Does anyone cut most of their logs to a different length than 16"? Why, or why not?

Have cut all different sizes in my life. Started with 18" for the fireplace at my parent's home when I was growing up. Dad put a stove in the fireplace, cut 24" for that. Made a sawbuck and cut those pieces in half to take to a great aunt when she needed some wood for a small stove in her garage. Back to 16" when he replaced that with an insert.

Cut my wood 16" when I burned it in a stove I had. Started to help my brother cut for his boiler at 24" when he bought it, then switched back to 16" when he began to sell some wood as well.

 

Our woodstove can take up to 22", 19" is about the max length I like to do but I cut to 16"

Easy to count cords fast and keep track of what's there and what I use. I do measure before bucking, Im almost OCD with it now.

 

I cut to whatever size fits for N/S loading. So 14" is what I've been cutting for the last two years. I have yet 7 cords that are at 16-20" from our last stove that I'm either using for E/W loading or cutting off the ends to 14" which is a bit of a pain.

 

My stove takes 22" E/W, I like cut at 19 -20 because it's easier to fit in the door. I'm one of those OCD guys that measures each cut with my saw... I've tried to break myself of that habit, but there's greater powers in play.

 

I can’t fit anything longer than 18” into our stove. I usually use a Mingo marker to mark to 16” lengths but can cut a little longer than that.


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Oh no, looks like I'm gonna be measuring mine now too!

 

little over 16 is what I have been cutting.

 

I made a little 16 inch marker like that and it works pretty well. Depending on the tree, I may just measure off 16 and cut a notch/scratch with my pocket knife or pickaroon.

 

Oregon has the same laws, but as with you, doesn’t enforce it, unless there is a complaint

It has been awhile since I have seen it, but Oregon will also weigh trucks or trailers that appear to be over loaded

I haven’t ever been scaled, but guys like me, are why they do it. I have a 6x12 tandem axle trailer, with 6’ sides on it. It would cube out a bit over 3 cords, Dry Lodgepole I could get away with, but green D Fir and around 2 cords or so I am putting 8,000# on the axles, and 2000# on the tongue of a 7000# rated trailer.

I have Moral and Religious Objections to leaving Good Wood in the Forest.

The old F350 and trailer each handle the loads well, the Big Red Truck is a 1994, and the trailer is a 2000, I haven’t broken either Yet, and both have more than earned their keep


Doug

 

I haven’t met Brad, but boy I have read about him, sounds like a Bad Influence


Doug

 

I cut mine different lengths ranging from 12 to 18" or so. I can probably get a 20" in my stove, but I do like to have shorter splits available to top off of a night, because sometimes the wood ends up being sloped in the stove and it's hard to get another full length in there, but I still want to top it off some, before going to bed. And sometimes I will even place a couple of short ones, cross ways and close the door on the stove, if it helps me to get all I can in there for overnight burn. However, 16" is my usual target length.

 

I cut almost all mine to 12-13" for NS loading in my insert. The only wood I cut longer is for stacking in one specific spot where I need it longer for the bottom row and to crib the ends.

 

Fixed for accuracy !!!

 

Brads like the high school friend who convinces you to sneak a smoke under the bleachers. Just can’t trust a guy like that!!!

 

For over 2 decades I was cutting firewood to 12 inches cause that is the size the insert would take. With the new insert being able to take up to 18 inches, I now cut firewood at 16 inches. I still have over a years supply of 12 inch wood.
Is that the downfall of being on the 3 year plan. having to change the length of wood when you get a new stove?

 

Last 11 years it’s been 16-18” to fit in the Bakers I’ve owned. Now with this new furnace, I will start cutting to 20-22” for its 24” capacity.

 

When I started I cut 16” but now it’s all cut 17” - gets me a wee bit over 6% more per split. I figer over the life of my burning I’ll at least save one full “Bend-over”, savin my back major wear and tear.

 

I cut my logs to 64 inches as that's about as wide as I can carry on the loader forks without hitting anything along my rather narrow road/paths. I then cut them to four sixteen inch rounds and then split yielding 16 inch splits. My tractor doesn't have the HP to drag long logs up a steep hill. I can carry a litttle more volume on the forks than in the bucket. When I replace my small stove with something that takes longer splits I'll change my cutting dimensions.