Gotta love Ohio weather bi polar That ok still have 3 black walnuts to cut up and split and a couple red elms. Hope everyone has a good day. I was a bit behind the curve this year getting my wood up have about 4 or 5 cord rite now. Seen a senior member of this group has 50 cord that is goals rite there.
I take a break during the summer months. It gets too dang humid for me to run a saw then. I love cutting from fall through spring.
I thought I would cut one year during Jan. Found a great place with "visible" wood. Hauled the chainsaw inside the truck to help keep it warm. Temp on the truck thermometer was almost -27f. Thought I'd try it, you know? Yeah, toughed it out and got a truckload....kinda! But.............turned out to be an excellent place once the snow melted. I got a full years wood worth for me and my Mom that spring!
I do NOT cut firewood during the summer. Period. The most work the saw gets is cleaning up storm damage or whatever tree needs to come out for whatever reason, but I'm not cutting just for firewood. In the fall I usually get the itch to make some firewood, but it's one of the busier times of year for me so I don't get a lot done. Just enough to scratch the itch. The best time to make firewood is February and March. There are no bugs. The snow has knocked down all the weeds in the woods. The ground is usually somewhat frozen so mud isn't a big issue. There's usually nothing else to do...no hunting seasons...no kids sports teams going...etc.
I don’t cut in the summer. I prefer to cut during the winter when it’s cold outside. No bugs, you don’t get too sweaty, the saw dust doesn’t stick to you, it’s actually comfortable to work, etc.
Between the heat, humidity, bugs, and sticky sap, I prefer to avoid cutting in the summer if I can at all avoid it. Finding time between getting home from work and sunset is challenging in the winter, but the cutting itself is a lot more pleasant. Ideally, cut in fall, get the rounds stacked in the barn, then split in the winter. Burn a few years later.
I cut all year long but most of my work is done in the summer since I'm a teacher and that's when I'm off. The heat is much like the cold...It's not bad if you're prepared for it - avoid alcohol, drink a ton of liquids (not soda), and eat light snacks that contain a lot of water in them. Start early on those really hot days.
I don't like being cold, but as long as there isn't a ton of snow, I'll process in the winter. Summer, I just slow down to avoid heat stroke and drink more water. Bug spray keeps the skeeters off. All that said, I don't cut as much as I have in the past.
