Lets use those axes for what they were ment for.

Yes and I've followed your collecting with interest since you clearly live in an area with low represented here. I mean, it's a simple presumption of mine that most contributors do their contributions from more populated places, with now and then an odd-ball or two - of which I definitely include myself - piping in. Those places probably have their own wood gathering norms, or like here, are so far removed that such knowledge is something from the distant past and forgotten leaving most to either flail or turn to commerce for heating in the winter.
 
I am year round always in hunter/gather, buck, split & stack mode...

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My dad here and my youngest earlier this season

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Work bench legs

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This seems like a good time for this--I am a tree worshiper. For me, no other living thing on planet earth provides so much to the other occupants to sustain life. Oxygen, food, water, shelter, and in the case of the human animal, warmth, and a building material to make other items we use like bowls, spoons, tables, chairs, etc.
 
Old Axeman said:
This seems like a good time for this--I am a tree worshiper. For me, no other living thing on planet earth provides so much to the other occupants to sustain life. Oxygen, food, water, shelter, and in the case of the human animal, warmth, and a building material to make other items we use like bowls, spoons, tables, chairs, etc.
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I agree and in that exact order.

I remember coming up, I must have been about 10 or 12. But it was my first real fist fight.
My neighborhood buddy and i were scouting thru the woods as usual, climbing trees, throwing rocks, always competing...but he brought a hatchet this time.
He kept chopping indiscriminately as we went along, i kept telling him to stop.
Well, he found one tree and just starting hacking.
I told him to stop. He didnt. I charged him, he threw the hatchet at me, missing of course. I tackled him, we hit each other a few times and that was the end of that.

We don't see or know one another today, however on that day. I believe later that evening we went water skiing together behind his dads boat.
I like to water ski, they needed a spotter. No hatchets, it was a mahogany boat.
 
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David Martin said:
Miller, it took some equipment to get those logs loaded and unloaded.
You son is on top of over 2 cords of good split (hardwood) firewood. Good job!
This let's me know that somebody else is out cutting. Thanks.DM
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Hi Dave.
You are correct sir! He was standing on near maybe 3+ cord at the time.
Yes, the longest and largest were delivered as a favor this season, others we used my dad's tractor and his larger truck as shown. My folks also had a tree down in a storm a couple months back, white oak, my son and i gladly helped with clearing and clean up, sharing the wood.
The majority of the time I typically use a set of ramps up the bed of my truck and a (short, sawmill) cant hook.
Cut to length to fit in my truck, i roll 'em up, twist 'em in, dbl stack it if and when needed.
I also have a stack of white oak staves, ends painted, out of the weather.
I may add several more staves from this last score.
Thank you Dave.
My winter motto: better to have more than enough wood to burn. My wife decides when burning starts and ends...i just work here lol!!
 
Ha- ha. Yep, me too.^ My wife informs me. I know to keep shoving a log in the stove when its blowing & cold. The mild nights is when I listen to her. She never complains when I spend days out cutting wood. DM
 
You have humidity there with your moisture. Thus, the feeling is different. Still, I wouldn't doubt your area gets colder than mine. Plus, we have 2x6 walls with R19 insulation. It helps. In 2018 we burned 3 cords and in 2019 2 1/2. A normal pattern for our winters. Living on the continental divide we get fierce winds. Which draws the warmth out of the house. I have cut a lot this year and have over 2 years worth stacked around. Of course I hope for a moderate winter but cut for a long one. DM
 
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David Martin said:
You have humidity there with your moisture. Thus, the feeling is different. Still, I wouldn't doubt your area gets colder than mine. Plus, we have 2x6 walls with R19 insulation. It helps. In 2018 we burned 3 cords and in 2019 2 1/2. A normal pattern for our winters. Living on the continental divide we get firce winds. Which draws the warmth out of the house. I have cut a lot this year and have over 2 years worth stacked around. Of course I hope for a moderate winter but cut for a long one. DM
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Oh yes, you have far superior insulation and windows maybe too compared to us. We have an older home, 1935, original windows (with storms) and if insulation was used...its settled to the bottom 6" by now ha ha ha. Plaster and lath.
Beautiful area of the country you live in. Breathtaking really.
Always best to be prepared. I agree
 
Thanks Miller. Our weather is moderate right now. 40's- 70's. Great Fall weather. I may burn some wood this week just for the morning. My fire building doesn't go daily until the first of Nov.. Good luck. DM
 
Thanks, guys. I appreciate this thread. My wife and I are thinks of moving to Canada’s Maritime provinces from where we are now, out west. Lots of folks there heat, either fully or partially, with wood. I wondered how much wood a person would need in the average year. Now I know!
 
David Martin said:
Thanks Miller. Our weather is moderate right now. 40's- 70's. Great Fall weather. I may burn some wood this week just for the morning. My fire building doesn't go daily until the first of Nov.. Good luck. DM
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And good winter heating to you too sir! I love it! Nothing more refreshing sometimes than swinging and splitting in snow mid winter.
Our temps are ranging about the same right now.
We have had 2 evening fires that i rejuvenated those next mornings...other than that i believe come thanksgiving we are usually also on the daily burn.

Curt Hal said:
Thanks, guys. I appreciate this thread. My wife and I are thinks of moving to Canada’s Maritime provinces from where we are now, out west. Lots of folks there heat, either fully or partially, with wood. I wondered how much wood a person would need in the average year. Now I know!
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Anything thats needs to be known can usually be found here.
Sounds like its going to be beautiful and great adventure to be moving!
 
Thanks, Miller. I have 2 1/2 cords split, cured and in the barn. Should I need more, I have it cut and cured. Just not split. Should I need it that would be late February or early March timeframe. I could see that coming and work on it. Do you split with hand tools? What ax or maul? And wedges? DM
 
David Martin said:
Thanks, Miller. I have 2 1/2 cords split, cured and in the barn. Should I need more, I have it cut and cured. Just not split. Should I need it that would be late February or early March timeframe. I could see that coming and work on it. Do you split with hand tools? What ax or maul? And wedges? DM
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Hi dave. I split with an axe and when needed wedges with a 6lb hammer.
I like to use one maybe 2 axes a season and rotate them thru...i am partial each year to a 4²lb kelly hand made kelly works true temper dbl bit i aquired thru a trade with @Travbud1 a beast to split wood with.
I like a solid connie and one is always part of the rotation and season.
 
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Miller, thanks. I like to split with my 5 lb. Council flat head fireman ax. It has the heft to separate my Emory oak logs and the live oak. A real performer. On limb work I like using my Wards Master Craftsman only 2.5 lb. but it has a good penetrating edge. For general work, bucking and driving wedges I carry my Hults. A 4 lb. Ax. It can do limb work & splitting you just have to swing it more. There is no such thing as a 'one ax can do it all.' When out cutting I carry 2 and 2 wedges. I can make wooden wedges if I need more. Stay fit and warm. DM
 
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