woodin' the hard way
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KiwiBro
Mill 'em, nails be damned.
sirbuildalot
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I cut all of my own wood from standing tree to burning in the stove. Depending on the year, I could use anywhere from 5-7 full cords. If I help family its more like 15-20 full cords. No way in hell would I do it without some tools to assist. Bare minimum for me would be a decent saw, a decent cart, a machine capable of pulling said cart, and a splitter.
However, I like CUT, grapple, 3 point log hog, forks, wood box, supersplit, numerous wagons/carts, garden tractors, cant hook, pickaroon, log tongs, and numerous hand splitting tools.
Maybe If I only burned a cord or two a year I'd think differently, even then I don't think I'd be satisfied with a wheelbarrow, plastic sled, and maul. I'd be buying log length at that point. Not enough free time to spend all of it using hand tools.
However, I like CUT, grapple, 3 point log hog, forks, wood box, supersplit, numerous wagons/carts, garden tractors, cant hook, pickaroon, log tongs, and numerous hand splitting tools.
Maybe If I only burned a cord or two a year I'd think differently, even then I don't think I'd be satisfied with a wheelbarrow, plastic sled, and maul. I'd be buying log length at that point. Not enough free time to spend all of it using hand tools.
sirbuildalot
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Ryan'smilling
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KiwiBro
Mill 'em, nails be damned.
That's a huge day. I'm not sure a mother with a newborn is going to be too happy about daddy spending from sunrise to sunset (which is what it'll take me with my SS to get anywhere near 40m3) doing fiirewood, or taking the rest of the week off to recover. I didn't get close to 40m3 on my best full day working from stacks of rounds and needed a few days off to recover. I must be too soft or have poor workflow or both.
*edit* is there a thread where you detail your workflow or set-up please? I'm always keen to learn how to make life/firewooding easier, more productive. I don't think we ever stop learning.
I do have a new splitter build in my head that I think will do about 40m3 in a regular 8hr day, easily, relatively cheaply, with just one operator, but that remains to be proven in real life. In all honesty, I hope it will do 50m3 or more. It's quite an interesting design, the likes of which I've not seen before.
sirbuildalot
Addicted to ArboristSite
A cord an hour is pretty typical amongst SS owners I've talked to. I start with a pile of stovelength rounds, and keep s table to the side of the splitter to hold resplits. Best I've done in a day was 12 cords with my brother helping me. Usually I'm by myself. Ideal setup would be 3 guys. One feeding the splitter operator rounds, one splitting, and one taking away the splits.
I hand split all my wood and use primitive saws to cut wood. I have a 20 year old sportsman 500 doing all the work I don't do. I split my dad a face cord the other day for helping me take down a large ash in my yard. That' about an hour with the fiskars for a third of a cord. A 75 dollar value lol.
Don't get me wrong I have a few chainsaws nothing real expensive but wood is supposed to save money so the works worth it. And we all love the heat it's a slow warming heat not an on and off furnace heat.
Don't get me wrong I have a few chainsaws nothing real expensive but wood is supposed to save money so the works worth it. And we all love the heat it's a slow warming heat not an on and off furnace heat.
KiwiBro
Mill 'em, nails be damned.
That's achievable, but is at the upper limits for me and not sustainable all day every day. Don't get me wrong, 8hr days are short ones in Summer, but allowing for breaks, gear tweaks, functioning on a human level with all the distractions, alternative things to get through or enjoy in a regular day, 10hrs of runtime on the splitter in a day has to be the exception, surely?
I just don't want the OP to convince his otherHalf that if he is granted a leave pass for a day he'll put up 10 cords of firewood. It might ruin his chances of getting any further appropriations of time or budget for other stuff in the future. Lord knows they never forget ;-)
sirbuildalot
Addicted to ArboristSite
I understand what you are saying. But if free time is limited, a mechanical splitter makes more sense. If he has say a free hour, he could bust out a cord. What would he accomplish in a hour with an axe or maul? He also stated he was skinny and not strong, which is fine, but splitting by hand wont favor those traits.
Purchases like a splitter should be looked at as a long term investment. For example, Lets say you split 5 full cords a year. The next 20 years will equal out to 100 full cords. The guy with a kinetic or fast hydraulic splitter might spend 100-130 hours over that 2 decades splitting wood. The guy hand splitting might spend literally 4 times that amount. At the end of the day you need to ask yourself, how much would I earn working those 300 hours on mostly weekends? Even if you only make $10/hour you would have easily paid for the Supersplit. I don't know about everyone else, but I wouldn't give up weekend days for $10/hour.
That is a mild version.
Now lets pretend you use 8 cords a year, the difference over those 20 years is now 500 hours, and wait...you say, I wont give up my Saturday or Sunday for $10/hr. I would need at least $20/hr. Ok, now we are talking 10 grand over that 20 years. That would buy an awful lot of stuff. For the guys who say I can split that fast by hand...no you cant. Not for 8 full cords. Sure you may keep up for an hour, but I've never met anyone who could hand split a full cord an hour consistently for a full day. Those people would be the very rare exception, not the norm. Most people don't have the work capacity or stamina to even come close to keeping up with a mechanical splitter. That's reality.
In short, yes you burn wood to save money and buying a ton of gear seems to defeat the purpose. When you calculate the time you saved over doing it all by hand however, buying that gear makes the most sense. Personally, I like having time to hang out with my wife and kids, or doing other projects, you young guys will see. Before you know it those newborns are as big as you are. Don't waste all your free time to save a buck. I know money can be tight. We've all been there. You need to find a way to save up for things that will save you time and money.
Purchases like a splitter should be looked at as a long term investment. For example, Lets say you split 5 full cords a year. The next 20 years will equal out to 100 full cords. The guy with a kinetic or fast hydraulic splitter might spend 100-130 hours over that 2 decades splitting wood. The guy hand splitting might spend literally 4 times that amount. At the end of the day you need to ask yourself, how much would I earn working those 300 hours on mostly weekends? Even if you only make $10/hour you would have easily paid for the Supersplit. I don't know about everyone else, but I wouldn't give up weekend days for $10/hour.
That is a mild version.
Now lets pretend you use 8 cords a year, the difference over those 20 years is now 500 hours, and wait...you say, I wont give up my Saturday or Sunday for $10/hr. I would need at least $20/hr. Ok, now we are talking 10 grand over that 20 years. That would buy an awful lot of stuff. For the guys who say I can split that fast by hand...no you cant. Not for 8 full cords. Sure you may keep up for an hour, but I've never met anyone who could hand split a full cord an hour consistently for a full day. Those people would be the very rare exception, not the norm. Most people don't have the work capacity or stamina to even come close to keeping up with a mechanical splitter. That's reality.
In short, yes you burn wood to save money and buying a ton of gear seems to defeat the purpose. When you calculate the time you saved over doing it all by hand however, buying that gear makes the most sense. Personally, I like having time to hang out with my wife and kids, or doing other projects, you young guys will see. Before you know it those newborns are as big as you are. Don't waste all your free time to save a buck. I know money can be tight. We've all been there. You need to find a way to save up for things that will save you time and money.
bartman23: I used to just cut/split for personal use only. One saw, an 042, and a plastic sled. Rented a splitter for a weekend each year (for the first four years and then bought a used splitter) and our parents helped. We made it fun though, not all work. I also loved being out in the woods with the dog. Wasn't about how much got done or not, as I was usually a year and a half or more ahead. It was work, but I never looked at it that way at the time. Later we got a beater truck, which meant I could get stuff in the woods further from the house by sledding it to a road and then loading the truck. We cut just deadfall, and a few large uprooted Oak leaners. Plenty to keep warm. About fifteen years in, friends clears ten acres and pushed it in a windrow. The 3/8" chain on the 042 was grabby on small stuff, so I bought an 021 for clearing in the pile. Using just one saw teaches you how not to cut. When you pinch the bar and hang it up, the work begins in ernest.
Just enjoy what your doing, providing for your family, and enjoy what it is. Sometimes you need to buy a washer and drier first, a used car, or day care. Been there... At the end of the day, enjoy family and a fire.
Having a splitter was really nice because I could then work differently. Split throughout the winter, and stack as we split a half cord or so. But the other way worked too. If I bought something I couldn't really afford then it put a strain on other things as well. That hasn't changed. Now I make due and enjoy the process. If and when I think I need something, I give it a little time now to be sure. I think I shared this before. A good friend said, "You can have anything you want, you just can't have everything you want." For most of us that's pretty close to the mark.
Just enjoy what your doing, providing for your family, and enjoy what it is. Sometimes you need to buy a washer and drier first, a used car, or day care. Been there... At the end of the day, enjoy family and a fire.
Having a splitter was really nice because I could then work differently. Split throughout the winter, and stack as we split a half cord or so. But the other way worked too. If I bought something I couldn't really afford then it put a strain on other things as well. That hasn't changed. Now I make due and enjoy the process. If and when I think I need something, I give it a little time now to be sure. I think I shared this before. A good friend said, "You can have anything you want, you just can't have everything you want." For most of us that's pretty close to the mark.
This turned into a financial thing lol. I could buy a splitter if I wanted to. I have a 4 month old and a 3 year old and a 40 plus hour a week job. I know all about free time. I thought this post was about saving money and making heat I was just saying it's very possible with simple tools and some effort.
sirbuildalot
Addicted to ArboristSite
Anything is possible with simple tools and lots of effort. That doesn't mean it's the most efficient use of time. My point is why suffer, and take forever when you could get done quicker and do other things you enjoy with your newfound free time. Play ball with your kids, get an ice cream, go bowling. Do you drive the speed limit on the highway, or go half the speed limit. Others are welcome to disagree, but as I get older time is more important than money.
That's not how this site works.
Before the Op knows it, there'll be saws multiplying in the garage, firewood processor and tractor catalogues piling up on the kitchen table, etc, etc, etc.
I went through all that once. I had 5 saws and two splitters. Sold all but two saws and one splitter.
One saw, one splitter and one man can split a lot of wood.
I only split between between 2 and 3 cord a year. My son helps. I enjoy it also and I'm done splitting and stacking before July. I also like to think that my family appreciates the work I put in after work whether it's fire wood it everything else a man has to do. I live in the country and try to teach my children the value of hard work.
Im lazy. Without tools tractor or my winch and tongs to get it to a trail I can drive to . It's staying where it's at. I been doing wood a long time . I've invested a lot of $$$ into making things easier for me. In my more fit younger days I could do it all by hand. 2 back surgeries and 20 years later. Yea not going to happen.
I understand the older people processing wood but at 25 man up and do what you have to. Be a man if your family needs heat then do the work.
