I have found that 16"-18" is the perfect length splits for my storage and insert. But I have scrounged many a log that are already bucked and are much longer than that, let's say 24". When I get them home I find I have two choices. 1. Cut them in half and have 2 rounds that are 12". Not ideal for the way I have my storage rack set up. 2. Cut them into two rounds that are 16" and 8". One is perfect but the other is again, not ideal. What do you all do with pre bucked rounds not to your preferred lengths? Just curious.
When my dad bought a different insert, we had to cut down all the wood we already had for him. Used this method: Quickie wood cradle for dad Worked great.
Since all of my wood is for my own use, I’m generally not terribly concerned about consistent lengths. If I have something 22-24” long I usually cut it in half. All of my super shorties go in the nugget bins and get burned during shoulder season.
I have two metal totes for shorts and chunklies. Recently upgraded to totes from a very poorly designed and built pair of "ugly boxes." I generally start the burning year with 2 full totes, but this year we were a little short... maybe because I'm cutting my rounds to a more consistent length. Nothing like a good chunkly fire to take of the chill.
I’ve got an IBC tote of shorts for our little Jotul wood stove, it’s just a room heater and prefers wood shorter than 16”. Some of the really short chunks get made into kindling as well. It gets me brownie points with the wife, and I need all I can get.
That's what I have been doing. If you look at my profile pic, the far right bin is for nuggets. Just wondering if others were going that route or doing something different. Really only two options so got to do one or the other.
Here's what I do; I cut them to the length, then the left over piece I put aside for my "Shoulder season". I use a bin, IBC tote frame, just for "Uglies and odd size pieces". These are great for those cool nights where you don't need a big fire and just take the chill off...
Let's see: option 1 creates two odd sized pieces that you now need to find a spot for or option 2 creates one odd sized piece..... I know what I'd do.
I cut the 16 (marked with ruler and chalk) and save the chunk for the nugget bin. Less shorties to store vs if you cut it in half for two shorties. PITA sometimes and why I prefer to cut my own trees/logs etc. I've been known to leave shorties behind at cuts when I'm over run with them.
A number of my close family members have smaller solo stoves and since I'm lucky enough to have a tree guy drop wood at my place for free, if I can cut it to the length I need: great. If I wind up with oddball lengths-I keep what makes sense and gift out the stuff that's left over. Otherwise, I was always "waste not, want not". I never really came up on a great storage system, but I've found more than a few good ideas on this website. There's a couple great examples right in this thread.
Pretty unanimous...cut to 16 and store the shorts in a bin or tote. Power company left a ton of 24" logs a few years ago (They won't cut to 32...company policy). I decided to cut them in half. Big mistake. I have a few rows of 12" splits that I can't add to in the wood shed. I either have to wait until I burn that all down to refill or completely move it out and start over.
Cut to 16” shortie, uglies and crooked splits shoulder season wood. I find the farther ahead the picker/intentional I become.
My stove will burn up to 24" or 26" I forget. Nonetheless when it happens to me or used to one gets cut to stove size and the shorty goes in the ugly/shorty/crotch bin.
My stove will hold I believe up to a 20" split but I generally cut to around 18" anything left over goes into the wood smoker bin to be process for the smoker. I will say I do sometime cut smaller so I can build a fire N/S especially when first building a fire, it allows air in quick to get it going.
