Move Rounds or Split There? Take the Poll.

Most of my scrounges are somewhat public too. I have that focused energy to grab as much as I can as quickly as I can. BuZZsaw has helped me on one such scrounge.
But, there is so much wood around on road sides, im amazed that it stays there as long as it does. I reckon people have enough friends with trees coming down that they don't do roadside scores, or not that many people around here heat seriously with wood. Or are are not compulsive wood hoarding hobbiests... (CWHH)
Sca

 

Ive noodled 2/3-3/4 the way through and let maul finish it off. I dont noodle that often, usually on gnarly, knotty rounds that wont split easily or make ugly splits? I hate ugly firewood. Not too fond of ugly women either!

 

I'm new around here, I can't comment on that! But

 

I hand split everything, For the big ones I always have to work the edges and normally once you get that first split off it goes much better. I almost never use a wedge and never had luck noddling. I use The isocore mual.

Here is a big red oak I did, split the whole tree by hand, only have 2 rounds that were pure knots that I couldn't do by hand.


That is one round, they are all cut to 24"


Red oak.

 

Much respect to all you 100% hand splitters. My dad hand split everything when I was a youngling. Sure does add a LOT of work to the process.

 

Same here. Redneckchevy, I'm impressed, and that's some great looking firewood!

I have a neighbor, about 85 years old, he hand splits everything. I bought my sisters splitter when she wanted to get rid of it, long before I needed one, and partly because I thought my neighbor would make use of it. He refuses every time I offer it.

 

When you have totes and a tractor that’s certainly possible

 

Im in the move the rounds now club, especially if you're ahead in your stacks.

Im a hand splitter, sometimes Im more motivated than other times. I enjoy going out in the evening and splitting and like having the stock pile.

 

I aim for the far side of the round I'm splitting. A couple of whacks usually produces a crack. I then follow the crack with the splitting edge until it splits. If stubborn, then wedge-n-sledge, following the same crack.

Another option is a little noodle and let the wedges find the way the round wants to split.

 

Even though I voted for "move the rounds", I do a little of each. I will, for the most part, just move the rounds to my processing area and then split them as I can. With that being said, if I am working by myself and cannot easily lift the rounds, I might quarter them. As I get older, however, the rounds seem to be getting heavier.....must be that I am getting into higher quality wood, and not that I am losing my strength!!!

 

Interesting. Unless I'm missing something, I haven't seen rounds split from the side.

 

They were big logs, for me. When I bucked them, they were on their sides. So I left them that way. Once split, I stood the halves up on end and split conventionally. I've done it a few other times.

 

I have found if I have to split oak rounds in the woods so I can move them, I may have to flip them over to split. I have beaten on an end of a round and gotten no where but if I flip it over, I have a better chance to at least quarter it.

 

Hand splitter here - it does add a lot of work but I love it. Oak is a pretty easy wood to split in my experience but I don’t mess with much over 20” diameter. Never use a wedge anymore. Hit the far side of the round a few times and a crack should start forming. If not turn it over and try the other side. I cut in the National Forest so if I don’t get everything I cut right away someone else will. That said I’ve started leaving rounds that are too knotty in the woods for someone younger or one with hydraulics.

 

I ran the saw at a small score a couple days ago...boy did that feel good. The maul is next, will split a load and take it with me. Cant wait to get into that!
Sca

 

Ive gotten most wood from the national forest. It is enough for 1 day to get the logs/rounds loaded and get them home. I further css at home.

 

I’m in the bring them home as rounds group.

Here’s my latest way for scrounged wood.

I’ve been working scrounged wood into rounds if not already on site or small enough to load.

Loading them on site. Thinking of getting/making a receiver hoist/gorrillabac for in the truck. I’ve used ramps to roll them up.

Pull load of rounds up next to stack place and splitter. Rounds go from tailgate to splitter to stack/tote.

This way picks them off the ground once. (Splitter has a catch table). Sometimes I load from table to a wheelbarrow, trailer, or tractor to move over to stack from. Anything to keep from having to pick them up again.

Can’t split them immediately, I stack/place the rounds on pallets to lift with tractor later to splitter height.
Well. I try. Sometimes in a hurry I kick them off the truck then come back to split them later as I cuss myself for not putting them on a pallet.

Different process with logs. I use the tractor primarily.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I bring rounds home. Always. But I use a hydraulic splitter and have a nice processing center set up so that works better for me. I built racks with pallets to transport rounds. I fill one up in the back of the truck, unload with skid steer and drop it right next to the splitter if I want to work on it or park the rack in a row that I'll get to when I have time.

 

Sounds like it really doesn't matter as long as you get your arse in gear and do something.

 

If its on my land I'll skid big sections of the tree to the landing where I will CSS all in one place. Otherwise I cut and load the rounds and take them home to split and stack. It seems like acquiring wood situations are always get in and get out deals, no time to split.
Brad