I spent some time working at cleaning up the smaller Sugar Maples and large double Honey Locust I had dropped back along the hill climb trail. This batch I've been cutting and splitting in the woods instead of skidding it up to the upper meadow to process there. It's all getting moved to the meadow to be stacked in the sun. I used the MS250 for the Sugar Maple. I forgot to get any pix while I was working that up. I cut some of the upper HL with the 357xp and some of the larger rounds had to be noodled to get up on the splitter. I had cut this HL with the intent to get a few saw logs out of it for 4x4's for another steer shed. Fergie with the carry-all and the splitter. I put a ball on the rear of the carry all so I can process anywhere on the farm. There's another medium sized HL that was girdled several years ago in the background behind the left rear tire. It sprinkled on me a little and I was about to head up to the barn to put everything away, but the sun came back out so I thought I'd split another noodled chunk. About halfway through splitting it, while the sun was still shining, the sky opened up and totally soaked me by the time I was able to get to the barn. I haven't been that wet with clothes on since I fell in the creek a few years ago! Upper meadow getting the stacks for the 25 / 26 heating season.
Just look at it like you got soaked and saved time by taking your shower early. But I still fail to understand why anyone would noodle, especially when there is a very capable splitter sitting right there.
My splitter will go vertical, but I prefer horizontal. Besides, changing over to vertical isn't near as much fun as having a screaming ported saw in my hands throwing noodles all over the place... I had to give up the maul years ago. I know some prefer the relative peace of sitting in a milk crate easy chair with the much muted drone of a 4-stroke splitter with no lifting. Just not my style! As far as the shower...
Nice work Monte! Sweet set up with the trailer and splitter. Sometimes it is easier to process at the cut rather than schlepping logs/rounds home. Cant tell you the number of times mother nature has done that to me in the past. Not as much fun in the colder weather. Hoard on and cut safe.
Trying to get caught up around here. I finished up processing the HL from back on the hill climb trail. That went to the stacks in the upper meadow slated for 25/26 or further out. It was hot working outside these last couple days but I need to keep moving forward to get caught back up on the 3 year plan. Upper meadow stacks. About 2-1/2 cord of mixed Ironwood (hop hornbeam), Sugar Maple, and Honey Locust. Second stack is a mix also like above with some White Oak mixed in as well. Still some splitting to do but I'm glad to have it at least cut and up off the ground for now. South lower meadow. Mostly Red Maple, a little Silver Maple, some Sugar Maple, and a little Honey Locust mixed in also.
Savage I totally agree with you. I have split 36” soaking wet fir and it wasn’t pleasant but I never considered noodling. I buck everything at 22”.
Hiding under the canopy for splitting. I take refuge under the canopy for most of the summer only coming out from to weedeat and cut the grass if I can help it.
