The Official Axe Cordwood Challenge

[DSW]

Thanks, man!

I'll take your word for it, just direct me to the particular picture. I didn't throw a tape on the one I did either, but you can tell it is bigger than 20".

It's actually been extended this year, it used to run up from NYD to the 1st of September. Ben changed the rules to make it go until December. I'm betting he's cutting it before the holidays due to it being a busy time of year, plus I also know he's still a student and needs to get everything in order for the final editing of a video that complies everyone's effort. If you think about it, that's a fair amount of work in and of itself (if you've ever done a lot of video editing).

I remembered the stump is still out there so I went and measured and it's only a bit over 16". Then the maple was 18". I found the post where I had said my biggest logs were 16-18. So no big log challenge for me.

I actually looked at the beech as well, all the little trees laid over and that big sob with a hollow stump is still standing. Everything at the base is unusable and it forks out about ten foot up, looks like that won't be 20 inches either. I'll be getting it regardless so I can put a tape on it but I think I'll be looking for a different tree. I would like to get that for 2020.

I've actually been meaning to hew a log for someone anyway so I might get that one next year as well.

I've not done a lot of editing but I have done enough to know how quick the time moves once you sit down behind that screen.

 

[H-Ranch]

Last day for 2019 Axe Cordwood Challenge.

Well... I guess I missed the deadline. No matter, as it was never going to appear on Facebook anyway since I won't have an account in my lifetime (I've hated Facebook since before it was cool to hate on them.)

I was halfway there early in the year; not on a pace to beat DSW by any means. I ended having a couple of wood thieves that slowed down my progress during heating season last year. My daughters had been helping me keep the OWB going and I didn't have the heart to tell them not to pick off the ax split pile after I noticed it. Then life happened, and honestly I'm not going to do a lot of chopping during the heat of the summer. Planned to complete it over the Christmas break until I saw the deadline post. That's what I get for not paying attention to "the rules".

Anyway, this was all chopped in 2019. Stack is about 50" x 100" so just a face cord. Here it was couple days ago.
And finished up today.
It's pretty clear what was cut early by the dark gray color. This is about where I was and some of what went up in smoke last season.

 

[DSW]

Good job @H-Ranch . Thieves are worthless, they'll get theirs one day.

Like your stacking set up there. Off the ground and spaced.

 

[H-Ranch]

Oops, maybe that didn't come across quite right - my daughters were the woods "thieves" that were using my ax cut wood to fill the OWB instead of from my normal piles.

I'm right there with you on how I view real thieves.

 

[DSW]

Ok, I misread that.

My property extends back from the road, have about 50 yards of woods that has road frontage and I stack some wood there, no thieves yet but I have people poking around from time to time. My house is right there otherwise my wood would probably be getting loaded into someone else's stove.

 

[Multifaceted]

Well... I guess I missed the deadline. No matter, as it was never going to appear on Facebook anyway since I won't have an account in my lifetime (I've hated Facebook since before it was cool to hate on them.)

I was halfway there early in the year; not on a pace to beat DSW by any means. I ended having a couple of wood thieves that slowed down my progress during heating season last year. My daughters had been helping me keep the OWB going and I didn't have the heart to tell them not to pick off the ax split pile after I noticed it. Then life happened, and honestly I'm not going to do a lot of chopping during the heat of the summer. Planned to complete it over the Christmas break until I saw the deadline post. That's what I get for not paying attention to "the rules".

Anyway, this was all chopped in 2019. Stack is about 50" x 100" so just a face cord. Here it was couple days ago.View attachment 784283 View attachment 784284
And finished up today.View attachment 784286 View attachment 784288
It's pretty clear what was cut early by the dark gray color. This is about where I was and some of what went up in smoke last season. View attachment 784293

Hey, you did it! The minimum unit for the challenge is one rick, or an 8' x 4' stack, clearly which you have accomplished. I don't do facebook either, just Youtube, but that's not even necessary — Send pics to Ben Scott, here's a video explaining the process:



I submitted photos for @DSW with his permission along with my own via email to Ben. He's going to compile everything into a video of all of this year's participants sometime this coming week, so there's still time.

Anyway, great effort on you, man! You dun gud!

 

[LondonNeil]

results are up on Bens youtube and Clarence, DSW and Hranch all amazing. It seems arboristsite dominates the challenge!

 

[svk]

results are up on Bens youtube and Clarence, DSW and Hranch all amazing. It seems arboristsite dominates the challenge!

Nice!

 

[Ben Scott]

Well done to everyone who took part! Keep on chopping and stay safe

Results for 2019, great efforts by all involved.

18 ricks this year, or a stack 4 feet high and 144 feet long, no accidents thankfully. Some great timber hewing and a couple of big logs cut too.

Hope everyone enjoyed taking part and found it to be a valuable experience.

Now for 2020! will hopefully get a video out soon with some new mini challenges people can get involved with.

Participants: Jens Christensen's Channnel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRCw... Clarence Swann https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOy2... Vinnies Day Off https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIOV... Oxbow Farm https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKeW... Owen Jarvis https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOzn... DSW & H Ranch, Arborsite, https://www.arboristsite.com/communit...

 

[DSW]

Good job fellas.

AS looking strong. Seems like we won the team portion. Who's making t-shirts? Letter jacket with a different patch for every year completed?

Glad to hear nobody got hurt.

Good job putting it together @Ben Scott , looking forward to the mini challenge ideas.

 

[Ben Scott]

So far I have a few ideas for mini challenges, feel free to suggest any more
- Cut a tenon, dovetail and log cabin style joint as well as flatten the end of a log
- Make a handle from scratch in the field, so only knives, handsaw etc. no power tools or specialised tools you would not likely have!

 

[Multifaceted]

Great job, men! Yeah, we had a nice showing Team Arboristsite — Kickin' Axe and Takin' Wood!

I might be able to mock up a logo to make a T-shirt if anyone is interested. I do dabble in graphic design.

 

[H-Ranch]

Thanks to @Ben Scott for getting the challenge together and to @Multifaceted for posting it on AS. I would not have attempted this on my own without it. I did learn a few things about using an ax that I didn't know before.

Team AS was certainly led by @DSW and Multifaceted. Very impressive!

 

[Multifaceted]

Thanks to @Ben Scott for getting the challenge together and to @Multifaceted for posting it on AS. I would not have attempted this on my own without it. I did learn a few things about using an ax that I didn't know before.

Team AS was certainly led by @DSW and Multifaceted. Very impressive!

The sum is greater than the whole of its parts.

Had it not been the interest in this thread, even from those who tried or didn't even attempt - I might not have had that extra drive. We were all here watching and cheering each other on. Perhaps from the success of last year we might gain a few more participants for this year, maybe even a holdover or two — I know I'll be participating!

Cheers!

 

[H-Ranch]

Perhaps from the success of last year we might gain a few more participants for this year, maybe even a holdover or two — I know I'll be participating!

Yeah, I think I'm in again - I've been eyeing a few trees on the property for the cordwood challenge and maybe even consider some of the other challenges. Definitely finishing earlier this year!

 

[Multifaceted]

So far I have a few ideas for mini challenges, feel free to suggest any more
- Cut a tenon, dovetail and log cabin style joint as well as flatten the end of a log
- Make a handle from scratch in the field, so only knives, handsaw etc. no power tools or specialised tools you would not likely have!

Mortise and tenon joints would be rather advanced for me, I won't sat that it's not possible, but it is indeed a challenge! I think the offhand tool handle crafting would be really interesting, especially since a lot of folks have old steel just laying around. What about a limbing challenge, where one limbs the entire top and amasses a large pile for kindling, bushcraft, or brush burning? Then again, limbing can be dangerous for the noOb...

So much of the tops I just trash due to being such low effort but all the more time consuming work to process. I tend to just throw it in a big pile a set it ablaze...

 

[CR888]

Some nice hewing in the video Ben posted, I've been doing a little with an adze I have making a rustic outdoor log seat.

 

[DSW]

So far I have a few ideas for mini challenges, feel free to suggest any more
- Cut a tenon, dovetail and log cabin style joint as well as flatten the end of a log
- Make a handle from scratch in the field, so only knives, handsaw etc. no power tools or specialised tools you would not likely have!

You mean flatten the end of a log so it resembles a saw cut?

I like the idea of the in field handle, along with chopping at least a piece or two with that handle.

So much of the tops I just trash due to being such low effort but all the more time consuming work to process. I tend to just throw it in a big pile a set it ablaze...

I process nearly the whole tree and it goes in the stack, we've burnt some pieces this year that were right at an inch thick. I'm not really dealing with much of a top or limbs though, dead trees, deciduous, and woods grown. Need to run into a cedar.

 

[DSW]

Should we start a new thread for 2020 or keep using this one?

 

[Multifaceted]

I process nearly the whole tree and it goes in the stack, we've burnt some pieces this year that were right at an inch thick. I'm not really dealing with much of a top or limbs though, dead trees, deciduous, and woods grown. Need to run into a cedar.

My cut-off is around 1.5-2" in diameter. Anything less is just a waste of time. I can go into the woods and gather that just off the ground and it would be quicker than processing the thinner limbs and tops. Into the burn pile it goes.

Should we start a new thread for 2020 or keep using this one?

I say start a new thread for this year for everyone's efforts. Perhaps we could just call it the Official - Axe Cordwood Challenge Thread so we can keep posting in it so the thread count grows and we can keep posting it regardless of the year. Thoughts?