From Tree to Logs...How?

LurkingAgain

As the title says. What is the correct way of chopping down a tree (needed to come down) to producing logs for a burner? 
Last year we took an Ash tree down and split in to logs within a few weeks, stacked and stored them. Obviously not ready to use them this year.
We are going to be taking down some Sycamores this winter. Are we doing it right by splitting straight away? Or should we just stack the trunks etc for a few years then split?
We have plenty of room to store, it just doesn't look as messy if already split, stacked & stored.
We buy ready to burn logs at the moment, these will hopefully be for future free fuel.
Thanks for any advice.

matt_drummer

I work for a timber importer and have sawmill experience including producing firewood.

Your wood will dry (season) faster if you chop it as soon as feasible.

More surface area.

FreeBear

matt_drummer said: Your wood will dry (season) faster if you chop it as soon as feasible.

Most species of trees will split much easier when freshly felled. If you try splitting Eucalyptus after a log has dried out, you'll have a real struggle on your hands. Even when wet, Eucalyptus can be a gnarly pig to split.

Stuff like Willow & poplar can be left for a month or two before splitting - They contain a considerable amount of water when wet, so letting them dry a little can be beneficial.

QrizB

I spent my teens chopping wood for my parents' wood burner.

I agree that you should split your logs soon after felling the tree.

Although if you're managing a coppice, you can cut your wood at 5-6" diameter and then you don't need to split it!

LurkingAgain

Thank you, we will carry on as we are.

Qyburn

Wood loses moisture faster through end grain than through long grain, so at the very least get it sawn as soon as possible. However as a cautionary tale I had some Ash sawn to 10" or so and stacked under cover for four years, once split it was clearly not fully dry.

Since then I've always split straightaway and since we have enough space I give it two Summers stacked before I consider it ready to burn.

Another point is what to do with the smaller branches which can sometimes be a significant  proportion of the total mass. For example our storm Arwen damage gave around 3 cu.m of split firewood, and around 1.5 cu.m of the smaller branches up to 2" diameter.  

Ectophile

I won't bother dragging small stuff home.  But if cutting back things at home leaves me with sticks over an inch in diameter, they get cut up and added to the log pile with everything else.  They are always useful when getting a fire going.