Measured my Woodpile This Morning

[Somesawguy]

More out of curiosity than anything, I measured my woodpile this morning. I thought I had maybe 3ish cord, but it's only just over 2. I think I need to get some more. :bang:

On a side note. How long does it take you guys to process a cord? It seems to take forever to cut, haul, cut to length, split, haul again, and stack on my woodpile.

Right now my splitter lives at my parents house since they have plenty of room for processing. So, I'll cut 4ft length or so, and leave it there until I have time to process it. Maybe next year I should just drag the splitter to my house and save some hauling steps. :msp_sad:

 

[avalancher]

More out of curiosity than anything, I measured my woodpile this morning. I thought I had maybe 3ish cord, but it's only just over 2. I think I need to get some more. :bang:

On a side note. How long does it take you guys to process a cord? It seems to take forever to cut, haul, cut to length, split, haul again, and stack on my woodpile.

Right now my splitter lives at my parents house since they have plenty of room for processing. So, I'll cut 4ft length or so, and leave it there until I have time to process it. Maybe next year I should just drag the splitter to my house and save some hauling steps. :msp_sad:

The amount of time to process a cord has a lot of variables in it.How far to the wood and back, type of species, time of year, etc.
In the aspect of "the best harvesting", I average about four hours to go cut a load, load it up, and haul home a full cord in my trailer. Back the splitter right up to the trailer, split right out of the back, and stack it right alongside the trailer. This is with red oak that splits easy and fast, makes good use of the four way head, and the wood source is less than ten miles from the house which is generally the case for me.

But earlier this spring my time per cord skyrocketed to over six hours per cord when I got handed a large bounty of large pecan less than five miles from the house.Although the cutting and hauling was quick, the splitting was slow. By the time I subtracted my expenses I came out with $15.00 per hour, not a happy thought.

 

[cnice_37]

On your side note, I've estimated me, the one man show, worst case about 10 hours per cord.

To drop a tree, limb it, pile the brush, buck it up, load it in the pickup, etc. I can do a cord that way in anywhere from 3-6 hours. The reason for the change is the distance from home plus the number of branches/ size of the tree. I only have the 8ft bed, so 1/2 cord in a trip.

So, worst case is 6 hours to get "ready to split" stuff on the ground at home.

2.5 hours to split a cord.
1 hour to stack.

The reason I remember is because I wanted to know what I was "paying" myself - about $20/hr which isn't bad considering its side work. I figure a cord here goes for $200 and you still have to stack that.

However, I was able to grab 5 cords from some free downed stuff that I had to buck and transport this summer and it took me a little over 10 hours total - so that drastically cuts down my processing time this year. So that puts me around 6 hours per cord, or $33/hr not including gas & equipment.

Sure, I could do it faster, but then I'd be hurting for days or worse.

 

[DG2244]

When you figure the time it takes to put up a cord for the non commercial cutter, it's more than you think. Very labor intensive work when everything is considered. After IRENE I've been cutting on neighbors property and have to haul all the tops off into the woods and minor clean up. All adds up time wise. You just have to love it or burn oil.


View attachment 198945

 

[Hedgerow]

When I'm clearing a fencerow, I can cut and load 1/3 of a cord an hour... As far as brush, I just wait till the whole row is done, then take the tractor and push it all up at once... Stacking and splitting is done all at once... It's slow... Too slow... Almost to the point I'm about to get a conveyor and build a big barn... Then just let it pile... I worry about the drying time like that though...:msp_sad:

 

[Somesawguy]

When you figure the time it takes to put up a cord for the non commercial cutter, it's more than you think. Very labor intensive work when everything is considered. After IRENE I've been cutting on neighbors property and have to haul all the tops off into the woods and minor clean up. All adds up time wise. You just have to love it or burn oil.


View attachment 198945

That's a nice pile you have going there. :smile2:

I love cutting, but not so much the splitting and stacking. This year it's been a little more of a chore than a hobby. I'd rather do it than pay for propane for the furnace though.

The neighbor had a maple he wanted cut down, so we did that, and I scrounged a little wood from Irene which has definitely been helpful. It's slowly getting there. It's probably easier if you're ahead of the game instead of scrounging at the last minute along with everyone else.

How does that saying go? Firewood is like money in the bank

 

[Coldfront]

The less handling the better, Cutting rounds fun, Splitting ok, Stacking no fun. Burning great! I get a logger load of 8 footers delivered then cut split and stack all within a 30 foot area.

 

[Whitespider]

I cut near all my firewood in my own woodlot, and just leave the rounds lay in piles.
Then I take the splitter to the cutting sight, and toss it in the trailer as I split.
I use an old modified lawn tractor and army type trailer to haul the splits up into the yard and right up next to the stacks.
I stack the splits right from the trailer, and I can easily reach over the sides to grab the splits.
I leave all the saw chips, noodles and splitter trash laying in the woodlot that way, so my stacks stand clean and pretty.
Right now I'm cutting standing-dead and blow-downs for the "early" and "late" season burning so (if the wood is dry) I don't bother stacking outside this time of year... I just pull the trailer up to the old basement coal shoot and toss it in, stack at my leisure in the evenings and such.

Depending on the size of the rounds, how much they fight the splitter, and if the wife is helping split and stack, I can easily cut, split and stack a cord in 3-6 hours.

 

[Whitespider]

Oh... And all the odds and end cuts, chunks and whatnot get tossed on the old concrete hog feed lot.
They get used as fodder for the outside fire pit.

 

[DG2244]

I cut near all my firewood in my own woodlot, and just leave the rounds lay in piles.
Then I take the splitter to the cutting sight, and toss it in the trailer as I split.
I use an old modified lawn tractor and army type trailer to haul the splits up into the yard and right up next to the stacks.
I stack the splits right from the trailer, and I can easily reach over the sides to grab the splits.
I leave all the saw chips, noodles and splitter trash laying in the woodlot that way, so my stacks stand clean and pretty.
Right now I'm cutting standing-dead and blow-downs for the "early" and "late" season burning so (if the wood is dry) I don't bother stacking outside this time of year... I just pull the trailer up to the old basement coal shoot and toss it in, stack at my leisure in the evenings and such.

Depending on the size of the rounds, how much they fight the splitter, and if the wife is helping split and stack, I can easily cut, split and stack a cord in 3-6 hours.

I like the old tractor and trailer. They just scream fire wood. Nice setup but way to neat on those stacked rows.

 

[Johndirt82]

That is about the most uniform stack of wood I have seen. Good on ya!
I can cut n load a cord in a little over an hour , thats easy, then its the 130 mile round trip drive, and then to the house to split it. Which takes about the same amount of time if I hustle. other wise it could take weeks, or till my O-round tuit gets here. ADHD can be a bad thing at times.

 

[Blazin]

Oh... And all the odds and end cuts, chunks and whatnot get tossed on the old concrete hog feed lot.
They get used as fodder for the outside fire pit.

Fodder?!?!?! That make a nice pile in the OWB

Keep cuttin and splittin Somesawguy

 

[v8titan]

I cut near all my firewood in my own woodlot, and just leave the rounds lay in piles.
Then I take the splitter to the cutting sight, and toss it in the trailer as I split.
I use an old modified lawn tractor and army type trailer to haul the splits up into the yard and right up next to the stacks.
I stack the splits right from the trailer, and I can easily reach over the sides to grab the splits.
I leave all the saw chips, noodles and splitter trash laying in the woodlot that way, so my stacks stand clean and pretty.
Right now I'm cutting standing-dead and blow-downs for the "early" and "late" season burning so (if the wood is dry) I don't bother stacking outside this time of year... I just pull the trailer up to the old basement coal shoot and toss it in, stack at my leisure in the evenings and such.

Depending on the size of the rounds, how much they fight the splitter, and if the wife is helping split and stack, I can easily cut, split and stack a cord in 3-6 hours.

Well done on those stacks. Considering how high they are, is it possible that a 50 MPH wind gust could knock one over?

 

[Iron man]

Holly crud Johndirt you drive 130 miles for a cord of wood! For me that wouldn't be worth it so I stay within a 15 mile radius.

 

[Whitespider]

Those stacks have survived more than one 50+ MPH wind this year... they've survived winds that brought down trees in the woodlot around them. You can actually lean against them.

 

[v8titan]

Those stacks have survived more than one 50+ MPH wind this year... they've survived winds that brought down trees in the woodlot around them. You can actually lean against them.

I have some stacks maybe a foot shorter in height than yours that stood up to hurricane Irene. I live in central Jersey where the eye passed about 15-20 miles east of me.....fortunately it was only a category 1 at that point. Lots of trees down and tremendous flooding. Some of the gusts were up to 70 mph in my area.

 

[avason]

seriously...those by far, are the nicest stacks I've ever seen..nice work

 

[MATTYB11]

Cutting rounds fun, Splitting ok, Stacking no fun.

I couldn't agree more.

 

[jcl]

Takes Me 4 hours from cutting trees down cutting off top dragging it 1/4 mile out of woods cut trees into 12' lenths cutting on my block buster processior up the conveyer into my dump truck equals $45 dollars a hour? It's still a lot of hard work don't know how I ever did it with only a pick up a saw and gas splitter a processior costs alot up front but will pay for themselfs quickly

 

[Somesawguy]

A processor would be nice, but I only burn 3-4 cord a year. Most of my stuff is pretty random, and nice long lengths of straight wood are fairly uncommon.