Getting my trees cut up into firewood

[momtomany]

I had brought this guy out to look at the trees cut down. He does odd jobs and has worked for an arborist. He has done a lot of log splitting in the past. I have about 2.5 cords (face) or 3 in the form of large trees across my front yard area. He was a no-show. I don't just bring anyone out to my land (can't trust people nowadays), he was recommended by an elderly gentleman who is helping with our demo work on the garage. It is getting cold here (think it was in the 30s last night). I need the wood. We can stack it, but if hubby is not here, don't want to use the chainsaw (never did it before, and don't like to do it alone), and need to split it all and stack it. Any hints on finding a reliable person to help that would own a splitter (I don't)???????????????? Kids are too young to help in splitting wood.

[Cabin Fever]

If the wood hasn;t already been cut, split and seasoned...which it hasn't....you don't want to use it this heating season. So, there really is not that great of a hurry.

[TurnerHill]

Are you sure about your measurements? 2.5 face cords isn't a whole lot of wood.

Plus, what CabinFever said. Personally, I burn wood that was cut at least 18 months ago. Usually 24.

[wyld thang]

Did you try calling him again? it could be a miscommunication--just saying since he was recommended.

You can also rent a woodsplitter. Around here if a neighbor helps out with cutting wood, they get some of the wood to take home(no money involved). But yeah, the wood is too green, unless it's been lying on the ground for awhile(it will still be green unless it was standing dead).

[TurnerHill]

Good advice on the calling again thing. Miscommunications happen.

I can't see renting a woodsplitter for less than a cord of wood, though.

[momtomany]

It was standing dead ash, dead for years. It is about 5 trees. Maybe 3 cords towards four is a better estimate. Let me look out my window.......at least 3. I'll call him again. What about smaller branches (got a ton).......what do I do with them? It has been on the ground for a month, dead for years. Nice seasoned wood. Ash here got killed by the ash borers.

[TurnerHill]

3 face cords cut to 18" lengths is still only a single real cord. Not worth renting a splitter for, IMHO.

How long was it dead and standing? It could have gone past seasoned and into dry-rot.

[wyld thang]

Ash is good then. But it will be a beeeech to cut(which could be why the guy didn't show up). You can cut up the smaller branchs and burn them too.

You can burn the branches in a slash pile outside(enjoy the bonfire) and put the ashes on your garden--If you have acid soil.

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

i have cut split and stacked in may and kept covered and had burnable wood in nov before but if it is green now it will be next fall before ready, wood is selling about 70 dollars a cord here , i suggest if you need wood you buy or trade for some seasoned stuff and always keep it covered

if they are standing dead wood you may get away with cutting splitting and giving then till jan to dry under cover , but watch for widow(er) makers with the standing dead
a widow maker is a tree that snapps off from the vibration of being cut half or 3/4 of the way up and falls down killing you

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

i pick up anything larger than i can get my hand around to cut and stack for fire wood any smaller is kindling

[momtomany]

So ash isn't easy to split? Could this be why I am having a hard time doing it by hand as a lady? Got too much small branches. Gotta get more wood and get this set up this week and next. Any pics of your woodpile to give me an idea of how to start?

[TurnerHill]

There are many types of ash, but the white ash that we burn here (and that you probably have in MI) is not especially difficult to split.

It does get tough when seasoned, though.

[GoldenCityMuse]

If you want some small wood, buy yourself a good bow saw with pruning blade, and cut the small branches to length by hand. You can even give it tou your kids & they can cut. Good exercise, keeps them out fo the house and away from TV & internet [Like me!!!!]

Once we get out of this apartment, it will be different for me.

[clovis]

Have you thought about a Milwaukee Sawzall for the smaller stuff, like the tree limbs? Would that be of help to you? It is not going to cut the big stuff, but I think it is safer than a chain saw. Of course, you would need a place to plug it in.

[Danaus29]

Cordless sawzall would be your best bet.

Don't knock the heating power of small twigs and branches. I used nothing but small twigs and branches from trimming our sycamore tree to keep the house warm for over a week. Now I'm using elm branches from the tree that fell on my garden 2 weeks ago.

[ronbre]

it is best to wait until the sap is out of the wood..below freezing to cut down your trees, the wood will dry much faster..

if you are desperate to use the wood this year you can put a dehumidifier on it under a tarp to quicken the drying time..but that would be an added expense.

good luck on finding a reputable person to cut it..but don't do it alone unless you are experienced and have hyelp..use all protective equipment recommended in the chain saw book and check for wires..and buildings etc within the drop zone..be careful

[rambler]

Originally Posted by momtomany

So ash isn't easy to split? Could this be why I am having a hard time doing it by hand as a lady? Got too much small branches. Gotta get more wood and get this set up this week and next. Any pics of your woodpile to give me an idea of how to start?

Ash splits pretty good.

It is harder on the chainsaw to cut when it is dry. That's what was meant.

If you want a challenge for splitting, try the dead elm like we have up here....

Anyhow, the small stuff makes good kindling, the big stuff makes good longer burning firewood of course.

Ash can be burned a tad wet or green or unseasoned, it will lose a bit of heating but like our dead elm, if it was standing dead wood from the bugs, it likely will be 'in shape' pretty quickly, would be nice if you got it cut & split & could season for a few weeks or months, rather than doing it one little piece at a time & using it so fresh.

How do you get it done? Ah, there is the question for anything. good luck.

--->Paul

[Danaus29]

We've had good results with stacking green wood near the stove, right where it gets the heat blown onto it. Dries fast enough to use the same year if it's split or debarked.

[haypoint]

To someone that's never been around a wood burning stove, 3 face cords might look like a lot.
I struggled the first year with an axe to split wood. Switched to a splitting maul. Nothing fancy. It will help once you can swing it and hit the same spot twice.

Ash splits easy. It is a heavy wood, like oak. It drys fast and the Emerald Ash Borer went through your area at least several years ago.


Is there any size that you can cut? Get the branches and twigs cut to length. Use what ever size saw you can handle. They'll produce heat, you have to clean them up anyway and it'll make it easier for someone to cut up the big stuff.

To buy three face cords of dry Ash, which is about a full cord, might cost $120 to $150. Bad part about that is that the cost is mostly for the labor, not the value of the down trees. What did you have in mind to pay the guy to cut and split 3 face cords? Are you willing to be out there with him, moving the split wood out of the way, setting the cut pieces up on end so he can split it?

[Ken Scharabok]

Thread indicates firewood is referred to differently in different places.

To me a full cord is a closely stacked pile 4' x 4' x 8'. 128 cubic feet. Some places price it out as a rick, rack, cord face (16" x 4' x 8') or pickup load. If you can find out a full cord price locally it gives an indication (by cubic feet) on how to price out lesser stackes.

Say you live in an apartment with limited outside storage. A cord face may be all the wood you need for an occasional fireplace or patio fire.

I've seen those bundles of firewood outside convenience stores and such plastic wrapped. I figure they are selling a full cord for $800 a cord or so doing it that way.

I recently hired a tree company to take down two dead/dying trees and topping one off. Had them cut it into firewood lengths, leaving branches laying. Limbs went onto a burn pile. Firewood went to relatives.