How late in the year do you cut/split?

[BLL MN]

Being this past spring/summer/fall as being my first year actually really cutting some wood for my new owb, I have a simple question for this coming winter...

How late in the year do you go out and cut/split? I hate cutting in the summer because of the bugs and the heat, so spring/fall seem like the best time. Do you basically go until the snow is too deep to get to where you got to go?

I saw that they sell different chainsaw oil for summer use or winter use. I suppose I better pick up some winter oil.?. How about for my splitter...any recomendations to using that in the winter?

 

[wood4heat]

I try and get my cutting and splitting done in the spring. Of course if I come across wood I'll cut it any time of year but wont split it until the spring or summer before I plan to burn it.

Not sure on running your splitter in the winter, how cold does it get where you're at?

 

[clutch25]

Being this past spring/summer/fall as being my first year actually really cutting some wood for my new owb, I have a simple question for this coming winter...

How late in the year do you go out and cut/split? I hate cutting in the summer because of the bugs and the heat, so spring/fall seem like the best time. Do you basically go until the snow is too deep to get to where you got to go?

I saw that they sell different chainsaw oil for summer use or winter use. I suppose I better pick up some winter oil.?. How about for my splitter...any recomendations to using that in the winter?

Cut and split all year long....

I would rather do it in the winter than the summer. Wood splits easier, use a snowmobile and a Otter sled to get at all kinds of Ash on the sloughs and life is good!

Plus you can drag out wood much easier in the winter....better than trying to get a truck in close to it...

 

[goof008]

I cut and split when I can. I cut most of what I burn at the property I hunt at, so that means I stop cutting there in Sept. and start back up around x-mas.

Running the winter bar oil will help keep it flowing if you're cutting in Jan/Feb. for sure. There are better fluids to run in your splitter for cold weather, but if you start it an let it heat the fluid up before using it it'll help no matter what fluid you have in there.

 

[BLL MN]

Minnesota.....COLD!

I'm in the final stages of building our house so my attention has been on that every night. I have 3-4 cords of wood that's all cut up but needs to be split and stacked. I already have enough stacked for this winter, but want to get this stuff split and stacked this year still. I want to tackle the wood when we are moved in and I have time to do it. I'm thinking Nov or early Dec...not Jan or Feb when it's really cold.

 

[Haywire Haywood]

Last winter I was cutting at 10F in a brisk wind.. no snow though. That was kinda chilly. My buddy was in the truck hiding from the wind... LOL I've never lived in a place that had a lot of snow or regular sub-zero temps.

Ian

 

[clutch25]

Minnesota.....COLD!

I'm in the final stages of building our house so my attention has been on that every night. I have 3-4 cords of wood that's all cut up but needs to be split and stacked. I already have enough stacked for this winter, but want to get this stuff split and stacked this year still. I want to tackle the wood when we are moved in and I have time to do it. I'm thinking Nov or early Dec...not Jan or Feb when it's really cold.

All of my pics were taken in MN... If it is above -20, I go cutting. The picture of me in the t-shirt was taken on a day were it was about 20-30F. The two big oak rounds in the sled picture was taken when it was close to -15F and a good wind blowing. Wearing just coveralls and a sweatshirt.

Cold is good...beats sweating like a pig and getting eaten alive by bugs!

 

[eric_271]

November through February. All I cut is Osage orange and the heavy clothes get torn up pretty bad but better that than my skin. The thorns are razor sharp.

 

[Marc]

November to March, sometimes still doing some clean up in April.

As has been mentioned, the wood splits easier, no bugs, no leaves, no green undergrowth, and much less sweating.

If I'm splitting, I I'll be in a single layer polypro shirt down to about 20F, if the sun's up and it isn't too windy. I don't live too far north, so I haven't met a temperature I won't go cut in. Of course, I'm also the kind of idiot you'll see out climbing on Mount Washington (NH) when it's -15F and blowing 40, so compared to that, most other temps seem pretty warm.

 

[headleyj]

Only done it for 2 years - most of our wood is already down so late summer til the fall rains come I'm cutting, splitting and stacking for that same year. It's all pretty hilly on our place so if it's slick/ muddy I'm pretty much done. I'd like to get a year ahead or get some in Spring b/t the rains...maybe next year.

 

[Laird]

November to March, sometimes still doing some clean up in April.

Same here, I can do it all day long in the winter. In the summer I'm all wore out after a couple hours.

 

[TreePointer]

Free time and weather permitting...

I'd love to cut year-round, but summertime is too busy with growing season and yard maintenance.

October through April is cutting season because it's cooler (easier on my body) and the bugs and snakes aren't an issue. It can get too muddy in April/May, and much of June-September is too hot and access to woodlots is overgrown with brush and thorns.

As far as temperature goes, I prefer cutting at 60°F and lower. 10°F is about my limit on the low end. Deep snow will also curtail cutting.

 

[Buckethead]

We collect, cut, and split year-round. Any wood that we want to burn in that season has to be split, stacked and covered (top only) by July 1st. Oak is the exception and always gets at least a full year to season.

Obviously we prefer to cut and split in the fall, winter, and spring but, depending on how much wood we get, that isn't always an option.

 

[Austin1]

I am lucky I can cut dead standing Pine that has been standing or hung up for years it is tinder dry too, at any time of the year. So I will take winter time. But I cut a Short box truck load yesterday right after a morning Grouse hunt it was 10:30 am when I started cutting wood and already 90°f record breaking high temps I will never do that again!!!! I drank 2 litres of water and all I really had to do was buck the wood and load it,No dragging no felling Just drive up and cut and load.The hound spent that time chasing small brook trout in the stream. But if you need to season the wood, I do when cutting green blow downs it takes time for them to season about 8 months for my pine when split for my wood stoves.
If you need the wood now it better be dry or your SOL.
Humidity does not exist here so I guess it was not that bad.
It's so dry you can hear your wood season, like my buddy from Ontario say's when I came here all my snott dried up!

 

[Ductape]

My cutting time isn't dictated so much by time of year, but by temperature. When its so cold its not comfortable to be out, I don't do it. Same with the heat though....... when its 95 with 100% humidity I won't cut / split either. That would take all the enjoyment out of it.

 

[audible fart]

Anytime except during cold rain or snow. Hand splitting in light rain when it's above 70 degrees or so is ok.
I supply the firewood for myself and one other household. My only guideline is for both of us to stay at a constant 2.5- 3 year supply on hand. From there I'm on cruise control, always remaining an opportunistic maniacal scrounger.:greenchainsaw:

 

[Jon E]

Another vote for year-round, I cut when I can. However, I prefer to cut in late fall and early winter. I try to get as much as I can between now and Christmas, before we get more than a couple inches of snow accumulation. After that, I don't bother, I wait until March.

 

[Woodcutteranon]

I never cut after fall. I take the insurance off my truck in November. To be honest, my truck is at risk getting stuck on flat, dry pavement in August...so I wouldn't be doing anyone favors by driving it in the snow or on squishy fields when the weather turns. I pace myself cutting thru the spring and summer and then go crazy in the fall. I only do what I can since I am by myself. If I start busting my :censored: my "hobby" starts to become too much like work.

 

[woodbooga]

If I owned my own woodlot, it'd be Labor Day through Easter.

But I don't and therefore have to be opportunistic. When the opportunity arises, if I can, I jump on it.

Now that I'm so far ahead on the firewood, I don't need to split ASAP to make sure it's as seasoned as possible.

 

[LANNY]

Year round as availability provides. But in fall and winter is the best time here. Gotta go, I'm behind. Just one more log before dark....Lanny