Post pictures of your woodpile/splitting area
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Had a pretty nice afternoon working over the latest 6 cord load of logs.
Logs were set in front of shop, split wood is stored around back so we start with a 5x10 trailer backed up to the the SS. Not sure where the beer came from, must have been a neighbor
It was a good day, as my number one helper was pumped up on sugar and ambition, ready to work. For a six year old he did a helluva job moving splits and getting the trailer full to the max..
I figure it to be 3/4 cord plus four small trailer loads of uglies that got sent to the boiler. Boy Wonder was an awesome helper and was rewarded with some hard earned LEGO money.
And, just in time the Mrs. got home to help unload....a good day indeed!
Logs were set in front of shop, split wood is stored around back so we start with a 5x10 trailer backed up to the the SS. Not sure where the beer came from, must have been a neighbor
It was a good day, as my number one helper was pumped up on sugar and ambition, ready to work. For a six year old he did a helluva job moving splits and getting the trailer full to the max..
I figure it to be 3/4 cord plus four small trailer loads of uglies that got sent to the boiler. Boy Wonder was an awesome helper and was rewarded with some hard earned LEGO money.
And, just in time the Mrs. got home to help unload....a good day indeed!
Looks great fellows!
I too will work for Lego money! (I swear I'm an adult...)
nighthunter
addicted to arboristsite
Just started to noodle but its horrible having to stop the saw every 2 mins to clean out the noodles 
Those chunks would likely split easily with an axe or maul and save you the time and mess of noodling. Unless you want the noodles ....for firestarters, etc.
nighthunter
addicted to arboristsite
P
My maul just bounces off them it has a badly twisted grain
benp
Addicted to ArboristSite
Guy showed up with portable firewood processor this weekend.
28 cords on Saturday up by shop and 25 yesterday down by where the log yard was.
A bunch in roll off boxes and a big pile down there.
Still a lot left to do. [emoji15]
28 cords on Saturday up by shop and 25 yesterday down by where the log yard was.
A bunch in roll off boxes and a big pile down there.
Still a lot left to do. [emoji15]
Yep, you win.
The only problem I see with doing that much wood at once, I'd have time to do inside chores all winter....
benp
Addicted to ArboristSite
Yep, you win.
The only problem I see with doing that much wood at once, I'd have time to do inside chores all winter....
LOL!
We did those 53 cords in 14.4 hours per the hour meter on the processor.
It is a rough process if you want to make time.
1. You have the guy running the plant.
2. One guy rolling the logs into the conveyor as soon as there was room to make one continuous cutting process.
3. A log wrangler that dealt with the logs being added on into the platform to keep the log roller fed with minimal issues.
4. The guy loading the platform. You want someone good running that equipment that is dropping a load in 5 feet away from you. You want the logs to just tap the frame in a controlled release. Absolutely no bangs on a regular basis.
I was the log wrangler. I am bruised to all get out today and sore as hell. A lot of smashed hands, fingers, and a lot of swearing between both the roller and I.
My self and the neighbors brother in law who was the roller both got caught in log conveyor yesterday about 2 hours apart. It was pouring rain and we were wearing bulky clothes.
He was adjusting the roll off box and I was rolling logs. I jumped down to get a better grip on one and rain coat got caught and sucked me right in. I started jerking on the coat and it split the zipper to this nice little choke point around my neck. At the time I broke loose the operator noticed my squallering and reversed it.
Same situation with the brother in law. He was herfing a log standing on the ground and his belly was too close. Grabbed his coat and sucked him in. I heard him yelling and ran over and trucked him as hard as I could to break him free.
A spot on the front of his coat was missing and I asked him if he was ok.
He rifled through his pockets and pulled out a mangled pack of Marb Reds. He said" my new pack of smokes got crushed."
Copenhagen cans dont fair well either in downpours.
Leave your saw at and angle versus perpendicular to the grain. It will make smaller noodles that clear better.
nighthunter
addicted to arboristsite
This is very interesting, and lots of ways to look at it. Also some questions.
3.68 cord per hour. That's seems very, very good! Obviously the logs themselves are going to make a huge difference depending on how they are trimmed and loaded.
.92 cord per man hour if I counted right, with four guys.
What kind and size machine did you use?
Sounds like a owner/operator hired out? Care to share cost per day?
What kind of issues held you up, if any? (besides the ones mentioned)
How were the split sizes? Boiler wood, fire place wood, or stove wood? (big, medium, small splits)
Around here there are Dyna's for rent by the day.
I helped some when a friends friend rented one. They had no tools other than an old tractor with forks and a chainsaw. The logs were poorly trimmed and hung up a lot in the feed trough. Some logs were the max. diameter, and poorly trimmed or crooked. Double Wammy! No peavey, no cant hooks to roll logs off nubs and such.. First time experience with a processor for everyone. That being said, it went okay, considering. But no idea of cordage output, and lost track of the number of dump trailers that were hauled off to another farm. I just stopped by to observe ( so I did not bring tools) for a bit and ended up helping for five hours. Splits were huge. That was the biggest turn off, as trimming the logs and having a peavey would have been a game changer. But what do you do with huge splits when selling stove wood. Re-split? That's a lot of handling to re-split.
Going to the Paul Bunyan Show this week. Calling for rain however.
Have fun. I might make it down there on Sunday but I doubt it.
benp
Addicted to ArboristSite
It was a dyna 16.
He charged by the hour and went by the hour meter on the processor. 85 dollars an hour and he said with a good setup 3-3.5 cords an hour is normal.
On Saturday the neighbor used the grapple on the skidsteer to load. A John Deere 333E. Mini hoe is a Cat with a thumb. Not sure of model.
It got to the point where he had to wait for room on the loading table.
It was all 100” wood on Saturday.
Sunday was slower going. He was using the mini hoe to load because he was picking through logs he brought home.
I had to half some with the saw due to the tight quarters we were in.
The loading table stayed filled at all times though.
The rain didn’t help a lot. Made logs slick.
The processors conveyor only went up and down. No left or right.
So we would reposition it with the skidsteer. That didn’t take real long.
Also the neighbor would push/bring down the piles as they started to get high.
The operator was really good guy. Worked hard.
I think he swapped chains 6 times.
The logs were cut 24” and big ones were split 4 ways. Splits were dependent on log size so they are all over they place. He said he cut 16" a few days before but that is eyeballing where to stop.
The 24" has a visual stop.
I had to cut the butt ends off a few logs because they were just too big.
You can do it with 2 people. The operator and person loading the logs on the deck.
The operator can advance the logs into the conveyor but sometimes has to go and get logs adjusted.
So it is much faster with 4 people.
Sounds like quite the piece of machinery!
Thanks benp.
Lots of small details included that round out the picture.
24" length cut vs 16"; knocking down the piles; no swing on conveyor; moving processor with skid steer; number of chains used; and the machine used.
The machine I observed/helped (I ran it for fifteen minutes or so) was the same, Dyna 16. The pin on the splitter wedge sheared, from lift pressure I think. The log pile prep seems to be a huge factor, and how the deck is loaded.
Your experience with an owner/operator sounds like it went pretty smooth to get that kind of production.
I can picture you feeling a bit beat up, as all the work at the log deck is quite high.
If I remember right, rental was $350./day, but don't hold me to that number.
How did you estimate over all cordage for each day?
Lots of small details included that round out the picture.
24" length cut vs 16"; knocking down the piles; no swing on conveyor; moving processor with skid steer; number of chains used; and the machine used.
The machine I observed/helped (I ran it for fifteen minutes or so) was the same, Dyna 16. The pin on the splitter wedge sheared, from lift pressure I think. The log pile prep seems to be a huge factor, and how the deck is loaded.
Your experience with an owner/operator sounds like it went pretty smooth to get that kind of production.
I can picture you feeling a bit beat up, as all the work at the log deck is quite high.
If I remember right, rental was $350./day, but don't hold me to that number.
How did you estimate over all cordage for each day?
benp
Addicted to ArboristSite
No problem.
The operator estimated it by pile size and the log sizes we ran through based on his experience. Also what was gone out of the log yard.
You are correct on the log prep. The neighbor would bring over some logs that were tight on size but had big knots on them. So those got trimmed up with the saw.
All of the logs he brought home were delimbed and straight for the most part.
Pretty cool watching him swing a 12' sugar maple that's almost 20" and rest it on the edge of the loading platform with just a "tink" then bump it onto the log conveyor.
Multifaceted
Firewood Hoarder, Axe Enthusiast
Moved last season's wood to dry storage earlier today, then decided to do some splitting this afternoon. Also fired up my new dual burn barrels and laid waste to the brush and punky log pile. Laid out some fresh pallets and started some new stacks. Wood is a mix of Black Cherry, White Oak, White Ash, and Black Walnut:
Also, on Friday afternoon, had a buddy drop off five logs of Black Cherry from his pop's property that have been sitting on the ground for a few years. Edges are a little punky, but the centers are still solid and dry after sawing them down to manageable size.
Does anyone else separate their wood according to species in their stacks? I'm pretty good at ID wood even after it's seasoned, but even so when it's all stacked and I'm pulling from the pile to burn, I don't always notice what I'm pulling because it's from a 'general' pile. Just curious is all...
Also, on Friday afternoon, had a buddy drop off five logs of Black Cherry from his pop's property that have been sitting on the ground for a few years. Edges are a little punky, but the centers are still solid and dry after sawing them down to manageable size.
Does anyone else separate their wood according to species in their stacks? I'm pretty good at ID wood even after it's seasoned, but even so when it's all stacked and I'm pulling from the pile to burn, I don't always notice what I'm pulling because it's from a 'general' pile. Just curious is all...
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