Toss or Stack?

[max2cam]

Now I'm in the process of hauling and stacking next years firewood supply cut over the winter and lying in piles all over the woods. Because I'm filling up a new woodshed for the long haul I'm carefully stacking the wood. That takes a LOT more time than just tossing it in willy nilly, but it's amazing how much more wood you can get into the same space -- or so it seems. I'd say at least a third more. Does anyone actually have a solid number?

So how many guys just toss firewood into the shed and how many stack it? No special reason for asking except the chainsaws are resting and the bigger job of moving the wood is underway. Six truckloads so far and another 2 or 3 plus to come some down along the swamp edge that I'll use the little trailer and tractor on.

With the high price of propane and heating oil, seeing all that SOLID fuel (including jackpine) also warms the heart.

Also gotta get all my milled lumber hauled in. So much to do before the bugs come out and it gets hot and sticky. Being natually lazy doesn't help. Yesterday I noticed mosquito "wigglers" in some swamp pockets of water full of organic debris that mosquitoes love to breed in.

 

[Sylvatica]

I stack at the house, pile it at the shop. All depends how much space you can waste.

I can consolidate a heaping 3 yard truck load of stovewood (in the round or split) into neat stacks taking a little more than 1/3 the space.

 

[scottr]

Volume

Max , if I remember correctly the cord of split 16" firewood stacked will be 160 cubic feet loose thrown into a truck . The cord of split 24" firewood will be 180 cubic feet loose thrown into a truck . Did you see woodshops fixture in his milling thread that he sets the log in and has a guide beam for the saw ? Give ya any ideas for the lumber maker fixture ?

 

[ontario026]

In the bush I just pile my wood, I have 2 piles, the first being smaller or already split, the second being the larger unsplit stuff.... Once I load the split stuff and haul it home to my back yard then it gets stacked....

 

[ozy365]

I am stacking using a holz haus this year. There is a good thread on it with a website link. I stack in a ten foot circle with wood standing on end in the middle. Stacked to 10' the thing is supposed to hold >20 face cord in that 10' footprint. Dries fast because of the chimney effect of the stack. Thing looks good too. I use 40 face cord a year and my foot print this year looks like it will be about a third of previous linear stacks. All the wood slopes in, so the haus is more stable.

Search thechimneysweep.ca/6seasoningwood.html

Sorry, I am not sure how to imbed the link

 

[tawilson]

I figure a 128 cubic foot (1 full cord) of stacked wood should be 180 cubic feet loose, so your 1/3 guess is right on with my cipherin.

 

[Bill G]

I would be concearned about the difference in drying time.

Bill

 

[Fireaxman]

Pile in Spring in Louisiana, and the bottom 1/3 will be rotten before winter. I have to stack, high enough off the ground to get air flow under it, loose enough and thin enough to get air flow through it. We rarely see relative humidity less than 80%, and summer temps are usually above 90 df. Left on the ground, our wood rots before it dries.

 

[max2cam]

Did you see woodshops fixture in his milling thread that he sets the log in and has a guide beam for the saw ? Give ya any ideas for the lumber maker fixture ?

I saw the guide beam; the aluminum rail which looks better than using a board like I do. But was there more than that? (lots of photos over there to wade thru).

Went from warm/hot and dry to cold rain and snow here. Snow gone but woods are wet now. Gotta finish getting the firewood hauled in. Sure looks good under cover and stacked. Air circulation doesn't seem to be a problem. The only wood that gets moldy is the stuff that sits out in the open and gets rained on all summer. So many balsam trees that the shade is pretty dense and the sun doesn't get in there.

Had fires in the woodstove again the past few days....

 

[scottr]

Fixture

Max , it's the one with the wooden guide beam that the log sits in .

 

[Chainsaw_Maniac]

I's take the time to stack it in this case. But it's your choice.

 

[Proj Eng]

Max, what town in NW Scondi are ya in or nearby? Still got the cow bellies in the roads up there yet?

 

[max2cam]

Scott: I still can't find it, so I posted and asked on that thread about it.

ProjEng: Near Hayward. Don't know about the roads, but there is still buried ice in the swamp. I was out there probing around yesterday and could stand in a few inches of water on top of solid ice.

 

[woodchux]

I pile it just because of the time saved. I've got plenty of room, so that's not an issue. Woods cheap here , the less that you touch the stuff the better .

 

[CoreyTMorine]

i quarter mine up and stack in long rows for the summer. then come fall or winter, when i split, i park the supersplit next to the row. i can store more wood this way, and i figure the time spent stacking is made up by the ease and speed of slitting from a nice neat stack, no bending over or trying to get a hold of a funny positioned piece of wood.

I don't do maybe 15 or 20 cord per year, and i'm not looking for new clients. but my dad loved firewood. we did at least 200 per year and back during the energy crunch more like 400.


by quarter i mean cut into 20 or 30 pound pieces. i use a stihl o66 to rip cut the big rounds.