Optimum diameter for harvesting firewood?

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I'm not sure when the optimum time to harvest is but for me 12" - 16" rounds are ideal. That size is easy to handle, easy to split, and will fill the firewood trailer in a reasonable amount of time. I cut mostly Doug Fir with a little maple mixed in. Ponderosa Pine on the rare occasion I find myself east of the Cascades with a chainsaw.
 
When on my own place I look for bent,broken tops or other damage. Most of the time that is 12-16 which is fine with me less branches to clean up. If scrounging what ever. The only nice thing about the big wood is a lot of splits with no bark.
 
10"-12" is ideal for me although I don't seem to get nearly enough of it. One time through the 4 way and it's time to grab another log. That size is by far the fastest wood I can split.
 
Glad to hear you guys are on the same wavelength. Of course as a scrounger I've been taking mostly large dead trees or smaller blowdowns. Sure love the one split sized wood.
 
Most of your least expensive processors will only take up to 20in dia wood. For fast spltting with my 6way, I like 20 dia, just wish I could get more of it. For 4way wedges, I like 10-12in dia., one push and 4 splits. My processor has a 12way and will take up 30in dia. Havent gotten to try it out yet.
 
When my dad and grandpa used to cut wood they would just go out to the woods and drop a bunch of birch that were 8-12 inch diameter. Easy to move, easy to split. Of course that was back in the day when the woods around here was all reprog from the original logging of the 1900's. Now that whole generation of trees is either geriatric or dead.
 
When my dad and grandpa used to cut wood they would just go out to the woods and drop a bunch of birch that were 8-12 inch diameter. Easy to move, easy to split. Of course that was back in the day when the woods around here was all reprog from the original logging of the 1900's. Now that whole generation of trees is either geriatric or dead.
That would be some nice wood.
 
For me, the windfalls are optimum, no matter the size.

But if size were a factor, it would only be to the effect of no bigger than me & my saws & splitter could handle. Haven't reached that point yet. It is nicer to work with stuff in the 12" range or so though, maybe - no setting aside half-splits for do-overs, just 2 or 3 quick short strokes with a rotation in between and you've got an armload of nice splits (with wedge on ram).
 
I guess I wrote the OP in haste. What I meant to say, was on a yield basis is there a point of diminishing returns? It seems that once trees hit 14" up here (other than white and norway pine) they grow much slower making the 10-14" range seem optimum to harvest and let reprog come in.
 
It's prolly very similar here. Worked for a large timber owner thinning when I was a teenager and he kept his trees spaced 10' apart and harvested them every 10 years, that was optimum for him. They averaged around 16-18" dbh, mostly pine some fir.
 
I will take whatever I get but for for splitting - even with the Tw5 - 2ft or less in diameter is optimal - bigger than that its really slows us down with moving them around to the splitter - 12-16 inch with the 6 way - well we can make some firewood quick !
 
Not sure what would be best for the woodlot but if it was an ideal world and I had my pick it'd be 24-36 inch Oak. Even with a big saw, bucking takes longer but you're producing more wood so that's a moot point. I can tip the rounds over with an axe and just start busting. I don't handle it, it doesn't fall over. And straight grained oak is a one hit affair typically. The BTUs' pile up quick.
 
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