Fire Wood Vs Time

[GregManning]

I have begun a small experiment to quantify for myself a typical effort to Cut, Move, Split, Stack & Stage firewood for a homeowner.

The majority of my winter heat has been wood for more than 30 years. I would estimate 80% ?
(It’s a hobby …… my grandmother lived in NH in a very nice house in the mountains, hardwood floors, bear skin rug, and the only heat & cooking year-around was done w/ wood, etc, etc)

I live in NorthEast Ohio. Typically I burn 3.5 - 4 cords per years. (House is pretty well insulated.)

Today I cut up a wind downed Sugar Maple (18” lengths) that was in the woods. It was approx. 15” OD at base; 2” OD toward the top; 60’ straight trunk length. This is ~40 ft3 of solid wood, which literature indicates will make ½ cord of firewood. I will paint the ends to keep track.

I will use a manual “Jet Sled” to drag it out of the woods (100’),
a front loader to move it to a slitting pile (200 yds),
& an 8 HP 2-stage splitter to make fairly large chunks.

Any estimates of time per stage, or total ?

 

[bonner1040]

I would suggest looking at the idea of skidding it out of the woods with the tractor. It doesnt sound very big, I bet your loader could easily move it. If you have to cut it and turn it I would think you could pull it in two pieces.

 

[GregManning]

Great idea if it were not my home; I'm concerned about the landscape; & the area is typically wet.
It is already in 18" pcs.

Also ...... skidding it would be "heck" on saw chains since it still has to be chunked ?

 

[bonner1040]

Jet sled it is! Good luck.

 

[RopeShield]

i quantified this years ago and found the major cost is in the labor to move and stack.
If you are profecient in cutting and splitting it may be worth it for you and if you have an employee wh loves the challenge and I mean in a Gold Medal kind of way, it may prove propfitable otherwise the client is paying for
redundancy.
Cheers
btw I was that employee and the client took great pleasure in
the knowledge in that the firewood was true.
Some clients accept the cost and others do not and at this point in your life, do want to deal with the latter?

 

[flyingsquirrel25]

My guess for the whole prosess is 3 to 4 hours (by yourself). Thus why its not a profitable venture to sell firewood unless you have the right equipment, supply, and the demand to be able to charge for it.

Average tree co per man hour $60??? (sound fair)
if you are on the quick side it just cost $180 for half cord or $360 per cord just for your time. Not counting fuel, and equipment maintenance. Better off going out and working on someone elses tree, and buying the firewood.
Just my opinion... Thats why I got out of selling wood.

 

[GregManning]

[ QUOTE ]
My guess for the whole prosess is 3 to 4 hours (by yourself).

[/ QUOTE ]

Looks like you are going to be pretty close:

Cut to 18” logs; trimmed off few branches at the crown.
Time included a walk back to the garage/shop to switch chains. I think I hit some long-ago buried barbed wire. I saw some old wire, but thought I would be far enough away. The wire must be at least 40-50 years old; I've been here 22 years.
Sub-Total: 60 min.

Dragged all the wood to a treelawn for later pickup. (~100 ft with slight uphill grade.)
Sub-Total: 60 min.

Tomorrow will move to splitting pile: 20-30 min ???