No good deed goes unpunished.

[hardpan]

Like any wood, it needs good drying, then it is rocket fuel. The inner heartwood down near the roots is what fatwood is, or the best anyway. Doesn't need drying and won't rot for years and years, no idea how long. That stuff you can light while it is wet with a match and it will catch and burn. Just some slivers carved off with a knife will get a fire going.

I have also heard it called pitchwood. I only tried it the last couple years and it performs exactly as you describe. I have fun throwing an average sized piece of it on a campfire and watching everyone pull their chairs back away from the fire, hot stuff. I find it in the big roots near the trunk also. Not much pine here though.

 

[turnkey4099]

Time to pay the piper. Theresa called, she is ready for the splitter. Promised two guys to help, set for Thursday and Friday. I'll check in a day or two to be sure the help will be there.

Need to find out if the TroyBilt 27ton spitter is roadable at highway speeds. Only 4 miles but all 60+.

The wood is definitely Red Fir. After running to town to refresh my memory I seriously doubt I can plow through it in two days...my "day" only goes for 3-4 hours per any more.

Pile 1: There is anotherpile hiding behind that one in front

Pile 2

My guess is a minimum of 3 cords. I split about 1/2 cord of my Red Fir this morning. Didn't time it but I am guessing around 2 hours. That was 2/3 of this log:

For the people who don't have experience with the "needle wood", Ref Fir is heavy and is pretty much top dog for firewood out here.

 

[Scablands]

I relearned an old lesson yesterday. Getting saws ready for an expidition to the wood patch and found odd stuff stuck to the barrs and around the sprocket. Then it dawned on me. Red Fir, pitch, have fun cleaning things with turpentine!

Harry K

I figured out that spray silicone works both as a cleaner and will help the pitch come off easier the next time. We had the same mess here in Spokamo.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Got any pine tar on your hands? Three solvents work rather well: ether, mineral spirits, and the fastest of them all--gasoline. Soap won't work.

 

[turnkey4099]

Got any pine tar on your hands? Three solvents work rather well: ether, mineral spirits, and the fastest of them all--gasoline. Soap won't work.

Turps also works but is usually not at hand. When working and my hands get sticky I give them a quick wash in dirt. Removes the 'stickiness' until the work session is over and I can clean them usually with gasoline.

Harry K

 

[al-k]

Like any wood, it needs good drying, then it is rocket fuel. The inner heartwood down near the roots is what fatwood is, or the best anyway. Doesn't need drying and won't rot for years and years, no idea how long. That stuff you can light while it is wet with a match and it will catch and burn. Just some slivers carved off with a knife will get a fire going.

When i was a young man around 18, i moved to Georgia. The house we rented had a fireplace and the first fire i loaded up the kindling with fatwood, not knowing how good it was, as the flames danced off the mantle i through pans of water on it and what a mess i made. Lesson learned.

 

[turnkey4099]

Day one of a bunch over. Spent 4 solid hours (1 10minute break when the boss showed up. No help, all the "volunteers" were no-shows. Not that it mattered, they would only have gotten in the way and I wouldn't have trusted them with a saw or the splitter.

Cleared the smallest pile and did serious damage to another small pile - I left that one iwht 4 or six big rounds that willhave to be noodled, one of them around 30" is flat on the ground and so heavy I can't up-end it. Will have to noodle it flat.

I'll be lucky to finish that job in 5 work sessions. Lots of stopping to noodle the 'half's' into 'quarters' small enough for me to pick up. My limit is around 140 lbs clean and jerk type lift.

After towing the splitter only 4 miles to town it had a slightly warm wheel bearing. Hasn't been nowed but once since new (some 12 years ago). I dropped it off that the grange shop for a bearing repack when I was done for the day, will pick it up tomorrow at 8 on the way to the Perkin's House. They have a web site if anyone is interested.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiD-8zmu_3LAhXpkoMKHcw2C8EQFggdMAA&url=http://www.whitmancountyhistoricalsociety.org/perkins-house/&usg=AFQjCNHVCZ0h-0jU9kgX6J9AZbEW3QigJA&sig2=0jXqPB-9NgDF2u70mTf2lQ&bvm=bv.119028448,d.amc

Also a short u-tube:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiD-8zmu_3LAhXpkoMKHcw2C8EQFggdMAA&url=http://www.whitmancountyhistoricalsociety.org/perkins-house/&usg=AFQjCNHVCZ0h-0jU9kgX6J9AZbEW3QigJA&sig2=0jXqPB-9NgDF2u70mTf2lQ&bvm=bv.119028448,d.amc

 

[LoveStihlQuality]

It's done...with another rocked chain. Cut just that last little bit too far and hit sidewalk. Not too bad this time but I'll add it to the other one for the Lewiston guy to sort out.

Had a brilliant idea on how to handle that big log. Cut most of the way through it and THEN roll it off the rocks. Too bad that idea came after I rolled it.

total time about 9 hours for 2 big red fir trees. I'll still stick with my offer to use my splitter provided they have a crew to help.

Had a guy and wife stop and ask about the wood, told him they were trying to sell it but if not will give it away. He says he can't afford to buy it but has 6 kids and needs wood. 6 kids? really? In this day and age? Even Catholics have stopped doing that.

Harry K

May not be able to afford the wood but didn't ask until all the heavy lifting was done? Some sweat equity would've gone a long way![emoji5]

LoveStihlQuality

 

[Scablands]

Anyone going to help you this weekend? They ought to at least rake up the chips for you.

 

[turnkey4099]

Anyone going to help you this weekend? They ought to at least rake up the chips for you.

Oh, no! My deal was to split the wood. That is it, I split and throw on a pile. From there it is their problem...and a big one it is, move several cords by hand or wheelbarrow about 200 feet.

I watched the utube video after I posted. My reaction afterward was WTF!!!

Harry K

 

[unclemoustache]

Turps also works but is usually not at hand. When working and my hands get sticky I give them a quick wash in dirt. Removes the 'stickiness' until the work session is over and I can clean them usually with gasoline.

Harry K

That Goo Gone works really well, and it sure smells a lot nicer. I always keep a bottle of that (and citrus orange) in my truck.

 

[LoveStihlQuality]

I figured out that spray silicone works both as a cleaner and will help the pitch come off easier the next time. We had the same mess here in Spokamo.

I used simple green. Worked well but took lube otta my sproket tip.

LoveStihlQuality

 

[dancan]

Baby oil will work .

 

[turnkey4099]

Another 4 hours on the splitter after getting out of the ER, ain't even close to half done yet. That red fir is slow going as I have to run the ram full stroke almost every split and even then fighting strings. Gotta find my old hatchet and sharpen it up.

Prepared breakfast, put plate on table, sat down and knocked the paring knife off table, clamped legs together to catch it. They did, Knife stuck well into my right inner thigh. 4 stitches later and I was outa there. I had debated not even going to the ER but though better of it since the blood persisted.

 

[president]

Nice job,, sure thats not fir??
I could be wrong,,,,
BBB

me thinks so too

 

[turnkey4099]

me thinks so too

Yes, it is red fir.

 

[Erik B]

Another 4 hours on the splitter after getting out of the ER, ain't even close to half done yet. That red fir is slow going as I have to run the ram full stroke almost every split and even then fighting strings. Gotta find my old hatchet and sharpen it up.

Prepared breakfast, put plate on table, sat down and knocked the paring knife off table, clamped legs together to catch it. They did, Knife stuck well into my right inner thigh. 4 stitches later and I was outa there. I had debated not even going to the ER but though better of it since the blood persisted.

That is a total bummer. Hope you heal up fast

 

[turnkey4099]

4 more hours (12 total now) and I "think" I can finish in another 2 sessions. There were two trees there,I finished the 1st one yesterday and started the 2nd this morning. To my surprise this one is plitting nice, hardly and strings and it splits without running the ram even halfway through. Rocked out another chain and again my fault. It was the block with the rod in it that got me when I first started cutting it up back in ?Dec?. I figured to noodle down it and through the chunk with the rod away, Didn't make enouth allowance, the rod ran at and angle and I just shaved it.

Chain not that bad, just take about double normal time filing it back.

Went to leave and another problem. The trailer jack on the splitter jammed up. Wheel was only about an inch off ground when hooked up - no tow that way, No clearance to swing and latch it up. Finally was able to jam it up high enough to tow. Removed it when I got home. I couldn't find the original 'stand leg' that I had taken off. Probably did the usual, "I'll put it here and that way I'll remember if I need it"...suuurrreee I will.

Harry K

 

[dancan]

Another 4 hours on the splitter after getting out of the ER, ain't even close to half done yet. That red fir is slow going as I have to run the ram full stroke almost every split and even then fighting strings. Gotta find my old hatchet and sharpen it up.

Prepared breakfast, put plate on table, sat down and knocked the paring knife off table, clamped legs together to catch it. They did, Knife stuck well into my right inner thigh. 4 stitches later and I was outa there. I had debated not even going to the ER but though better of it since the blood persisted.

Always wise to make the trip , sucks because of loss of time but it's not a gamble worth taking .

 

[turnkey4099]

another 4 hours (16 total now). Working the miserable, huge butt cuts around 36" diameter and heavy as lead. Having to noodle them into 6 or 7 smaller pieces to even pick them up, even then they are running 150lb or better. Not good on an old man's back.

Unless some trouble happens, I should be done in another session. I'll make a stab at it in the morning but the weather reports showers. Same for Wed and Thu also.