Yet another use for my B3030 HDSC

[smfcpacfp]

I partially heat my house with wood, and have done so for 30 years. Currently I have a Woodchuck 4000 forced air furnace. The other half my heating comes from a propane furnace. Periodically I buy wood, since me land is about 95% pine, usually around 20+cords at a time which should last 3 to 4 years. Below is most of the 22 cord load (80% red oak, some maple, a little white birch that I purchased this year ($2,000 - Is it that high where you live?).

I have an older Stihl 029 and a new Stihl 390 chainsaw to do the cutting. The last 10 years my son cut my wood but he lives in San Frisco and for the 10 years prior to that I hired that job, but this year my wife and I are doing it, and it isn't too bad.

Next is the log splitter that I built from scratch 29 years ago. It is pretty mean and ugly today, but it started on the first pull after 4 years of inactivity. The new addition is the orange lifting tongs which you can see on the splitter deck.

If you look closely at the wood pile, you will see that there are some very large pieces of wood. In the past I would just grunt and pick them up. I have not yet hurt my back, but I decided that I wasn't going to risk it anymore so I borrowed the lifting tongs from a friend. It hooks nicely on the toothbar on the loader of my B3030 HSDC. I don't have any pictures of this operation.

So we split the stuff we feel like lifting and when it comes time to split the ball busters, we fire up the tractor, use the tongs to put the big one on the splitter (this involves getting in and out of the tractor a lot moving the pieces, but it better than a bad back) and then we haul the split wood with the tractor.

My wife and I look at cutting and splitting as a form of exercise. Since we have our own equipment we worked at it 2 to 3 hours a day, every nice day, and the tractor makes it so much nicer than in the past

 

[savageactor7]

That's less than 100 a cord...an excellent buy. Nice operation all the way around too...props to you. We harvest our own trees but if I came across a deal like than I'd bank up another couple of log loads.

 

[smfcpacfp]

So, how much is wood in CNY?

 

[savageactor7]

Most wood around here is sold by the face cord and it goes for 60-70 a face cord...and price can vary on whether it's a 20" log or 14". Still it was until very recently reasonably priced due to a lot of competition.

A co-energy plant opened up in Lyonsdale that's paying a decent price for chips...and they're even paying a for fuel surcharge depending on the distance you drive.

As a consequence to that a lot of the people that use to deal with firewood and log loads have gone the chipper route because it's not labor intensive and there's no customer headaches.

 

[Egon]

Thank you for sharing your pictures.

For the larger diameter logs have you considered cutting shorter pieces that would be easier to lift?

 

[bialecki]

Below is most of the 22 cord load (80% red oak, some maple, a little white birch that I purchased this year ($2,000 - Is it that high where you live?).

Considering that I just purchased 500 gallons of home heating oil at $3.80/ gallon; totaling $1900 which will take me through to mid winter your 22 cords lasting 3 years is a good deal, plus it keeps you in shape.

 

[jmp01454]

i agree it is a waste of money and time messing with the tongs.. just cut smaller pieces or fabricate a divice to lift the logs from the ground onto the spliting deck like i did, it works like a charm. all you need is some steel and some hoses and you are on your way. this will cut your time in half and save on the old bones

 

[smfcpacfp]

i agree it is a waste of money and time messing with the tongs.. just cut smaller pieces or fabricate a divice to lift the logs from the ground onto the spliting deck like i did, it works like a charm. all you need is some steel and some hoses and you are on your way. this will cut your time in half and save on the old bones

I think that would take a lot more time than using the tongs.

 

[LBrown59]

Considering that I just purchased 500 gallons of home heating oil at $3.80/ gallon; totaling $1900 which will take me through to mid winter your 22 cords lasting 3 years is a good deal, plus it keeps you in shape.

This means you will be running summer fuel in the dead of winter.
Do you for see any problem with doing that ?

 

[crashz]

LB - he's talking about home heating oil to heat his house. Not run his tractor. Here in New England, many people still heat with oil.

We cut up a bout 2 cord last weekend for my parents. They upgraded to a larger soap stone wood stove and are able to take up to 22" logs. Last year they used their little Jotul and saved enough in heat that the oil company gave them a credit on their pre-purchased fuel.

I wish I could have used their Jotul at my house, as we have gas heat. Its not bad, but every time the oil goes up, so does natural gas.

 

[LBrown59]

I know but here it's all the same stuff so you can run your tractor on it or heat your house with it.

L . B .

LB -
*he's talking about home heating oil to heat his house. Not run his tractor.

Here in New England, many people still heat with oil.
.

 

[smfcpacfp]

The tongs and the tractor make handling the big heavy logs easy, although I have to get in and out of the tractor quite a lot. I used to lift all of the heavy logs by hand and had never hurt my back, but at 61 I am no longer willin gto temp fate.

My wife moves the tongs out of the way after i set the log on the splitter. It is quite inefficient, but my back is really appreciating the use of the tractor. I know I could build a nifty lift, but the tractor is ready to go.

 

[Ductape]

I do the same thing, sep'n i'm on the splitter and my FIL is setting them in place. Eventually, i'll have a third function on my loader, and will own something like this on a skidsteer-to-three point adapter (on my FEL) to speed up and simplify the operation.

 

[smfcpacfp]

I do the same thing, sep'n i'm on the splitter and my FIL is setting them in place. Eventually, i'll have a third function on my loader, and will own something like this on a skidsteer-to-three point adapter (on my FEL) to speed up and simplify the operation.

I got the idea to use the tongs for picking up the big pieces from one of your postings and pictures, so thank you!

If I were going to be splitting wood for many years to come, I would build one of those lifting platforms, but the wood I have should last until I am 65, and am I really going to want to do this after 65?

 

[Ductape]

I know what you are saying. I've got a ways to go before i get to retirement / not wanting to burn wood anymore, but the wife and i have already taked about trading the woodstove for a pellet stove (we already use one pellet stove as a secondary heat source). Problem is..... if it were even possible to FIND pellets this year, you'd be paying close to $350/ton. I'll just burn oil at that price. I guess time will tell what the answer is. The log lift is a great idea. I've toyed with it myself. Maybe next year.......