Is it to early to start splitting?

[Timberwerks]

Hi Everyone

It's been awhile since my last post since I've had a bad winter ( I'm broke). Anyway I'm hoping for a better year this year. My question is, is it to early to start splitting wood for the fall season? I'm worried if I split it now it will start to rot and not look good when I start to sell. Opinions welcome.

Dale

 

[DWittenbreder]

never too early!!!!!!!

Just keep it off the ground, cover the top and you will be fine. I sell here in NE Pa. and split year round to keep up with demand.

 

[oldwild]

We Will start splitting mine here in the next few weeks. Didn't sell any this last winter, but I have a feeling with fuel prices, will be selling everything I have cut and stacked right now!

 

[Timberwerks]

I'm looking forward to the upcoming season. I did sell all the seasond wood I had on hand (12 cords). The rest of the wood was green, I didn't want to risk getting a bad reputation by selling it. I did over spend on equipment so in turn I did lose my a$$ this first year. I sold un-needed saws and now this year I expect to come out ahead because I have more wood and it will be well dried for use this fall. Last year I didn't start to split until September when I purchased the splitter. Getting this early start has my feeling better about this year.

Dale

Dale

 

[BostonBull]

Anybody looking for some nice Oak, Maple, Locust, Sassafras etc etc in MA let me know I have tons everyday and usually just throw it through the chipper!

 

[Timberwerks]

I would like to get some Oak here. Not many people are having Oak trees removed in my area. If anyone in my area is reading this, I am interested in Oak, Cherry, Ash. If you don't have a use for it you can bring it here.

Dale

 

[spencerhenry]

too early? i think i saw that you are in wisconsin. with the humidity there i would think its never too early. assuming you are only cutting dead, split in may or early june, covered, would probably be good for fall, but splitting green, i would bet one summer is not enough. in used to live in wisconsin, most of our wood was cut in winter, and split where it fell, by axe. stacked on a concrete slab, rows 1' apart, as soon as possible. usually sold it the next fall. sometimes some left over, and sold it the next year. never any problem with rot.
here in colorado, i have let wood sit for 2 to 3 years on the ground, and still virtually no rot. but then again, i can air dry standing dead 2x lumber in about 2 weeks in the summer!

 

[Newfie]

If you are worried about your firewood rotting over the summer, there is a problem with your wood. If you are splitting wood in September and selling it as seasoned wouldn't worry about any knowledgeable customers being repeats.

 

[tawilson]

If we cut a tree in the summer and let it set till the leaves turn brown, then cut and split, I wonder if that gets it dry enough to be considered seasoned? I know it loses a lot of moisture that way.

 

[Timberwerks]

If you are worried about your firewood rotting over the summer, there is a problem with your wood. If you are splitting wood in September and selling it as seasoned wouldn't worry about any knowledgeable customers being repeats.

I worded my post wrong. The wood I split in September actually sat bucked up here close to a year. It took me longer than expected to get a splitter. Reason being I opted to get a commercial grade unit so I had to come up with the extra cash. The customers I have said they were very happy with the wood. I had some call back wanting more during the winter but I told them I was out of seasond wood. Those people will be repeat clients as well because I was truthfull with them.

The reason I worry about wood rotting is because I have seen other sellers who's wood is starting to rot. I want to make sure this does not happen to mine. When I ask other sellers how long the wood has be stacked and siiting they say 4- 6 months. This is why I'm concerned. I have a good reputation going so far and I want to keep it that way. I want to make sure I do things right so not only will the wood burn great it will look great as well.

Dale

 

[Newfie]

That's good that you have happy customers. If your competitors are having trouble with rotting wood it is probably because the wood was crap to start with or sat in a big stinking pile for too long. Good firewood doesn't rot when properly split and stacked even after two years in my experience. Anything with the first signs of rot or dry rot gets pitched not sold. The same goes for ants or other infestations.

Keep doing it the right way and never mind what the other guy is doing.9 times out of 10 most firewood guys I run across are shorting there loads and selling green as seasoned. It's not hard to do a better job in the firewood business.

Good Luck!

 

[Timberwerks]

Thanks Mike

The reason I got into this is because my wife and I spent a lot of money on crap wood over the past years. I actually really do enjoy doing this and it is a good feeling to get compliments from happy customers. I'm still learning along the way so I appreciate the input from the more experianced such as your self.

Take Care
Dale

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I would like to get some Oak here. Not many people are having Oak trees removed in my area. If anyone in my area is reading this, I am interested in Oak, Cherry, Ash. If you don't have a use for it you can bring it here.

Dale

Will you pick it up? I work for several people in the area and they may have instances where they would let the hardwoods go.

I know you could have all the norway maple and such you could handle, but these guys all burn too. Probably a lot of elm too, they don't like it because of it splits with difficulty.

I'd deliver logs for gas money.

BTW, did we meet at Egglehoff's saw shop last year?

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

If we cut a tree in the summer and let it set till the leaves turn brown, then cut and split, I wonder if that gets it dry enough to be considered seasoned? I know it loses a lot of moisture that way.

Not really, you want it 20% or less or it will be smokey.

In the olden days they used to girdle trees and let the bark come off before felling to save effort and time.

 

[Timberwerks]

John

Sure, I could pick up or give gas money. When my main source drops off I give him $20.00 or so. He is within 8 miles of me, I'd offer more for a longer haul. I do have a lot of Maple and Elm so if I can get more Ash or start getting Oak, Cherry that would be great. I have no problem splitting Elm but at this time I have plenty.

Thanks
Dale

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

John

Sure, I could pick up or give gas money. When my main source drops off I give him $20.00 or so. He is within 8 miles of me, I'd offer more for a longer haul. I do have a lot of Maple and Elm so if I can get more Ash or start getting Oak, Cherry that would be great. I have no problem splitting Elm but at this time I have plenty.

Thanks
Dale

Email me your contact info, or give me call on my cell number below.

 

[curdy]

This is an interesting topic because I've heard mixed things. I'm a home owner that had a bunch of trees cut down. I've done the best I can with a very busy schedule to get the stuff cut and stacked off the ground. I'm now going back and splitting it and re-stacking it for about an hour each morning for exercise. It was obvious that some rounds sat on the ground too long before I could stack them and got pretty soggy...those were all maple. I just tossed those aside for bonfires later. I'm getting a wood stove in a couple of weeks, but I know I won't go through the amount of wood I have in 2 years.

My question is, how long can cut, split, stacked wood last? I had a guy stop by my house and asked to have some of it...he said I should because the wood won't last that long after 2 years.

I may start a new thread about firewood piles with some various questions (rot, sunlight, etc.) with pictures too.

 

[turnkey4099]

This is an interesting topic because I've heard mixed things. I'm a home owner that had a bunch of trees cut down. I've done the best I can with a very busy schedule to get the stuff cut and stacked off the ground. I'm now going back and splitting it and re-stacking it for about an hour each morning for exercise. It was obvious that some rounds sat on the ground too long before I could stack them and got pretty soggy...those were all maple. I just tossed those aside for bonfires later. I'm getting a wood stove in a couple of weeks, but I know I won't go through the amount of wood I have in 2 years.

My question is, how long can cut, split, stacked wood last? I had a guy stop by my house and asked to have some of it...he said I should because the wood won't last that long after 2 years.

I may start a new thread about firewood piles with some various questions (rot, sunlight, etc.) with pictures too.

I burn mostly Willow. Cut green, split, stacked right on the ground and let season minimum one year. Most is burned after the second summer. I have never had a problem with that "crap" wood (yes is is low quality, I rank it about the same as pine) rotting, even the rick that gets stacked right under the drip edge of the woodshed doesn't rot after two years.

Quality wood, properly stacked and protected on top, is not going to rot for at least 2 years. Some will last a lot longer than that, locust for one (I have 10 cord of that cut 10 years ago).

Harry K