isaaccarlson
Addicted to ArboristSite
I like to split it in the woods so I can get twice as much on the truck. Then I just stack it up when I get home.
Firewood Gathering: Tips of the Trade
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I like to split it in the woods so I can get twice as much on the truck. Then I just stack it up when I get home.
Errm...you get _less_ in the same space after splitting. A search will show many threads including one where an experiment was done showing it is true.
Harry K
BuddhaKat
Addicted to ArboristSite
We had a couple of chains break last year. I use our big truck to pull logs off the deck. I make absolutely sure everyone is out of range on the chain. Unfortunately, the idiot in the truck, me, is still at risk. We pull from the front of the truck and I had this huge log that just wouldn't budge. I kept backing the truck up, trying to break the log free. SNAP!!! All I see is a bunch of big, brown chain coming right at me. Next thing I know, it lays down perfectly over the top of the cab. It hit the front window, but didn't even chip the glass. I did however, require a new pair of underwear.Steves' chain advice is the best in this thread.
True story: A customer of mine was killed by a broken chain. Guy in his 30's with young kids. Not sure if he was skidding logs or yanking out a stump, but he was on his tractor when the chain let go, and it came up and got him in the head. Never knew what hit him. Cheap imported chain.
BuddhaKat
Addicted to ArboristSite
The hands down winner for me when I'm out in the woods cutting is my Timberjack. That thing is the biggest work saver you could ever imagine.
PPE, PPE, PPE, PPE, PPE. Wear it all. Chaps, gloves, brain bucket with face shield, safety glasses, and steel toed boots. My boots are Kevlar lined as well.
PPE, PPE, PPE, PPE, PPE. Wear it all. Chaps, gloves, brain bucket with face shield, safety glasses, and steel toed boots. My boots are Kevlar lined as well.
banshee67
Poulan Wild Thang
i think it depends on how you stack it
if you are stacking rounds, all of about the same diameter, there is no way you could fit more volume of wood in a given dimension with all of them being unsplit rounds, now maybe if you had some smaller rounds to fill the gaps in between it could take a little more wood, but how in the world could it be as much wood as split pieces that you can strategically arrange to fill every gap in the space?
when i load my trailer up with rounds, then bring them up and split them, it wouldnt fill that trailer up again, i know that for a fact, i end up having to add some more pieces to it to make it a cord, versus splitting it before loading it as to strategically fill each and every bit of space. i dont care how many experiments have been done, its just not logical and makes no sense. smaller pieces of anything will fill a given volume much better.
the only argument i can see being able to fit more wood in rounds form is that once you split them, you can never get them back together as right as they were before they were split (one solid round).. but at the same time, any benefit gained from the solid round having no air space that the 4 split p[eices might have is lost because of the amount of air space between rounds when stacked. i would have to say for the most wood possible, a combo of rounds and split pieces would have to be used, the rounds being the densest to take up the big spaces, then all the air space packed tightly with split pieces, but that in itself is a nightmare . i prefer to split the wood, and arrange each piece like a puzzle on the trailer if im really tryin to bring home as much as possible
pickwood
ArboristSite Operative
Some tips have been mentioned- Use fuel stabililizer, use high octane fuel, keep chains razor sharp and use peaveys with or without log stand.
Beefie
Addicted to ArboristSite
opcorn:opcorn:Here we go again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Beefie
banshee67
Poulan Wild Thang
Here we go again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Beefie
hope i didnt spark up an old debate! lol
i still stick by what ive experienced, if i load my trailer with rounds totally filled, over the top, stacked tight, then go home and split them and reload them tight, it takes up less space.
rtrsam
ArboristSite Operative
This is more an exercise in trying to attach pictures so they show up in the thread, but it's perhaps somewhat germane to the discussion of how much wood "fluffs up" when split...
With two mauls on top of the partial split round to show diameter (about 48").
With two mauls on top of the partial split round to show diameter (about 48").
rtrsam
ArboristSite Operative
Hurray! I put up a picture that shows in the post! Here are a couple more. again, objective is to show ho much the wood fluffs up when split...
Three rounds lke this filled the bed of a short bed 1/2 ton pickup level full, four rows of wood (4 1/2 rows of wood, two rounds cut 16" long, one round cut about 12" long). I figure it'll stack to about 1/2 cord.
By the way, call me old fashioned, but I did all the splitting with the old wood handled 8 lb maul, not the Fiskars.
Three rounds lke this filled the bed of a short bed 1/2 ton pickup level full, four rows of wood (4 1/2 rows of wood, two rounds cut 16" long, one round cut about 12" long). I figure it'll stack to about 1/2 cord.
By the way, call me old fashioned, but I did all the splitting with the old wood handled 8 lb maul, not the Fiskars.
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ryan_marine
ArboristSite Guru
Hurray! I put up a picture that shows in the post! Here are a couple more. again, objective is to show ho much the wood fluffs up when split...
Three rounds lke this filled the bed of a short bed 1/2 ton pickup level full, four rows of wood (4 1/2 rows of wood, two rounds cut 16" long, one round cut about 12" long). I figure it'll stack to about 1/2 cord.
By the way, call me old fashioned, but I did all the splitting with the old wood handled 8 lb maul, not the Fiskars.
I can make it easier with out a picture. Measure the round before split i.e. the distance around the outside. Then do it again after split. When cutting wood to get the most on your truck put the smaller pieces that don't need split in the areas with space. If you want to try it stack you truck with rounds. Take them where ever you want to split them. After spliting reload them. You will ALWAYS get more on un split.
Ray
BuddhaKat
Addicted to ArboristSite
the way I see it, if I load my truck with rounds totally filled, over the top, stacked tight, then go home and split them and reload them tight, it's still a hellofalot of work.
banshee67
Poulan Wild Thang
of course the wood "fluffs up" when u split a round up, you can never put the pieces of the puzzle back together as tight as nature did before it was split, BUT considering the bed of trucks and trailers are not oval or cylindrical , how do you fill all the wasted space?the best way to fill a square space is not with circles. if the wood is split, looking at the bottom or top profile it can be triangular, square, rectangular, etc, many different multi sided all that can be used to stack every bit of space which would otherwise be wasted. although obviously, technically. the best way to use the space the most efficiently would be to use a combo of rounds and split pieces to fill every last bit you can, even using small rounds to fill the voids, you still arnt taking advantage of the multi-shaped split pieces ability to fill the voids like puzzle pieces, but then again i never fill a trailer with split and unsplit wood togeher, its one or the other.. so...
imgona go eat some ice cream and watch axemen, hope jimmy pulls some logs! lol
imgona go eat some ice cream and watch axemen, hope jimmy pulls some logs! lol
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deerlakejens
ArboristSite Operative
I've hauled lots of wood in my truck and trailer and have to say I've never measured the difference between rounds and split but would have to side with the rounds being the most space efficient. It doesn't take much of an effort to tightly stack rounds when you have a variety of diameters to work with.
Here we go again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Beefie
No matter what one says or shows (see the experiment thread) people will still believe that. The evidence is out there, discussing it will do nothing.
Harry K
of course the wood "fluffs up" when u split a round up, you can never put the pieces of the puzzle back together as tight as nature did before it was split, BUT considering the bed of trucks and trailers are not oval or cylindrical , how do you fill all the wasted space?the best way to fill a square space is not with circles. if the wood is split, looking at the bottom or top profile it can be triangular, square, rectangular, etc, many different multi sided all that can be used to stack every bit of space which would otherwise be wasted. although obviously, technically. the best way to use the space the most efficiently would be to use a combo of rounds and split pieces to fill every last bit you can, even using small rounds to fill the voids, you still arnt taking advantage of the multi-shaped split pieces ability to fill the voids like puzzle pieces, but then again i never fill a trailer with split and unsplit wood togeher, its one or the other.. so...
It is surprising after loading rounds, even big ones, how dinky of a piece you can fit into what looks like a big hole. Most of those holes won't take anything over about kindling size. Of course if one would take the time to 'custom split-to-fit'...
Harry K
Well, here is a simple experiment you can do while watching TV. Take a carrot, slice rounds off it, fit them into a box top. Dump out, cut in half, quarters or whatever and try to fit them back into the box top. It can be done but only if you match them back up into the original rounds.
Harry K
gwiley
Addicted to ArboristSite
There are really a few concerns about whether to split before or after transporting the wood. I prefer to split once the rounds/logs are right next to my wood pile because it amounts to less handling.
The fact is that I can load the truck beyond safe hauling weight with just rounds, whether I can get more into the truck with splits isn't really relevant because I can already reach the 1 ton (really over that) carrying capacity with logs.
Lately I haven't even been cutting rounds until the logs are next to the wood pile. It is a TON less work to just forklift a 12' log than to lug 6-8 rounds or the pile of splits that would result.
The fact is that I can load the truck beyond safe hauling weight with just rounds, whether I can get more into the truck with splits isn't really relevant because I can already reach the 1 ton (really over that) carrying capacity with logs.
Lately I haven't even been cutting rounds until the logs are next to the wood pile. It is a TON less work to just forklift a 12' log than to lug 6-8 rounds or the pile of splits that would result.
BluCllrSchlr
ArboristSite Member
Just saw this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pWD0DXrMtw&feature=related
I can't understand a thing he's saying (my fault, not his) but it's plain enough what he's talking about. I've thought about making this exact thing using some rare earth magnets and a fiberglass driveway marker (to mark the driveway when it's covered in snow).
Anyone from Bailey's reading this? Anyone know where to get this in the US or will I have to make one myself?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pWD0DXrMtw&feature=related
I can't understand a thing he's saying (my fault, not his) but it's plain enough what he's talking about. I've thought about making this exact thing using some rare earth magnets and a fiberglass driveway marker (to mark the driveway when it's covered in snow).
Anyone from Bailey's reading this? Anyone know where to get this in the US or will I have to make one myself?
BigE
ArboristSite Operative
I tried that approach once using epoxy and a dowel instead of a piece of fiberglass. It worked OK for a while, but then I stepped on the dowel and broke it. If you try cutting too much with the dowel on, the magnet slips down into the chain, so I'd go through and mark all my cuts, then come back and do the real cutting with the dowel off.
I now use the Mingo Marker and it works pretty good.
Before I got the Mingo Marker, I took a piece of nylon rope and put wire ties on it every 16". I put a hook on the end and used a can of spray paint for basically the same effect. But, the Mingo Marker works better and is faster.
