In loving memory of Kenis D. Keathley 6/4/81 - 3/27/22 Loving father, husband, brother, friend and firewood hoarder Rest in peace, Dexterday

This person's woodyard nirvana...kinda....sorta

Discussion in 'The Wood Pile' started by MikeInMa, Aug 29, 2022.

  1. Sirchopsalot

    Sirchopsalot

    Joined:
    Sep 10, 2020
    Messages:
    3,024
    Likes Received:
    18,351
    Location:
    medium city in CT
    man thats awesome!
    a nice bit of work to have bigger results.
    Do you have wood in mind to fill the void?
     
  2. MikeInMa

    MikeInMa

    Joined:
    Dec 4, 2016
    Messages:
    12,535
    Likes Received:
    89,107
    Location:
    Southern Worcester county
    Yup - 4 ash trees that need go come down due to EAB.

    I need to call a tree service for a quote.
     
  3. John D

    John D

    Joined:
    Jan 3, 2024
    Messages:
    929
    Likes Received:
    4,158
    Location:
    Syracuse ny
    That is smart dating the wood of when it was cut and stacked I never thought about that
    Like you I do want to put a wood rack on my back deck
     
  4. MikeInMa

    MikeInMa

    Joined:
    Dec 4, 2016
    Messages:
    12,535
    Likes Received:
    89,107
    Location:
    Southern Worcester county
    Having a face cord of splits 2 steps out the door, is super handy. That amount would hold us for 2-3 weeks in the coldest months. Although, I'll refill it every few days.
     
  5. EODMSgt

    EODMSgt

    Joined:
    Jul 29, 2020
    Messages:
    1,297
    Likes Received:
    10,528
    Location:
    White Mountain Region, NH
    Looks great and it must be nice. Still buried in snow here, and what isn't snow is mud. Pointless to try and get anything done until after mud season other than making note of all the dead trees that need to come down this year.
     
  6. MikeInMa

    MikeInMa

    Joined:
    Dec 4, 2016
    Messages:
    12,535
    Likes Received:
    89,107
    Location:
    Southern Worcester county
    I was able to acquire some Black Birch.
    Wood ID, please. Birch of some sort.

    Time to make firewood from it.

    1st load to a conveniently empty rack.
    IMG_20240510_085931.jpg

    I've not dealt with much BB. Nice colors. Does BB always look so nice, or is the darker redish wood the product of rot traveling up the tree?
    IMG_20240510_083723.jpg

    IMG_20240510_083244.jpg

    3rd and last load for the day.
    IMG_20240510_092405.jpg

    I'll cover it and continue filling the rack, as time allows. I'm in no rush. I still hand split. I enjoy the satisfaction of seeing a round end up in several splits.
     
    Last edited: May 10, 2024
  7. T.Jeff Veal

    T.Jeff Veal

    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2015
    Messages:
    23,028
    Likes Received:
    139,767
    Location:
    Country life, Ga
    Looks good, Mike. Glad you're still able to hand split.
     
    MikeInMa, Chvymn99 and John D like this.
  8. buZZsaw BRAD

    buZZsaw BRAD

    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2019
    Messages:
    28,442
    Likes Received:
    169,555
    Location:
    North Haven, Connecticut
    That color is common in BB. Not from rot, just heartwood in older trees. I hope you stopped and sniffed every split! It may become more difficult to split as the end dries and checks. If planning on splitting set them on end to get wet and they should pop easier.

    And yes, my wish would be to always have an empty log rack for new fresh splits. Redoing part of main storage where most of my loads go and currently restocking bundle wood stacks here at home.
     
  9. MikeInMa

    MikeInMa

    Joined:
    Dec 4, 2016
    Messages:
    12,535
    Likes Received:
    89,107
    Location:
    Southern Worcester county
    The area is filled with the wintergreen/spearmint scent.
     
  10. JiminyKicket

    JiminyKicket

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2022
    Messages:
    581
    Likes Received:
    4,202
    Location:
    Seattle
    At least something smells good over there today, because the B’s and C’s sure don’t. :confused:
     
  11. MikeInMa

    MikeInMa

    Joined:
    Dec 4, 2016
    Messages:
    12,535
    Likes Received:
    89,107
    Location:
    Southern Worcester county
    Got that right!
    :headbang:
     
    John D, buZZsaw BRAD and T.Jeff Veal like this.
  12. MikeInMa

    MikeInMa

    Joined:
    Dec 4, 2016
    Messages:
    12,535
    Likes Received:
    89,107
    Location:
    Southern Worcester county
    Same church, different pew.

    Time to make firewood out of some goldilocks BL poles. Other piles are in the background
    IMG_20240512_082908.jpg

    IMG_20240512_083340.jpg

    IMG_20240512_084627.jpg

    Pickem up and stack.
    IMG_20240512_092628.jpg

    I had some other BL that topped off the rack, which is a short 5' rack. I got that rack and one other like it alongside a back road, with a free sign on them.

    The pieces sounded like bowling pins as they cascaded down from the redneck sawbuck
     
  13. buZZsaw BRAD

    buZZsaw BRAD

    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2019
    Messages:
    28,442
    Likes Received:
    169,555
    Location:
    North Haven, Connecticut
    Yeah those BL smalls are sweet. Nice job on the improvised sawbuck. Great cool day for it too.
     
    T.Jeff Veal, John D and MikeInMa like this.
  14. billb3

    billb3

    Joined:
    Oct 7, 2013
    Messages:
    9,910
    Likes Received:
    50,897
    Location:
    SE Mass
    Gonna have to try this. My sawhorse is broke and I just got a oak tree top. In pieces.
     
    T.Jeff Veal, John D and MikeInMa like this.
  15. MikeInMa

    MikeInMa

    Joined:
    Dec 4, 2016
    Messages:
    12,535
    Likes Received:
    89,107
    Location:
    Southern Worcester county
    The cross poles are some pine trees I thinned out a couple of years ago.

    Don't go too thick on them, though. If too thick, the cross-crotch will be too narrow and elevated.
     
  16. MikeInMa

    MikeInMa

    Joined:
    Dec 4, 2016
    Messages:
    12,535
    Likes Received:
    89,107
    Location:
    Southern Worcester county
    'twas a good morning in the woodyard. Time for some cleanup and rack consolidations.

    First up was topping off a stack of ash, with ash from a short rack.

    Topped off rack
    IMG_20240517_080729.jpg

    IMG_20240517_080735.jpg

    Emptied short rack
    IMG_20240517_081653.jpg

    Them onto moving a mix of oak and BL to free up an 8' rack.
    IMG_20240517_080128.jpg

    I pulled the horizontal boards out, cleaned/raked leaves that I could get to. Readied the rack for new firewood
    IMG_20240517_085603.jpg

    This past week I filled a rack with black birch I scrounged. It's got room for another course or two.
    IMG_20240517_093737.jpg

    IMG_20240517_093746.jpg

    I then cleaned up an area for two more racks. This is an area that had 5 racks in a space for 6. The past couple of years I've moved wood and empty racks around to make better use of the space

    IMG_20240517_084307.jpg

    The 2 empty racks need to be placed on footings and leveled.
    IMG_20240517_084254.jpg

    It was such a nice morning, I then split a load of black birch and started filling an empty rack.
    IMG_20240517_093514.jpg

    I'm done. Have a great Friday!
     
  17. Yawner

    Yawner

    Joined:
    Dec 29, 2015
    Messages:
    1,926
    Likes Received:
    10,409
    Location:
    Louisiana
    Love the sawbuck, even my no-carpentry-skills brain can build that! Cinder blocks 'n 2x4 runners... tip... sometimes you can find landscape timbers on sale, they are even better, twice as thick. Assuming they sell those where you live.
     
  18. jo191145

    jo191145

    Joined:
    Oct 1, 2015
    Messages:
    6,258
    Likes Received:
    41,851
    Location:
    Ct
    I like the sawbuck idea too.
     
  19. MikeInMa

    MikeInMa

    Joined:
    Dec 4, 2016
    Messages:
    12,535
    Likes Received:
    89,107
    Location:
    Southern Worcester county
    My more recent racks use landscape timbers. And yes, are cheaper than 2x4's, when on sale. :yes:
     
  20. buZZsaw BRAD

    buZZsaw BRAD

    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2019
    Messages:
    28,442
    Likes Received:
    169,555
    Location:
    North Haven, Connecticut
    I can re;ate with cramming a lot of wood in a small space. Well done Mike.

    What do you have on hand for rounds or are you all caught up?