Cutting on home lot in Upstate NY for extra income - all advice welcomed

[Kurt Bessel]

Hello there. I am long winded and this post was originally about a billion words. I'm looking for advice on setting up my small firewood enterprise.

I have a 50 acre lot in Upstate NY that has been marked for thinning. None of the marked trees are marketable timber -all firewood. I've spoken to some firewood cutters/sellers that all want to offer me $5/cord. If I can't get any better than that, I'll do it myself. As it turns out, my daughter has been accepted into a private school that is going to require an extra few thousand dollars every year. I'd like to get as much of this from my woods as possible, especially since the forester thinks it should be cut anyway. Almost everything marked is 12-24" and consists of mostly maple, ash, and beech. My goal -though I don't know who attainable it is- is 100 face cords this year.

I have the following prepared:

1. 43 HP 4WD tractor with 3PT hitch and hitch receiver http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/615kc9POqAL._SL1500_.jpg I put a grab hook on the D-Link there at the top, and I'm going to use that for skidding out.
2. Stihl MS290 with both a 20" and 18" bar. Both are .325
3. Labonville chaps and a hardhat/muffs/faceshield (bought based on recommendations I read here)

I am wondering about the following:

1. wood splitter - is a basic $900 hydraulic splitter the best route?
2. another chainsaw - Is there a benefit of spending the money on something faster for what I want to accomplish?
3. storing - how to/how long?

Ok folks, fire away. And thanks in advance!!!

Kurt

 

[blumtn969]

Hello there. I am long winded and this post was originally about a billion words. I'm looking for advice on setting up my small firewood enterprise.

I have a 50 acre lot in Upstate NY that has been marked for thinning. None of the marked trees are marketable timber -all firewood. I've spoken to some firewood cutters/sellers that all want to offer me $5/cord. If I can't get any better than that, I'll do it myself. As it turns out, my daughter has been accepted into a private school that is going to require an extra few thousand dollars every year. I'd like to get as much of this from my woods as possible, especially since the forester thinks it should be cut anyway. Almost everything marked is 12-24" and consists of mostly maple, ash, and beech. My goal -though I don't know who attainable it is- is 100 face cords this year.

I have the following prepared:

1. 43 HP 4WD tractor with 3PT hitch and hitch receiver http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/615kc9POqAL._SL1500_.jpg I put a grab hook on the D-Link there at the top, and I'm going to use that for skidding out.
2. Stihl MS290 with both a 20" and 18" bar. Both are .325
3. Labonville chaps and a hardhat/muffs/faceshield (bought based on recommendations I read here)

I am wondering about the following:

1. wood splitter - is a basic $900 hydraulic splitter the best route?
2. another chainsaw - Is there a benefit of spending the money on something faster for what I want to accomplish?
3. storing - how to/how long?

Ok folks, fire away. And thanks in advance!!!

Kurt

I live on the west coast so I'm not super knowledgeable about hardwoods or your local prices. It sounds like you have a good wood lot, and just need to get a hydraulic splitter. Splitting quantities of hardwoods with axes or mails is a lot of work, a 22 ton splitter would ease a lot of that pain. Kurt I think that ms290 will be just fine, as long as it has a Sharp chain. If your cutting a lot extra chains are a total necessity. If you enjoy this New endeavor, maybe a bigger saw will be in your future.

 

[7sleeper]

I see it similar. The 290 is, not the best choice but still an excelent choice for your project! I'm not sure how the system is in the US but over here you can get hydraulic splitters that hook up to the tractor. Further I would consider a winch for your tractor if your terrain is a little demanding. Something like this.

That will make recovering trees much easier and will lesson the damage to the forrest if you don't have to drive around constantly through the your trees and run over the regrowth.
Personally I would recomend splitting wood in the traditional european way. We splitt trees in 1 metre(~1 yard) length and stack it in this length also.

Why do I recomend it? Very simple, stacked wood in 1 metre length drys very well in a sunny/windy area in one year and even more important I have never seen a stack fall over! The shorter wood pieces when stacked, when drying, can warp and make the whole stack unstable and fall over. Equally strong winds or even wildlife, that like to use a nice backscratcher, can be the culprit. And restacking is one of the most annoying things to do in my eyes.

You ask who wants wood in 1 metre length and how do I cut it short easily? Well I have done it in quite a few different ways. First off is using a traditional sawhorse. FORGET that! You waste imense amounts of time. Second you use a "modified" sawhorse. You can make them to your own personal and cutting length's. Something like this

With one cut with the chainsaw you can cut a large amount of wood! I made mine out of scrape wood I had lying around. Further I made mine in such a height that I can easily fit a wheel barrow underneath! I don't like unneccesary work.
And last if you are lazy like me you can copy me. Saw, 50cc & 3.9hp & 18 inch bar, is a little weaker in power compared to your 290. This vid is with slabwood, larch tree, but it is easily possible with split wood.



Goes very fast, the mess stays in the forest and all I do is back up to the wood stack with the trailer and load up the cut pieces. Of course it isn't a very precise way of cutting. So perfect length is not always available.

Good luck!

7

 

[Marshy]

Hi Kurt, welcome to AS (Aroborits Site) we are pratically neighbors. I live over near BOCES. I'll send you a PM, we should talk.

 

[Kurt Bessel]

I see it similar. The 290 is, not the best choice but still an excelent choice for your project! I'm not sure how the system is in the US but over here you can get hydraulic splitters that hook up to the tractor. Further I would consider a winch for your tractor if your terrain is a little demanding. Something like this.

That will make recovering trees much easier and will lesson the damage to the forrest if you don't have to drive around constantly through the your trees and run over the regrowth.
Personally I would recomend splitting wood in the traditional european way. We splitt trees in 1 metre(~1 yard) length and stack it in this length also.

Why do I recomend it? Very simple, stacked wood in 1 metre length drys very well in a sunny/windy area in one year and even more important I have never seen a stack fall over! The shorter wood pieces when stacked, when drying, can warp and make the whole stack unstable and fall over. Equally strong winds or even wildlife, that like to use a nice backscratcher, can be the culprit. And restacking is one of the most annoying things to do in my eyes.

You ask who wants wood in 1 metre length and how do I cut it short easily? Well I have done it in quite a few different ways. First off is using a traditional sawhorse. FORGET that! You waste imense amounts of time. Second you use a "modified" sawhorse. You can make them to your own personal and cutting length's. Something like this

With one cut with the chainsaw you can cut a large amount of wood! I made mine out of scrape wood I had lying around. Further I made mine in such a height that I can easily fit a wheel barrow underneath! I don't like unneccesary work.
And last if you are lazy like me you can copy me. Saw, 50cc & 3.9hp & 18 inch bar, is a little weaker in power compared to your 290. This vid is with slabwood, larch tree, but it is easily possible with split wood.



Goes very fast, the mess stays in the forest and all I do is back up to the wood stack with the trailer and load up the cut pieces. Of course it isn't a very precise way of cutting. So perfect length is not always available.

Good luck!

7

Eine Gelegenheit Deutsch zu benutzen!!!

Vielen Dank dafuer 7sleeper! Woher in Oessterreich kommen Sie? Ich habe ein Paar Mal Oesterreich besucht und es ist eine Wunderschoene Land! Als Schuler war ich mal in Salzburg und Innsbruck. Als Uni-student habe ich Wien zum ersten mal besucht und ein disschen Landschaft gesehen. Es ist schweriger (und teuerer) Land zu sehen. Es braucht ein Auto dafuer, natuerlich. Die Alpen finde ich vielleicht die beeindruckendeste Bergen auf der ganze Welt. Wir haben "Bergen" hier in NY auch, aber sie sie kleiner und runder. Ich habe mal in den Allgaeuischer Alpen ein Wanderung gemacht Deutschland-Oesterreich-Deutschland und hoffe es eine Tag in den Zukunft wieder zu machen. Eine meiner Lebestraeume ist eine Huette in meiner eigener Wald zu bauen wie die ich in den Alpen gesehen habe, aber naturlich viel kleiner.

Ich habe oft bemerkt dass die Europaer sehr interesante Geraete haben for Holzwerk. Sowas kommt mit Jahrhunderten von Erlebnisse. Benutzt ihr in Oesterreich oft Stihl? Ich mag die produkte und weiss dass sie aus Deutschland sind. Ich arbeite auch fuer eine Deutsche Firma, aber wir machen viel weniger interessant Produckte als Kettensaegen.

Kurt

 

[Kurt Bessel]

I see it similar. The 290 is, not the best choice but still an excelent choice for your project! I'm not sure how the system is in the US but over here you can get hydraulic splitters that hook up to the tractor. Further I would consider a winch for your tractor if your terrain is a little demanding. Something like this.

That will make recovering trees much easier and will lesson the damage to the forrest if you don't have to drive around constantly through the your trees and run over the regrowth.
Personally I would recomend splitting wood in the traditional european way. We splitt trees in 1 metre(~1 yard) length and stack it in this length also.

Why do I recomend it? Very simple, stacked wood in 1 metre length drys very well in a sunny/windy area in one year and even more important I have never seen a stack fall over! The shorter wood pieces when stacked, when drying, can warp and make the whole stack unstable and fall over. Equally strong winds or even wildlife, that like to use a nice backscratcher, can be the culprit. And restacking is one of the most annoying things to do in my eyes.

You ask who wants wood in 1 metre length and how do I cut it short easily? Well I have done it in quite a few different ways. First off is using a traditional sawhorse. FORGET that! You waste imense amounts of time. Second you use a "modified" sawhorse. You can make them to your own personal and cutting length's. Something like this

With one cut with the chainsaw you can cut a large amount of wood! I made mine out of scrape wood I had lying around. Further I made mine in such a height that I can easily fit a wheel barrow underneath! I don't like unneccesary work.
And last if you are lazy like me you can copy me. Saw, 50cc & 3.9hp & 18 inch bar, is a little weaker in power compared to your 290. This vid is with slabwood, larch tree, but it is easily possible with split wood.



Goes very fast, the mess stays in the forest and all I do is back up to the wood stack with the trailer and load up the cut pieces. Of course it isn't a very precise way of cutting. So perfect length is not always available.

Good luck!

7

Also, I'm assuming your splitter is homemade. I've never seen one here with a 1 meter action. I'm very intrigued by that, though. Do you have a picture you could share?

Vielen Dank!

Kurt

 

[7sleeper]

Servus Kurt,

Sorry habe vergessen Dir letztes Mal noch zu Antworten.

Stihl hat so wie überall auf der Welt es geschaft sich zu etablieren. Ich persönlich habe nicht viel von Stihl. Ich finde das die Preis/Leistung nicht passt. Verwende andere Marken(Hitachi = Tanaka & Oleo Mac = Efco) viel mehr.

Hier sind ein paar Photos von hydraulischen Spaltern die am Traktor montiert sind. Manche Hersteller haben noch zusätzlich eine Winde oben drauf montiert womit die manipulation von den Baumstämmen erleichtert werden.

lg,

7

 

[ncpete]

na, schoen. Ich habe nicht erwartet, dass ich hier die Gelegenheit haette, mein deutsch zu ueben! Und Mexico, NY, die Kleinstadt kenne ich. Ich bin in Malone aufgewachsen. Mein deutsch habe ich am Spracheninstitut in Monterey gelernt, spaeter war ich in Berlin stationiert. Nett, euch hier kennenzulernen.

 

[BC WetCoast]

I'm not a firewood guy, but offer a few comments.

I would highly recommend you get a second saw. If you get your saw pinched when falling a tree, it's nice to have a second saw to rescue the day. And while I have a 290 on my truck as a ground saw/small falling saw, I would suggest you think about something bigger MS 460 or Husky 365. Even if you only use it for bucking, you'll be about 20% faster.

Next, get some wedges, pull line (5/8"), throw bag and throw line. These are falling aids.

If your land can handle it, consider getting a small trailer with stakes, so you can haul logs back to your storage/splitting area instead of splitting in the bush.

 

[Marshy]

I haven't heard from Kurt in a while. He lives down the road from me a couple miles. Late last spring I went over to his house and met with him, he's a good guy. I brought my saw and fell a couple trees for him and tried to give him some tips. I don't know how he made out but do believe he planned on CSS the wood and letting it season for a year. It was around May when that happened and I think the wood wouldn't be seasoned well enough to pass for seasoned firewood this hearing season. I haven't been by his house since then to check his progress...

 

[Marine5068]

I'm not far from you either, except I'm north of the border. Our hardwood firewood prices here are good for sellers at about $300CAD per cord of seasoned hardwood. It can make some profit provided you have access to the trees and do most of the work yourself. There's also more and more buyers each year here. More people are fed up with electric and gas/propane and oil prices and are buying more wood stoves and pellet stoves now. I just cut for my own wood stove that heats our 2400 sq./ft. home and I use wood pellets as my primary heating fuel instead of the installed electric baseboard system built into the house.
I do cut other wood to help others in my community that can't or don't have the knowhow or experience and I just keep the wood for heat or sometimes sell some for campfire wood.
I'd like to hear how you guys do selling and any news of your wood prices down there in US New York. Tale care and be safe.

 

[Marshy]

I'm not far from you either, except I'm north of the border. Our hardwood firewood prices here are good for sellers at about $300CAD per cord of seasoned hardwood. It can make some profit provided you have access to the trees and do most of the work yourself. There's also more and more buyers each year here. More people are fed up with electric and gas/propane and oil prices and are buying more wood stoves and pellet stoves now. I just cut for my own wood stove that heats our 2400 sq./ft. home and I use wood pellets as my primary heating fuel instead of the installed electric baseboard system built into the house.
I do cut other wood to help others in my community that can't or don't have the knowhow or experience and I just keep the wood for heat or sometimes sell some for campfire wood.
I'd like to hear how you guys do selling and any news of your wood prices down there in US New York. Tale care and be safe.

Prices vary a little, I can tell you advertised prices this season are up and look to be $180-$225 for undelivered mixed seasoned hardwood (cherry, ash, oak ect). Unseasoned split hardwood is $150-$165 undelivered as well. Mixed loads of log length last year were around $100-$120 per cord unless you don't mind some soft maple and popple then you can get it for around $90 per cord if you search hard. I haven't checked my local loggers this season for log loads yet as I usually buy them towards the end of February.