With the ground well frozen im moving rounds & splits today and tomorrow from and into areas where i couldnt due to mud/high water table. The white oak im working next door to my storage is some of the wood in question too. My original thought was to get them out ASAP, drop where to be stacked and later split. Giving it more thought i considered bringing the hydro from next door, split, then move as i will only handle the rounds once. I then risk losing the frozen ground as its unpredictable when it will refreeze (on coming storm will turn to rain and temps in 40's on Monday). Some of the logistical nightmares i face as a hoarder!
I am a move as rounds guy unless the rounds are too big to lift. Then they get popped in half or quartered. Splitting happens when I have some spare time at home. Someday when I have more time, I might consider splitting in the woods and leaving the mess there. Less handling overall.
I've been trying to do this now and more. Only handle a round once. But if you have to take multiple trips or it log-istically doesn't make sense, then do whatever you have to do to get that wood out of the swampy area while you can.
I can drop rounds right next to where they will be stacked , but after i picked one up yesterday i started thinking smarter. If i split in place there is no deadline when i have to get them out. It had been planned to store and season the splits on site, but he is having another eight red maples taken down and im getting the wood and felling four of them. Its from this thread I was Very, Very Distracted at Work Today.
I too am one of those who will haul it away in rounds and split later at my pleasure. But of course, everyone's situation is different, so it is what turns out to be best for you.
I’d get the wood out of that area and then split it later at my leisure. Personally would not want to lose the opportunity to get it out while the ground is frozen.
I like splitting in the woods. Part of what I enjoy about cutting firewood is being out in the woods. However, I think it's less efficient. You now have to handle a bunch of little splits instead of a single round when you move it. It's easier work, but more fiddley. I think moving rounds and splitting at home is faster, but heavier, harder work. And then I'm splitting in my backyard instead of being out in the woods.
I move rounds unless I need to break them down into smaller chunks, to move them. Once moved home, I can split at my convenience. No real opinion for you, as you deal with much more wood than I do.
I’m in the handle as little as possible camp so that means splitting on site for me. Of course in buZZsaw BRAD situation you might have to move it as quick as possible and split later
I move as rounds, I can't really haul a splitter, and a couple days ago I took my maul and tried it on a round of white oak. The maul dented it, repeatedly, that white oak didn't give an inch, it barely gave a 1/4 inch. I think even a proper splitting axe wouldn't have done much better. I dumped the rounds in my yard, and can move the splitter there.
Moving as rounds is best for my situation ... Unless rounds are huge, then half or quarter them.....Tough for me to move my splitter out.
I only split wood where it was cut when the rounds are too big for me to handle. I will quarter the rounds and take them to my processing area.
I usually split after I get them home , unless they need to be broken down to be able to handle them. Then I am not pushed for time to get it done and can work at my leisure. Two jobs eats up a lot of my time so having them home makes it easier than being pressed to get it done.
I get everything home in largest way possible logs if I have gear access Rounds if I have gear access Quarter by hand and haul home if Cant gear there Split on site an haul home last choice, but sometimes works depending on which folks are helping and their wood needs
Other problem is if I ever cut I cant stop thinking about the pile until I do get it. and no one understands that other than on this forum
I always use to just hual the rounds home and then deal with them there. If I can pull the truck right up to it I still do, but if they are heavy I split them up before I load now, back just can't do it anymore.
Like most others, I am a grab and go type and get well the getting is good. In your case I may just run the splitter over and take care of them there. Even more so if you can stack them for now and they are safe. Plenty of winter left to grab later.
Move them! I always make a huge pile of rounds and try to split a bunch at once. Unless I can’t pick it up….it’s probably going into the round pile.
