoulder season and burning with the wood cookstove. It took me two days and a dozen batteries for my cordless miter saw. I have two pair of 6ah 60v batteries and one pair of 9ah 60v batteries and they have enough capacity to cut about a whole cord worth of slab wood to stove lengths.

 

[MissMac]

About a month ago my neighbour did some work in his yard that required him to cut down about half a dozen poplar trees (trembling aspen). He offered me the wood, and I said I'd take it but that I couldn't grab it right away. He had the loader stack the logs in a little chunk of bush separating our driveways, so that I could get to it whenever I could manage. I had a fellow I know come over and buck all the logs up for me, and while he was here he ripped those huge spruce rounds into quarters for me too - all for $70. Best money I ever spent, because when I went to physio today, I got the green light to lift rounds onto my wee electric splitter and slowly putter with my firewood.

Back in my happy place!

I didn't push it too hard, but managed to split about 7-8 rounds before I called it a day. Slow and steady. I'm just so grateful to be able to get out and pick away at it. Felt like I'd come full circle, even though I've still got a ways to go healing wise.

A lot of the poplar was over-mature and has some heart rot, but it will still burn nice in the fall of 2022. I'm splitting it pretty small so it's easier for me to handle right now, and so it will dry out next summer in time for fall burning.

Life is good . You all enjoy your weekends.

 

[NickW]

Good to hear your recovery is going well @MissMac!

 

[kennyp2339]

Hmmmm, @MissMac maybe if you heal up faster and the doctors question it, you could say that you do woodyard therapy and offer up to 4 patients at a time $100 each per visit.

 

[MissMac]

Hmmmm, @MissMac maybe if you heal up faster and the doctors question it, you could say that you do woodyard therapy and offer up to 4 patients at a time $100 each per visit.

now there is some forward thinking. i will supply all the wood and tools, you all head over here for some wood-splitting therapy! YES

 

[johneh]

Be over as soon as you get the beer and New York Strip Loin in
gonna work need lots of food and drink

 

[Solarguy3500]

I started cutting up the logs in one of my piles today. Got a late start on it so I didn't get too far into it, just got a few logs cut into rounds. Doesn't really look like I even made a dent in the pile.



I also split some of the sugar maple and oak I had gotten in the last few weeks.

 

[thewoodlands]

I started cutting up the logs in one of my piles today. Got a late start on it so I didn't get too far into it, just got a few logs cut into rounds. Doesn't really look like I even made a dent in the pile.
View attachment 280788
View attachment 280789View attachment 280790

I also split some of the sugar maple and oak I had gotten in the last few weeks.
View attachment 280791
View attachment 280792

It looks like some nice clean logs, is it all sugar maple and oak?

 

[thewoodlands]

I split and stacked some Ash and Yellow Birch today, I still have the back stack that I'll finish off along with the front stack for a total of 55 face cord of hardwood up. We have room for 10 more face cord and then our stacking area for hardwood will be full.

We still have some Ash and Yellow Birch rounds left in the gully that should finish off the front stack and enough Maple to finish off the back.

 

[Solarguy3500]

It looks like some nice clean logs, is it all sugar maple and oak?

I have 2 different piles of wood now. The logs that got dropped off this past week, and some piles of rounds that I had gone and cut and brought home in my pickup truck before I knew I could just flag down the log truck and ask them to bring the wood to me hahaha.

The rounds I had gotten earlier are all sugar maple and oak. The log piles are more mixed hardwoods, but mostly oak and sugar maple with some beech, a little bit of ash and cherry and some nice big logs of black birch, as well as a few other hardwoods. The log piles have more dirt in them that got picked up by the log truck, so I'm sure I'll have to sharpen my chain a few times as I cut them up.

 

[thewoodlands]

I have 2 different piles of wood now. The logs that got dropped off this past week, and some piles of rounds that I had gone and cut and brought home in my pickup truck before I knew I could just flag down the log truck and ask them to bring the wood to me hahaha.

The rounds I had gotten earlier are all sugar maple and oak. The log piles are more mixed hardwoods, but mostly oak and sugar maple with some beech, a little bit of ash and cherry and some nice big logs of black birch, as well as a few other hardwoods. The log piles have more dirt in them that got picked up by the log truck, so I'm sure I'll have to sharpen my chain a few times as I cut them up.

That's a nice mix of hardwoods. I carry an old snow brush with a scraper on it in the Rhino so I can brush off any dirt that I can get to, it will help your chains from dulling up quicker.

 

[Solarguy3500]

That's a nice mix of hardwoods. I carry an old snow brush with a scraper on it in the Rhino so I can brush off any dirt that I can get to, it will help your chains from dulling up quicker.

That's a good idea. I tried hitting the log pile with a leaf blower and it got some of the loose dirt off, but some was mud that had dried on and clinging too tight for the blower to knock it off.

Maybe I'll try loosening the stuck on stuff with a snow brush, and then hitting it with the blower again.

 

[thewoodlands]

Before it gets too hot tomorrow, I'll take a run up top and see if there is a way down to this Maple with the Rhino and the splitter, if there isn't, I'll have to clear some lanes down the hill so I can roll the rounds down after I buck it up.

 

[EbS-P]

Tree service dropped a long leaf pine ( same btus per cord as red oak) a few houses down. I got 30’ of mostly straight grained limb free 22-24” at the base. Parked trailer at my hair and we rolled it all down to the back yard. More than a half cord less than one when it’s all split and stacked. Didn’t even have to buck it. Will be dry in a year.
Evan

 

[SpaceBus]

Tree service dropped a long leaf pine ( same btus per cord as red oak) a few houses down. I got 30’ of mostly straight grained limb free 22-24” at the base. Parked trailer at my hair and we rolled it all down to the back yard. More than a half cord less than one when it’s all split and stacked. Didn’t even have to buck it. Will be dry in a year.
Evan

View attachment 280835 View attachment 280836

I love dense conifers. From the limited firewood choices on our property Tamarack is my favorite. Looks a bit like your long leaf pine, but reverse the color pattern. Should be nice "overnight" firewood.

 

[EbS-P]

I love dense conifers. From the limited firewood choices on our property Tamarack is my favorite. Looks a bit like your long leaf pine, but reverse the color pattern. Should be nice "overnight" firewood.

It’s the same btus as oak but in half the time. It does ok overnight. I had a big piece that was all fat wood that went nuclear. Things were glowing. Stovetop 900+ in the center. Gotta be careful. It leaves a very wired carbon ash. Almost like fluffy carbon nanotubes but much bigger. It’s free good two months. Turns out I watched the climbers kid while he led workouts at my wife’s gym . So I finally have a decent connection to a tree service. One man show with a single axel trailer so the quantities will always be manageable.

 

[SpaceBus]

It’s the same btus as oak but in half the time. It does ok overnight. I had a big piece that was all fat wood that went nuclear. Things were glowing. Stovetop 900+ in the center. Gotta be careful. It leaves a very wired carbon ash. Almost like fluffy carbon nanotubes but much bigger. It’s free good two months. Turns out I watched the climbers kid while he led workouts at my wife’s gym . So I finally have a decent connection to a tree service. One man show with a single axel trailer so the quantities will always be manageable.

I've noticed I get weird ash from the tamarack. Usually I get green clinker which makes me think there is some kind of copper compound in the bark.

 

[stoveliker]

Look what got delivered for $0 to my driveway. All red oak.

It is unfortunate that the guy (owner +two helpers) can't handle log lengths as now the really wide pieces are too short. Otherwise it's too heavy for him to load his truck. So that sucks with stacking.

But I like dealing with a local small company. And it's free. Will post a pic once (my deck is painted and I have had time to) split and stacked.

You can see the wedge in 7939. I guess about 30" diameter. At the bottom some ant damage for the outside fireplace, but other than that it looks great. The is for the '24-25 season.

Edit, yep, the wedge was exactly 30" - but not yet the full diameter. See last pic