Hauling Wood As You Get Older...What Changes Have You Made?

[stihl023/5]

Bribe my kids to help.:msp_rolleyes:

 

[zogger]

Well, my axes keep me fit. The 8lb maul, not so much - it doesn't hurt me to swing it some, but it's a little heavier than I can swing for an extended time. I can feel my energy dropping with every hit, and often muscle damage results when I don't quit in time. I have to pace myself with it. And lifting big rounds is the worst danger to my back.

The key is that working the muscles to a point is great, but pushing them past that point is causing damage. I will not exercise for exercise sake, I get my workout doing work. The problem is that unlike a controlled workout in some sterile exercise environment, this is real work and there aren't any inherent limits - some of it is beyond the injury point. You have to be able to judge what those limits are for you, but then the work still needs to be done so you must find another method that won't injure you. To me, I'm in this partially to reduce energy use, so throwing equipment at it is not the answer I'm looking for - I will noodle some of the nasty pieces in order to get stackable wood, but that big pile of noodles represents wasted wood and wasted fossil fuels.

I'm wondering what they did with the crotches and stuff in the old days before chainsaws and splitters - I'm betting they didn't "noodle" them with a misery whip. I suspect they left them lay, which is one of the things I do with them now too. It's just not worth it to spend so much time an energy on a cranky round that won't split.

Axes, sledge hammers and wedges, plural. At least that is what I used when encountering nasty pieces when I was doing all my firewood with hand tools. Of course I tried to avoid really big stuff, wasn't energy/time efective to mess with it. You only have roughly 1/3rd horsepower to use. Even for straight clear wood, if it was too big, it was too big. I did some with a big crosscut, but really, the smaller bowsaw-the more modern and more effective man powered firewood saw, was much better and being limited to the distance to the top bar for your log diameter (unless you like rolling over big logs all the time), it kept the size of your wood within easy human movable sizes and it was easier to split, etc. Once you start crosscutting big stuff, you start to need big draft animal power or motorized power to deal with it. Sucks to cut sucks to move sucks to split.

Anyway, big crotches. yep, you noodle down into the wood, let it sit up some time, then axe it, cut the fibers or just stick the wedges in it.

It's easier to split up on edge though, prop it up, so you get butterfly/mirror image splits, if you are doing wedges only. But axing it, lay it flat and have at it down the middle of the crotch, left and right chops to take max wood out. About exactly like you see the speed chopping event in those lumberdood race vids. Except you don't have to stand on top of the wood.

Either way it sucks but it is doable. But ya, in the olden days they proly used those big chunks for some other purpose, outside big fire to scald hogs or something, maybe for a forge, etc. or let it rot. They had so much, not much need for milking out the bummer wood.

 

[H 2 H]

I only go for a few hours at a time now; after 4 surgeries on each knee and being told I need a replacement knee I just go till I can't go any more then rest for a while

Cut the trees down then skid them out to a opening and buck them up and split them and haul them and stack them in the wood shed; I am not the fastest but I get it done that's all that matters

Like what has been said here many times running a saw is so relaxing just to be able to do it

 

[Dieselbreath]

As a soon to be 70 yr old, I am constantly trying to make things easier. A few years ago I bought a splitter, boy that helped a lot. Then lifting the rounds was getting to be difficult, so I was thinking about getting a log lift for the splitter. Then I got to thinking, I've already got a tractor with loader, so now I roll the rounds into the bucket and when full I lift it up and move it over to the splitter so all I have to do is roll them off onto the splitter. I think its also faster than lifting each round by itself.
Works well for me.

 

[uglydukwling]

I've been using a hydraulic splitter for years, but it's getting harder to lift the big rounds onto it, or wrestle them into position to split vertically. So last winter i finally bought an inverted splitter to mount on the skid-steer. Now the machine does all the manovering and I can split the big pieces on the ground, down to a size I can easily lift.

I'm lucky, I don't have to haul wood very far. I can get all I need on my own property, either wood that lived and died here, or wood that contractors dump here because it's too ugly to sell, or just because they're not in the firewood business. Since it's close, I can switch from using a truck to move it, to using a tractor bucket, when the mud gets too bad. I try to do my cutting in the summer. I don't like working in the heat either, but at least when it's hot around here it's dry. I like working knee-deep in slush even less.

Btw, I'm 68 today.

If you feel the need for inspiration, Google "Jackrabbit Johannsen". He's credited with introducing cross-country skiing to North America, but what makes him even more interesting to me is that he was still cutting his own firewood when he was over 100 years old. I hope to match his record. He lived to 111.

 

[rwoods]

Happy Birthday, uglydukwling. I hope you make your goal. Ron

 

[Zeus103363]

Reading all these stories makes me very excited to know that there are good folks that still don't mind to roll up the sleeves and get dirty! Cutting firewood is hard work! My dad had me out cutting wood since I was old enough to go. I remember those days. He watched me carefully to make sure I worked safe and didn't cut my leg off. He took good care of me, and though sometimes we both probably over did it sometimes in that summer heat, it was some of the best experiences I shared with my Dad! Oh, we still go cut firewood, but now that he is soon to be 80, and that old stihl 026 pro doesnt run as good as it did, I try to keep him from running a saw. He always wants to helps load up what was cut. I have to keep my eye on him these days, kinda like the way he did when I was a kid. I consider my self very lucky to have learned from the best!

 

[Mac88]

Reading all these stories makes me very excited to know that there are good folks that still don't mind to roll up the sleeves and get dirty! Cutting firewood is hard work! My dad had me out cutting wood since I was old enough to go. I remember those days. He watched me carefully to make sure I worked safe and didn't cut my leg off. He took good care of me, and though sometimes we both probably over did it sometimes in that summer heat, it was some of the best experiences I shared with my Dad! Oh, we still go cut firewood, but now that he is soon to be 80, and that old stihl 026 pro doesnt run as good as it did, I try to keep him from running a saw. He always wants to helps load up what was cut. I have to keep my eye on him these days, kinda like the way he did when I was a kid. I consider my self very lucky to have learned from the best!

The Mrs. dad cuts a helluva lot of firewood every year, all with an electric chain saw. His doc won't let him run a gas saw, says the ignition system will interfere with his pacemaker. That doesn't seem to be an issue with the gas engine on his splitter.

 

[dave_026]

I am 34 and my dad is 68. When we cut together, I usually let him do a lot of the cutting and I make sure I lift and carry all the big rounds before he has a chance to. He is a strong man, but the extra wear and tear on his knee is more than I think he should endure. So it is always kind of a race for me, to carry all the big ones, so he does not get a chance to.

My boy just turned 8. I think he will be a good helper when he gets a bit stronger. I am very thankful for the time we get to spend together in the woods. I think it builds great character, connection with the environment, and work ethic. The last time we went out, we spent a long time talking to my son about finishing a job once you start it, even if it is late, you are tired. I hope he learned well.

I hope my method for hauling wood when I get older is equal to Son+ Grandson!