dirty boy

Get a powered log splitter! Dry oak is hard to split.

You're telling me! What sort of power do I need? Can't afford a honking great machine, nor do I have the space to store one!

I acquired some oak earlier in the year that an elderly lady had in her barn for quite some time...apparently from the '87 storm.

So...I tried splitting it last weekend..nearly broke my hands!

Given some of it is 450mm in diameter and a maul and grenade won't touch it, has anyone got any advice please?

Cheers

I'd guess i've used around 1.5-2m3. I'm only heating one room though, 7kw Hillandale Monterrey stove.

It's on most nights, and all weekend.

Got through the first load of round logs quite quickly, not sure what they were, was told Ash, presume correct.

I'm now on the oak I cut myself, but only a couple of weeks supply left. Can't be bothered to go cut any more, plus I don't have time, so i've got East Anglian Landscaping dropping me off 5m3 on Friday.

Should see me through.

Can't quite make it out from the photo you posted but are you planning to have joist hangers off the dwarf wall?

Yes, there are joist hangars there, but they leave too much of a gap when hanging off the dwarf wall, so I'm going to chase them into the brick below and get them so there's only 2/3" of gap underneath.

Also, went to finish it off this weekend, but I was 20 tiles short! I thought I could lay them 3 deep, but that leaves just a bit too much gap for my liking.

God knows where I'm going to get 20 clay hand made pan tiles from! Might have to go to the old dears' house and pinch some off the cart lodges or barns lol!

I'll definitely post pics up when finished.

Cheers for the responses guys.

I grabbed a moisture meter from Maplin on the way home, one particular bit of wood I had was 'soaked' so that's gone to the shed at the bottom of the garden for now.

I've become a bit obsessed with this wood business. I've got some stored in the dining room fireplace, the pile at the side of the house, a load in the shed and a temporary wood store made of two pallets and two fence panels on top!

Wish I had a barn like my old dear, she must have enough to last her the rest of her days.

Quite tempted on this £300 for 5m2 deal. That would give me a good back up, even if not perfectly seasoned, I won't need it until next year in any case.

as above, get a moisture meter, and you need to stack your wood off the floor to help air circulation. Just get a couple of palletts to stack your wood on for now. For future reference, you could do with making a proper log store. there are plenty of threads on here about them in the firewood threads.

Hi Harvey,

Logstore is just behind the logs - under construction! I'm picking up the tiles tomorrow so I can complete this weekend.

Me messing about>>>

Cheers for the info...

Also, best place for a moisture meter?

PS, is £300 for 5m3 hardwood delivered a good deal?

Seen here.....

Fire Wood Logs and Kindling | East Anglian Landscaping Supplies Ltd

I've attached a picture of the wood I managed to cut down over the weekend, I managed to 'barrow' four times that amount (load for me, load for neighbour, rest for land owner) through the wood.....BACKBREAKING!

Anyway...

I'm not sure on how to tell how far seasoned it is? The trees we cut were dead (at least they'd been marked to say they were - certainly looked lifeless) the rest was bits lying around. Is there any way of knowing? I'm new to this!

Also, any idea how much is there cubic metre wise? So I know how much to order if I was in requirement of more?

Cheers

db

I got mine from tooled up

Fiskars X25 Antishock SoftGrip Splitting Axe 722mm Long for Large Logs : Fiskars : Tooled-Up.com

Came in a few days and easy to track the parcel via email / text

I used it for the first time about 20 minutes ago, and it's much better than the £19 lump maul I was using.

I thought about spending an extra £40 on a Gransfors, but am not dissapointed

I've only just signed up on here, and have used it to search for what wood is best etc...

So, my firewood journey has just begun, however, i've just had a client come in to pay his bill, and as he was leaving said "don't suppose you know anyone who wants a load of wood?" pointing at his pickup stacked out fully...

Obviously a "yes please" followed. And he's now on his way to my house to drop off circa 1t of ash!

I'll make sure I reduce his bill next year as a thank you.

I wouldn't have known Ash was the best wood until yesterday either, so knew to make an extra special thank you.

Cheers ArbTalk x

Should you need any advice from a professional woodcutter, I am based near you, and although I'm away all week I'm home at weekends and would gladly pop down to see you.

You'll probably find that the most important training for chainsaw use will cost you a lot less than you think and the peace of mind it gives you will make it worth every penny. I would strongly advise against training via you-tube as there are some serious muppets putting "training" videos on there.

 

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Hi Pasty Muncher, that's a fair point, I like to think I have a fair degree of common sense, so take the YouTube stuff with degree of caution.

Whereabouts in Suffolk are you based?

can you not get permission from the house closer to the wood to use their access route then a smaller drag

It's actually fenced in, the person who owns the wood lives at the bottom left corner of that picture. There's a locked gate to get into the wood, otherwise that would have been a good suggestion.

Looks like it's the hard way huh? lol!

Maybe tie some ropes and drag, but then the wheelbarrow comes back into play..

bobh, that's looks brilliant....proper man toy..

Still a bit pricey but what about the "Stein Arbor-trolley". Have used one a few times and it saves your back the world of trouble. Just a thought.

That looks ideal...should last too.

Here's a good tip for you, get some training & do a test in saw maintenance, felling, snedding & windblown trees before it costs you your life. Also a first aid course would be handy. Sorry if i come across rude.

Hi Glenn,

Completely appreciate your sentiments. Not rude at all.

Oddly, the one qualification I do have is First Aid qualification.

With respect to the remaining knowledge. Although i'm a desk jockey, I like to think i'm mechanically sympathetic. I've already replaced a couple of items on the chainsaw, most notably the chain tensioner which was cross threading after just one day of use! - Scary isn't it?

I'm terrified of the dangers of a chainsaw, so although I know a course would be beneficial, until I do one, I remain overly cautious, and did spend on the PPE. Will take a few more trips yet to get my money back!

I did take the opportunity to YouTube Chainsaw safety, so hopefully picked up some basics, but apprecaite I need more....something i'd actually like to do..

I've priced up the vaious courses I'd like to do and they come to about £2k, so I need to save up!

With respect to the quad suggestion, that's probably the best I can think of myself, not cheap though, considering my return on investment would take a fair bit of time (can you tell i'm a number cruncher?)

Sounds like I'll just have to make do with slow progress and bit of fitness.

Hi,

I'm lucky enough to have access to a woodland, as is probably usual, I can't get a vehicle into the wood, so anything I take, needs to be lugged to a vehicle.

Last time, I simply cut the pieces into lengths around 4/5ft long stood them up, and 'hoiked' them onto my shoulders and walked them to the van.

I'm an accountant by day, so I can assure you, I had done the hardest days work of my life, cutting and lugging from around 8am to 5pm! It's quite a shock that physical stuff, hats off to those who do it daily! Thoroughly enjoyed it though, was terrifying using a chainsaw for the first time, cost me a fortune after my wife demanded I buy all the gear. Not cheap is it?

Anyway. I'm going back there next week, and was wondering if there was any tips? A wheelbarrow would be obvious, but I think even that would get caught up in the brambles etc that litter the majority of the floor on the way out (the narrow area)

The trees have been marked for cutting down (I think 3 need felling) and some have already fallen, and they're in the location on the map, so it's a fair old hike!

Hopefully someone can help with some tips?

I have to leave half for the land owner, which I will cut and leave at the entrance.

I fear another seriously hard day (I am with a neighbour, so not working alone, just help each other)

Thanks in advance.

Thanks for that.

Tempting, but I can't see how I could move it once delivered. Then it would be a right mess in my back garden once cut!

I'll give it some thought though.

Hi! First time poster on here, from Lowestoft.

Forgive my ignorance, but what is Cordwood? And is it suitable for someone who's simply stocking up for a woodburner?

I'm quite lucky in that I look over 16 acres of woodland and the owner has said I can take stuff that's already fallen, but there's not as much decent stuff as I'd hoped. So now looking at other options.

Any advice appreciated, happy to get the chainsaw out and get my hands dirty!

Cheers

db