We have had a logger cutting on the farm. They are leaving all of the cull logs and ends for me to cut up into fire wood. Most of the ends are 25 to 35 inches long. I cut all of my fire wood to 20 inches for the stove that I have. So the question is: If you have an end that is 28 inches long do you cut it into two 14" pieces or one 20 and one 8" piece. For stacking and filling the stove it is nice to have them all the same length. But then what do you do with the bunch of little pieces? I know all of the heat is still there no matter how you cut it but what would you do? I have been doing some of each but it would be nice to hear what other would do.
How to cut cull loggs and ends
- Thread starter mdotis
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cat-face timber
Knot Bumper
What I do, is cut them all to length.
So if I cut all my wood to 16" and I have a 19" piece I will still cut it to 16" and with the smaller un-uniform blocks/scraps I put them into a different pile and but use them as firestarters, outside fires, ect...
You are correct about the stacking issues, I like me a good clean strong stack.
So if I cut all my wood to 16" and I have a 19" piece I will still cut it to 16" and with the smaller un-uniform blocks/scraps I put them into a different pile and but use them as firestarters, outside fires, ect...
You are correct about the stacking issues, I like me a good clean strong stack.
boostnut
ArboristSite Guru
I also cut all of mine to the same length (20"). The oddballs get tossed into a pile & the 20 inchers get stacked.
The oddballs are weekend wood. I'm home to load the stove more frequently and dont really care about long burn times.
The oddballs are weekend wood. I'm home to load the stove more frequently and dont really care about long burn times.
BlueRidgeMark
Addicted to ArboristSite
Yep. Cut to your regular length. I have a bin made of pallets for the chunks. They go in our woodstove, too. They don't seem to mind being oddballs - they burn just fine!
I guess I'm the oddball - I will cut a 28" piece in half. I don't care about having uniform pieces, as I can still fit the odd ones in the stack. I only care about getting the wood into a useful size. Useful sizes are those that fit in the stove and range from 12" to 23".
bass_on_tap
ArboristSite Operative
I'm with Mike PA, I cut it in half. Remember, it's "firewood", don't get all anal about it.
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Apparently I am anal. I throw the culls in a heap and give 'em away on Craigslist.
In my defense, I don't have a convenient place to put a loose pile (or pallet for that matter) of random wood over the summer. During the winter the culls go right in the fire.
Thats part of the reason I cut in half, because I don't want to deal with little pieces. I also refuse to give wood away just because it isn't the right size. I'll make do with whatever I've got.
Since anality has started, the term for those pieces, if they come off the first log is Long Butts.
You use it like, "Looks like yer doing some long buttin' there." (Hork spit.)
You use it like, "Looks like yer doing some long buttin' there." (Hork spit.)
mga
wandering
that's how i roll...i have a pile of "chuncks" that i keep adding to.
hell, they burn just as good as any other piece of wood.
wishiwasdiving
ArboristSite Lurker
I vote for cutting to propper length. I keep the shorts for burn pile fires.
Steve NW WI
Unwanted Riff Raff.
Anything that will make 2 pieces within about 6" of max length (28"+ with your 20" example), cut em in half. That range will still let you make a pretty stable stack.
Less than that, and it's one full size and a short. Shorts go on top of the stacks on my wood piles. If I had a lot which it sounds like you might wind up with, I'd look into a container like others have mentioned. Shorts are great for a quick hot fire, campfires, or what have ya.
Less than that, and it's one full size and a short. Shorts go on top of the stacks on my wood piles. If I had a lot which it sounds like you might wind up with, I'd look into a container like others have mentioned. Shorts are great for a quick hot fire, campfires, or what have ya.
I cut it to length (or a range of lengths - 18-22") for home use, save and split the 10-12" pieces for my sister's apartment fireplace, and give the remainder away on freecycle.
needwood
ArboristSite Operative
Im glad you asked this question!
Myself, i cut it in half but it makes for a bad stack. I have a chunk pile, but its for the really hard to deal with Peace's. Most of the time its hard for me to fined firewood, so i save what i can. Im glad you asked, maybe some of the other guys can teach us something.
Myself, i cut it in half but it makes for a bad stack. I have a chunk pile, but its for the really hard to deal with Peace's. Most of the time its hard for me to fined firewood, so i save what i can. Im glad you asked, maybe some of the other guys can teach us something.
Thanks for all your Ideas
I will try a little of each. I really like the idea of cutting all of them to length and then have a shorts pile. I cut the first bunch in half and have some very unstable and ugly stacks. My wood shed is kind of small so I need to have them stack up nice to have enough wood in the shed for the winter. Maybe I will have to add to the wood shed
I will try a little of each. I really like the idea of cutting all of them to length and then have a shorts pile. I cut the first bunch in half and have some very unstable and ugly stacks. My wood shed is kind of small so I need to have them stack up nice to have enough wood in the shed for the winter. Maybe I will have to add to the wood shed
Nosmo
Addicted to ArboristSite
I understand you wanting a uniform stack of wood. I hate a stack that begins to lean and worse yet falls over.
On the other hand if you cut a 28" piece in half these halves will last longer in the stove than a 20" piece and a 8" piece. This is the same principle if you burn a full 20" diameter log which is 20" long. It will last much longer in the stove than using the same log split up into pieces. The BTU's may be the same but there will be more trips to the woodpile (or stack).
But getting realistic who burns a 20" diameter log in a woodstove? Some guys with outside burners may be able to pitch one of these into it.
Nosmo
On the other hand if you cut a 28" piece in half these halves will last longer in the stove than a 20" piece and a 8" piece. This is the same principle if you burn a full 20" diameter log which is 20" long. It will last much longer in the stove than using the same log split up into pieces. The BTU's may be the same but there will be more trips to the woodpile (or stack).
But getting realistic who burns a 20" diameter log in a woodstove? Some guys with outside burners may be able to pitch one of these into it.
Nosmo
adamc
ArboristSite Operative
Hi all,
another vote for cutting to proper length and making a separate pile of "shorts". At stacking time, I put them on top so they don't make the pile unstable and so I can burn them first and get them out of the way.
BTW... Steve NW WI, who is that in your avitar? :jawdrop:
Adam
another vote for cutting to proper length and making a separate pile of "shorts". At stacking time, I put them on top so they don't make the pile unstable and so I can burn them first and get them out of the way.
BTW... Steve NW WI, who is that in your avitar? :jawdrop:
Adam
Nosmo
Addicted to ArboristSite
[Quote adamc] BTW... Steve NW WI, who is that in your avitar?
Oh my gosh, I missed that avatar, it looks like my next door neighbor's wife.
Nosmo -
