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

Is it worth the effo

Discussion in 'The Wood Pile' started by Ohio dave, Jul 31, 2026 at 12:52 PM.

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  1. Ohio dave

    Ohio dave

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    Red Oak 8ft × 30 in. With all those knots is it worth turning into firewood? I already got three cords from this tree. With all those knots it'll be a pain to split 20260731_125105.jpg
     
    Ohio dave, Jul 31, 2026 at 12:52 PM
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  2. Erik B

    Erik B

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    Could you cut off 4 inch cookies and split them to fit in your stove?
     
    Erik B, Jul 31, 2026 at 3:01 PM
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  3. jrider

    jrider

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    First question is, how else would you get rid of it? If you have a machine to load and haul way, I’d really consider it because those pieces are just a pita to deal with. Yes you’ll get good solid burnable wood, but they are time vampires. I would think about taking all but that last few feet on the left and turning it into firewood and dumping that last bit.
     
    jrider, Jul 31, 2026 at 3:31 PM
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  4. Ohio dave

    Ohio dave

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    No stove I burn campfires and sell a little bit
     
    Ohio dave, Jul 31, 2026 at 3:33 PM
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  5. Ohio dave

    Ohio dave

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    I was thinking of either putting on marketplace if someone wants it or cutting it into small enough rounds to get on my trailer and take to yard waste site. Splitting it will suck
     
    Ohio dave, Jul 31, 2026 at 3:35 PM
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  6. The Wood Wolverine

    The Wood Wolverine

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    Cut into appropriate firewood size blocks with your chainsaw and sell it as any other split.
     
    The Wood Wolverine, Jul 31, 2026 at 5:47 PM
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  7. buZZsaw BRAD

    buZZsaw BRAD

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    X2 only I was going to say 12" and either noodle or split. Maybe "edit" the log cutting the nice sections to normal length and chunk down the rest.

    Ohio dave I look at logs like that and shy away. Too much effort IMO. If you have plenty of wood sources leave it. Of course its a great excuse to run the 500. Im always looking for excuses to run mine. :saw:

    EDIT: after reading other replies I agree with FBM fodder.
     
    buZZsaw BRAD, Jul 31, 2026 at 8:22 PM
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  8. Ohio dave

    Ohio dave

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    I would leave but its in my yard right next to our patio.
    And the 500 siezed up. Right now my biggest working saw is a ms250
     
    Ohio dave, Jul 31, 2026 at 10:43 PM
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  9. brenndatomu

    brenndatomu

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    :eek:
     
    brenndatomu, Jul 31, 2026 at 10:48 PM
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  10. Hinerman

    Hinerman

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    ^^^^This. Noodle the 3-4 feet on the left into 4-5 inch pieces. The rest should split pretty good.
     
    Hinerman, Jul 31, 2026 at 11:35 PM
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  11. Backwoods Savage

    Backwoods Savage Moderator

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    I would hate cutting that up with your 250. It could be done but a big pain in the... Maybe time to rent a big saw for a day.

    As long as you have to cut it up, I would say save what you can. The rest goes to trash.

    I doubt anyone would want it like it is now. Good luck Dave.
     
    Backwoods Savage, Aug 1, 2026 at 4:59 AM
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  12. buZZsaw BRAD

    buZZsaw BRAD

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    Any interest in logs like this Dave? :D Knotty sugar maple. Big ole yard trees are a dime a dozen around here.
    It was a t a score a couple years back and luckily I didn't have to take it. Sad thing is the wood is very dense in trunks like this so primo btu's.
    [​IMG]
     
    buZZsaw BRAD, Aug 1, 2026 at 10:15 AM
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  13. Timberdog

    Timberdog

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    Yes. Its not as intimidating as it may look…but that is only if you have a hydraulic splitter. Buck it up normally the best you can if you have a big enough saw. Then put the crotches centered on the splitter wedge and those branches tend to peel off like a tear line on a piece of perforated paper and then you just continue splitting it as you would a normal round. That’s why branches tend to break off along those lines during wind storms. It’s already pre-weakend there. Sometimes they’re a little bit misshapen, but who cares? It’s BTUs and once it’s glowing red, they all look and feel the same. And those parts of the tree are really dense and long burning.
     

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    Timberdog, Aug 1, 2026 at 10:52 AM
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  14. Sandhillbilly

    Sandhillbilly

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    Time to take up chainsaw carving? Perhaps…
     
    Sandhillbilly, Aug 2, 2026 at 8:45 AM
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  15. Scotty Overkill

    Scotty Overkill Administrator

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    Knotty wood (and stump wood) are dense and great BTU's, but as others have said can be a PITA to split snd stack. But I save it for the heat and I seemingly like to suffer...lol

    These huge rounds from a big oak we took down in the spring were a royal pain to handle and split because of the size and the knots, but I got a ton of dense wood from them and albeit it was a challenge, it'll pay off in a few years when they heat the house in the dead of winter.

    If I didn't have a machine to handle them, I'd have blocked them up into manageable pieces prior to splitting or even blocked them into firewood pieces if the knots were that horrible.

    20260403_131859.jpg

    20260403_131819.jpg

    20260403_131812.jpg
     
    Scotty Overkill, Aug 2, 2026 at 10:18 AM
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  16. RCBS

    RCBS

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    I see two rounds there still. The rest is just a managerie of cross grains.
     
    RCBS, Aug 3, 2026 at 1:03 PM
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  17. brenndatomu

    brenndatomu

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    I agree...chances are good that with a little strategy that would not be terrible to deal with...won't make "Nashville quality" splits, but it'll sure enough make burnable/stackable BTU's...now that one Brad posted...I'm prolly gonna pass on that one, unless I feel like giving the ole 660 some serious noodle time...
     
    brenndatomu, Aug 3, 2026 at 1:23 PM
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  18. Canadian border VT

    Canadian border VT

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    No one on FHC near Ohio, if it wasn’t 10 hours I’d bring down some big saws and mix..
     
    Canadian border VT, Aug 3, 2026 at 4:32 PM
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  19. Ohio dave

    Ohio dave

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    Since there's already like 4 gtg's a year within a five hour drive from me that would be a good idea.
     
    Ohio dave, Aug 3, 2026 at 6:10 PM
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  20. Canadian border VT

    Canadian border VT

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    Yeah it’s 11 hours but I could bring
    Ms 400 from bought from EODMSgt
    Ms 462 mine
    Ms500 brothers
    Husky 576 from Eric VW

    we couldn’t kill them all and there would be chips
     
    Canadian border VT, Aug 3, 2026 at 6:21 PM
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