How to effeciently stack firewood?

[reddogrunner]

I'll post some pics of my hand built pallet baskets that are stackable. You can be in them with 4 2x4 x8's and some drift fence or welded wire. Lift with them a carryall on the 3pt or forks on the FEL. Split right into the baskets. Keep in full sun during the summer. Move to barn with about 2 months prior to burn time. Nice and dry and measured out. 1/4 cord per basket.

 

[TheLazyBFarm]

Drive to Kansas with a goosenexk and Ill stack so many on it costs less than $10

Thanks for the offer Jim, too bad you're so far away!

Anyone else have any ideas on getting those tote cheaper? I check CL often, but it's just the usual $75 per guy on there.

Thanks,

 

[Philbert]

Anyone else have any ideas on getting those tote cheaper?

Google.

There are a number of general recycled materials places, as well as some specific used pallet/container ones. You might have to try different search terms, but you should turn up several. Might also find some on eBay.

Once you find out the local terms for them, and which types of companies tend to collect them, you can start rooting around locally, if you want to invest the effort.

Philbert

 

[Poston5]

I'm on my second year and most look great. I had a few that were beat up to begin with so I took off the bottom and mounted the cage on a pallet. I also had 2 that froze into the ground and a wrecked the bottoms when I grabbed them with the skidder. I'll just screw those to a pallet too.

I'm really happy with the way it's going. I just wish I could find them cheaper/free like there seems to be in other parts of the country.

Is it difficult to reach the wood in the bottom? I assume you just pull as much wood as you can out of them and then flip the cages on their sides to get the remainder do the wood? How much do you think one of these will weight when it is loaded?

 

[taskswap]

How are you guys moving these things around? I love the idea, but my land is pretty rough and some parts are narrow. I couldn't possibly get a pallet jack around, and if I could afford a 'Cat just for this I don't think I'd be burning wood, y'know what I'm saying? I thought about a snowblower back-end and some big wheels but it's a lot of weight and I figure it wouldn't last too long.

 

[Oliver1655]

The ones I've seen are only around 30" deep. I have a tractor with forks.

 

[Joesell]

To unload I just grab what I can and then flip it. I can usually get all but the last layer.

I use my skid loader to move them. I'm sure they're over 2500#. My skidder tips at 3000# and it's pretty tippy most the time when I'm moving them.

 

[Poindexter]

11x66 feet? I would put my Corvette at one end and my GTO at the other end out of the weather. With a man door in the middle (opening inwards) I could fit (11x20x9) 1980cf of seasoned outdoors wood in the shed in the middle half of the lean too you are describing, 20 full on forester cords at 90 cf each, or 24.75 engineers cords.. or 28 retail cords at 70cf each. Sheesh.

How cold does it get in Indiana these days?

 

[reddogrunner]

I have one of those 300 gllon cubes and it's taller than 30 inches from the top rail to the floor. I do know a standard pallet of 44" by 48" the distance from the top rail to the pallet is 29".

 

[Marshy]

Let see if I can light a fire... I cant believe no one has mentioned this already!

Apparently by stacking unsplit rounds you will have more wood per cubic foot of space than if you split it and stacked it. Maybe your buddy should stack all unsplit rounds (that are easy enough to handle) and only stack enough splits for next years fuel. That way the unsplit rounds will season for at least 2 years before use and splitting, and he will get more wood in the barn. Win win?

opcorn:

 

[Philbert]

Maybe your buddy should stack all unsplit rounds (that are easy enough to handle) and only stack enough splits for next years fuel. That way the unsplit rounds will season for at least 2 years before use and splitting, and he will get more wood in the barn. Win win?

Rounds don't dry/season as fast as split wood - less exposed surface area.

Some wood splits easier when it is green.

Philbert

 

[Marshy]

Rounds don't dry/season as fast as split wood - less exposed surface area.

Some wood splits easier when it is green.

Philbert

ALthough I copletely agree with you, the OP asked how to fit the most wood in the barn and did not ask what the most effective way to season it.

 

[Marshy]

...
The next question is how do you load the lean-to so you can use the wood first in first out?

Any thoughts or suggestions?

Add a door on the North end.

 

[Philbert]

Well, if everything's on the table . . .

There was a guy on 'another forum' who basically laid tracks through his wood shelter. Loaded up palletized/unitized wood at one end, and pushed it through to the other with some type of tractor (or skid steer or something). First-in-first-out. As I recall, his OWB was also located at the other end. Could also use a conveyor belt, rollers, . . .

Philbert