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how much time to split a cord of firewood?

Started by davidlarson, May 21, 2011, 08:13:19 PM

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davidlarson

My daughter has enrolled her two sons (my grandsons) in the local Montessori school, which is about to have its annual auction and fund drive.  I have a pick-up truck, a good Husqvarna chain saw, a new hydraulic wood splitter, and lots of trees that need Timber Stand Improvement.  I am learning how to cut firewood for myself, and since I'm now retired, I have plenty of unstructured time.  She asked me to offer to donate "one cord of mixed hardwood, cut, split and stacked," delivered to the home of whoever buys it at the auction.  A full cord of wood is 128 cubic feet, and my truck bed holds 42 cubic feet, which is almost exactly 1/3 of that, so I estimate I'll need to split three pick-up loads.  I plan to cut the logs to about 18" long, and usual firewood size diameter.
This project seems like a good cause, and I'm a grandfather who dotes on his grandsons, but I'm wondering how big a commitment I've made.  That is, in the experience of other Forestry Forum members, how long does it take to convert trees in the woods to a cord of split firewood?  Thanks in advance for estimates from experienced firewood splitters.
David Larson

Buck

single wedge splitter. blocks allready cut and staged. I can do a cord an hour at 45 yrs old.

and to add to that...I said I can.  I'm not mad at firewood anymore.  I prefer to set a lil slower pace and I complain more.
Respect is earned. Honesty is appreciated. Trust is gained. Loyalty is returned.

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Al_Smith

With an axe, maul , sledge and wedges  about two cords a day ---maybe .

thecfarm

I really don't know.But here's a way to make it easier or the only way I would commit myself. Have a small sample on hand at the auction,than the winning bidder tells you where they live and you go home and start on it than. This way you throw it in the back of your truck and drop it off to the lucky bidder. Than a 2-3 days or next weekend another load and so on until done. This way you won't have to handle it 2-3 times. Whoever wins it may have to clean out the wood shed too and may not be ready for it until next weekend. The way that I cut it would take me a day just to get the wood out. I'm slow and clean up ALOT as I cut. I don't like to cut my big stuff for firewood.Just the small,nasty looking stuff.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

doctorb

I agree with cfarm.  There's work in making firewood that you can not avoid.  But you can avoid moving it around more than you have to.
My father once said, "This is my son who wanted to grow up and become a doctor.  So far, he's only become a doctor."

stumper

I have no way to estimate the time it will take you to fell limb and skid a cord because I have no way of knowing the skid distance, terrain, skidder capacity and speed. 

However, once it is on the landing I figure an hour to cut to firewood size and an hour to split.  For me there is another hour to load into the tractor bucket and transport to the shed and stack. 


Grunex

For me.........well first off lets say I'm a little younger (38) and I do this for a living but I usually cut about five cords a day and stack the brush, next day I can come and load or I will split and load depending on what the customer and land owner want......   some just want it blocked up and they will split it at home when it gets there. 
www.grunexlandclearing.com
Maintaining America's Heartland one acre at a time.

Al_Smith

Well yes you cut down and block out 5 cords a day with not much problem .However splitting it with just one person takes a tad bit longer than one day even with a hydraulic splitter .

Hard wood like oak is right at 2 tons per cord .That's a lot of weight to be slinging in a day no matter how old you are for 5 cords .On a 3/4 ton truck stacked real high that's at the least 7-8 truck loads .At a standard half cord per it's 10 truck loads .

woodmills1

I bet it takes 1+ hr to cut split and load your truck, stacked by hand for the 1/3 cord.  that would be from well organized logs in a pile already from trees cut down earlier.

I started my whole thing with a saw and a pickup

back then at a young 30 I was happy with a cord cut and split and stacked from logs on the ground in 4 hours and ifin I did 2 in one day I spent a half an hour flat on my back on the hardwood floor to stabilize
James Mills,Lovely wife,collect old tools,vacuuming fool,36 bdft/hr,oak paper cutter,ebonic yooper rapper nauga seller, Blue Ox? its not fast, 2 cat family, LT70,edger, 375 bd ft/hr, we like Bob,free heat,no oil 12 years,big splitter, baked stuffed lobster, still cuttin the logs dere IAM

Grunex

Sir I think you misinterpreded my post from earlier today, I'm not trying to brag or anything like that I just was stating a fact for one person (me) two full days for five cord.  The wood is cut one day and loaded the next, It is also my fault for not being clear on the fact that the wood that I cut a lot of it don't need splitting, as it is trash wood.   As for the weight.........naw that wouldn't make a differrence as I set goals for the day in total area covered.  My average production is 2.5 cords a day with just a saw and hand picking the pieces and splitting what needs to be split.  Nothing superhuman about that. just average production cutting, cleaning, clearing and splitting.
www.grunexlandclearing.com
Maintaining America's Heartland one acre at a time.

Al_Smith

5 cords in 2 days is not unreasonable . I'm 63 years old and I think I still could get that much done although I'd be more inclined to use a hydraulic splitter .

Grunex

Sir I'm sincerely glad now that I think of it that we managed to clear the air as I really hate to get into "prove it" sorts of situations on these forums.  I'm sorry if I have caused any misgivings or misconceptions.   I will in the future try to explain my points a little better and in general not cause a raucus.   On a further point I do indeed use a hydraulic single wedge splitter and other sorts of machinery sometimes if landowner will permit it to facilitate getting the job done.  I do apologize also to the rest of the members of this forums for the same.  I hope that others will not feel "put off" because of my statements. 
www.grunexlandclearing.com
Maintaining America's Heartland one acre at a time.

stumper

Just to be clear.  My 1 cord per hour for splitting is with an hydraulic splitter, and my 8 year old son working the lever for me.

Over the last 3 days I have worked up 3 cords from tree length to stacked in the shed 250 feet from the wood pile.  We worked on and off doing this in between normal life being a dad, going to church, doing Memorial weekend stuff and doing a stumpgrinding job.

On a side note, it sticks to get old because I do feelit this mornig as I start the next cord.

beenthere

stumper
Are you missing some fingers, per the forum name?  :)

Keeping an 8-yr olds attention span alert while positioning firewood on the splitter might lead to more stumps. ;)
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

stumper

Nope, I run a side business as a stump grinder.  :D

I only handle the sides of the wood we split and he does awesome working the splitter.  My biggest issue with him is that at 47 I run out before he does. ;)  His twin sister does good as well but her attention span and interst is less. 

I have had them working since they could walk.  Started out hauling fire wood from the door to the stove in their diapers proably around 2 years old.  I had to hide the small sticks in my coat and take them back to the door way so they had enough small wood to lug. 

I also take them stump grinding.  I have them work cleaning up the grinding mulch.  The biggest problem with that is they get more tips then I do now. ;D  The last job they received 6 model airplanes.

Grunex

Quote from: stumper on May 30, 2011, 09:47:52 AM
Just to be clear.  My 1 cord per hour for splitting is with an hydraulic splitter, and my 8 year old son working the lever for me.

Over the last 3 days I have worked up 3 cords from tree length to stacked in the shed 250 feet from the wood pile.  We worked on and off doing this in between normal life being a dad, going to church, doing Memorial weekend stuff and doing a stumpgrinding job.

On a side note, it sticks to get old because I do feelit this mornig as I start the next cord.

My dad got rid of the old oil burner in the 80's and went to full firewood for our heat and he used to take myself and brother and sister to the woods so that my mother could get some cleaning done.  My sister was a little younger and really could care less if she helped make wood or not and my brother wasn't much more enthusiastic either.  Between the two of them it was a battle to keep them focused on the job at hand.  It wasn't until I came with a chunk of wood one time and my brother was daydreaming and I ended up cuting the end of my glove finger off (near miss) that they both started paying attention.  Of course the funny part is I whopped and hollered and screamed like I had just gotten my finger lopped off and he could just see the end of the glove finger there laying in the ground!!!!!   he turned white and my sister cried and after about 20 seconds of that I said GOT YOU!  but neither of them ever forgot what they were doing again! It wasn't long after that incident that they both decided they were going to do nothing with the wood making and left it all to Dad and myself.  which was probably a good thing as it was a lot less griping to put up with.  
www.grunexlandclearing.com
Maintaining America's Heartland one acre at a time.

Tom

I split a cord of wood a few times.  Being more into pacing my efforts than killing myself, I guess I'll have to say that I probably average a cord every fifteen or twenty years.  Yes sir, I've come to understand that working smart is a lot more amenable to a pleasant life.  Did you know that a two thousand foot home can be heated and cooled just be flipping that little switch in the hallway?   Ever since I found that tool, I've become a lot more intimately acquainted with a glass of sweet tea and the porch.  :)

Sheesh!  some of you guys take yourselves too seriously.  :D :D

trapper

Tom 
You are correct but I still have a bit more braun than brains and money
stihl ms241cm ms261cm  echo 310 400 suzuki  log arch made by stepson several logrite tools woodmizer LT30

Grunex

 :D   
yup there are times I like to just flip the switch too.........  usually on Sunday  lol every other day of the week I cannot stand to sit still.    8) :D
www.grunexlandclearing.com
Maintaining America's Heartland one acre at a time.

woodmills1

still said I put 37 cord through the outdoor this year.  most pine and at least 30 through the processor

At 59 I can still do a cord from logs   cut, split and stacked in 4 hrs
and now all of it is over 16 inch

so we high jacked the thread is it time to give it back?
James Mills,Lovely wife,collect old tools,vacuuming fool,36 bdft/hr,oak paper cutter,ebonic yooper rapper nauga seller, Blue Ox? its not fast, 2 cat family, LT70,edger, 375 bd ft/hr, we like Bob,free heat,no oil 12 years,big splitter, baked stuffed lobster, still cuttin the logs dere IAM

Bandmill Bandit

Are you going to get the boys to help you?? I know I would be since it is their school that will benefit if i am reading correctly.

I cut splitting blocks to 16 inch and split with a 8 HP splitter with the kids doing the stacking I can do about a cord in and hour and a half with blocks stacked and ready to split. If my splitter had the faster retract feature I could probably do it in an hour. By my self its about a 4 hour job.

Is your pick up a regular bed or short bed? A half dozen 32 inch stakes to fit the pockets in the box sides and 24" plywood or 3, 1x6 boards for an extension will get you into the cord range on a single load on a regular bed with out to much trouble.

Depending on the wood type and weather or not you have a 3/4 ton may make this and impractical idea. but then what farmer/logger red neck ever worried about the weight.
you jsut load'er up till the last piece falls off when you try to get it to stay for the 11 t eth time :D 
Skilled Master Sawyer. "Skilled labour don't come cheap. Cheap labour dont come skilled!
2018 F150 FX4, Husqvarna 340, 2 Logright 36 inch cant hooks and a bunch of stuff I built myself

Tom

Quote from: woodmills1 on May 31, 2011, 05:57:49 PM
... is it time to give it back?

I don't know.   What time is it?  :D  How long does it have to be?  ;D

I thought all of the estimations were right on the money.  :P ;D

Al_Smith

 :D Well yes I can flip a swirch too but most likely would drink Budweiser in lieu of sweet tea although the tea is nice in summer .I've got  dandy of a geothermal heat pump,cheap but not free to run  .

Living where there is an abundance of firewood plus having ties to two tree service companies the wood works out real good for me .Besides that being a saw nut where else could I test out my saws ?

thecfarm

This thread hasn't turned to food yet.  ;D
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

Tom

 Al is talking about some kind of saw nut.  :D

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