Women and wood cutting?

meanbean

Hi,

Do any women out there cut their own wood for woodburners, and if so how? Does anyone use a chainsaw or splitting maul, and if so, which is easier/safer? Are there any other options?

I'm fed up with buying wood at high prices or depending on various men to help me get wood for my burner, and am thinking I need to man up and try it myself. Any advice appreciated.

lostinrates

meanbean wrote: »

Hi,

Do any women out there cut their own wood for woodburners, and if so how? Does anyone use a chainsaw or splitting maul, and if so, which is easier/safer? Are there any other options?

I'm fed up with buying wood at high prices or depending on various men to help me get wood for my burner, and am thinking I need to man up and try it myself. Any advice appreciated.

I know a woman in her mid to late forties and a single mother who chainsaws and chops all her own wood. On very rare occasions I'll split enough wood for an emergency day, I cannot use the chainsaw, and I'm not very well or strong, so splitting takes a lot out of me, but its perfectly possible.

In fact, I java just remembered, I also know of a woman in her late seventies who still splits her own wood.

jennyjelly

DH and I bought an electric chainsaw and both use it. Makes your arms and shoulders ache a bit at first so build up slowly.

I'm not daft though and tell him he does it so much better than me so he ends up doing most of it, still I know I'll be ok if he's out of action any time!

tori.k

I cut most our wood due to our work commitments but so far been lucky enough that my Dad has chained it into workable lengths so i just use a reciprocating saw/ log splitter/wedge & hammer. im set to do a chainsaw course in the new year with a local agriculture college. it's not something I legally need to do as im only cutting on our own land but common sense states that I should properly know what im doing.

I've always worked physical jobs but wood cutting is the hardest of my chores, so it's little & often, work up to it slowly maybe start with stripping down an old pallet into kindling or splitting down some smaller logs with a wedge and hammer to get you started.... does a fantastic job of toning the arms never need a gym again

Greenfires

If you're wanting to save money, I guess the first question is do you have access to a supply of felled wood?

As to the rest of your question, chainsaws and splitting axes are for completely different jobs - and if you're buying uncut wood then you'll be needing both to end up with logs for the fire. You'll also be needing a fair amount of storage space as wood that you buy "in the round" is going to need at least a year seasoning once you've converted it to logs before it's ready to burn.

No4_Winder

meanbean wrote: »

Hi,

Do any women out there cut their own wood for woodburners, and if so how? Does anyone use a chainsaw or splitting maul, and if so, which is easier/safer? Are there any other options?

I'm fed up with buying wood at high prices or depending on various men to help me get wood for my burner, and am thinking I need to man up and try it myself. Any advice appreciated.

Do you realise that the wood that you're buying could have up to 50% moisture in it? That means that half of the price you're paying is for the water inside the wood.

There's a product called Heatlogs or Wood Briquettes available in this country. You'll have to "shop around" to find the best deal for you. Thats what I'm doing at the moment!

These Heatlogs are much hotter than wood, do not need to be dried for months on end, you can use them the day you purchase them and they don't need to be chopped.

A much better deal than water soaked tree wood.
In my opinion at least.

Greenfires

Still need to be careful what you're buying though. Good briquettes and poor ones are a world apart!

jonewer

No4_Winder wrote: »

Do you realise that the wood that you're buying could have up to 50% moisture in it? That means that half of the price you're paying is for the water inside the wood.

There's a product called Heatlogs or Wood Briquettes available in this country. You'll have to "shop around" to find the best deal for you. Thats what I'm doing at the moment!

These Heatlogs are much hotter than wood, do not need to be dried for months on end, you can use them the day you purchase them and they don't need to be chopped.

A much better deal than water soaked tree wood.
In my opinion at least.

What about Spam? Does that burn well too?

meanbean

I have a cheap supply of felled wood and room for storing whilst the wood seasons. Am pretty decent with physical work. Built my own log store out of salvaged pallets. Bought a house that had been left to ruin and renovated it myself. But electric saws scare me. I used my own circular saw when replacing floor joists but its potential to go awry worried me immensely. Will look up a reciprocating saw as I've not heard about them.

Not really ever tried briquettes, paper or wood versions.

No4_Winder

Ok meanbean.
Good luck with your logging.

carefullycautious

Why don't you have a chat to a local woodcutter who may be able to show you the correct way to use an axe. Or trade skills with someone, eg. Find big hunk of man strip down to waist watch him cut wood whilst you make homemade apple pies in exchange

Whoops sorry just slipped into a fantasy there :rotfl:

Try the forestry web site