Firewood?
- Thread starter D'Animal
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We built on 4.5 acres in the woods last year. Mostly red and white oak with a few shortleaf pines. I kept a big pile of logs from clearing the lot and others that died during construction. I then cut them up into about 2.2 cords of wood (Stilh MS261C w/the electronic carb) in one weekend. The next week we rented a wood splitter, and split and stacked all of it in one day with my (wife and kids all helped). We have a fireplace as secondary heat (only), but run fires when we are home and when it's <45 degrees out. We are now about 1/3 of the way through our supply, despite having a very warm winter.
Then I covered the stacks with some corrugated polycarbonate roofing panels, attached to the wood with roofing screws. Super-flexible and easy to remove.
This is my new favorite toy. About 100X safer than splitting kindling by hand. Most of the wood was 25%-40% moisture but is drying fast. So having the small, dry kindling really helps get the fire going. I can split a month of kindling in about 15 minutes.
The log stack has already been replenished. I also have at least 3 more dead standing oaks to drop and 5-6 big ones that were knocked over by a storm a couple of years ago. I'm getting a grapple for my tractor as it's a pain to try to pick up logs using only pallet forks, and our land is super-steep. I'll also build a sawbuck at some point so I can cut the logs up at waist height instead of on the ground (which will be less dangerous and way faster).
Then I covered the stacks with some corrugated polycarbonate roofing panels, attached to the wood with roofing screws. Super-flexible and easy to remove.
This is my new favorite toy. About 100X safer than splitting kindling by hand. Most of the wood was 25%-40% moisture but is drying fast. So having the small, dry kindling really helps get the fire going. I can split a month of kindling in about 15 minutes.
The log stack has already been replenished. I also have at least 3 more dead standing oaks to drop and 5-6 big ones that were knocked over by a storm a couple of years ago. I'm getting a grapple for my tractor as it's a pain to try to pick up logs using only pallet forks, and our land is super-steep. I'll also build a sawbuck at some point so I can cut the logs up at waist height instead of on the ground (which will be less dangerous and way faster).
The grapple is a fabulous tool addition. When I built the pole barn, the bulldozer knocked over about 30 red and white oak. Most about 18” diameter. The grapple on the skid steer moved them all in 4-5 hours only cutting then in half
I can do OK with the pallet forks on flat ground, but it's near impossible to grab logs going downhill. You just push the log further away from you! Usually I've gotten off the tractor and hand-loaded the forks - or have my wife drive the tractor while I load, which is super labor intensive. Really looking forward to just grabbing and moving them!
My tractor is a 1947 Ford… it’s an aerobic exercise getting on and off the seat as the framework for the front loader is blocking everything I can add forks to the 3-point but chose the bolt-on ones for the front bucket. Sometimes I can only load it by hand as the bucket does not articulate and goes up or down and release. Trip bucket…it’s like yelling “timber” in the woods and hoping everyone is out of the way
I made my spending money in high school cutting, splitting & selling cords of firewood. Dad got the wood from clearing jobs, and we didn't have a fireplace in the house so I got to sell the good wood. For some reason, I never thought to buy a splitter..... when I left for college, little bro took over and immediately bought a splitter and made life easier. Some years later, we bought mom and dad a fireplace for the house, and it is literally their favorite thing. My mom just loves having fires and keeping it fed, as well as splitting and managing her hoard of wood.
Anyhow, was back home over thanksgiving and dad bribed a good buddy to bring over his firewood mill. I fed it with the excavator, dad ran the kubota with dump trailer in tow, and we made quick work of filling a dozen or so heaping loads of split wood in around 3 hours from some clearing he has been doing over the past couple years around the property. Don't have the skills to upload a video, but this is a pretty fun operation to watch.
Anyhow, was back home over thanksgiving and dad bribed a good buddy to bring over his firewood mill. I fed it with the excavator, dad ran the kubota with dump trailer in tow, and we made quick work of filling a dozen or so heaping loads of split wood in around 3 hours from some clearing he has been doing over the past couple years around the property. Don't have the skills to upload a video, but this is a pretty fun operation to watch.
That’s a great story turn around… I had split with a maul and wedges until Hurricane Sandy. We had so many down trees in the area and on my property that I had to build a log-splitter. 60-ton ram from a concrete block lifter… 5/8” I-beam and a log lifter
@EWheeler you must have had arms of steel!
@EWheeler you must have had arms of steel!
I brush hogged on a 1952 8N for about 15 years. Great handling little tractor and perfect for mowing. I looked for a used 4x4 Kubota for at least 6 months before we went to build, but used tractor prices are bonkers. So I bought a new JD instead - 2022 that was still sitting on the dealer's lot in 2024 - probably because it had a manual transmission. It's about the same size as a N tractor! Big enough to lift up the 35' steel beam for our house:
By. The way, for what it’s worth… to add video I upload it to my YouTube account and then hit the share button and paste the link into IH8MUD
Sitting here watching the Hoosiers take it to the Ducks (welcome sight from a WSU alumni) and gave youtube a go. Lets see if the video link works:
@Rednexus THAT IS A BEAUTY…. Good luck with that
My neighbor has the big Kubota…L46 I think with all the accessories. A monster skid steer and the excavator. He bought some forest maintenance pieces to cut brush and up to 6” trees. It is a scary 36” spinning disc with 6 carbide teeth. When he hits the trees it can send 5 foot long splinters 30 feet in the air.
I would have loved this JD but the 8N was $3000 as you see it, back blade and 3-point plow
My neighbor has the big Kubota…L46 I think with all the accessories. A monster skid steer and the excavator. He bought some forest maintenance pieces to cut brush and up to 6” trees. It is a scary 36” spinning disc with 6 carbide teeth. When he hits the trees it can send 5 foot long splinters 30 feet in the air.
I would have loved this JD but the 8N was $3000 as you see it, back blade and 3-point plow
@EWheeler holy cow! No wonder you can load so much wood….that is something I have not seen before 
By the way, these chains came today.. some reviews say they cut VERY aggressively and unless you have professional experience, this chain is not for you… I ve been using a chain saw over 50 years..only had a slight incident on to my left thigh…
The scar is still there but damn, that scares me now that I’m older and weaker
I was curious when I tried mine, but haven't experienced any kick-back or anything else unusual/unexpected yet. The thing just goes through tree trunks really quick and easy.
Well, for what it’s worth…I was all set to go outside and try it out today…but, it’s pouring
By the way, these chains came today.. some reviews say they cut VERY aggressively and unless you have professional experience, this chain is not for you… I ve been using a chain saw over 50 years..only had a slight incident on to my left thigh…
The scar is still there but damn, that scares me now that I’m older and weaker
Gotta figure a lot of those reviewers are the folks that warnings on plastic bags, buckets and tide pods are for.
After closing on my property I went straight to the Stihl store and bought my 1st saw with the bar length I wanted. I didn't know anything about chains. I picked up a spare chain too, they were both green safety chains. Several weeks later, I went back to Stihl to pick up a chain or two and learned about the more aggressive yellow chains. After seeing the performance of the yellow chains, I ground all the safety devices flush with the chain links.
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Those safety devices between teeth are called rakers, and the chain rides on them in the wood. You have to start filing your rakers down when the tooth has been filed down about half way.
There are many different chain designs. Homeowner (safety) chains are designed for limited kickback and generally have double rakers.
Filing the rakers all the way down takes away what the chain rides on and makes the chain very "grabby". It'll cut better, but through the wrong avenue to get there. The aggressive and abrupt bite the teeth now get is hard on the internals of your engine and clutch.
Check out a semi chisel skip tooth chain for super speedy cutting. Full chisel is more aggressive but very fragile and difficult to sharpen. Touch dirt a bit and the chain needs sharpened. If you gotta pry to the saw into the wood with your dogs, your chain is dull and you'll wear out your bar from heat and smoke the clutch from having to pull too hard.
There are many different chain designs. Homeowner (safety) chains are designed for limited kickback and generally have double rakers.
Filing the rakers all the way down takes away what the chain rides on and makes the chain very "grabby". It'll cut better, but through the wrong avenue to get there. The aggressive and abrupt bite the teeth now get is hard on the internals of your engine and clutch.
Check out a semi chisel skip tooth chain for super speedy cutting. Full chisel is more aggressive but very fragile and difficult to sharpen. Touch dirt a bit and the chain needs sharpened. If you gotta pry to the saw into the wood with your dogs, your chain is dull and you'll wear out your bar from heat and smoke the clutch from having to pull too hard.