Got that load split and three more. I love red oak when hand splitting. White oak though,,, I’m into a big red now. I could only fit 9 rounds on my trailer. Had to use an ATV ramp to roll em up.
Hauled and split two more loads of the big red this morning. I am about to get blasted by a thunderstorm so I am done for awhile. Was able to get ten rounds on the trailer as I worked up the tree they got smaller in diameter. My back says the rounds prolly weigh 300#.
Got up early hauled the last two loads of oak out of the neighbors junk yard now I am sheltering in place in the garage. Raining again. Can’t complain we need it. The ATV ramp is a back saver loading heavy oak rounds.
Well, it quit raining long enough for me to finish splitting all the rounds from my neighbors junk yard. My woods pile is slowly but surely growing. I’m 65 so I can’t hand split like an 18 year old farm boy anymore. But I do enjoy and look forward to gathering firewood. These two tools do a pretty good job erasing the 10 pounds I seem to gain every winter. Tomorrow I finally start to work up the 5 trees that came down in my woods over the winter. I must wait till noon because my nephew is turkey hunting in there. I don’t want to spook a tom that he has coming in.
It snowed here this morning so I did saw maintenance. Once it quit snowing I got to the woods. This black locust has been on my radar for awhile. Right next to the woodpile so no hauling! Fired up the 261 and holy crap someone took the rakers down too far. And that someone was ME. She was a little jumpy but I dropped her right between two pallet stacks. That was the plan sometimes I surprise myself. I had about an inch and half hinge left and something didn’t feel right. So I swallowed my pride and walked the 100 feet or so back to the ATV and grabbed a felling wedge. It is rare I use a wedge when felling. But 4 whacks and she came down. In no time at all it was firewood. No the ATV was not there when I dropped her. The BL was 31 years old and I got 30 big rounds out of her. Soon it was stacked. I hope it gets along with all that oak. Then I went and found another oak that was on the ground. Here is half of it (I ran outa gas I will split it Sunday). Once the snow stopped it was a pleasant day in da woods.
Loving that BL. Better safe than sorry. Sounds like something i wouldve done as well with the wedge. Impressive stack of wood. How much you have there?
Those aren’t longer. I cut everything 16”. I just cut some small elm wood to fill the voids amongst the rounds.
No idea. I’ll let you know when I’m done. I have a 100 foot tape I think I’ll need it. The pile didn’t get much bigger today. I only split a load and a half. My wrists like these easy days.
Today was a light duty day. My wrists really like light days. I went for a walk in the woods first thing and found a twisted hung up black cherry. And it’s hollow. I studied it for about two minutes and decided I will let Mother Nature put her on the ground. She always wins! Then I cut and spilt 3 loads of oak and another black cherry that fell across one of atv trails. A guy from town is coming out for the black cherry. It snowed on me for 5 minutes as the sun was shining.
Todays goal was real simple. Run my two saws till their tanks were empty. Mission accomplished. I have gone through 4 and a half gallons of pre mix since I began cutting. And I am not mixing anymore up. Got 28 rounds out of this severe leaning red oak. Looked like a rainbow curve. Its top was almost touching the ground and not a good candidate for a saw log so down she came. Tomorrow I haul and split 3 trailer loads and I am done procuring firewood.
I just talked to the campground owner who was my biggest firewood customer in 2022. He won’t be buying any from me in 2023. He liked my firewood and how dry it was but I will quote here what he just told me: “I will buy every piece you have for $100 cash per face cord if you deliver it”. His campground is 26 miles away. So we have agreed to part ways. I do not and will not deliver firewood. Not going to happen. EVER. Good thing I stopped cutting today! My wife says she will sell some for me on spacebook market place because I do not spacebook.
I can’t get a dumpster into my woods. I won’t have any problems selling the 20+ face cords that will be under 20% moisture by September 1st. It takes me about 2 years to get my oak under 20. As of right now, about 3/4 of my stash is too green.
Too bad on losing a good customer. Someone wanting that much id find a way. Call EODDiver, he'll go that far. I had a high turnover this past season...moving, death & divorce! Warm Winter didnt help either.
