Pickin' logs tomorrow...need input NOW!!!

[LEAKYSEALS951]

Tomorrow at 8:00 I show up at my FIL's mill.

He is about to sell the mill. He cuts pine. There is oak hardwood he has on the property but does not mill. He does (as an 80 yo)likes to cut his own wood for home heating.

He is boss.

But I am young and right.

HE feels, we should go to the mill, cut the trees to length (about 24 inches for wood stove)- split them, and bring them home.

I feel, we should cut the logs to 10 foot lengths (the length of my trailer), dump them on the trailer, bring them to my house, and cut them and split them at a later date. (he has cherry pickers... etc...)

Item being- that he is selling the mill in a week. We need to remove as much hardwood off the property before the sell date.

By my greatness, I feel that I am right because we can remove more BTU's of oak before closing by cutting 10 ft sections, relocating to my house, and cutting/splitting at a later date.

By his greatness, he just wants to use the log splitter into perpituity and prove his sister (co-owner) wrong.

I feel we can move more oak square board feet off the premises by cutting 10 foot sections and hauling ass.

He- owner- feels he can do more good by cutting into 12 inch lengths and splitting on the property and then hauling off by doing the grunt work on site.

My Wife says... WHO CARES... he is still cutting firewood at 80 years old.

I agree, however, I feel my strategy would be more effective on board feet/btu's.

He, however, is the BOSS... so that counts.

Obviously.. it doesn't matter how things turn out,


however...like tabs... I am RIGHT.... and I need some great one liners to make him see MY way~~~!!!!

Please help...!!!!

[ckelly78z]

I have cut/split/stacked/burnt 5-6 cords of firewood per year for twenty years now and don't understand those who want to take a log splitter into the woods with them, and waste so much time. I try to get the most wood home as possible from an off site location, and run my splitter when I feel good, and at my leasure......not pressured to meet a deadline.

Get the logs home, and cut to stove length/split them there to save much effort and time.

For a one liner, how about "Tempus Fugit".

[LEAKYSEALS951]

precisely what I tried to convey tonight (unsuccesfully).

I will use the latin phrase as my intro tomorrow morning!!! thanks!

[john70t]

I'm totally with you logically.....
-Nice full pieces of older growth oak hardwood does not belong in a stove, or campfire, or rotting away in a stack until hauled to the dump by someone else on command of the next innercity transplant stranger's ignorant wife.
-Older growth hardwood belongs in the woodworkers reserves until it can be turned into something beautiful stained and polished.

Practically speaking:
-You will 100% get nowhere fast trying to show force against a guy who has been butting heads with rams before you were even whelped kid.
-In fact he could possibly turn you three foot tall.
-Just because.

Old man needs to hear a reasonable soft voice....
-"That raw wood is going to be worth a lot of money to all of us later on, after it is stored a while."
-"I want it done that way. Please. "

And then it is suddenly ok.

[LEAKYSEALS951]

Originally Posted by john70t

I'm totally with you logically.....
-Nice full pieces of older growth oak hardwood does not belong in a stove, or campfire, or rotting away in a stack until hauled to the dump by someone else on command of ignorant wife.
-Older growth hardwood belongs in the woodworkers reserves until it can be turned into something beautiful stained and polished.

Practically speaking:
-You will 100% get nowhere fast trying to show force against a guy who has been butting heads with rams before you were even whelped kid.
-In fact he could possibly turn you three foot tall.
-Just because.

Old man needs to hear a reasonable soft voice....
-"That raw wood is going to be worth a lot of money to all of us later on, after it is stored a while."
-"I want it done that way. Please. "

And then it is suddenly ok.

Well played... When I see what is on the lawn, perhaps I suggest we cut to longer lengths, seal the ends with wax and let it dry for re-saw value.! excellent!!!

[KFC911]

My splitter only travels if the logs are huge. If not too large in diameter, I'd rather move long sections and saw/split later, but over the years I've mostly cut the trees to stove size before haulng....

My dad is 81....good luck with that

[MRM]

I grew up hearing exclusively with wood we cut from our farm. We did it both ways. I can tell you unequivocally that cutting the logs into ten foot lengths, transporting them and finishing them at the final destination is a fraction of the effort it takes to move them after they've been cut. Trust me. If economy of effort is the goal (rather than family harmony) the best way to do it is your way.

[LEAKYSEALS951]

What is happening here?

I am absolute right in reason...

And he is older and wiser... so he will win.

All in fun and games... but he is going to want to cleave this oak into matchsticks before leaving the yard!!!

I NEED MORE BLATANTLY OBVIOUS ONE LINERS FOLKS!!!

TRY HARDER!!!! darnit!!!

[john70t]

Most hardworking men like a nice breakfast when he wakes up early full of gumption.

Makes the rest of the day go by, so much easier.
Chew on something sip coffee and relax while planning the full day's schedule ahead.

Just sayin'..

[stomachmonkey]

Twice the work, loading and unloading smaller (more) pieces.

[VincentVega]

If you can unload easily then load as big as you can handle. I only have a pickup so I cut to rounds or split into ~1/2's to get onto the truck. Also, you should be able to split oak faster with a splitting ax than a powered splitter unless it is really twisted. Processing firewood is an odd hobby of mine too.

[Baz]

"Work harder AND smarter!"

[Crowbob]

I cut, hauled, split, stacked and burned wood. Shoveled, swept, vacuumed, breathed ash, and smoke, brushed chimleys and worried all night about a fire in the house for about five years.

Then I discovered it was much easier turning the dial on a thermostat and writing checks to an evil corporation.

Ima slow learner.

[pwd72s]

Get one of these?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riZVBqgVX2Y

[ckelly78z]

On my farm, I can get a year's worth of firewood pulled up behind my barn in one weekend, where I can later split it when it is convenient. We have alot of dead ASH trees on our fence rows, and creek beds that I cut the tops off of, throw a chain around the log, and drag it through the fields up into a neat pile behind my barn where it is stable, flat ground with no brush to trip over, or heavy rounds to lift onto a trailer or truck. If there is any lifting to do, I roll the rounds into my JD frontend loader and dump them into the bed of my truck.

I go back and cut up the tops to stove length, and stack into the bucket of the tractor which I then drive right up to my wood pile to stack it for seasoning.....so much less handling this way.

[DanielDudley]

Maybe try his way first, and see where you end up later. Bring the trailer just in case.

FWIW, your wife is right. Let the old guy do his thing.

[VincentVega]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

Get one of these?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riZVBqgVX2Y

If I was spending your $$

[LEAKYSEALS951]

So we split the logs on site.

spli

I think he just likes to drive the loaders on the yard. We got another pickup load and then I smashed my hand all to hell. so I'll call if a day!

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by LEAKYSEALS951

So we split the logs on site.
...

There was never any doubt in my mind as to how this would play out .

I'm just as stubborn as my dad, but he's got a lot more experience at being that way and I can't seem to catch up...

[GWN7]

Doing it his way the job is done. Doing it your way you get the most wood. As you have a week to get as much as you can .......

Enjoy your split wood