We are fortunate that we have access to standing dead pre-seasoned (<20% MC) trees for firewood, and that means we don't have to store 2 or 3 years worth of wood on hand while we wait for it to season. Which is just as well because we live on a small lot and don't have the room for much more than what we can fit in our woodshed. So we generally just cut, split and fill the woodshed for the winter in the fall just before we need it. The problem is it's all over too quick. I bought a new chainsaw this fall and only got to use it a couple times. Likewise I picked up a little electric splitter and got to use it just one day, now my woodshed is full and I'm got plenty of wood for the winter,,,, and I'm done for another year. I guess a lot of people in my position would be content with a woodshed full of dry wood, but now I won't get to play with my new toys now for a whole year, and that leaves me kind of sad.
Looking really good! Lodgepole? Nice and neat too! I feel kinda good when I have everything done for the season, you must really like that new saw?
Nice job! You put in some work for sure. I know what you mean, I love playing with all the toys that go along with wood processing. You could always tinker with and make small upgrades to your gear. I just recently replaced the worn out plastic spider coupler on my splitter with a bronze one, nice having little projects to keep you busy. Sucks having a small lot, I'm in the same boat, I'm really never done though, I always fine new places to stash wood.
I hear ya. Space isn't an issue for me - I'm just getting really fast at the whole process. That's secretly my selfish reason behind helping my sister's family out with their firewood these past couple weekends. Gotta do something to slow myself down and stretch it all out! I'm getting close to having year 3 of the plan up at the house in log form. I could probably have it all split and stacked before the snow flies if I wanted to. Maybe I need some hydraulics, so the splitting happens slower!
Thats a nice looking shed you got there. Love it when its nice and neat..how many cords do you fit in there. You still have a little room go put that new saw to use and have some fun..
I know the feeling. I'm already 3 years ahead, and after I take down a few dead ash trees that are too close to the house this winter I'll probably be 5 or more years ahead. I've got 3 new 18" chains for my Husqvarna and I'm really wanting to jump down to a 16" bar, but it's hard to justify when it feels like it'll take me 10 years to wear out those 3 chains!
Yep, Lodgepole. And yeah, the new Sthil 291 is nice. I got it because my 36 year old Husqvarna was giving me a few problems and getting hard to find parts for. I don't need much of a saw, I only cut about 4 cords a year and the equates to about maybe 10 or 12 hours a year of actual running the saw. Less actually if I take into account that my teenage sons are using the other saws now (the Husky and a Poulan), so I personal have even less time on the saw. Thanks. We really don't have the room. The space you see to the right where the wood is stacked outside the shed is where we push the snow from the driveway. We are able to store a bit of wood there earlier in the season, but once we start getting much snow we need that space to push the snow. I've been toying with the idea of one more load, and just pray we don't get much snow till later in the year, but we really don't need it. It will just mean I'll get to do even less cutting next fall. The shed holds about 5 cords (one cord per section) plus about an extra cord sitting outside the shed there, and we use about 4 cords per year. We may be gone for 6 weeks this winter too, so maybe even less this year.
Can't do that Loon. I'm cutting on crown land, and the firewood permits are only for standing dead trees, and there are so many standing dead trees (pine beetle kill) around it really would be a crime to cut any live ones. I hear ya! I'm especially feelin that way this year with a new saw, and a new splitter, my teenage boys started running the saws, and my wife doing her usual expert loading in the truck. We were becoming an incredibly efficient team.
I kind of have the same issue as I source most of my wood from a tree guy. If I get a full log load I'm looking at about 2 seasons of wood. Once that is done the only other chance I'll get to cut wood is if I get up to my camp. The real problem is with fuel. I try to run it out so I don't have stale gas but if I'm going camping I just need a tank or two.
Nice work Lumber Jack. To bad you were not closer. I have plenty of trees that need to be thinned out! You could have a blast! LOFL
Haha! I like that me and the woodlands like your post! We'll have that sucker cleaned up in a weekend!
Oh, you have plenty of dry wood and time to kick back? Where did I leave that tiny violin to play for you? Hmmmmm Just kidding, good for you for being prepared. If you have an itch to split, you can come over anytime!
Yea, You make it short & sweet every year. Professional job , every time . How you liking the new saw ?
Man that's awful thing to have your shed full off of good dry wood Good looking wood shed What kind of electric splitter did you get do you like it so far?
Normally I like to leave the last cord in rounds and hand split them as we use them up, but it was too much fun using the electric splitter and we ended up splitting all of it. It's a Yardworks 5 tonsplitter. Picked it up at a Canadian tire store for $299. It worked just fine. Some of the rounds were so big I thought I'd crush that little splitter when I laid them on it, but once I got them on there it split them no problem. A couple times the wedge part had trouble cutting into the rounds if it lined up with a knot, but a slight turn of the round to get the knot out of the way and I'd be back in business. Thanks Dave. A new saw was long overdue. Not that I didn't like my Husky, but it was 36 years old. I bought it when I was 19 and got a lot of use out of it. It sure didn't owe me anything. The new saw (Stihl ms291) is lighter and has a little more power that my Husky, which is always nice, but that extra power seems to come with a little higher propensity to kick back on me, and that has taken a little getting use to.
Welcome to the forum LJ. Looking at some of your pics it looks Like you have a nice setup. Great looking Workspace and wood storage. Whereabouts in The north country are you?
Looks great! I sure wish I had your problem with it being over to quickly. Hey you can come to my house and run your saw as much as you like.......... I could keep you busy for a long time and you would have tons of fun to boot
