Choppin' Wood

We had a couple of pines that blew down over the winter. I had them cut into firewood-length logs and put them behind the garage to season, hoping to get some exercise making firewood and then passing them along to the neighbors and friends for camp wood.

My friend Chris in particular is interested in using some of it for his camping trips into the GW National Forest, so he came out in early September to do some chopping. We were having temps in the 90’s back then, so after a half hour or so, he retired to the pool.

Now, as the photo above shows, I’ve got all the necessary equipment for this endeavor, and with the cooler weather, I set out to do some work chopping on Sunday. Here are the tools, including my new star wedge in the center. I am a city boy and folks from out here usually come into town in the Fall with a truckload of firewood that they’ll sell door to door. So, let’s just say, I had a grand thought on the process, and yes, maybe the number of tools here is redundant and excessive.

I got started on the chopping at about 1 pm, and by 1:20 or so, I’d split two of the logs into quarters. The star wedge made it easier than I’d expected, and maybe I got the job done with a few less poundings given my six-five, 280 pound bulk putting the pressure on. But 20 minutes was all I could take – I thought I was gonna spontaneously combust out there.

Time for a new plan: I’ll keep working it, maybe breaking down two logs a day whenever we are out. And when I get to where I can handle two, I’ll move up to three.

The wood still has some seasoning to do. I’ve got time.