Curious how you guys do it. Bucking a large log, do you just measure your desired split length all the way down the log with no consideration for when you arrive at a knot, or do you stop before a knot and then start up again after a knot? Do you take those knotty sections to use for yourself or just let them go? I tell ya, some knotty sections of hardwoods are a burden! So big, you would need to whittle them down a bit with a chainsaw to even handle them. And will produce some rather 'challenging' splits!
I start at top of the tree and limb it out. Then when it’s time to buck, I mark from the base up. If I get to a crotch or knot section, it gets treated no different. After it’s bucked up, I end up noodling those crotch pieces to stove size with the saw because the hydraulic splitter tends to sometimes shred them into uglies.
I generally just keep on cutting. If there's a big crook, rot, etc. I may cut that chunk out and restart. Bear in mind my hydraulic splitter will break up about anything. My arms will not. YMMV.
I would say it is usually just mark it to length and cut. Crotches that are too ugly get noodled instead of trying to split. Splitting makes some ugly pieces that end up in the uglies/nugget cages. Pieces from some of the knotty crotch sections make great pieces for a long burn , they usually end up going in in the evening and seem to last longer during the night. None of it goes to waste.
Depends on my mood. Sometimes I just want to measure my lengths and cut, other times I want perfect looking splits. As time goes on and my splits get more consistent, I think I might start cutting out knotty or crotch sections and setting them aside separately from the main stacks. I love burning all the short/ugly crotch sections, but storing them can be a hassle.
I have no problem burning some of the uglies and crotchie" pieces either , easy to load and burn great. I actually started this season burning them and was kind of bummed when I ran out but there will be more coming soon . My work had some old cage pieces like you seen in a factory used to secure an area , like a locking tool crib or parts cage. I was able to cut them up into 4 foot pieces and made some cages that are 4x4x4 that I can throw the chunks in and move up to the house with the tractor. They have worked out really well. Still keeping an eye out for some IBC tote cages that I can use the same way but no luck unless I want to pay through the nose for them.
I work around the knots and leave them laying. I don't heat with wood, but I sell wood. I burn a little in a fireplace. I don't have the time to mess with them so it is not worth it to me. And some of them are massive to begin with...
I cut uniform length pieces regardless of knots. If there's a 'Y' it gets thrown onto the firepit pile. Sent from my Pixel 4a (5G) using Tapatalk
I buck right on the money regardless where knots may lay. I'll rip crotches, except if the tree grows near a dusty road. Always sand and junk in the crotch.
I mark my standard 16" and if it land on a knot so be it. If its a log abd i end up with a shorty, ill sometime tweak to eliminate the shorty. One in a blue moon ill alter marks to avoid a big crotch or defect etc.
Cut the whole log up and then split. Knots present no challenge to hydraulics. I wouldn't even consider cutting out a knot. Something like that is best left for the "man bun" crowd.
Everything gets marked for 16" cut, split and stacked. After doing this for years you learn to read the wood grain and split accordingly. There is always a little something something for the ugly pile but in the end even the uglies are stove food. Split on! Hoard on!
Most of the time I'm cutting on public land so the bad knotty chunks and crotches get left in the brush.
I seem to be the oddball, but there isn't much surprise there... I cut 16" but will not cut through a knot. If 16" would fall in a crotch or knot I will shorten or lengthen a few pieces by usually an inch so the cuts will come out right. And I will not cut any piece so there is a Y to contend with.
Always tried to cut one side or the other of a knot. The idea was to have just one round with a knot on the end. Usually splits easier that way. I’m at the point I don’t wanna know anything about knots and crotches. My plan is to start building my box wedge splitter soon and I already know it doesn’t have the oomph to be cutting through crotches. I’m far enough ahead in my wood collection I don’t need knots and crotches. They do burn nice, no doubt. They stack like hell and I carry every load up from the basement. Ugly wood messes up my travels Just beyond the point of working harder,,,,by a long shot.
My dad use to to tell me don't cut though a knot, go Infront or behind it, cutting though it just takes longer and dulls your chain faster. But now many years later if a knot is in my cut path I just cut right through.
If there’s some defect/knot I might go to the other end and work towards it, making the defective section the short piece. Generally would be a decision made during the last few cuts if something comes up when it’s obvious that there’s going to be a short short.
I generally cut before or after a knot. A crotch I will cut it shorter than typical so it splits easier and that goes in my shorty pile for the fire pit and shop stove.
