Time to cut fire wood

[Hossfly]

I was always told by the old folks the best time to cut fire wood was a cold day in July.
Well this morning it’s 70’ guess it time. I think the temp has a lot to do with is but it also gives the wood time to dry out enough to burn in the fall.

[georgerkahn]

I was told by old timers that one of the beauties of heating with wood is that each piece gives warmth FOUR times: 1st when you cut it and split it; 2nd when you stack it; 3rd when you haul it in to burn; and, 4th when it is actually burning. I've been heating with wood for 44 years, and can vouch for same. I have eight cord scheduled to be delivered next week -- my bum leg kind of put the dampers on my cutting a few years ago. But, I do get the extra heats from the splitting (I do have a petrol (Honda) powered log splitter; and, a Kubota tractor which is a God-send in moving it to the storage pile.
BUT, you are most correct -- it IS that time of year!
geo

[Bookworm]

Relatively cold here too. It's only getting to high 80's- low 90's for the next couple days.

That's as cold as it gets here in July. Very unusual

[trebor44]

See the National Weather Service instructions for how to bake Lasagna in your mailbox. This is the second day that I will be able to do it!

[bob208]

I am way behind I wanted to have 3 bundels of slab home and cut up. but for the last 2 months it has been a doctor of test every week then the rain comes. I am hoping I can get a bundle hone this week.
my main doctor does like that I split wood by hand. he also liked my other exercise machine a rototiller.

[Idaho45guy]

Cutting wood this Saturday... Spent the last two weekends picking huckleberries...

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[lefty o]

should have cut this winters wood last fall, and split it in the winter. another year earlier is even better.

[Wayne Smith]

Amen! Always cut firewood when the leaves are off if at all possible. Otherwise cut and leave until the leaves fall off. The wood is much drier this way and does not rot as fast.

[Idaho45guy]

You guys must cut live trees for firewood out there.

Out here, it's illegal. There are plenty of dead trees to fell and cut up. They are all already dried and ready to burn.

[RED BEAR]

I will never burn another piece of wood as long as i live. Not that i could cut it if i wanted. I had a place i could cut wood and have it hauled home free. I haven't worked so hard for a long time. When my place to cut dried up it cost more to buy wood could run heat pump cheaper.

[Petrol & Powder]

I have done more than my share of cutting, splitting, hauling and stacking firewood. When I was young I once spent two weeks cutting firewood every weekday for two consecutive weeks in July. Two full pickup loads of split, stacked, white oak per day. With the truck I was using that worked out to about 1 1/2 cords of firewood per day. That was some of the hardest manual labor I've ever done, more due to the bees, snakes, heat and poison ivy than the physical labor. After that I tried real hard to never cut firewood in the summer.

Cut next year's firewood this winter, preferably after the leaves are off the trees. Once you get into that cycle it gets a lot easier.

[pastera]

Wood takes two full seasons to reliably drop below 20% moisture content in most areas. No way you can cut in the summer and efficiently burn that winter - you'll lose 50% of the heat value to steaming off the water content and unburned volatiles (smoke).

If you have to use green wood (>20% moisture content) then mixing it with some pallet wood will keep the firebox temps high enough to ignite the volatiles but you will still need to clean the flue much more often.

[RED BEAR]

Wood takes two full seasons to reliably drop below 20% moisture content in most areas. No way you can cut in the summer and efficiently burn that winter - you'll lose 50% of the heat value to steaming off the water content and unburned volatiles (smoke).

If you have to use green wood (>20% moisture content) then mixing it with some pallet wood will keep the firebox temps high enough to ignite the volatiles but you will still need to clean the flue much more often.

I am sure you are right but i have no intention of finding out. Not that i could even if i wanted.

[Idaho45guy]

Wood takes two full seasons to reliably drop below 20% moisture content in most areas. No way you can cut in the summer and efficiently burn that winter

Again, no one cuts green wood out in the West.

You either get a firewood permit for $12 or go on your own land and find a standing dead tree and cut it down.

[country gent]

cutting wood if the saps running then it takes much longer to dry down and burn right. wet wood is also hard on chimneys . Cut 1-2 years a head and burn the oldest first. we cut and split stacked in a loose stack so air could circulate and left set 1-2 years. Some years we didn't get quite enough cut for a following cold winter. We cut a lot of dead downed wood cleaning up the woods and fence rows on the farm. You also want to slit into different sizes not just to fit in furnace. Smaller splintered pieces thrown in in the morning makes a quick hot fire to drive off the nights chill and get things going then bigger pieces to burn longer and maintain heat, last are a close stack of knotty chunks at light to hold the fire over night.

[dverna]

My land does not provide sufficient trees to supply my needs...about 5 cords a year. I have been scrounging wood off state land but it is a lot of work and takes time. Will likely buy loggers cords to process. I get about 8 cords of firewood out of 10 loggers cords...$750.

My new tractor will be able to move about 1/2 a cord at a time using cut down pallets with sides. Once spilt, wood is stacked on pallets and moved into the garage as needed reducing much of the handling.

Burning wood provides a cost saving but I enjoy having a fire as well.

As we get older we need to find smarter ways to work. Got a splitter 12 years ago. The tractor has a grapple to makes moving logs easy and to lift large rounds onto the splitter. I never burn wood that has not seasoned for at least a year....oak...2 years

[white eagle]

I cut and made firewood as a weekend job from my normal
line of work as a bricklayer
did that for 5-6 years mostly in the fall and through the early winter
seems no one buys firewood in the summer
I no longer sell cut and split firewood its a job for someone else,now

[toallmy]

I have found a couple fellas that do tree removal on the side, that are more than happy to drop off lengths ( as cut ) at my wood lot throughout the year . This saves me a lot of work and time although a lot of work still needs to be done . Be safe !

[wch]

It is 57F as I write this, Central PA.

[smithnframe]

Where at in central PA? I used to live in the Shamokin/Mount Carmel area! I've been in south Texas almost 16 years now! I don't cut much firewood down here!

[wch]

I live near Huntingdon now- I'm a native of New Orleans and had to learn all about these Yankee winter customs like cutting firewood and the necessity o four wheel drive.

[Three44s]

I will chime in with Idaho45guy here!

Out west we cut dead trees, very dead ones! Very dry as well!

It is illegal on public lands to fall dead standing trees even. Dead and down is what is permitted. The woods get so dry that it is hard to get one’s wood out before wood cutting is shut down by regulation for fire season due to the risk of operating equipment in the woods(saws) and starting a fire. Between full shut down and full legal cutting we have what is called “hoot owl” restrictions as conditions (woods dry out) where the operating of a chain saw and other equipment is restricted to prior to a certain time of day.

Three44s

[KCSO]

Just put in 2 truck loads yesterday. It will take a while yet as once you get old you get slow. I split by hand until I was 70 then I had to get a splitter.

[MaryB]

I do not miss it! Used to cut and burn standing dead elm. I had a friend who lived in the house right behind me and he burned wood too. So we go together to cut and stack a huge pile every fall for the next year. One year we dropped one tree that provided enough wood for 2 years, stump was 5 feet in diameter! When that tree hit the ground it shook dishes out of the cupboard in the house(we were down in a ravine below the house). Cut the trunk in 4' section that the tractor could barely pull out with a 1" steel cable. Once up top we cut to log length then did a cut down the middle to make it more manageable under the vertical splitter. That was a LOT of wood in 2 weeks we stacked up!

Now I am lazy, my wood comes in a 40 pound bag and I pour it in the hopper of the pellet stove! Get a little of that wood smoke smell, a nice fire to look at... and a lot less work!

[quilbilly]

I just inventoried yesterday and have only half what we need for a hard winter. Better get busy.

[Texas by God]

God felled some trees for me this year. When it's in the 50's I'll cut it up. Not much call for firewood here either.

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[nelsonted1]

Back in the early 1970s during the first oil embargo the first big firewood craze took off. We used to tell people it wasn't cheap to get into firewood. You needed a chainsaw, axe, splitting wedges, chains, a pickup, someway to split the wood. You needed a modern chimney so you didin't burn the house down with a chimney fire plus a woodstove. You needed to add in extra insurance. Don't forget the cost of having your first heart attack and broken limbs.

[Three44s]

It is a very good feeling if you lose your power on a minus farenhieght night that you still have heat. The wood stove can warm food and our gas cook top cooks it.

Independence from the drugged or drunk fool that shears off a power pole and “pulls the plug” for 6-8 hours.

Three44s

[owejia]

Back in the early 1970s during the first oil embargo the first big firewood craze took off. We used to tell people it wasn't cheap to get into firewood. You needed a chainsaw, axe, splitting wedges, chains, a pickup, someway to split the wood. You needed a modern chimney so you didin't burn the house down with a chimney fire plus a woodstove. You needed to add in extra insurance. Don't forget the cost of having your first heart attack and broken limbs.
That good hard exercise from cutting and splitting wood helps to prevent heart attacks. Don't need to go to a gym or exercise bike to stay fit.

[GregLaROCHE]

The dryer your wood is the more heat you get from it and a cleaner stove pipe. I aim for three years drying. Some people I know cut in spring, split and stack in piles so the hot summer so can dry it. The then stack it in September to burn in the winter. It makes heat, but would make more if they could wait another year or two. If you need your wood to dry faster split it smaller.

[merlin101]

I'll pass on cutting in July and wait until the leaves drop and the air is cold and frost on the pumpkins. I just stack it and wait a few years to burn, I've got a bunch of maple that's been sitting in the wood shed for about 5 years now, should be just about ready.

[Idaho45guy]

Went out and got about four cords yesterday. We had trees cut and sectioned and stacked in a pile that had been logged about five years ago. Easiest firewood I've gotten in a while. Was able to pull a 16' flatbed trailer right up to it and roll the logs right onto it.

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[snowwolfe]

Between all my chain saws, sharpener, log splitter, wedges, etc...….bet I spent more on this stuff than money I saved on our heat bill.
However, it sure is nice looking at those dancing flames thru the glass door while the back door to our house is open to allow a cool breeze in when its in the teens outside. But the real advantage is the even heat. No more hot and cold waiting for furnace to kick on. Just smooth even heat and cool sleeping at night.

[KCSO]

After a week and a half of nice weather and hard work I am down to one more load and done for the year! Ash and Elm with a little maple cut fine for starter.

[MarkS]

2-3 cords is about all I need for winter here in northwest Florida nowadays
I used to use trees blown down by hurricanes but my area has been spared a direct hit for 15 years
Have had to resort to cutting the trees on my property
Trees laying on the ground rot pretty quick as we average 60” of rain yearly so all my wood is stacked off the ground and covered to keep the rain off it



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[funnyjim014]

Just finished mine last week. My woods have 2+acre of dead Ash on the side of a hill. Looks like I'm growing phone poles in a field. Got to get em before they rot further . Stupid China bugs

[Hossfly]

A guy asked me how much wood was in a cord of fire wood, I said that’s just the amount to get me thru the rest of the winter.

[Gray Fox]

The wind took off the top of a 10" maple a while back and I'm going to wait for cooler weather to cut it up in short lengths and then split it small to use in a smoker. I make cut a few fireplace length as the wood makes a pretty fire. If I can find a neighbor with some downed oak or hopefully some pecan I'll see if I can get some for the smoker, too. Twelve deer and as many hogs as you can find are legal in GA, not to mention lots of black bear in the northern foothills this past couple of years. GF

[ol skool]

Again, no one cuts green wood out in the West.

You either get a firewood permit for $12 or go on your own land and find a standing dead tree and cut it down.


I will chime in with Idaho45guy here!

Out west we cut dead trees, very dead ones! Very dry as well!

It is illegal on public lands to fall dead standing trees even. Dead and down is what is permitted. The woods get so dry that it is hard to get one’s wood out before wood cutting is shut down by regulation for fire season due to the risk of operating equipment in the woods(saws) and starting a fire. Between full shut down and full legal cutting we have what is called “hoot owl” restrictions as conditions (woods dry out) where the operating of a chain saw and other equipment is restricted to prior to a certain time of day.

Three44s


BLM here offers up standing green hardwood once in a while for $12 per cord. But I might be able to give up on gov't wood finally.

Honestly, I can't think of anything more fun than the better half and I filling up the truck on a crisp Saturday morning. We run some skidding line and a block or two. I get to be the cutter, rigging slinger, hook tender-choker setter, chaser. SWMBO is the donkey puncher, splits and loads. We finish splitting at home. Never have used a hydraulic splitter, hear they're pretty nice though. I'll keep my eye open for one when my wife can't swing a maul anymore!

[glaciers]

I'm ready. 9 cords in the shed, 3 more along the shop walls.


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[snowwolfe]

You want free? I have about 25 full grown white oaks leaning over or on the ground from the last 2 bad wind storms. All within driving distance of an ATV or tractor. Cut and take what you want.

[KCSO]

Oh Boy! Done for the year! A years worth at least.

[nelsonted1]

Why would anyone cut wood in hot weather? We always try to do it after the fields are plowed but before we are snowed in. Being to hot cutting wood is just awful. Much rather it be 20 f rather than 85f!

[lefty o]

Why would anyone cut wood in hot weather? We always try to do it after the fields are plowed but before we are snowed in. Being to hot cutting wood is just awful. Much rather it be 20 f rather than 85f!

cut in the fall, split in the winter.

[KCSO]

Not hot weather here, been 65-70 in the mornings and no wind. The town tree dump was filled with ash logs cut to 6 foot lengths and I sure wouldn't want them to go to waste. In addition the town cut a couple of ash trees and put them in my back yard. Don't get any better!

[hunteatfish]

i help my buddy do fire wood to sell, i do the splitting he does the bucking. i work pretty fast, being organized helps a lot. he will place wood to my right and i pille to my left. we do bout 120 cord year, waiting for the weather to cool some more. i wish i had the place to do my own to sell, but i rent and can't do anything at my house, i sure could use the money.

[RayinNH]

My brother and I cut after most of the leaves have fallen off of the trees. This allows us to see the widow makers up above. Way too many ticks still in the wood at this time.

[LAH]

Have a couple winters worth at this point.

[merlin101]

[QUOTE=RayinNH;4706129 Way too many ticks still in the wood at this time.[/QUOTE]

This^^! I hate ticks

[Gray Fox]

This past spring I could spend half and hour picking in my blueberry patch and have one or two ticks on me. Of course, I have often said I could stand on the pitcher's mound in the Atlanta Braves stadium and find chiggers later. GF

[bob208]

I had two in the spring none since. just luck. been cutting wood last 2 days. I get bundles of slab from the saw mill. I have a 30 inch buzz saw that goes on the Ferguson runs off the pto.

[Alstep]

Buzzed wood yesterday. Belt the John Deere "B" model to the buzz saw. Makes for a nice day with good exercise. I love using this old stuff, sure easier on these old bones than the chain saw. Ah, the smell of saw dust and hearing the 2 cylinder "B" bark. Almost as good as sniffing cordite and Hoppes. And I've got plenty of sawdust for fluxing. An OSHA inspector would have fits over this.


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[trails4u]

You guys are getting me all excited about wood-cutting season! I burn between 3-5 full cords/year, depending on the year, and yes....I do that in South Carolina. My wife has a penchant for living in a kiln....so I burn probably twice what I would if I had control of the thermostat.

I've probably got 2/3 of what I need for this year....so it's getting to be time to finish up and get ahead for next year. It's been steady in the 90s here, but getting a break now.

Feeding one of these is great fun.

http://www.yukon-eagle.com/FURNACES/HUSKYOILWOODGASWOOD/tabid/55/Default.aspx

[dverna]

I will be doing things differently this year. Wood is split and placed in IBC totes. The bottom of the plastic bin is cut off and an access window cut in one side. Access opening is also cut out of the long side of the IBC cage. The plastic bin is raised to increase wood capacity and also serves as a weather cap for snow and rain. These portable totes hold nearly a 1/2 cord of wood and I can move them with my tractor. In the fall, I move them from outside storage into the garage. A pallet jack is used to move totes in the garage as my tractor will not fit or position totes accurately enough.

Much less handling. I used to stack splits outside, and tarp them. Then in the winter, pull the tarp after clearing snow and ice buildup (up to a foot) off it, stack them in the truck or tractor bucket, wrestle the tarp back on, then unload and stack in the garage. Now I stack once in the tote and done.

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[LAH]

A little from a few years ago.

https://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h244/Creekerpics/Firewood/1-16-12/DSC02234.jpg

[hc18flyer]

I am 3+ years ahead now. I will still cut wood this Fall, I have an addiction to cutting firewood! I wish I had your buzzsaw! Grew up driving a JD B on Grandpa's farm. Lots of great memories! hc18flyer

[lightman]

I spent about a half a day at deer camp a few weeks ago hauling wood up to camp. The loggers left a huge pile of mixed hardwood logs when they finished cutting last year. White Oak, Red Oak, Pin Oak, Hickory and a mix of other stuff. Anywhere from 4 ft long to about 10ft. I used a pair of skidder tongs and the front end loader on my tractor to load a trailer and prolly hauled 20,000# of wood up to camp. We'll cut and split it sometime during the next few weeks.

[dverna]

20,000 lbs is about 4-5 cords. Lots of wood for a deer camp! About what I use a year to heat my house.

[LazyTCross]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191008/657b26ff68c9753066d1082add2a72d9.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191008/21d24b39727b46a310c0a82ce5595fec.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191008/4da67658b997df0e152a586811bc9963.jpg
I got a lot of wood cut in July/August. Now it rained a years worth of rain in September and I need to go get the stuff but can’t due to mud. I’ll have to wait for freezup.
We had a flood in 2011 that killed millions of trees along the river I live on. Lots of dead standing and laid over ash and oak. I primarily cut ash.
New MS 362cm saw this year as well. Pretty happy with it.

[Texas by God]

This saw was Green when Green was just a color[emoji16]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191008/7e5ae90d91684b19b7af6cbf976d92e9.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191008/d5a4dec1441f0f89934fb921a1bbac28.jpg It still works but it weighs a Ton!

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[lightman]

20,000 lbs is about 4-5 cords. Lots of wood for a deer camp! About what I use a year to heat my house.

Yes it is, but my BIL stays down there most of the 6 week season plus a week or so before and after the season. I stay almost that long myself. And me and him will both haul some home. I use a fireplace at home but its not my primary heat source.

It actually went pretty quick, but its not all cut up and split yet! It was piled up loosely and I could ease the tractor right up to it. Put the tongs on a piece, pick it up, move 25 feet to the trailer, load it and go back again.

That weight is probably a little conservative. I made 2 loads and I'm comparing the way it pulled compared to other known weights that I've hauled. Two men that can work together and a machine to do the hard work can load a trailer pretty quick.

[Pipefitter]

I have 1 cord left over from last year, have been cutting on a big dead ash tree and several downed cherry trees. The ash will season quick, the cherry will be ready in a couple months. More cherry downed and ready to cut, just need the farmer to harvest the corn so I can get to it.

I have not lit the pilot light on my furnace in 25 years, hate paying for propane to heat the house.
If it is above freezing outside and we have the woodstove going we have to open the front and back doors to get a breeze going through the house.................

[LAH]

A little maple from a friends field. Not the best just helping clean up.
https://oi66.photobucket.com/albums/h244/Creekerpics/Firewood/20181008_133934.jpg

[owejia]

Sunday night about 7 pm lighting struck a large hollow red oak tree which stood about 20 ft from my 30'x50' hay barn, and about 20 ft from electric lines. Had to get out in the pouring rain and move my cotton wagon loaded with sq bale accumulator and grapple, along with tractor hooked to 15' bat wing mower, fuel tank and 10 rolls of hay. Holes at bottom of tree were drawing air and pouring flames out about 20-25 ft out other holes, never saw a tree catch on fire from lighting before. Got back to the house and called power co about possibility could fall on power lines, they never came out. About 11 pm top finally came down, limb just grazing power lines causing lights to blink. Missed the barn but broke top wire on fence post and crushed two 10 ft gates. Went down about 5 am to look at what problems were caused but the tree limbs were too thick for the cows to get through. Finally got the top cut into wood and hauled the last bucket load this morning. Put up new gates and everything back in the barn yesterday. Now have a burned out stump about 15' tall to deal with later on. This fire was like a flue or chimney fire with flames 6' or taller full of hot sparks flying out of the top holes . This old tree was slowly dying and the lighting saved me from having to cut it down, been dreading having to cut it down 4ft + dia, hollow trees don't behave very well when cutting them down. Always drama at the farm. Have several more dying ash, oak and maple trees to cut for firewood when it gets a little cooler. Love my wood burning furnace, saves me a lot in heating costs.