A lot of different schools of thought with burning wood. I'm the exact opposite. Large pieces have much longer burn times., and are a lot less time and work. With those small pieces, you're always feeding your stove. The round non split pieces are always the best for burn times. I wait until there's a bed of hot coals, stir them good and lay the big piece on. I try to stay at least two years ahead with drying wood.
Thanks, Martin! I wish I was two years ahead. I'm barely 1 year ahead. And the pandemic put me behind last year, since we went through way more wood working from home every day. Maybe it's just our stove with the catalytic combustion - but I have trouble with unsplit wood, especially large rounds. I can put them in before bed, and when I get up in the morning, there may be 1/3 of the round left, no coals, not burning. But if I fill the stove full of my split wood, it will burn down to just hot coals by morning. I keep the damper closed down pretty tight. Maybe as the rounds burn throughout the night, they need more air?
@@PurpleCollarLife Thanks for the reply. I have a Regency brand non catalytic stove and it handles the large round pieces quite well. I usually pick small trees to cut down as the pieces are easier to handle, and there's a lot less splitting. Other guys insist on large trees. (and bull work) I've heard that the cat. stoves have longer burn times. We only burn wood on weekends or when we're snowed in (Like right now) so it's pretty easy for me to stay two years ahead. I try to keep the process as easy and simple as possible. Furthermore, I don't have a nice wood splitter like you have. Take care.
I like bigger pieces too but you better be sure they are dry or they will suck the heat right out of your stove. I only leave the very small limbs as rounds, even a 12” round I will split in half because they can be tough to get going even with good coals. Two or three big pieces of red or white oak will usually make it till I get up for work (4am). Maple or something else, probably not. I have a Hearthstone Clydesdale insert so I can fit some pretty big stuff in there but hauling in the house is work, stacks better though. Lots of ash available now because of the ash borer so I definitely leave that as big as I can, Burns pretty fast.
Been heating with wood for 25 years. Small, medium, and big pieces. They all have their place and should all be well seasoned. Still splitting with a maul...good exercise and more satisfying than a hydrauluc splitter for me.
This popped up randomly and I was just scanning thru. When I saw it was PURPLE COLLAR I stopped scanning and enjoyed the video. Why did I stop scanning… my 8N tractor arrived 2 days ago. At 70 yrs old I have never driven a tractor. I had no understanding of how it starts, shifts or brakes. So 5 days ago I found your 8N basics video, watched it 4-5 times over the last few days before delivery and backed my new tractor out of a narrow 35’ enclosed delivery trailer with 1” to spare on each side of the loader bucket…successfully! I owe you one . That video was so well explained and helped stopped my brain from taking over. 2 days later…I’m semi-pro
Thanks for leaving a comment! We always like to hear that our videos are helpful. And that you recognized the channel name and watched more of our content! Thank you for your support of our family hobby.
The guy who cut up logs from my woodlot split 200,12' dump trailer loads of hardwood over the year on this precise model of splitter. He wouldn't use any other. It was powered by an ancient 6.5 Honda. He had made a living every winter with this machine for many years.
That's great to hear. Choosing a log splitter was not an easy process. I did a lot of research. We're really happy with the Split-Fire. Like you said, it's made to last and the engineering behind the design is very smart.
Been heating with wood for nearly 50 years in Alaska now. You're damn lucky to have so many hardwoods! 90% of what we have is spruce, which burns like paper. Hence, I burn the largest pieces I can fit into the stove. I always dry it at least a year in a covered shed.
Spent 14 years in Anchorage. Loved it. However although the spruce was cheaper per cord we always spent the extra for birch. Less creosote and logs lasted almost twice as long.
The best is to have a variety of splits. Small splits in the morning to start the fire, medium splits for regular use throughout the day, and large logs or splits for overnight or when your going out to town. Throw a few small pieces with large splits to help burn through the night without smoldering out too bad.
Hi Alex - excellent idea to throw some smaller pieces in with the large ones. I think that's probably the true secret to a successful overnight burn. The problem with the large pieces only is that you can't fill the fire box, and they often just smolder like charcoal after a while - and don't put out many BTUS. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment!
Such a great video, especially if you are living in a heavily over-wooded area that you need to eventually clear. Killing two birds with one stone as they say. Bless you and have a great Christmas! 🙏🎅🏼
From a physical fitness and speed point of view manual splitting with an axe is preferable, but if you don’t have the physical ability of course a petrol motor is a good substitute, albeit a little slow.
If you use fire starter sticks and a propane torch, you can very easily start a fire in 30 seconds or less, regardless of size of the pieces. Three large split pieces and a starter stick. No more kindling, paper or small pieces or fuss.
I've been splitting firewood to heat my home for longer than this gentleman has been alive and its been my experience that the larger the pieces put in the stove the longer and more even the heat given off is. Smaller pieces burn quicker and hotter so you have to feed the stove more often - a pain in the ??? in the middle of the the night.
@bluebird4667 - Thanks! Our experience with our catalytic combustion stove is slightly different. I've only been burning for heat in this stove for about 22 years - but I've tried different sizes, different types - etc. The method I describe in this video works best for our application. But I agree - different stoves, in different situations - will require different wood types/sizes/mixes. Thanks for watching.
I agree. I heated with wood for 50 years then I bought a coal stoker stove due to back problems. This guy dosen't know crap about burning wood. And I split my wood with an ax
Many thanks. I have burned wood since 1979. We have a black Bart with variable speed fan and heat sensor. It is all metal. I began to get a couple cracks here and had a friend weld up to be good as new. About 8 years ago, another friend asked if I had any fire bricks and I did I not. He showed me how to set them inside the stove as protection for the rear of the stove where cracks have occurred. Duh, worked great. Lost maybe 10% area but worth it. Always interesting to hear how other split, stack and burn. Thanks again.
Thanks for the info! I think the heat that those bricks absorb and hold are also very valuable as the wood burns down - letting the stove radiate heat from the bricks.
I’ve been splitting mine small for years. Really helps Teresa when she has to tend the stove. Since I’ve quit my full time job though she hasn’t had to put the first stick in the stove this season. Take care, Ben.
I used to say I split them small for Jennifer. But like Teresa - she doesn't often have to put any wood in the stove. So I guess to be honest, I just split them smaller to make them easier for ME to handle. :)
just split a cord yesterday and almost one today by hand delivered almost three chords for people before a snowstorm hits upstate New York. Right now I'm enjoying nice resting my bones heat from my wood stove. God bless
It’s amazing! I had never seen one like that until I started doing research before buying a log splitter. After a LOT of research (we did a whole video on it), we picked this Split-Fire. We’re really happy with it. Thanks for watching and commenting!
It would be even greater if you had a kid or significant other beside you so you could split yours in one direction and theirs in the other direction so you would only have to roll it into the cut instead of switching sides.
I was working at a sawmill in Ohio & getting untreated RR ties & bringing them home & splitting them w/ a Maul, for a few days, then said HELL NO, I'm in my mid 60's & am too old for this so i went to Lowe's & spent 385.xx on an Electric Yardman wood splitter....I'm so glad i did....So much easier...
Isn’t it cool?! We love the Split-Fire design and engineering. I’ve made a few videos about why we bought it vs other brands. Being able to split on the return certainly is nice. Thanks for watching!
It's always nice to find a fellow small-split enthusiast! I tend to split about twice as many pieces out of a log compared to many of my contemporaries.
That is a no. Cut logs into 4-6" slabs. As wood drys lengthwise faster than radially. Place in empty van over summer (at 40-50+%c) and it will be ready to burn by winter. You can then split slab ( if required).
Same. When I buy firewood, I almost always end up resplitting a significant portion of the purchase. So, I get extra heat out of it!! (I hand split) An added bonus: all those slivers and chips that result from splitting firewood go right into one of my buckets o' kindling. Ugly, snarly pieces that won't split get cut up into grill chunks. Hell of a lot cheaper than buying them bagged from a store...
Thanks! That's one of my main reasons for sure. When I see a larger piece of split wood in my stacked pile, I often dig around it for smaller ones (when I'm carrying the wood into the basement to burn). Thanks for watching.
Great video! Split mine smaller because of my customers, learned from Chris. In the Woodyard, to listen to the people buying your wood. Have a Safe Day
don't give up on splitting by hand. try a fiskars splitting axe it's a lot easier on the arms and back. my farmer friend is 63 and has been splitting firewood for 45 years and I'm 44 and he is better than me.
Lots of good info . Have to say here in the UK we generally have much smaller fires ( they tend to be supplementary not the main heat source ). On my Clear View 4kw multifuel stove I use larger logs as once banked it will tick over for many hours . If I use smaller logs the multiple surfaces all appear to burn at the same time so in my particular stove just dont last as long. You are correct on drying out time. My logs being unsplit are all left for 2 years minimum before use With a final moisture content of less than 15% If I want a more hours burn being multifuel I just add a dozen lumps of clean burn smokeless coal . On average i get just a couple of hands fulls of ash a day . For a small stove it has a very effective and through burn.
Great video Chad. I like a variety of sizes. Smaller pieces for easy starts, and bigger ones for overnight burns. My wood seasons 2-3 years depending on species.
Thanks @BuildALot Acres! Have you ever figured out how much moisture it loses after 1 year, and then how much more in the 2nd and 3rd years? I've been thinking about testing that in a future video.
Yes, for overnight burns, I put green rounds on a nice bed of coals…then a fella doesn’t have to relight the fire in the morning. small wood burns hot and fast, not ideal for 24/7 operation.
Been burnin' for decades. We also start with smaller pieces and put large logs on for extended burns and overnight. It's our primary heat. The smaller ones burn to fast and hot, but can somewhat be controlled with stove and pipe damper. Be mindful burning green, as you may build up too much creosote.
@@BuildALotAcres I've found that red oak takes longer to dry than white oak. Doesn't make much sense since red oak is so much more "porous." White oak is one of my favorites to cut, split, and burn.
Nice splitter. I have been cutting wood in PA for over 40 years and watched the 1st 2 reasons and got a big laugh. Cut them smaller because they are easy to handle. A young straping guy like you should have no problems with larger pieces !! Thet also burn a lot quicker !!! Number 2 they dry out quicker. Here is what you do my friend. It's December 21,2023 and my wood for next year is already cut, split into nice large pieces and stacked and covered in a open wood shed. Cut this year so it will be ready next year. real simple. So you have over a year to season oak, cherry, maple, walnut etc. Be one year ahead. If you were to get sick next year for a extended peiod of time, break a leg or have a accident it's done ! Going to watch Number 3 now.
Thanks for watching! What part of PA? Reason 1 - it's not that I'm not able to lift the larger pieces - it's more a matter of grip. My hands feel worthless in winter gloves. I can't get a good grip on bigger pieces. Reason 2 - I do let the wood season for a year. But we live in the middle of the woods - so I don't have great area to let the wood get maximum sunshine and airflow. Sometimes these hardwoods take 2 years to season out in my stacks in the woods. Thanks for leaving a comment!
I've been cutting/splitting/burning hardwood for 50 years in Alabama. Also been sawing timber into lumber for years but that's another story. We used to burn really big hardwood in a freestanding stove in a drafty house. Banking a back log so the coals were ready to start the next morning's fire. Now, smaller split hickory and oak may burn faster but it also helps us control the house temps much better in a home that's well sealed and insulated. When we throttle the fire down, even the smaller fire wood lasts a long while.
I’m totally with you, except the one year ahead logic. This varies a lot from climate to climate. Where i live split oak and beech easily takes 3 years to dry. Birch 1 year.
There's a lot more of a learning curve with cutting and burning wood than people thnk. I try to just keep a mix as I'm splitting it. If I have a piece that works out better as a big piece, I just split the next one small. I cut my wood short, too, aiming for 16" because I can load the wood front to back so that the air is drawn between the sticks of wood. Those gigantic chunks are usually not a good option because they don't have enough surface area and like you said, I stack the small pieces tightly if I want extended burn time.
Thanks for commenting! I have found that it really depends on the stove, too. I have a friend with an outdoor wood boiler. He wants rounds that JUST fit in the door.
@@PurpleCollarLife My stepdad had an outdoor boiler and he always wanted huge, green wood. Lots faster to cut wood for it. The only complaint I've heard about them is they take so much more wood. My neighbor uses about 10 cord per year for 1000 sq ft house and I get by on about half that for the same size house. But, hey, if you've got the trees, it's easy wood cutting.
Smaller splits increases heat because there is more surface area to release gasses from the wood. So you get a hotter fire quicker but won’t last as long. I cut the same size as you here in Japan because I also the same wood in my pizza oven so I need the extra heat fast in the cafe. The key to firewood is always being several years ahead of the game. I always have at least 2 years worth fully seasoned and another 2 in various stages. Also the biggest mistake people make is buying an undersized stove. Always buy the stove that’s too big for the area you want to heat for what should be obvious reasons. Also cutting your wood smaller means you can always give to people who need it and you know it will always be suitable for their stove.
I'd like to get a few years ahead of the game. All great points in your comment here. I appreciate you sharing your experience. You have a wood-fire pizza oven? So cool!
Sounds words of wisdom from somone who knows about cooking with wood..i use a cook stove for heat as well as cooking n when you need a fire quick that small wood lights up good ..n yes when giving people wood its very thpughtfull..you are kind in that
I cut it long enough to make sure it won’t fit in my son in law’s stove! He finds it saves time and effort taking my wood compared to collecting his own.
I like your firewood philosophy, I agree small diameter will burn hotter and more quickly, but you can load more in to the stove and perhaps occupy more volume than bigger pieces. I use a wood stove that has double the heating capacity that my house requires. At below -30C from lighting the stove I can raise the temperature in the house to over 25C in about 2 hours after which I let it burn low. I also cut extra smaller diameter wood for old or disabled people to take if they cannot gather it for themselves.
Yep, This is the way we do it in Norway too. Where I live we have 8 - 9 months of indoor heating season and temperatures down to 40 - Celsius in periods. I burn 19 cubic yards each season. I fell, cut and split it early spring and its ready to go early winter same year. Gem of a Channel Sir!:) Respect and best wishes to you and your family Sir:)
Do you do like I do ? I rank them in single rows of 24 feet long + X 4 feet high with one face to south facing. The more space between rows the better (sun and wind air flow). By fall the wood is bone dry. Then I build a tighter rows of 16-24 inch inbetween and cover with tarps over the tops. I do 5-6 cords a year, but burn about 4-5 cords over 8-9 mths heating season. The extra firewood goes towards next year's supply or if we have a very cold and windy winter.
Yes i agree thats how i split mine as well for exact same reason..also if you are selling wood by cord the customer is getting more wood..tighter stack less space between logs...once they know that its +++
Exact opposite for me, big pieces last longer and go through alot less wood, way less trips to the stove also. You just have to plan more on your seasoning time, keep ahead of it instead of behind it. Everybody does it differently. I use your size of for kindling. I like how that cylinder splits both ways. Cool!
Thanks, Mike! The Split-Fire splitter splitting in both directions certainly is efficient. I think the difference with our situation is the wood stove (Buck Stove model 91) that has the catalytic system in it. I find it does much better with the smaller pieces than with a big chunk. Now - if I were using a different stove, or an outside wood burner - I’d probably prefer the biggest pieces of wood that I could handle.
I only use the small split pieces to maintain the fire around the large pieces. I only heat with two wood stoves, both old with no converter, and solar heat. Usually unless the temp gets below zero we only use one stove, which is the smaller of the two. Pinion wood produces a lot of heat compared to many other types of wood. It's very dense like oak.
I'm in central PA. I burn Red Oak, White Oak, Cherry, Hickory, Black Walnut and Locust. Red Oak and Locust take years to properly dry. Black Walnut surprisingly dries quickest and gives some of the best heat.
I have found that splitting the firewood smaller for my gasification wood boiler makes for a very even hot burn that lasts longer than if it is split more coarser. Before that, the larger pieces would sometimes only partially burn and I would have to relight it. Also, love that splitter you have. Picks up the block and splits both directions.
Thanks for confirming my thoughts! I have had many tell me that it's not possible that the smaller pieces burn longer than a large piece. But with our catalytic combustion stove, I think the smaller pieces stacked in properly give a longer, more productive BTU burn. I appreciate you letting me know you have similar results/thoughts. You're right about that little Split-Fire 2265 splitter - amazing machine!
@@PurpleCollarLife I have a drolet HT 3000 and I made a lot of test and for sure smaller pieces burn better and longer (considering same weight of wood put in). Many people talk about how important it is to optimize your draft and it is, but once the optimisation is done, in my case, smaller is the winner for slow combustion (secondary burn slowly dancing on top of the stove for a surprisingly long time)
I rarely split, I am one year into an outdoor boiler, and am in love with it!! 24 in diameter, and 36 inches long. Saves soooooo much time; I load the stove once a day, and it will burn green just as good as seasoned, but I still season in a wood shed for a year. I may burn more wood now than with a furnace or stove in my basement, but the mess stays outside, it is safer, I don't split often, and I stock it once a day!! Bonus...it heats my hot water.
Thanks for sharing! I've thought about an outdoor wood boiler system. But our house is all electric (baseboard electric heat). So we'd have to run hot water heat system throughout the house, and I imagine that would be quite expensive to add. I think it's a good idea to season the wood even for an outdoor furnace, right? Because you'd still get more BTUs burning seasoned wood and it would decrease the chance of a fire in the stove chimney due to creosote. I'm just speculating, would love to hear your thoughts. Thank you for watching and commenting from Alaska!
@@PurpleCollarLife I think that you could tap the heated water from the boiler directly into your baseboards and adjust the water temp on the boiler. Set up a bypass valve or just put your heat input before the thermostat control valve. The boiler pump runs 24/7, you don't want your house 165 degrees, so a bypass valve is key to getting your system to work efficiently. The heat transfer plates for heating your hot water are installed before your house heat and the hot water tank. The boiler has 2 hot water outputs, 1 for the house, and a second for a greenhouse or garage. The chimney will never creosote up, due to the fact that it is only about a foot tall, and the fire only burns when the blower fan turns on, burning hot enough to keep the creosote burnt. I am just getting settled in here in Ohio, but while in Alaska everything was split small and we were always at least a year ahead on our 8 month supply of wood. I went with a crown royal boiler here due to the stainless steel construction. I would try to research boiler to baseboard engineering designs. I just worry that one day (if the country doesn't collapse) the insurance companies are going to hammer us wood burners, hence the outdoor boiler. I will die burning wood, my passion is being in the woods, cutting wood, burning wood, picking morels, growing ginseng, and processing a deer or two. If you have questions let me know, I still talk to my dealer out of Kentucky all the time.
@@dwadecolburn8642 What was your cost for that? I'm in PA, there are 2 companies that make them here. Total cost with converting my water heater and adapting my central forced air/heat is around $12K.
@@joeh4295 I paid about 13k, I dug the trench, but they did the install. I was heating with propane, which cost me over 3k last year, and probably closer to 4k this year. My electric bill dropped by 60 bucks a month. So It will pay for itself in 3 years, has a 20 year warranty and nothing is getting cheaper. I have 150 acres of trees, so it just made sense. I am in Southern Ohio now.
Greetings from Prince Edward Island, Canada. I generally have three size splits. Kindling, medium and somewhat larger but not overnight size. I burn predominantly Black Spruce and it's around 15% moisture. I clean my flu every three years and maybe get a cup of creosote. I burn full time. Hardwood is not a plentiful up here. My go to is Birch, which has to be split asap otherwise goes punky. I like the lift on the splitter, @59 those rounds get heavier every year
I'm 71. I feel those big rounds. Yesterday was a perfect day in the woods. I blocked, loaded and dumped three loads of ash, maple and beech. Everything I cut this year has been down and standing dead wood. The emerald ash boarer has pretty well finished off all the ash trees in my area of Michigan. I'm cutting in an area with literally thousands of cords of down wood. When Dutch elm disease came through our area I did the same thing. Ive had the misfortune of seeing two species vanish. I burn 25 faces of 16 inch wood each year and heat my 2500 Sq foot home and a 1400 Sq foot shop 24/7 during the cold months. I'm lucky to be three years ahead. I'm truly a wealthy man.
Hi Brent! Thanks for watching and leaving a comment. I didn’t realize the Birch would turn bad so quickly if not split. Great info! The log lift on the splitter makes a huge difference.
Absolutely agree. It's a tough call for me between a good piece of Oak, and a good piece of Cherry. But they're both far above any other woods I prefer to burn.
I have a gas splitter from Tractor Supply. It's a basic homeowner model, but my brother extended the wedge and added a table, which makes it SO much better. I've trained my stove to have no pride- it burns whatever I can fit through the door. I burn a lot of what others would consider trash wood, but it still has BTUs. At north of 70, it's either use the splitter or cut wood that doesn't need to be split. My shoulders just don't want to play with a maul and wedge anymore. I'd get a double split like yours if I had it to do again. I'm on my 3rd engine, and I think this one (a Honda) might take me to the finish line.
I burn mostly beech,hickory, and whatever blow downs I get on my farm. I split it in various sizes and shapes. I like making them into 2x6x18 pieces like lumbar at night they stack up nice in the wood burner. Also like full rounds up to coffee can diameter that I just slightly crack open so they dry quick but burn like a full log. Sometimes I put a piece of bark or wood chip in the crack to hold it open. Variety of sizes ,types of wood and variety of moisture content is what makes it work for me.
Thanks, Fred. Great idea about cracking one open to let it get some air and season in the center, but still be a larger piece. I’ve never tried that, but it’s genius!
Green wood..i didnt know about the splitting the log n putting bark in it..thanks..i split few logs small them some bigger..then throw some rounds in..(yes i like coffee can size too).that way difftent sizes mixed in always variety in the stack to carry in..when selling wood i tell them its more wood in a stack when cut smaller ..then ask what sizes wood you like..some folks buy wood for just n fire place not really for heat..some stoves..some people want small wood for their smokers also..bit i like that split log with the bark great idea thanks..
@@stevencrisci2989 I usually save those logs that are just cracked for the coldest part of winter in my " yule log " rack. 🤣 And I'm going out now to split because it's 20 degrees and i love it when the wood almost explodes when frozen.
@@samuelluria4744 You calling me a moron? So when that storm came through here and damaged my log home and woodshed that was my imagination? Or when the logger came a week later to cut up 59 of my trees that was bullshit? Too bad I can't post photos here.
Between the video and the comments I read some very good points; in the end, and in my humble opinion, the size depends on the kind of stove you have and on how dry your wood is. I’m experiencing the same issue purple collar life is having, due to lot of partially burned wood. I’ve noticed lot depending on the fact that the burner is old and not effective and the bed of coal is not proportioned to the size of the wood. But, in my newer stove there is no issue. And in both cases, thanks to the recent wood shortage (at least in my area), I’ve lot of not perfectly dry wood (or too old on the other hand: using the leftover of the wood shack I’ve been left by the previous owner) and it’s quite a pain to keep the fire running smoothly. Very interesting video, thanks
You're 100% right that the variables determine what works best. And it is going to be different for each person, depending on their environment and situation. Thanks for leaving a comment!
It depends...here in eastern Ontario Canada, it's not unusual to see Jan/Feb temps in the -22F area. My Elmira stove can handle logs up to 23". I keep a mix of large and small pieces available at all times. If it's mild I'll go with the smaller stuff for a more controlled lower heat, when it gets really cold I load in the big boys to get the stove hot (without constantly feeding it with small pieces) and keep her averaged at 350F...always cozy. Good video!
Same here. I like a good mix of sizes, but I have been splitting a little smaller the last 2 years and I think it’s working well. But I still like keeping some “all nighters” on hand, but I generally still split those once for seasoning. My Enviro Boston insert requires one mid night feeding now that our night time temperatures are in the low 20s- teens. And it’s only going to get colder in Jan/February. I like a big slab of oak, maple or elm; and I fill the gaps with smaller stuff. That cherry is nice too but I don’t have any this year. If I get up at 6 am and it’s below 68 in the house, I failed. 🥶
Thanks, Roger! Good idea to keep a good mix of sizes for when you need those bigger pieces. I wasn't sure what an Elmira stove was, so I had to look them up on Google. What a beautiful stove!
Thanks for watching and commenting! I actually don't mind the house getting a little cooler at night. I prefer to sleep at about 64 degrees in the bedroom. But on days that we've had the Buck stove going all day, the bedroom rarely is below 70 through the night.
The best "all nighter" load in a wood burning stove, is the charge that has the greatest mass of wood. By extension that means the least amount of air space. The way to accomplish that is with small pieces. Same principle as splitting the round blocks into pieces in order to get more wood in the pickup box when you're hauling it home from the forest. Smaller pieces means less dead air space and more wood in the stove. I can't believe people even debate this.
@@hilljack6765 Like pretty much everything in life, there's a happy medium. So no, i'm not advocating sawdust. That assumption on your part would only be defensible if i had said "the smaller, the better". If you actually paid attention when you read something, you would have noticed the distinct lack of such a statement in my first comment. As to the 1 correct statement in your reply, yes, "a cubic foot of wood is a cubic foot" no matter how you cut it. But it also still remains true that if your Buck91 can have more than 1 cubic foot, or 1.5, or 2 cubic feet, or however much it is that you get in with the method you described, and kindly drew a picture of, then the burn time will be longer. And small (but not too small remember) pieces that allow you to fill in those 2 substantially sized air gaps between > and o, on both sides (>o
you are 100% right on this: drier is better. Any water in your log must be boiled out first. That puts steam into the exhaust which cools the stream and lowers temp. which reduces combustion, causes more smoke which pollutes and leaves carbon/creosote on chimney walls. bottom line, it's more work but it's worth the effort, imo
Thanks for watching! You're absolutely correct - I like to keep my wood at 10-15% moisture. I will burn up to 18%, but avoid anything in that 20% and up level. The moisture in the wood lowers the amount of heating BTUs, and like you said, increases the creosote in the chimney (which can be potential future problems).
Hi Brad - we enjoy your channel! Thanks for checking out our channel. We don’t have any customers (other than ourselves), but we’ve really appreciated that we split the wood a little smaller a few years ago.
I keep a mix of both big and smaller pieces for packing the stove and overnight burns. I keep them overall smaller due to the wife and kids helping me move wood around. Managing land and processing trees is my relax time so i am always cutting bucking and splitting in my free time so keeping a good volume of wood drying is easy
Thanks, KNL. You're right - the tractor did a nice job lifting those totes up. I could have filled them a bit higher, because they will get lighter as the wood dries out. I may add some more wood to the totes the next time I'm out splitting. That just gives me another reason to get the tractor out and move some wood around! :)
I've been burning wood for years . I love small to medium size splits. I can load alot more splits in the stove with smaller and medium splits. Stove temps are also higher. Good video
I agree -- We split & sell firewood for other folks too -- Many folks have much easier time handling regular size pieces, VS larger pieces. If we have a customer with a fireplace, we will keep longer pieces for them (18-24ins) / Or, if someone has a boiler, and wants thicker, large pieces, we have that already split that way too. But, majority of clients prefer the "smaller" pieces. Burns more efficiently with consistent heat & stacks into stoves beautifully. Larger pieces save time, but unless you can handle super heavy, bulky pieces, it isn't helpful. And, they take longer to dry out / season.
Excellent points! Thanks for watching and leaving a comment. I've heard from many people who split firewood for selling that most people like it a bit smaller. In fact, if you watch Joe (@OhioWoodBurner) or Chris (@InTheWoodyard), I've seen them re-split wood to make it smaller for some customers.
Great job on the video and the tractor is a plus. Split wood like that all my life until I got a wood splitter and eventually found that cutting slabs approximately 2 to 3 or even 4 wide not only stacks better but I can put them in the stove like 2",3",or4" x4", x6" or even x8" width and with the help of a damper I can get 12 hr burn times at night or if I'm gone all day. I cut it 12" long so I can put it straight in the stove instead of side ways. 2019 Catalytic Hearthstone Castleton wood soapstone stove
I often wonder what I ever did without the splitter. The log lift is such a back saver, and the splitter is absolutely a joy to operate. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment!
Good evening Sir, Yes my Honda Generator is always starting the very first time but each time that I start it in front of the camera, the engine is shy 🤣🥴 You are right and I agree with you, I burn many times with big large wood logs on the side of my various large wood stove despite having firewood gloves( like welding gloves ) on the upper arm burn 😤🤭🤔 So yes using smaller firewood is offert a better handling 😉👍 Sir you can double ( HEAT GOPLUG ) go plugs your engine for a better start 😉👍 Yes it did it 💪👌😉 Full watch Sir CHeers 😉👌👍🍻
Dave - I have thought about adding glow plugs to the John Deere 2210. I'm actually surprised the tractor didn't come with them. Our F-350 Ford truck has glow plugs AND a block heater - which is nice on the coldest days. Thanks for watching!
@@PurpleCollarLife Ok, I see and understand now 😮 Yes do had a magnetic engine block heater and that will make it a better start for sure 👍👌😉 Have a great week Sir Cheers 👍👌😉
Good video i myself like a variety in size. I burn fir and lodgepole. Limited on what i get were i live. But over all i do like smaller easier to handle
I said in all the previous videos - this Honda engine always starts on the first pull. Then I made the video and it didn't. :) Figures. Since then, I'll say it always starts within the first few pulls. ;)
Great video! Most people don't really understand how much difference there is in using dry, seasoned wood. The heat output in the same size stove full of wood is two if not three times as much as using wet wood. Also there is very little smoke and ash left. Get a year ahead and cut your wood now for next year. You will have far more heat and burn less wood.
Great point! Thanks for watching and commenting. You're absolutely right that many people don't understand the value of seasoning firewood, and the potential danger of burning unseasoned wood indoors (creosote buildup and potential chimney / house fire).
Burning seasoned wood to me as opposed to not so seasoned wood is almost like night n day..burn less wood( more cost effective) get more heat less stove tending..less creo build up..n much more enjoyable
That's true for outdoor burning, too. I put some very dry soft maple on- and had to retreat several feet- to save my eyebrows! Same wood, not so well seasoned didn't burn nearly so hot. That day, I learned what Chris (InThe Woodyard) meant by POOF! wood, lol.
Two things: 1.) Love that splitter, what great idear for a heavy log lifter and dual sided wedge. 2.) Your wood totes / tractor combo are EXACTLY what I imagined make the most sense as far as handling wood less!
Thanks! We certainly have learned over the years that efficiency is key. There is no sense in handling the wood more times than necessary. Thank you for watching and commenting!
@@PurpleCollarLife Very cool! Keep it up! I gotta ask, where do you get the wood totes!? I tried Google'ing to see what they might be called / referred as... didn't find anything with that nice aluminum construction. Those are stellar!!
All good points for smaller splits. Especially for my aging parents who like to burn in their new insert but need those smaller pieces. If you can keep them small it'll go well for folks in more mild climates. Quicker fire no doubt. I prefer to keep them bigger for the longer term but in all I will burn everything that gets split. The splitter chaff makes great kindling too. If I split bigger blocks like 4x8 or the like, then I've got a decent log in the middle of that fire to help when I'm ready to get busy elsewhere and keep the heat going. Not always going for the overnighter but I'd still want to make sure that the wood at that size has been given a great deal of drying time as well. Starting on a property and that requires a new house. Not sure what I'll be heating with but I've already begun on the dry wood collection, time to add to the stacks.
The older I get, the more convinced I am that it's okay to work smarter for the benefit of the future. Splitting the wood an extra time will certainly be appreciated in future years when I'm loading/unloading that wood. I do like an "all night" log from time to time -but if packed in nicely, our catalytic combustion stove does a great job of burning even the smaller pieces efficiently. Congrats on the new property!
About time, I’ve split my wood small for fourth years. I can fill up fire box with more wood, fill in all those voids. I’ll leave the odd one bigger to put in so it keeps burning when I don’t really need a big fire.
Excellent points it does make good sense to me to use smaller pieces of firewood. I’ve been testing out using bigger pieces this year but I’ll definitely go for the smaller pieces on the next round. Thanks for the video I hole you have yourself a great day !
Thanks for watching! I actually just refilled the basement stack today. I pulled from two piles - one with big chunks, one with smaller splits. The smaller splits were much better to handle and carry in.
Old fashioned pour spout on the gas can! Ha! I think you make a great argument for splitting firewood smaller Chad. Crystal certainly agrees with you. Nice video. -John
It depends on your burning unit. I have a Tulikivi soapstone heater. I was told it’s designed to burn 1 very hot fire per day then it will radiate heat all day. It does this very well but hot is a very subjective term. After a few years my stone in the firebox began to show cracks and damage. The rep from the company saw my wood supply and said that my wood is split too thin and it’s seriously overheating the stone and damaging it. He recommended a piece about 4”-6” triangular split.
I personally split 80/20 small/large for inside burning and 50/50 for outside burns. Like having bigger checks for outside. Less poking and more relaxing.
That's 100% correct. I couldn't go back to splitting without that log lift. Not only is it a great way to lift the logs - but it's also a great work table while splitting!
Great suggestions in your videos. I grew up burning wood, but even as a 30 year old I'm still learning tips and tricks. Definitely guilty of throwing in a couple 'all-nighter' logs. Thanks!
I'm 72 and cut and split at least 100 face cord a year. Get your self some hydraulics, a tractor with a grapple or thumb, a decent four way splitter and either a small dump truck or dump trailer.
Here in southern Mo it doesn't get that cold and I have great closed cell spray foam, so I use a large unsplit log or two so it just somolders all night and I don't have to relight it in the morning, small split would will burn up and go out overnight. Lastly splitting this many times takes a lot more work.
I run a small Jotul 602 wood stove. It is very efficient, when the fire is birght and quick burning. I've been cutting my logs to about 14 inches long, and split to no bigger than 4x4. I've found, like you that I can get more wood into the stove with the smaller splits. Also, I don't mind burning branch wood down to 1 inch round. Anything less than that is more trouble than it is worth to cut and stack.
I split big for business efficiency and consistent log volume, but anyone burning wood should have difference size pieces for long burning and quick flame-up
Thanks for watching and commenting! There's definitely a place for larger split pieces. And you're right - a variety of sizes allows for a perfect combination from startup through long burn times.
Thanks for the different perspective... Generally when I'm around I don't care what I pack in the stove as long as it burns hot and efficient. However at night I like to PACK it in with LARGE PIECES to last through the week hours...but I don't mind trying your method. :) ... BUT the handling part with smaller pieces... naw...not an issue and even silly! :)
I have a Hearthstone stove and it is much happier burning layers of smaller split pieces rather than large ones. With the layers I can throttle down the damper for a nice smooth rolling burn. Large ones tend to smolder and require a more open damper setting. Thanks for the video.
Thanks for leaving this comment. There seems to be a lot of debate about the bigger pieces and the smaller pieces. I agree with you totally. In my experience, with our wood, in our stove, the larger pieces do require more open damper and smolder down. Whereas the smaller pieces layered in allow the damper to be adjusted in and it produces a great steady heat. Thanks again!
I've a rocket stove that I made (a larger version of the one made on Zero Labs channel) At one time I had to split it small because my fuel tube was small. I had to refill it every 20 minutes. Since my stove is in the basement, that's a lot of stairs per night. I wanted at least an hour burn time, and to use standard sized cord wood. I had to double the size of the fuel tube. Rockets are a whole new stove with different running qualities. A rocket will not do an all day burn. It is best to have the exhaust go through a mass, which captures and stores heat. The finer split wood burns super hot, as well as fast. My enlarged fuel tube can handle 4 pieces of standard sized cord wood, which also burns pretty hot. Exterior surface temps of 500 to 600 degrees F are not uncommon. Finer wood created 700 to 800 degrees F. I built a pellet basket, which gave me well over 1000 degrees F... way too hot... crazy, scary hot. Rockets also need pretty dry wood as well... so, I split wood starting in the spring. By the time heating season starts, my wood is ready. There's plenty of dead ash trees around here. I've years worth. If you stuff the fuel tube with wood, it burns hotter and faster. Once temps in the house are good, I only put in two pieces of wood at a time, and they burn as long as a full fuel tube will, but at slightly lower temps. Working on my next design that'll hold even more wood. I working on a way I can slow the burn without compromising burn efficiency. Challenging. Rockets have to burn wide open. Choking off air ruins efficiency... rockets have a very hot, fierce, but small fire.
I split smaller because my stove only has a 10" cookstove lid to feed it through. It's a temp wood, a very efficient downdraft design. the wood is stacked above the fire inside the stove, but is charred into charcoal by the fire underneath it. This makes for longer fires and lots of coals. The draft is through two round pipes flanking the stove lid. They blast the air right down into the coal bed. Simply raking the coals from a big load under the draft tubes and opening the draft covers, gets another hour or so of heat with no new logs.
My primary reason for cutting smaller pieces is the fact that I am an old man...with an old woman. I can still handle larger pieces, but she cant. I cut mine small enough for her to handle so she can fill the stove if it's needed and I am not around. As far as using seasoned wood, I never burn anything that has not been cut, split, and under cover for at least 8 months and usually 12. I have enough storage space for just over 4 cords and usually use just 1 1/2 to 2 per year. As soon as the weather starts to warm up, I will cut, split, and stack next year's firewood.
Thanks for sharing! It's nice that you have the space for about a year ahead, plus the current year. Great setup! Thanks for watching and leaving a comment.
I live in North Carolina with mostly oak available to me. We have short winters, humid summers, and I have a fairly small stove. Splitting small is absolutely best for me so the oak can dry and so I can fit it in my stove easily. When i lived in Oregon with a big stove and burned a lot if fir, it was best to leave the pieces larger.
Old timers advice they gave me. Move heavies on your back axle not on expensive spindles ,get rear forks. Around here we stack our wood on shingles around a pole upright . Each piece is set so the rain drops onto the bark not on the end cuts of the piece below . If you stacking in cages stack upright to let gravity help dry. Get hand log tongs .
@Gillie Monger Correct . In two years you could put one piece in your attic and one in your basement crawl space and the moisture would be the same . I am talking six months , it's just firewood not sending men to the moon. Firewood cutting is HS drop out work but every one wants to make it complex.
@Gillie Monger Correct again I admit to being a bigot. When I came out to my family they just could not believe it. My biggest hate group is this guy showing his new tractor new log splitter, new side by side who could work a day at his practice pay a high schooler to cut wood for a week.
Reasons 4 and 5: Not everyone burns for heat. 4. When burning firewood in a grill, the big honkin chunks take forever to burn down to coals. That's assuming they can even fit in your grill. Smaller pieces burn faster, getting you the coals you want in a reasonable time. 5. Campfires. Smaller pieces burn better. Hotter and brighter- giving you the nice cheery blaze you're looking for. Big pieces will burn nice for awhile- then go into smolder mode. Plenty of heat, not much of a fire. This is especially true of heavy, dense wood like oak, beech, sugar maple, locust, Ash, hickory, etc.
I split all my wood for 30 years with mauls. I own wooded acreage and it's my late winter workout. A load of large pieces compared to small pieces, you will always get more wood in unsplit wood. I leave some unsplit and split some smaller for wife to handle. Put 2 large ones and fill in with smalls. So I have both in my pile to burn accordingly. I usually have 2 year supply so it can season 2 years unless I help out a less fortunate friend. You would be surprised the benefits of swinging a maul. Most of all I split it where it falls so I never lift the bigs ones.
Thanks, John. Splitting wood with mauls definitely would keep you in shape. I wish I had that workout routine. If I had to split my wood daily though with a maul - I’d be embarrassed to make a video about it, because I’d clearly show that I’ve not been doing it that way for 30 years. :). Thanks for watching and commenting. How many cords do you split by hand each year? Good idea to keep a variety of sizes available to fill the stove.
@@PurpleCollarLife I typically split 6-8 cords a year, which is what I burn in a year.This year I split 14 cords cause I had some big oaks to remove. I then stocked a friends wood pile w 6 cords cause he's battling cancer. Some days I split all easy pieces others I might only split 5 hard ones. Once I get too tired I move to cutting or stacking, just don't wear yourself out on one piece. I make my own maul handles out of hickory w my vise and draw knife,it doesn't take long to make one. On those tough ones I may use sledge and wedge to break em in half. Split one hour at a time to start. Youll have a greater feeling of accomplishment and you don't have to listen to a splitter running.
i am in northwest Florida 1- split them into smaller pieces because they are easier to carry. Hmmm not easier if you are swinging axes, sledge hammers and pounding wedges. 2-seasoning is both good and bad. Dry wood catches fire, but burns real fast. If the wood is not seasoned enough to catch easily, use parts of a pine that are similar to lighter wood along with smaller chips as kindling to get it going. Help it out carefully with diesel. Semiwet logs will last through the night when there are coals or enough oak quarters almost gone to start the logs. 3-The smaller pieces are easier to handle. True. Since I am getting older and I have back problems I am thinking of getting getting a splitter. But the cost of a splitter will buy a lot of split oak fire wood. I use a double barrel stove for heat. I do get a problem with creosote that I clean out of the system several times during the season. Made a mistake of burning some very light wood and it left ash that blocked up the top drum. Cleaned it out yesterday. I believe the wood is pop ash and it was not seasoned. Very light and fine grain. What ever it is, I will not use any more of it. Once I cut down the trees on my place, I plant fruit trees.
Thanks for sharing your info! I like the idea of some fruit trees. I always worry that wood that isn't fully seasoned will really cause potential problems with creosote up our chimney.
@@PurpleCollarLife Creosote: In my area creosote build up is common. My stack is triple lined 8 inch stainless pipe. I used to clean it with brush, but it was not removing the creosote. I lined it by putting down a six inch stove pipe and pull it out and burn it out with diesel. Some people burn those special fire logs to burn out the creosote. I will have look into that.
Thanks for watching! Many people agree with you. But in our catalytic stove, the efficiency is great and the smaller pieces produce more heat, for longer time.
A good mix of both big and small seems like the logical choice. Also unspilt and seasoned limb wood and seasoned un split pieces mixed in. Put one or two of those on before u go to bed and you’ll gave heat all night and coals in the am
I split it small for fireplaces and big for my stove. I burn undesireable stuff during the day and hearty stuff for overnight. Another tip. Dont cut live trees for firewood.Plenty of tree removal companies to get that from.
@@PurpleCollarLife Right on..I split mine similar as you. Ive got ocd so bad i want them all the same. Lol. I cut a tree down that had been dead 15 years. Still wet inside.
I also think after watching a lot of wood cutting splitting videos that there are a lot of people using this for an outlet to farming gene that is truly in them
Great point! I'm definitely purple collar. I enjoy my day job, but can't wait to get home to my life here in rural PA on the family homestead land. This land was once a family farm with ponies and horses.
My stove loads from the end, not the front, so you gotta "one hand" it in there and my wife does 90% of the fire tending,I cut buck and split, but im not 25 no more!
Hello Johnny. Before the stove we have now, we had a side-load one too. It was a nice stove, but getting the wood the right size and in at the right angle was difficult! Ours also didn’t have a blower, so it made heat, but didn’t push it out as well as the Buck Stove does. Thanks for watching!
![Lethal Company Music Video 🎵 "Follow The Orders" [VERSION A]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/QeooZB4Z7RA/mqdefault.jpg)
A lot of different schools of thought with burning wood. I'm the exact opposite. Large pieces have much longer burn times., and are a lot less time and work. With those small pieces, you're always feeding your stove. The round non split pieces are always the best for burn times. I wait until there's a bed of hot coals, stir them good and lay the big piece on. I try to stay at least two years ahead with drying wood.
Thanks, Martin! I wish I was two years ahead. I'm barely 1 year ahead. And the pandemic put me behind last year, since we went through way more wood working from home every day.
Maybe it's just our stove with the catalytic combustion - but I have trouble with unsplit wood, especially large rounds. I can put them in before bed, and when I get up in the morning, there may be 1/3 of the round left, no coals, not burning. But if I fill the stove full of my split wood, it will burn down to just hot coals by morning. I keep the damper closed down pretty tight. Maybe as the rounds burn throughout the night, they need more air?
@@PurpleCollarLife Thanks for the reply. I have a Regency brand non catalytic stove and it handles the large round pieces quite well. I usually pick small trees to cut down as the pieces are easier to handle, and there's a lot less splitting. Other guys insist on large trees. (and bull work) I've heard that the cat. stoves have longer burn times.
We only burn wood on weekends or when we're snowed in (Like right now) so it's pretty easy for me to stay two years ahead. I try to keep the process as easy and simple as possible. Furthermore, I don't have a nice wood splitter like you have. Take care.
@@martinschulz9381 Thanks! Send the snow!
I also like bigger pieces.
I like bigger pieces too but you better be sure they are dry or they will suck the heat right out of your stove. I only leave the very small limbs as rounds, even a 12” round I will split in half because they can be tough to get going even with good coals. Two or three big pieces of red or white oak will usually make it till I get up for work (4am). Maple or something else, probably not. I have a Hearthstone Clydesdale insert so I can fit some pretty big stuff in there but hauling in the house is work, stacks better though. Lots of ash available now because of the ash borer so I definitely leave that as big as I can, Burns pretty fast.
Been heating with wood for 25 years. Small, medium, and big pieces. They all have their place and should all be well seasoned. Still splitting with a maul...good exercise and more satisfying than a hydrauluc splitter for me.
Thanks for watching! Splitting with a maul is good exercise and enjoyable.
Use a splitter. You don't want to break a nail lifting heavy things or touching icky wood with your hands.
I am 72 and only split with a maul. 3-4 cords every year. I can do it same speed as this guy with his machine.
@anatolygrishin4234 Awesome! Yep, use it or lose it.
This popped up randomly and I was just scanning thru. When I saw it was PURPLE COLLAR I stopped scanning and enjoyed the video. Why did I stop scanning… my 8N tractor arrived 2 days ago. At 70 yrs old I have never driven a tractor. I had no understanding of how it starts, shifts or brakes. So 5 days ago I found your 8N basics video, watched it 4-5 times over the last few days before delivery and backed my new tractor out of a narrow 35’ enclosed delivery trailer with 1” to spare on each side of the loader bucket…successfully! I owe you one . That video was so well explained and helped stopped my brain from taking over. 2 days later…I’m semi-pro
Thanks for leaving a comment! We always like to hear that our videos are helpful. And that you recognized the channel name and watched more of our content! Thank you for your support of our family hobby.
The guy who cut up logs from my woodlot split 200,12' dump trailer loads of hardwood over the year on this precise model of splitter. He wouldn't use any other. It was powered by an ancient 6.5 Honda. He had made a living every winter with this machine for many years.
That's great to hear. Choosing a log splitter was not an easy process. I did a lot of research. We're really happy with the Split-Fire. Like you said, it's made to last and the engineering behind the design is very smart.
Been heating with wood for nearly 50 years in Alaska now. You're damn lucky to have so many hardwoods! 90% of what we have is spruce, which burns like paper. Hence, I burn the largest pieces I can fit into the stove. I always dry it at least a year in a covered shed.
Thanks for the info! I had no idea that Alaska didn’t have many hardwood species.
Spent 14 years in Anchorage. Loved it. However although the spruce was cheaper per cord we always spent the extra for birch. Less creosote and logs lasted almost twice as long.
Same here except we also have aspen. Aspen burns okay but has lots of very fine ash. Gets on everything.
The best is to have a variety of splits. Small splits in the morning to start the fire, medium splits for regular use throughout the day, and large logs or splits for overnight or when your going out to town. Throw a few small pieces with large splits to help burn through the night without smoldering out too bad.
Hi Alex - excellent idea to throw some smaller pieces in with the large ones. I think that's probably the true secret to a successful overnight burn. The problem with the large pieces only is that you can't fill the fire box, and they often just smolder like charcoal after a while - and don't put out many BTUS. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment!
Such a great video, especially if you are living in a heavily over-wooded area that you need to eventually clear. Killing two birds with one stone as they say. Bless you and have a great Christmas! 🙏🎅🏼
From a physical fitness and speed point of view manual splitting with an axe is preferable, but if you don’t have the physical ability of course a petrol motor is a good substitute, albeit a little slow.
@@philtucker1224
GR8 post Phil,😊
If you use fire starter sticks and a propane torch, you can very easily start a fire in 30 seconds or less, regardless of size of the pieces. Three large split pieces and a starter stick. No more kindling, paper or small pieces or fuss.
I've been splitting firewood to heat my home for longer than this gentleman has been alive and its been my experience that the larger the pieces put in the stove the longer and more even the heat given off is. Smaller pieces burn quicker and hotter so you have to feed the stove more often - a pain in the ??? in the middle of the the night.
@MiserableOldFart - 100% correct!
@bluebird4667 - Thanks! Our experience with our catalytic combustion stove is slightly different. I've only been burning for heat in this stove for about 22 years - but I've tried different sizes, different types - etc. The method I describe in this video works best for our application. But I agree - different stoves, in different situations - will require different wood types/sizes/mixes. Thanks for watching.
I agree. I heated with wood for 50 years then I bought a coal stoker stove due to back problems. This guy dosen't know crap about burning wood. And I split my wood with an ax
Many thanks. I have burned wood since 1979. We have a black Bart with variable speed fan and heat sensor. It is all metal. I began to get a couple cracks here and had a friend weld up to be good as new. About 8 years ago, another friend asked if I had any fire bricks and I did I not. He showed me how to set them inside the stove as protection for the rear of the stove where cracks have occurred. Duh, worked great. Lost maybe 10% area but worth it. Always interesting to hear how other split, stack and burn. Thanks again.
Thanks for the info! I think the heat that those bricks absorb and hold are also very valuable as the wood burns down - letting the stove radiate heat from the bricks.
I’ve been splitting mine small for years. Really helps Teresa when she has to tend the stove. Since I’ve quit my full time job though she hasn’t had to put the first stick in the stove this season. Take care, Ben.
I used to say I split them small for Jennifer. But like Teresa - she doesn't often have to put any wood in the stove. So I guess to be honest, I just split them smaller to make them easier for ME to handle. :)
@@PurpleCollarLife We used to call it girl wood. We actually have a video somewhere and she is stocking the front porch with girl wood.
Before I watched this video, I named my top three reasons that I split wood smaller. My three were the same as yours. Good video.
Thanks!
just split a cord yesterday and almost one today by hand delivered almost three chords for people before a snowstorm hits upstate New York. Right now I'm enjoying nice resting my bones heat from my wood stove. God bless
Awesome that you were able to get that wood delivered to the people who need it before the storm comes!
I have never seen a splitter that works in both directions. Very cool!
It’s amazing! I had never seen one like that until I started doing research before buying a log splitter. After a LOT of research (we did a whole video on it), we picked this Split-Fire. We’re really happy with it. Thanks for watching and commenting!
It would be even greater if you had a kid or significant other beside you so you could split yours in one direction and theirs in the other direction so you would only have to roll it into the cut instead of switching sides.
I had a wood splitter once, now she's with some other guy HaHa
I AGREE with you totally but I have only been doing it since 1980 with axes/mails. I would love a wood splitter at 70 years of age.
Thanks! I can't imagine splitting all our firewood by hand.
I was working at a sawmill in Ohio & getting untreated RR ties & bringing them home & splitting them w/ a Maul, for a few days, then said HELL NO, I'm in my mid 60's & am too old for this so i went to Lowe's & spent 385.xx on an Electric Yardman wood splitter....I'm so glad i did....So much easier...
I’ve never seen a log splitter that splits both directions! That is a great tool.
Isn’t it cool?! We love the Split-Fire design and engineering. I’ve made a few videos about why we bought it vs other brands. Being able to split on the return certainly is nice. Thanks for watching!
It's always nice to find a fellow small-split enthusiast! I tend to split about twice as many pieces out of a log compared to many of my contemporaries.
Thanks for watching and commenting!
That is a no.
Cut logs into 4-6" slabs.
As wood drys lengthwise faster than radially.
Place in empty van over summer (at 40-50+%c) and it will be ready to burn by winter.
You can then split slab ( if required).
What works for me is a wood spliter beside the furnace door and blocks get split to size required at the moment,
Same. When I buy firewood, I almost always end up resplitting a significant portion of the purchase. So, I get extra heat out of it!! (I hand split) An added bonus: all those slivers and chips that result from splitting firewood go right into one of my buckets o' kindling. Ugly, snarly pieces that won't split get cut up into grill chunks. Hell of a lot cheaper than buying them bagged from a store...
@@pyroman6000 I'm glad I'm not the only one with a bucket o' kindling, lol
I like a combination of different sizes when I split wood.
Having a variety of sizes is useful for sure! Thanks for watching and commenting.
Great reasons why to split smaller. Ease of handling would be my number one. Especially as we get older
Thanks! That's one of my main reasons for sure. When I see a larger piece of split wood in my stacked pile, I often dig around it for smaller ones (when I'm carrying the wood into the basement to burn). Thanks for watching.
Great video! Split mine smaller because of my customers, learned from Chris. In the Woodyard, to listen to the people buying your wood. Have a Safe Day
Thanks for watching! Chris has a great channel! I wish I could chuck wood like he does! I watch him and think - he acts like he's 1/2 my age! :)
@@PurpleCollarLife I agree, its hard to work after watching him, Im already tired!!!😂😂😂😂
Same i split smaller after chris in the Woodward posted.
Fantastic splitter! I have had to use an axe/maul for 42 years but at 70 years of age a splitter would be great.
After 42 years, you certainly deserve to take a break and enjoy a splitter! Thanks for watching.
Same here. Real nice splitter. Want to go half.
Took you a while to get the hint
don't give up on splitting by hand. try a fiskars splitting axe it's a lot easier on the arms and back. my farmer friend is 63 and has been splitting firewood for 45 years and I'm 44 and he is better than me.
After using the splitter do you work out at the gym? I still do it old school.
Lots of good info .
Have to say here in the UK we generally have much smaller fires ( they tend to be supplementary not the main heat source ).
On my Clear View 4kw multifuel stove
I use larger logs as once banked it will tick over for many hours .
If I use smaller logs the multiple surfaces all appear to burn at the same time so in my particular stove just dont last as long.
You are correct on drying out time.
My logs being unsplit are all left for 2 years minimum before use
With a final moisture content of less than 15%
If I want a more hours burn being multifuel I just add a dozen lumps of clean burn smokeless coal .
On average i get just a couple of hands fulls of ash a day .
For a small stove it has a very effective and through burn.
Thanks for sharing! We love hearing about people's experiences in other parts of the world. And thanks for the tips!
I've only just started watching but must comment on your splitter, what a fantastic ideal to cut on the reverse too!!!
Glad you liked it! We've done a few videos about why we chose this splitter. It is excellent engineering!
Great video Chad. I like a variety of sizes. Smaller pieces for easy starts, and bigger ones for overnight burns. My wood seasons 2-3 years depending on species.
Thanks @BuildALot Acres! Have you ever figured out how much moisture it loses after 1 year, and then how much more in the 2nd and 3rd years? I've been thinking about testing that in a future video.
@@PurpleCollarLife certain species like red and white oak take forever to dry. I have not tested it.
Yes, for overnight burns, I put green rounds on a nice bed of coals…then a fella doesn’t have to relight the fire in the morning. small wood burns hot and fast, not ideal for 24/7 operation.
Been burnin' for decades. We also start with smaller pieces and put large logs on for extended burns and overnight. It's our primary heat. The smaller ones burn to fast and hot, but can somewhat be controlled with stove and pipe damper. Be mindful burning green, as you may build up too much creosote.
@@BuildALotAcres I've found that red oak takes longer to dry than white oak. Doesn't make much sense since red oak is so much more "porous." White oak is one of my favorites to cut, split, and burn.
Nice splitter.
I have been cutting wood in PA for over 40 years and watched the 1st 2 reasons and got a big laugh. Cut them smaller because they are easy to handle. A young straping guy like you should have no problems with larger pieces !! Thet also burn a lot quicker !!!
Number 2 they dry out quicker. Here is what you do my friend. It's December 21,2023 and my wood for next year is already cut, split into nice large pieces and stacked and covered in a open wood shed. Cut this year so it will be ready next year. real simple. So you have over a year to season oak, cherry, maple, walnut etc. Be one year ahead. If you were to get sick next year for a extended peiod of time, break a leg or have a accident it's done !
Going to watch Number 3 now.
Thanks for watching! What part of PA?
Reason 1 - it's not that I'm not able to lift the larger pieces - it's more a matter of grip. My hands feel worthless in winter gloves. I can't get a good grip on bigger pieces.
Reason 2 - I do let the wood season for a year. But we live in the middle of the woods - so I don't have great area to let the wood get maximum sunshine and airflow. Sometimes these hardwoods take 2 years to season out in my stacks in the woods.
Thanks for leaving a comment!
I've been cutting/splitting/burning hardwood for 50 years in Alabama. Also been sawing timber into lumber for years but that's another story. We used to burn really big hardwood in a freestanding stove in a drafty house. Banking a back log so the coals were ready to start the next morning's fire. Now, smaller split hickory and oak may burn faster but it also helps us control the house temps much better in a home that's well sealed and insulated. When we throttle the fire down, even the smaller fire wood lasts a long while.
I’m totally with you, except the one year ahead logic. This varies a lot from climate to climate. Where i live split oak and beech easily takes 3 years to dry. Birch 1 year.
Ah this is machine looks great. This must be a godsend for older folks.
It is a great piece of equipment. We love the log lift, and the ability to split in both directions. Thanks for watching!
There's a lot more of a learning curve with cutting and burning wood than people thnk. I try to just keep a mix as I'm splitting it. If I have a piece that works out better as a big piece, I just split the next one small. I cut my wood short, too, aiming for 16" because I can load the wood front to back so that the air is drawn between the sticks of wood. Those gigantic chunks are usually not a good option because they don't have enough surface area and like you said, I stack the small pieces tightly if I want extended burn time.
Thanks for commenting! I have found that it really depends on the stove, too. I have a friend with an outdoor wood boiler. He wants rounds that JUST fit in the door.
@@PurpleCollarLife My stepdad had an outdoor boiler and he always wanted huge, green wood. Lots faster to cut wood for it. The only complaint I've heard about them is they take so much more wood. My neighbor uses about 10 cord per year for 1000 sq ft house and I get by on about half that for the same size house. But, hey, if you've got the trees, it's easy wood cutting.
Good tips. Save any knotted pieces for when a longer burn time is desired.
That's a good idea! Thanks for watching and commenting!
Smaller splits increases heat because there is more surface area to release gasses from the wood. So you get a hotter fire quicker but won’t last as long. I cut the same size as you here in Japan because I also the same wood in my pizza oven so I need the extra heat fast in the cafe.
The key to firewood is always being several years ahead of the game. I always have at least 2 years worth fully seasoned and another 2 in various stages. Also the biggest mistake people make is buying an undersized stove. Always buy the stove that’s too big for the area you want to heat for what should be obvious reasons. Also cutting your wood smaller means you can always give to people who need it and you know it will always be suitable for their stove.
I'd like to get a few years ahead of the game. All great points in your comment here. I appreciate you sharing your experience. You have a wood-fire pizza oven? So cool!
Sounds words of wisdom from somone who knows about cooking with wood..i use a cook stove for heat as well as cooking n when you need a fire quick that small wood lights up good ..n yes when giving people wood its very thpughtfull..you are kind in that
Yeah wood pizza oven..yeah that is cool..hats off to you..bet thats good pizza..
I cut it long enough to make sure it won’t fit in my son in law’s stove! He finds it saves time and effort taking my wood compared to collecting his own.
I like your firewood philosophy, I agree small diameter will burn hotter and more quickly, but you can load more in to the stove and perhaps occupy more volume than bigger pieces. I use a wood stove that has double the heating capacity that my house requires. At below -30C from lighting the stove I can raise the temperature in the house to over 25C in about 2 hours after which I let it burn low. I also cut extra smaller diameter wood for old or disabled people to take if they cannot gather it for themselves.
Yep, This is the way we do it in Norway too. Where I live we have 8 - 9 months of indoor heating season and temperatures down to 40 - Celsius in periods. I burn 19 cubic yards each season. I fell, cut and split it early spring and its ready to go early winter same year. Gem of a Channel Sir!:) Respect and best wishes to you and your family Sir:)
Thank you for sharing your experience from Norway! We appreciate you watching and commenting.
Do you do like I do ? I rank them in single rows of 24 feet long + X 4 feet high with one face to south facing. The more space between rows the better (sun and wind air flow). By fall the wood is bone dry. Then I build a tighter rows of 16-24 inch inbetween and cover with tarps over the tops. I do 5-6 cords a year, but burn about 4-5 cords over 8-9 mths heating season. The extra firewood goes towards next year's supply or if we have a very cold and windy winter.
A splitter splitting in both directions is genius!
It is! We love it.
I agree 100 percent! In fact i split mine smaller yet before they hit the woodstove, they light easier.
Thanks Chris!
Yes i agree thats how i split mine as well for exact same reason..also if you are selling wood by cord the customer is getting more wood..tighter stack less space between logs...once they know that its +++
Thanks! Never thought about it, but you’re absolutely right that there’s more wood in a stack when it nests nicely.
Exact opposite for me, big pieces last longer and go through alot less wood, way less trips to the stove also. You just have to plan more on your seasoning time, keep ahead of it instead of behind it. Everybody does it differently. I use your size of for kindling. I like how that cylinder splits both ways. Cool!
Thanks, Mike! The Split-Fire splitter splitting in both directions certainly is efficient. I think the difference with our situation is the wood stove (Buck Stove model 91) that has the catalytic system in it. I find it does much better with the smaller pieces than with a big chunk. Now - if I were using a different stove, or an outside wood burner - I’d probably prefer the biggest pieces of wood that I could handle.
I only use the small split pieces to maintain the fire around the large pieces. I only heat with two wood stoves, both old with no converter, and solar heat. Usually unless the temp gets below zero we only use one stove, which is the smaller of the two. Pinion wood produces a lot of heat compared to many other types of wood. It's very dense like oak.
I'm in central PA. I burn Red Oak, White Oak, Cherry, Hickory, Black Walnut and Locust. Red Oak and Locust take years to properly dry. Black Walnut surprisingly dries quickest and gives some of the best heat.
I've never tried Black Walnut - but thanks for the info! Always nice to have another viewer from PA. Thanks for joining!
I have found that splitting the firewood smaller for my gasification wood boiler makes for a very even hot burn that lasts longer than if it is split more coarser. Before that, the larger pieces would sometimes only partially burn and I would have to relight it.
Also, love that splitter you have. Picks up the block and splits both directions.
Thanks for confirming my thoughts! I have had many tell me that it's not possible that the smaller pieces burn longer than a large piece. But with our catalytic combustion stove, I think the smaller pieces stacked in properly give a longer, more productive BTU burn. I appreciate you letting me know you have similar results/thoughts. You're right about that little Split-Fire 2265 splitter - amazing machine!
If your split wood doesn't burn totally, the fault it likely to be a lack of seasoning or drying, poor draft control or the type of wood not the size.
@@PurpleCollarLife I have a drolet HT 3000 and I made a lot of test and for sure smaller pieces burn better and longer (considering same weight of wood put in). Many people talk about how important it is to optimize your draft and it is, but once the optimisation is done, in my case, smaller is the winner for slow combustion (secondary burn slowly dancing on top of the stove for a surprisingly long time)
@@simongariepy5449 We love watching that secondary burn also!
I rarely split, I am one year into an outdoor boiler, and am in love with it!! 24 in diameter, and 36 inches long. Saves soooooo much time; I load the stove once a day, and it will burn green just as good as seasoned, but I still season in a wood shed for a year. I may burn more wood now than with a furnace or stove in my basement, but the mess stays outside, it is safer, I don't split often, and I stock it once a day!! Bonus...it heats my hot water.
Thanks for sharing! I've thought about an outdoor wood boiler system. But our house is all electric (baseboard electric heat). So we'd have to run hot water heat system throughout the house, and I imagine that would be quite expensive to add.
I think it's a good idea to season the wood even for an outdoor furnace, right? Because you'd still get more BTUs burning seasoned wood and it would decrease the chance of a fire in the stove chimney due to creosote. I'm just speculating, would love to hear your thoughts. Thank you for watching and commenting from Alaska!
@@PurpleCollarLife I think that you could tap the heated water from the boiler directly into your baseboards and adjust the water temp on the boiler. Set up a bypass valve or just put your heat input before the thermostat control valve. The boiler pump runs 24/7, you don't want your house 165 degrees, so a bypass valve is key to getting your system to work efficiently. The heat transfer plates for heating your hot water are installed before your house heat and the hot water tank. The boiler has 2 hot water outputs, 1 for the house, and a second for a greenhouse or garage. The chimney will never creosote up, due to the fact that it is only about a foot tall, and the fire only burns when the blower fan turns on, burning hot enough to keep the creosote burnt. I am just getting settled in here in Ohio, but while in Alaska everything was split small and we were always at least a year ahead on our 8 month supply of wood. I went with a crown royal boiler here due to the stainless steel construction. I would try to research boiler to baseboard engineering designs. I just worry that one day (if the country doesn't collapse) the insurance companies are going to hammer us wood burners, hence the outdoor boiler. I will die burning wood, my passion is being in the woods, cutting wood, burning wood, picking morels, growing ginseng, and processing a deer or two. If you have questions let me know, I still talk to my dealer out of Kentucky all the time.
@@PurpleCollarLife electric baseboard, sorry for the misunderstanding. Always need a primary and secondary heat source.
@@dwadecolburn8642 What was your cost for that? I'm in PA, there are 2 companies that make them here. Total cost with converting my water heater and adapting my central forced air/heat is around $12K.
@@joeh4295 I paid about 13k, I dug the trench, but they did the install. I was heating with propane, which cost me over 3k last year, and probably closer to 4k this year. My electric bill dropped by 60 bucks a month. So It will pay for itself in 3 years, has a 20 year warranty and nothing is getting cheaper. I have 150 acres of trees, so it just made sense. I am in Southern Ohio now.
Greetings from Prince Edward Island, Canada. I generally have three size splits. Kindling, medium and somewhat larger but not overnight size. I burn predominantly Black Spruce and it's around 15% moisture. I clean my flu every three years and maybe get a cup of creosote. I burn full time. Hardwood is not a plentiful up here. My go to is Birch, which has to be split asap otherwise goes punky. I like the lift on the splitter, @59 those rounds get heavier every year
I'm 71. I feel those big rounds.
Yesterday was a perfect day in the woods. I blocked, loaded and dumped three loads of ash, maple and beech. Everything I cut this year has been down and standing dead wood. The emerald ash boarer has pretty well finished off all the ash trees in my area of Michigan.
I'm cutting in an area with literally thousands of cords of down wood.
When Dutch elm disease came through our area I did the same thing.
Ive had the misfortune of seeing two species vanish.
I burn 25 faces of 16 inch wood each year and heat my 2500 Sq foot home and a 1400 Sq foot shop 24/7 during the cold months.
I'm lucky to be three years ahead.
I'm truly a wealthy man.
3 years ahead is so awesome! Great work staying ahead of it.
Hi Brent! Thanks for watching and leaving a comment. I didn’t realize the Birch would turn bad so quickly if not split. Great info! The log lift on the splitter makes a huge difference.
@@PurpleCollarLife It does, that's why the natives make canoes, its water impervious, but if you want to burn it, split it!!!
Cherry is one of my all time favorite firewoods
Absolutely agree. It's a tough call for me between a good piece of Oak, and a good piece of Cherry. But they're both far above any other woods I prefer to burn.
Dead Ivory elm is another one of my favorites and of course dead oak
Not knowing why it is, cherry does not have the density of a piece of oak and thus shorter burn time with less btu output
I have a gas splitter from Tractor Supply. It's a basic homeowner model, but my brother extended the wedge and added a table, which makes it SO much better. I've trained my stove to have no pride- it burns whatever I can fit through the door. I burn a lot of what others would consider trash wood, but it still has BTUs. At north of 70, it's either use the splitter or cut wood that doesn't need to be split. My shoulders just don't want to play with a maul and wedge anymore. I'd get a double split like yours if I had it to do again. I'm on my 3rd engine, and I think this one (a Honda) might take me to the finish line.
I burn mostly beech,hickory, and whatever blow downs I get on my farm. I split it in various sizes and shapes. I like making them into 2x6x18 pieces like lumbar at night they stack up nice in the wood burner. Also like full rounds up to coffee can diameter that I just slightly crack open so they dry quick but burn like a full log. Sometimes I put a piece of bark or wood chip in the crack to hold it open. Variety of sizes ,types of wood and variety of moisture content is what makes it work for me.
Thanks, Fred. Great idea about cracking one open to let it get some air and season in the center, but still be a larger piece. I’ve never tried that, but it’s genius!
Ues you need some wood that burn a while..the smaller wood servs it purpose but burns quick..its the best way to nurn gree
Green wood..i didnt know about the splitting the log n putting bark in it..thanks..i split few logs small them some bigger..then throw some rounds in..(yes i like coffee can size too).that way difftent sizes mixed in always variety in the stack to carry in..when selling wood i tell them its more wood in a stack when cut smaller ..then ask what sizes wood you like..some folks buy wood for just n fire place not really for heat..some stoves..some people want small wood for their smokers also..bit i like that split log with the bark great idea thanks..
@@stevencrisci2989 I usually save those logs that are just cracked for the coldest part of winter in my " yule log " rack. 🤣 And I'm going out now to split because it's 20 degrees and i love it when the wood almost explodes when frozen.
@@samuelluria4744 You calling me a moron? So when that storm came through here and damaged my log home and woodshed that was my imagination? Or when the logger came a week later to cut up 59 of my trees that was bullshit? Too bad I can't post photos here.
Between the video and the comments I read some very good points; in the end, and in my humble opinion, the size depends on the kind of stove you have and on how dry your wood is. I’m experiencing the same issue purple collar life is having, due to lot of partially burned wood. I’ve noticed lot depending on the fact that the burner is old and not effective and the bed of coal is not proportioned to the size of the wood. But, in my newer stove there is no issue. And in both cases, thanks to the recent wood shortage (at least in my area), I’ve lot of not perfectly dry wood (or too old on the other hand: using the leftover of the wood shack I’ve been left by the previous owner) and it’s quite a pain to keep the fire running smoothly. Very interesting video, thanks
You're 100% right that the variables determine what works best. And it is going to be different for each person, depending on their environment and situation. Thanks for leaving a comment!
@@PurpleCollarLife my pleasure, thanks for the nice contents
It depends...here in eastern Ontario Canada, it's not unusual to see Jan/Feb temps in the -22F area. My Elmira stove can handle logs up to 23". I keep a mix of large and small pieces available at all times. If it's mild I'll go with the smaller stuff for a more controlled lower heat, when it gets really cold I load in the big boys to get the stove hot (without constantly feeding it with small pieces) and keep her averaged at 350F...always cozy. Good video!
Same here. I like a good mix of sizes, but I have been splitting a little smaller the last 2 years and I think it’s working well. But I still like keeping some “all nighters” on hand, but I generally still split those once for seasoning.
My Enviro Boston insert requires one mid night feeding now that our night time temperatures are in the low 20s- teens. And it’s only going to get colder in Jan/February. I like a big slab of oak, maple or elm; and I fill the gaps with smaller stuff. That cherry is nice too but I don’t have any this year.
If I get up at 6 am and it’s below 68 in the house, I failed. 🥶
Thanks, Roger! Good idea to keep a good mix of sizes for when you need those bigger pieces. I wasn't sure what an Elmira stove was, so I had to look them up on Google. What a beautiful stove!
Thanks for watching and commenting! I actually don't mind the house getting a little cooler at night. I prefer to sleep at about 64 degrees in the bedroom. But on days that we've had the Buck stove going all day, the bedroom rarely is below 70 through the night.
The best "all nighter" load in a wood burning stove, is the charge that has the greatest mass of wood. By extension that means the least amount of air space. The way to accomplish that is with small pieces. Same principle as splitting the round blocks into pieces in order to get more wood in the pickup box when you're hauling it home from the forest. Smaller pieces means less dead air space and more wood in the stove. I can't believe people even debate this.
@@hilljack6765 Like pretty much everything in life, there's a happy medium. So no, i'm not advocating sawdust. That assumption on your part would only be defensible if i had said "the smaller, the better". If you actually paid attention when you read something, you would have noticed the distinct lack of such a statement in my first comment.
As to the 1 correct statement in your reply, yes, "a cubic foot of wood is a cubic foot" no matter how you cut it. But it also still remains true that if your Buck91 can have more than 1 cubic foot, or 1.5, or 2 cubic feet, or however much it is that you get in with the method you described, and kindly drew a picture of, then the burn time will be longer. And small (but not too small remember) pieces that allow you to fill in those 2 substantially sized air gaps between > and o, on both sides (>o
you are 100% right on this: drier is better. Any water in your log must be boiled out first. That puts steam into the exhaust which cools the stream and lowers temp. which reduces combustion, causes more smoke which pollutes and leaves carbon/creosote on chimney walls. bottom line, it's more work but it's worth the effort, imo
Thanks for watching! You're absolutely correct - I like to keep my wood at 10-15% moisture. I will burn up to 18%, but avoid anything in that 20% and up level. The moisture in the wood lowers the amount of heating BTUs, and like you said, increases the creosote in the chimney (which can be potential future problems).
Great topic Chad. We often like small. Out stove is a jotul. So small pieces. It cranks the heat for our under 1100 sq feet
Hi @Adventure Rhoades! Thanks for watching and commenting.
I agree with this. Everybody has a different view. But this works for me. Well done.
Thank you!
Just found the channel. I too split a little smaller than most. My customers like it as well. New sub. Thanks for the video. I’m in Maryland
Hi Brad - we enjoy your channel! Thanks for checking out our channel. We don’t have any customers (other than ourselves), but we’ve really appreciated that we split the wood a little smaller a few years ago.
I keep a mix of both big and smaller pieces for packing the stove and overnight burns. I keep them overall smaller due to the wife and kids helping me move wood around.
Managing land and processing trees is my relax time so i am always cutting bucking and splitting in my free time so keeping a good volume of wood drying is easy
Tractor picked that tote up easily. Put some more in there. It will only get lighter as it dries. Great lookin cherry!
Thanks, KNL. You're right - the tractor did a nice job lifting those totes up. I could have filled them a bit higher, because they will get lighter as the wood dries out. I may add some more wood to the totes the next time I'm out splitting. That just gives me another reason to get the tractor out and move some wood around! :)
I've been burning wood for years . I love small to medium size splits. I can load alot more splits in the stove with smaller and medium splits. Stove temps are also higher. Good video
Excellent! I'm so glad someone finds the same results with smaller splits that I do.
Not to mention they dry faster as well.
Great looking wood
Thanks 👍
I agree -- We split & sell firewood for other folks too -- Many folks have much easier time handling regular size pieces, VS larger pieces. If we have a customer with a fireplace, we will keep longer pieces for them (18-24ins) / Or, if someone has a boiler, and wants thicker, large pieces, we have that already split that way too. But, majority of clients prefer the "smaller" pieces. Burns more efficiently with consistent heat & stacks into stoves beautifully.
Larger pieces save time, but unless you can handle super heavy, bulky pieces, it isn't helpful. And, they take longer to dry out / season.
Excellent points! Thanks for watching and leaving a comment. I've heard from many people who split firewood for selling that most people like it a bit smaller. In fact, if you watch Joe (@OhioWoodBurner) or Chris (@InTheWoodyard), I've seen them re-split wood to make it smaller for some customers.
Great job on the video and the tractor is a plus. Split wood like that all my life until I got a wood splitter and eventually found that cutting slabs approximately 2 to 3 or even 4 wide not only stacks better but I can put them in the stove like 2",3",or4" x4", x6" or even x8" width and with the help of a damper I can get 12 hr burn times at night or if I'm gone all day. I cut it 12" long so I can put it straight in the stove instead of side ways. 2019 Catalytic Hearthstone Castleton wood soapstone stove
Thanks for watching and commenting! Sounds like you have a nice stove!
I have the same Split Fire 2265 - absolutely love it.
I often wonder what I ever did without the splitter. The log lift is such a back saver, and the splitter is absolutely a joy to operate. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment!
Good evening Sir, Yes my Honda Generator is always starting the very first time but each time that I start it in front of the camera, the engine is shy 🤣🥴 You are right and I agree with you, I burn many times with big large wood logs on the side of my various large wood stove despite having firewood gloves( like welding gloves ) on the upper arm burn 😤🤭🤔 So yes using smaller firewood is offert a better handling 😉👍 Sir you can double ( HEAT GOPLUG ) go plugs your engine for a better start 😉👍 Yes it did it 💪👌😉 Full watch Sir CHeers 😉👌👍🍻
Dave - I have thought about adding glow plugs to the John Deere 2210. I'm actually surprised the tractor didn't come with them. Our F-350 Ford truck has glow plugs AND a block heater - which is nice on the coldest days.
Thanks for watching!
@@PurpleCollarLife Ok, I see and understand now 😮 Yes do had a magnetic engine block heater and that will make it a better start for sure 👍👌😉 Have a great week Sir Cheers 👍👌😉
I did the same thing this year as I bought my logs in late spring
Been burning since late November and I haven’t had any problems
Thanks for watching and commenting! Splitting smaller definitely lets the wood season much faster.
Good video i myself like a variety in size. I burn fir and lodgepole. Limited on what i get were i live. But over all i do like smaller easier to handle
Thanks for sharing!
lol, I was right there with you! “It’s a Honda, it will start on the first pull!!"
I said in all the previous videos - this Honda engine always starts on the first pull. Then I made the video and it didn't. :) Figures. Since then, I'll say it always starts within the first few pulls. ;)
Another home run! Thanks buddy for the great video!
Thanks again!
Yep, smaller wood better. Thanks for sharing. Take care.
Thanks! We appreciate you watching and commenting.
Great video! Most people don't really understand how much difference there is in using dry, seasoned wood. The heat output in the same size stove full of wood is two if not three times as much as using wet wood. Also there is very little smoke and ash left.
Get a year ahead and cut your wood now for next year. You will have far more heat and burn less wood.
Great point! Thanks for watching and commenting. You're absolutely right that many people don't understand the value of seasoning firewood, and the potential danger of burning unseasoned wood indoors (creosote buildup and potential chimney / house fire).
Burning seasoned wood to me as opposed to not so seasoned wood is almost like night n day..burn less wood( more cost effective) get more heat less stove tending..less creo build up..n much more enjoyable
Makes having a woodstove pleasurable as opposed to a hassle somtimes usualy in the middle of the night..😊
Bingo PAL 😊
That's true for outdoor burning, too. I put some very dry soft maple on- and had to retreat several feet- to save my eyebrows! Same wood, not so well seasoned didn't burn nearly so hot. That day, I learned what Chris (InThe Woodyard) meant by POOF! wood, lol.
Two things:
1.) Love that splitter, what great idear for a heavy log lifter and dual sided wedge.
2.) Your wood totes / tractor combo are EXACTLY what I imagined make the most sense as far as handling wood less!
Thanks! We certainly have learned over the years that efficiency is key. There is no sense in handling the wood more times than necessary. Thank you for watching and commenting!
@@PurpleCollarLife
Very cool! Keep it up! I gotta ask, where do you get the wood totes!? I tried Google'ing to see what they might be called / referred as... didn't find anything with that nice aluminum construction. Those are stellar!!
@@pgt20 They're called IBC (intermediate bulk containers) totes. I did a video about where I get mine: ruclips.net/video/59nkrRgf_nY/видео.html
All good points for smaller splits. Especially for my aging parents who like to burn in their new insert but need those smaller pieces. If you can keep them small it'll go well for folks in more mild climates. Quicker fire no doubt. I prefer to keep them bigger for the longer term but in all I will burn everything that gets split. The splitter chaff makes great kindling too. If I split bigger blocks like 4x8 or the like, then I've got a decent log in the middle of that fire to help when I'm ready to get busy elsewhere and keep the heat going. Not always going for the overnighter but I'd still want to make sure that the wood at that size has been given a great deal of drying time as well. Starting on a property and that requires a new house. Not sure what I'll be heating with but I've already begun on the dry wood collection, time to add to the stacks.
The older I get, the more convinced I am that it's okay to work smarter for the benefit of the future. Splitting the wood an extra time will certainly be appreciated in future years when I'm loading/unloading that wood.
I do like an "all night" log from time to time -but if packed in nicely, our catalytic combustion stove does a great job of burning even the smaller pieces efficiently.
Congrats on the new property!
@@PurpleCollarLife thank you! I hope to make a good choice on the next stove too. What is your stove, I'm curious!
Good point about the splitter chaff. That's exactly what I do with mine- why not? It's there, and I don't have to split kinding as often.
4 way wedge ! You'll just LOVE it !!!
I've never tried a 4-way wedge. Maybe some day.
@@PurpleCollarLife WHAT ? LOL, never ? You don't know what you're missing
About time, I’ve split my wood small for fourth years. I can fill up fire box with more wood, fill in all those voids. I’ll leave the odd one bigger to put in so it keeps burning when I don’t really need a big fire.
Thanks! That’s what we like to do too.
Split fire is nice. I don’t use a lot of wood but still hand split. Enjoyed it!
Thanks 👍
Appreciate the video and perspective PCL. Good insight.
Thanks for watching!
Excellent points it does make good sense to me to use smaller pieces of firewood. I’ve been testing out using bigger pieces this year but I’ll definitely go for the smaller pieces on the next round. Thanks for the video I hole you have yourself a great day !
Thanks for watching! I actually just refilled the basement stack today. I pulled from two piles - one with big chunks, one with smaller splits. The smaller splits were much better to handle and carry in.
Old fashioned pour spout on the gas can! Ha! I think you make a great argument for splitting firewood smaller Chad. Crystal certainly agrees with you. Nice video. -John
That is just about my only gas can that actually pours. The new spouts are the worst. Thanks for watching!
It depends on your burning unit. I have a Tulikivi soapstone heater. I was told it’s designed to burn 1 very hot fire per day then it will radiate heat all day. It does this very well but hot is a very subjective term. After a few years my stone in the firebox began to show cracks and damage. The rep from the company saw my wood supply and said that my wood is split too thin and it’s seriously overheating the stone and damaging it. He recommended a piece about 4”-6” triangular split.
Thanks for the info! That’s a great point.
I personally split 80/20 small/large for inside burning and 50/50 for outside burns. Like having bigger checks for outside. Less poking and more relaxing.
It's good to have a mix. Nice job. Thanks for watching!
That is a really nice splitter with it 2 direction and lift to get the logs on the platform. Quite a back saver!
That's 100% correct. I couldn't go back to splitting without that log lift. Not only is it a great way to lift the logs - but it's also a great work table while splitting!
Great suggestions in your videos. I grew up burning wood, but even as a 30 year old I'm still learning tips and tricks. Definitely guilty of throwing in a couple 'all-nighter' logs. Thanks!
Thanks for watching! I think we all get wiser as we get older. I can't wait to see what I learn over the next 40 years. :)
I'm 72 and cut and split at least 100 face cord a year.
Get your self some hydraulics, a tractor with a grapple or thumb, a decent four way splitter and either a small dump truck or dump trailer.
I’m starting a firewood business and I saw the advantages immediately of splitting smaller. Primarily it’s easier to pack the bags!
Excellent! Yes, for bagged firewood, I'd much rather fill them with smaller pieces.
More volume as well.
@@shanemiller9000 True
Here in southern Mo it doesn't get that cold and I have great closed cell spray foam, so I use a large unsplit log or two so it just somolders all night and I don't have to relight it in the morning, small split would will burn up and go out overnight. Lastly splitting this many times takes a lot more work.
Thanks for watching! You're right - it does take more work (and time) to split the pieces smaller.
That split fire unit is genius.
Amazing engineering!
I run a small Jotul 602 wood stove. It is very efficient, when the fire is birght and quick burning. I've been cutting my logs to about 14 inches long, and split to no bigger than 4x4. I've found, like you that I can get more wood into the stove with the smaller splits.
Also, I don't mind burning branch wood down to 1 inch round. Anything less than that is more trouble than it is worth to cut and stack.
Sounds great!
@James Kniskern Thank you. If i could give your comment more than 1 'Thumbs up' i would have.
Cool dual way splitter!
Love that lift for the monsters.
The two-way split of the Split-Fire machines are one of the reasons we really like the brand. And that log lift is a back-saver! :)
I split big for business efficiency and consistent log volume, but anyone burning wood should have difference size pieces for long burning and quick flame-up
Thanks for watching and commenting! There's definitely a place for larger split pieces. And you're right - a variety of sizes allows for a perfect combination from startup through long burn times.
@@hilljack6765 Thanks!
Thanks for the different perspective...
Generally when I'm around I don't care what I pack in the stove as long as it burns hot and efficient.
However at night I like to PACK it in with LARGE PIECES to last through the week hours...but I don't mind trying your method. :)
... BUT the handling part with smaller pieces... naw...not an issue and even silly! :)
Thanks for watching and commenting!
I have a Hearthstone stove and it is much happier burning layers of smaller split pieces rather than large ones. With the layers I can throttle down the damper for a nice smooth rolling burn. Large ones tend to smolder and require a more open damper setting. Thanks for the video.
Thanks for leaving this comment. There seems to be a lot of debate about the bigger pieces and the smaller pieces. I agree with you totally. In my experience, with our wood, in our stove, the larger pieces do require more open damper and smolder down. Whereas the smaller pieces layered in allow the damper to be adjusted in and it produces a great steady heat. Thanks again!
Thanks for the great content! Also a great ad for the split fire log splitter! Thats a serious machine!!!!
Glad you liked it! That Split-Fire 2265 has been one of the best things we've ever bought.
Good reasons and satisfying to watch.
Thanks! We appreciate you watching and commenting.
I've a rocket stove that I made (a larger version of the one made on Zero Labs channel)
At one time I had to split it small because my fuel tube was small. I had to refill it every 20 minutes. Since my stove is in the basement, that's a lot of stairs per night.
I wanted at least an hour burn time, and to use standard sized cord wood. I had to double the size of the fuel tube.
Rockets are a whole new stove with different running qualities. A rocket will not do an all day burn. It is best to have the exhaust go through a mass, which captures and stores heat.
The finer split wood burns super hot, as well as fast.
My enlarged fuel tube can handle 4 pieces of standard sized cord wood, which also burns pretty hot. Exterior surface temps of 500 to 600 degrees F are not uncommon. Finer wood created 700 to 800 degrees F.
I built a pellet basket, which gave me well over 1000 degrees F... way too hot... crazy, scary hot.
Rockets also need pretty dry wood as well... so, I split wood starting in the spring. By the time heating season starts, my wood is ready. There's plenty of dead ash trees around here. I've years worth.
If you stuff the fuel tube with wood, it burns hotter and faster. Once temps in the house are good, I only put in two pieces of wood at a time, and they burn as long as a full fuel tube will, but at slightly lower temps.
Working on my next design that'll hold even more wood. I working on a way I can slow the burn without compromising burn efficiency. Challenging.
Rockets have to burn wide open. Choking off air ruins efficiency... rockets have a very hot, fierce, but small fire.
Thanks for the information! I've never heard of a rocket stove - but it sounds like a really interesting system.
@@PurpleCollarLife - On the internet, causing fires, hasn't heard of rocket stove....okay, yeah....
I split smaller because my stove only has a 10" cookstove lid to feed it through. It's a temp wood, a very efficient downdraft design. the wood is stacked above the fire inside the stove, but is charred into charcoal by the fire underneath it. This makes for longer fires and lots of coals.
The draft is through two round pipes flanking the stove lid. They blast the air right down into the coal bed. Simply raking the coals from a big load under the draft tubes and opening the draft covers, gets another hour or so of heat with no new logs.
That sounds like a great a great design! I like that idea of the charcoal bed area. Really great idea.
My primary reason for cutting smaller pieces is the fact that I am an old man...with an old woman. I can still handle larger pieces, but she cant. I cut mine small enough for her to handle so she can fill the stove if it's needed and I am not around. As far as using seasoned wood, I never burn anything that has not been cut, split, and under cover for at least 8 months and usually 12. I have enough storage space for just over 4 cords and usually use just 1 1/2 to 2 per year. As soon as the weather starts to warm up, I will cut, split, and stack next year's firewood.
Thanks for sharing! It's nice that you have the space for about a year ahead, plus the current year. Great setup! Thanks for watching and leaving a comment.
The air does not get into the wood. The moisture moves out of the wood into the air. The smaller pieces make for a sorter trip for the moisture.
That's accurate. Thanks for clarifying.
I live in North Carolina with mostly oak available to me. We have short winters, humid summers, and I have a fairly small stove. Splitting small is absolutely best for me so the oak can dry and so I can fit it in my stove easily. When i lived in Oregon with a big stove and burned a lot if fir, it was best to leave the pieces larger.
Thanks for sharing! That's a great point about how your location may influence what type/size wood you split.
I do the same thing although I do keep a few big ones around for the "all nighter".
That's always a good idea.
I split all my firewood with a maul. 5 cords this past year. A bit envious of your splitter...Young man, nice video! You do it correctly!!!
Great job splitting it all by hand! That's really great conditioning. Thanks for watching and commenting.
@@PurpleCollarLife I am 66 and it is my favorite way to work out. Your set up- wood bins, splitter and tractor are very cool! You did it well.
@@jrperes2021 Thanks! I appreciate the compliment.
Old timers advice they gave me. Move heavies on your back axle not on expensive spindles ,get rear forks. Around here we stack our wood on shingles around a pole upright . Each piece is set so the rain drops onto the bark not on the end cuts of the piece below . If you stacking in cages stack upright to let gravity help dry. Get hand log tongs .
Thanks for the info
@Gillie Monger Correct . In two years you could put one piece in your attic and one in your basement crawl space and the moisture would be the same . I am talking six months , it's just firewood not sending men to the moon. Firewood cutting is HS drop out work but every one wants to make it complex.
@Gillie Monger Correct again I admit to being a bigot. When I came out to my family they just could not believe it. My biggest hate group is this guy showing his new tractor new log splitter, new side by side who could work a day at his practice pay a high schooler to cut wood for a week.
@@kokigephart111 indeed, mankind has been doing it for quite sometime now. You cut the wood, then burn the wood when it gets cold.
@@williamriedel1686 Me thinks cutting firewood is a new thing . You see many images of people carrying bundles of
I work away from home. I split small so my little lady at home can easily fuel the burner. Happy wife, happy life!!
100%
Reasons 4 and 5:
Not everyone burns for heat.
4. When burning firewood in a grill, the big honkin chunks take forever to burn down to coals. That's assuming they can even fit in your grill. Smaller pieces burn faster, getting you the coals you want in a reasonable time.
5. Campfires. Smaller pieces burn better. Hotter and brighter- giving you the nice cheery blaze you're looking for. Big pieces will burn nice for awhile- then go into smolder mode. Plenty of heat, not much of a fire. This is especially true of heavy, dense wood like oak, beech, sugar maple, locust, Ash, hickory, etc.
Two additional nice points! Thanks for watching and commenting.
Reason 6:
Because it drives the comment section nuts, lol. (forgot to add that one earlier!)
As a woodworker, I have to wimper every time I see you put that nice cherry in line for burning in the fireplace. Lol.
I hear that a lot. I do wish I was a woodworker who could use the Cherry for some nice projects.
I split all my wood for 30 years with mauls. I own wooded acreage and it's my late winter workout. A load of large pieces compared to small pieces, you will always get more wood in unsplit wood. I leave some unsplit and split some smaller for wife to handle. Put 2 large ones and fill in with smalls. So I have both in my pile to burn accordingly. I usually have 2 year supply so it can season 2 years unless I help out a less fortunate friend.
You would be surprised the benefits of swinging a maul. Most of all I split it where it falls so I never lift the bigs ones.
Thanks, John. Splitting wood with mauls definitely would keep you in shape. I wish I had that workout routine. If I had to split my wood daily though with a maul - I’d be embarrassed to make a video about it, because I’d clearly show that I’ve not been doing it that way for 30 years. :). Thanks for watching and commenting. How many cords do you split by hand each year?
Good idea to keep a variety of sizes available to fill the stove.
Thanks, Roy!
@@PurpleCollarLife I typically split 6-8 cords a year, which is what I burn in a year.This year I split 14 cords cause I had some big oaks to remove. I then stocked a friends wood pile w 6 cords cause he's battling cancer. Some days I split all easy pieces others I might only split 5 hard ones. Once I get too tired I move to cutting or stacking, just don't wear yourself out on one piece. I make my own maul handles out of hickory w my vise and draw knife,it doesn't take long to make one. On those tough ones I may use sledge and wedge to break em in half. Split one hour at a time to start. Youll have a greater feeling of accomplishment and you don't have to listen to a splitter running.
i am in northwest Florida
1- split them into smaller pieces because they are easier to carry.
Hmmm not easier if you are swinging axes, sledge hammers and pounding wedges.
2-seasoning is both good and bad.
Dry wood catches fire, but burns real fast. If the wood is not seasoned enough to catch easily, use parts of a pine that are similar to lighter wood along with smaller chips as kindling to get it going. Help it out carefully with diesel. Semiwet logs will last through the night when there are coals or enough oak quarters almost gone to start the logs.
3-The smaller pieces are easier to handle. True.
Since I am getting older and I have back problems I am thinking of getting getting a splitter. But the cost of a splitter will buy a lot of split oak fire wood. I use a double barrel stove for heat. I do get a problem with creosote that I clean out of the system several times during the season.
Made a mistake of burning some very light wood and it left ash that blocked up the top drum. Cleaned it out yesterday. I believe the wood is pop ash and it was not seasoned. Very light and fine grain. What ever it is, I will not use any more of it.
Once I cut down the trees on my place, I plant fruit trees.
Thanks for sharing your info! I like the idea of some fruit trees.
I always worry that wood that isn't fully seasoned will really cause potential problems with creosote up our chimney.
@@PurpleCollarLife Creosote:
In my area creosote build up is common. My stack is triple lined 8 inch stainless pipe. I used to clean it with brush, but it was not removing the creosote.
I lined it by putting down a six inch stove pipe and pull it out and burn it out with diesel.
Some people burn those special fire logs to burn out the creosote. I will have look into that.
YOUSPLIT FIREWOOD TO SMALL IT BURNS UP MUCH QUICKER !!!!😊
Thanks for watching! Many people agree with you. But in our catalytic stove, the efficiency is great and the smaller pieces produce more heat, for longer time.
A good mix of both big and small seems like the logical choice. Also unspilt and seasoned limb wood and seasoned un split pieces mixed in. Put one or two of those on before u go to bed and you’ll gave heat all night and coals in the am
Great point!
I split it small for fireplaces and big for my stove. I burn undesireable stuff during the day and hearty stuff for overnight. Another tip. Dont cut live trees for firewood.Plenty of tree removal companies to get that from.
Nice points. We don't cut down any live trees either. Typically, it's just blow downs after storms, or standing dead wood.
@@PurpleCollarLife Right on..I split mine similar as you. Ive got ocd so bad i want them all the same. Lol. I cut a tree down that had been dead 15 years. Still wet inside.
@@ozarkprepper1718 I've found that too. They're standing dead, no bark, but then when you split them they're no where near being dry.
I also think after watching a lot of wood cutting splitting videos that there are a lot of people using this for an outlet to farming gene that is truly in them
Great point! I'm definitely purple collar. I enjoy my day job, but can't wait to get home to my life here in rural PA on the family homestead land. This land was once a family farm with ponies and horses.
My stove loads from the end, not the front, so you gotta "one hand" it in there and my wife does 90% of the fire tending,I cut buck and split, but im not 25 no more!
Hello Johnny. Before the stove we have now, we had a side-load one too. It was a nice stove, but getting the wood the right size and in at the right angle was difficult! Ours also didn’t have a blower, so it made heat, but didn’t push it out as well as the Buck Stove does. Thanks for watching!
I understand why you split them smaller good video!
Thanks 👍