How much wood.............

Farmwithjunk · Nov 1, 2005

..........can a wood truck truck?

We buy and sell firewood by the rick around these parts. Cords, facecords, and all those other terms don't apply here.

So. (a rick is 4'x8'x2') How many rick(s) have you (or can you) stack in the bed of a full-sized pick-em-up truck?

I just loaded 2-1/2, and don't you know, the sun went behind the only cloud in the sky, and it started raining. Now I get to UNLOAD in the rain. NICE. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

This will give me 8-1/2 ricks at the house. More to follow in a few days.

dmccarty · Nov 1, 2005

Farmwithjunk,

When I was selling firewood in L'ville a few decades ago we sold by the rick and cord. Seems like we could get a cord in the bed of a fullsize PU. I think I was selling a cord for $65 delivered.

Selling was easy, it was the splitting the wood in the summer that was aweful. On land right next to the Ohio river. Talk about hot and humid. YUCK! I developed "issues" with power log splitters. Now I just split with a maul. Being bent over that log splitter all day long left me wondering if I would ever be able to stand straight again. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Later,
Dan

Highbeam · Nov 1, 2005

Since one cord equals 2 ricks I can use your funny units. A typical pickemup is loaded with two ricks. More is a bonus to the buyer who seldom wants to buy a quarter cord.

rozett · Nov 1, 2005

Based on your definition of a rick (4x8x2), that is one-half of a cord. Obviously, the weight of the firewood depends on the species. For the stuff I deliver (ash, oak, maple) the weight of a cord of green firewood is almost 5000 pounds, while seasoned weighs 3500 pounds. So if you stacked 2 1/2 ricks in your truck, you had about 4300 pounds of seasoned (6250 green) firewood in the bed. I would be very concerned about my truck. Even an F-350 won't handle 6250 pounds. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Farmwithjunk · Nov 1, 2005

( Based on your definition of a rick (4x8x2), that is one-half of a cord. Obviously, the weight of the firewood depends on the species. For the stuff I deliver (ash, oak, maple) the weight of a cord of green firewood is almost 5000 pounds, while seasoned weighs 3500 pounds. So if you stacked 2 1/2 ricks in your truck, you had about 4300 pounds of seasoned (6250 green) firewood in the bed. I would be very concerned about my truck. Even an F-350 won't handle 6250
pounds. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif )

It's dryer than gunpowder. This wood was cut in the spring of '04, then stacked under a machine shed roof. I'm hauling it in a 2500 Dodge. Yep! Those Fords can't take a REAL load!

(Probably around 4000 to 4200 lbs. Red oak, hickory, ash, and some cherry)

Farmwithjunk · Nov 1, 2005

I'm about 30 minutes south of Lousville. Wood sells for $60+ per rick, delivered this winter LG&E just got a 64% rate increase on natural gas. I'd look for the wood price to go through the roof now.

Where abouts were you "along the mighty Ohio"? I just finished trimming a house in Cardinal Harbor a few weeks back. (Oldham County)

beenthere · Nov 1, 2005

A 'cord' is 128 cu ft, of stacked wood (not thrown in or on) I've been told.

An 8' pickup bed by 4' wide would have to be stacked 4' high to get the cord. Probably are some wider above the wheel wells, but racks on the sides would be necessary to get a full cord of wood on a standard pickup.

When I split wood with a splitter, I make sure I stand erect between splitting pieces, and don't stay hunched over when the ram is moving. Really helps keep the back in better shape, for me at least. I thought I spent more time 'bent over' while splitting by hand as I would have to stand the piece up and get it to stay there long enough to swing the splitting maul at it. Seems my lower back pain doesn't bother now with the splitter.
Just a different side of the coin. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Birdhunter1 · Nov 2, 2005

I usually work the splitter and load it while I'm on my knees on the ground. I'm 25 and it kills my back to be hunched over that thing all day too so it ain't just all inclusive to you old fellers!

HGM · Nov 2, 2005

Yep, I've got my back problems too.. I rented a splitter for the first time this year and mmy buddy and I split 6 cords. We had the logs loaded on the trailer and the splitter set up next to it. We were able to remain standing most of the time. The issue was loading the trailer with wood(lots of bending and lifting) then moving it to the wood shed. I think the key is to use your slaves(kids) to do that part /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif..I also learned not to cut large logs anymore either. Keep them easy to manuver /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif.

Farmwithjunk · Nov 2, 2005

( I usually work the splitter and load it while I'm on my knees on the ground. I'm 25 and it kills my back to be hunched over that thing all day too so it ain't just all inclusive to you old fellers! )

The difference between 25 and 45 is the RECOVERY TIME after trashing your back. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

The company I work for, among other things, does site work (clearing land, grading, ect) before new construction can begin. They cut a LOT of trees over the course of a year. They saw them up, split all the wood, then stack it under a shed roof at the yard. All our employees get free fire wood, provided we keep the place clean and orderly. I haven't cut or split firewood in over 20 years, even though I burn wood in the house and my shop.

I have, from time to time, some downed trees to be cut up on the farm. I let friends and neighbors cut that up and split it for their own use. I'm not splitting any more wood..................!

PhilNH5 · Nov 2, 2005

I'm with Rozette and Beenthere on this one. When a guy (Rozette)makes a partial living selling firewood tells me a cord doesn't really fit in a PU and goes out and buys a dump trailer to deliver I would buy my wood from him /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Up here (according to the Manchester Union Leader) there is a state law requiring firewood only to be sold in cord units. No ricks, facecords or anything else. Keeps everybody on the same page.

Phil

Farmwithjunk · Nov 2, 2005

A cord (2 ricks) won't stack below the top of the bed in a full-sized pick-up, but it WILL haul in an 8' bed none-the-less. BTDT MANY times. A pick-up bed IS 4' BETWEEN the fenderwells, but there's plenty of bed beyond that point. In addition, the stack can (and does in my case) go above the bedsides. I've hauled 2-1/2 rick on an 8' pick-up bed more times than I care to recall. It's a heck of a load, but it will fit.

dmccarty · Nov 2, 2005

Farmwithjunk,

The farm I worked on was right along the Ohio river there was not a town in KY nearby but I think the town across the river was Madison. We would drive over there every once in a while to get pizza. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Mr. Taylor had I think 160 acres on the river. He was going to turn it into a subdivision but the Marble Hill nuke plant was being built just down river from his place. Kinda ruined his plans. I don't think they ever finished it so maybe he turned the place into a subdivision after all.

Anywho, he would cut the trees, top 'em, drag 'em to me, where he would cut them into rounds which I then would split. We would have a mountain of wood at the end of the summer. One year he loaded up a semi to haul the wood to a place by the Watson Expressway. That was out in the middle of no where back them. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif But the truck could not make it up the grade. We used a big UHAUL filled half with wood to get to L'ville.

Hard to believe that the price of wood has only doubled in a couple of decades...

Later,
Dan

Farmwithjunk · Nov 2, 2005

( Farmwithjunk,

The farm I worked on was right along the Ohio river there was not a town in KY nearby but I think the town across the river was Madison. We would drive over there every once in a while to get pizza. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Mr. Taylor had I think 160 acres on the river. He was going to turn it into a subdivision but the Marble Hill nuke plant was being built just down river from his place. Kinda ruined his plans. I don't think they ever finished it so maybe he turned the place into a subdivision after all.

Anywho, he would cut the trees, top 'em, drag 'em to me, where he would cut them into rounds which I then would split. We would have a mountain of wood at the end of the summer. One year he loaded up a semi to haul the wood to a place by the Watson Expressway. That was out in the middle of no where back them. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif But the truck could not make it up the grade. We used a big UHAUL filled half with wood to get to L'ville.

Hard to believe that the price of wood has only doubled in a couple of decades...

Later,
Dan )

The Marble Hill Nuke Plant never was finished. (Another Bechtell (sp) fiasco....) Public Service of Indiana (now known as Cinergy) users ended up absorbing the billions wasted. It was de-certified by the nuclear regulatory commission in the late 1980's, sighting gross negligent saftey violations in the construction. It is being stripped of any material that can be recycled. The containment towers (one nearly finished, the other about 1/2 finished) will forever be a scar on the Madison/Hanover area of Jefferson County Indiana.

"Old Taylor Place" is now a thriving up-scale subdivision.

WATTERSON Expressway is the major east/west cross-town link in Louisville.

And who would have known 20 years ago, natural gas/home heating fuels would be at the price they are now.

dmccarty · Nov 2, 2005

HGM,

If I ever bought a wood splitter I would make a bench to put it on so I could work standing up. The one I ran on the farm I was bent over all day. I tried to kneel, sit on rounds, etc but I was still bent over for the most part. Day after Day.

I could do sit ups real well in PE! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I built a "table" that is 4x8x3 feet. I pick up the logs with the 4n1 bucket and put them on the table. Then I can saw the log up into rounds while standing. After I split the wood with the maul I stack the wood on pallets. I keep everything covered int tarps. To get the wood to the house I put the pallet forks on the tractor, tie a tarp tightly around the wood sitting on the pallet, and move it to the house.

The pallets really help minimize the work effort.

Later,
Dan

HGM · Nov 2, 2005

The one I rented was molunted on a trailer and I was able to stand up while using it. With the logs loaded on the trailer, it was nearly waist or lat lease knee high, So bending was minimal. Worked really well for my needs.

turnkey4099 · Nov 2, 2005

My homebuilt is a bit under knee high. Every time I use it, I swear that I will have it cut apart and insert at least a 9" lift.
Would only require cutting the welds on the axle and brace but I welded the p*** out of them. Don't have the equipment to do it myself anymore, probably wouldn't be able to see well enought to re-weld anyhow.

Harry K

kevincook · Nov 2, 2005

When I was a kid my dad borrowed a log splitter that was powered by a large flywheel run off a small engine. You would load the log and then pull a lever that would engage the ram with the flywheel. This was much faster than moving hydraulic cylinders. I haven't seen anything like this since then. Does anyone know if they still make a splitter that is powered by a flywheel?

Thanks,
Kevin

BillG_in_TX · Nov 2, 2005

Kevin,

Here a post about the flywheel powered Super Split from last month.

slowrev · Nov 3, 2005

Just my .02. If you stack the wood in very tightly you can get a cord of wood in a fullsize pickup, but it is tight. wood just thrown in will be maxed out at one rick or less. Consider the dimensions inside a pickup bed and subtract the humps for the wheel wells. Basically just enough volume for one cord if stacked very tightly.

Most people around here sell a pickup load of thrown in wood as a cord and in reality it is perhaps less than a face cord or rick.

Ben