Same here. Dont mind it as much in the cooler weather. My back has taken a big liking to Goldilocks wood though. Depends on the score too. Some locations just make it very difficult to maneuver rounds.
I tried to split a couple but after ten whacks a no go. Only had gassed both saws and no extra fuel with me and finally after loading a few full rounds i started noodling.
Split the rest of this load on Saturday. Some stringy stuff. Glad i had the hydro. I was working near this score and had some time late today to pig out more. 460 hasnt been out to play in a while. Nicked a rock! Saw cutting a tad crooked. I think its the bar. Id like to get a 20" light weight Stihl bar. All hickory with a few small maple rounds. Still some hickory and sugar maple there. Probably enough for a PU full. I will go back.
Last load out today. Rain held off and was dry enough to get the rest. An hour or so with the last ten minutes in a good rain. 25% hickory, the rest sugar maple. 361 did the cutting. 261 along for the ride. Score done. While i was loading i slipped on what i though was mud and discovered it wasnt. I think its a salamander as it didnt try to sell me insurance! Biggest ive ever seen and surprised i didnt squish it.
Split the whole load right off the PU today. Straight grained sugar maple makes the nicest splits IMO.
Have most of the hickory from this score split and in a pile waiting for stacking. Maple split and stacked already. Set a half cord rack and filled it today. 6' long by 4' high double row. Top and sides made from reclaimed cedar deck boards. The wood was moved from front yard to the back. Mostly multi year wood stacked in back. Access is limited due to soft yard. Have to wait until dry enough or frozen. Ill do the same again tomorrow. Lots more splits to be moved and a half cord to be split.
Set another rack (left side), moved more splits and stacked. Half of this is some shagbark from July. I have some older hickory splits that should top it off. A bunch of sections to split which ill do tomorrow, set another rack and stack.
That was a great buffet to pig out on. Excellent splits, my friend. Glad you had the hydro for that hickory.
Split the remaining sections, moved and stacked. Topped off one rack and started a third. Dark when i finished. Need a quarter cord to finish this one off. Have access to more hickory. Maybe a black Friday cutting??? Freed up a stack for ash heartwood splits (mound to the left)
buZZsaw, that poor F150. Does it have a receiver hitch on it? Maybe you could get a detachable flying tag axle rigged up before the springs come up through the bed.
Perhaps a wooden bed is in order Brad. I'm about to do one here, I'm thinking I can get a little larger than stock bed size on there. Is that a new gas can there Brad, replacing the mouse-eaten one? SCA
Wooden bed??? Can you elaborate? That can is for straight gas for the splitter. The "holey" one is here and i still use it! Looking for an "old fashioned" 2 gallon plastic can if i can find one. I hate these new ones with all the safety features.
I noodled them at the score into quarters for ease of handling. Ive been trying to split the loads right off the PU to eliminate one extra handling of them. Doesnt always work out that way.