Firewood for Farm Fuel

Ned StollerMichigan AgrAbility

Overview (Firewood, not logging)

• Safety• Processing (cutting and splitting)

• Handling (hauling, stacking, burning)

Safety

Cut resistant boots

Cut resistant chaps

Photo courtesy of Gemplers, Inc.

Photo courtesy of Gemplers, Inc.

Safety

• Head, eye, ear protection

• Cut resistant vest

Photo courtesy of Gemplers, Inc.

Safety

Anti-vibration gloves

Chain brake lever

Photo courtesy of Gemplers, Inc.

Photo courtesy of Gemplers, Inc.

Cutting - LimbHog

Cut limbs without climbing. ~$2500. Lower extremity, upper extremity, back impairment, strength & endurance.

Photo courtesy of Limbhog, Inc.

Cutting – Pole saw

Cut limbs without climbing, may be easier than cutting limbs off a fallen tree. ~$150 to $500 Lower extremity.

Photo courtesy of Sears Craftsman

Cutting – Tree Shears

Cut down trees up to 14” diameter from the safety of a skid loader or backhoe cab. ~$6000 Lower extremity, upper extremity, back impairment, strength and endurance.

Photo courtesy of Sydney Mfg.

Logging Bar Saw

Mounts on excavator or large logging equipment. Grips tree, cuts and drops. ~$13,000 (More than the average farmer would need!)

Cutting - Chainsaws

Arborist saw…lighter weight, handle balances weight of saw so one hand holds the load and the other is used for guidance. ~$300 Upper extremity, back impairment, strength and endurance.

Electric saw…light weight, good for cutting smaller wood sizes, less versatile due to electric cord. ~$250 Upper extremity, back impairment, strength and endurance.

Photo courtesy of Bailey’s

Photo courtesy of Bailey’s

Cutting - chainsaws

Range in weight from 10 to 15 lbs. Both hands support weight of saw, left hand does more lifting and moving than right. Right hand controls chain speed. ~$450 for farmer/rancher grade saw. ~$800 for professional saw.

Photo courtesy of Husqvarna, Inc.

Cutting - chainsaws

Full Wrap Chainsaw Handle allows operator to hold saw handle with right hand and operate trigger with the left hand. Typically only available for professional grade saws. ~$100 Upper extremity.

Photo courtesy of Bailey’s

Cutting – prosthesis grip

Manitoba Farmers with disabilities program…prosthesis grip for chainsaws. NEVER USE THIS TO FELL A TREE!!! When cutting down trees, if the saw chain gets pinched and the tree starts to fall, the operator must be able to drop the saw immediately!

Photo courtesy of Manitoba Farmers With Disabilities Program

Cutting – chain sharpener

Sharpen chains for more efficient cutting and less physical labor. Powered sharpeners allow people with weakened grip to sharpen chains without holding a file. ~$50 to $200. Upper extremity, strength and endurance.

Photo courtesy of Northern Tool

Cutting – Grapples

Move cut logs out of woods to level, unobstructed working area. Move brush away from felled or trimmed trees. Hold logs up at waist level to cut without bending the back. ~$2000 Upper extremity, lower extremity, back impairment, strength & endurance.

Photo courtesy of Tree Terminator

Cutting – Skidding logs

Move logs from the woods to a level working area. Wrap cable around log, crank winch to lift end of log, use ATV to pull log. ~$1000 Lower extremity.

Photo courtesy of Bailey’s

Cutting – Rolling & lifting logs

Cant hooks help roll logs and lifting them off the ground slightly to put a chain under for skidding or so they can be cut to length without hitting dirt with the chainsaw (dulls the chain). ~$40 Back Impairment, strength and endurance.

Photo courtesy of Bailey’s

Cutting - Tables

Use chainsaw while standing upright instead of bent down. Load logs with tractor loader. Back impairment.

Photo courtesy of Farmshow Magazine

Cutting – Buzz Saw

Cut wood to length without needing to hold a chainsaw or bend down while holding a chainsaw. ~$1500 Upper extremity, back impairment.

Photo courtesy of New Haven Power, Inc.

Splitting – log splitters

WORK!

Less work.

Photo courtesy of Northern Tool

Photo courtesy of Northern Tool

Splitting – log splitters

Vertical log splitter. Don’t need to lift wood onto splitter, but must bend down or stoop to move wood under splitting wedge. ~$1500

Horizontal log splitter. Work from standing position, but must lift wood onto splitter. Optional hydraulic lift does work for you for another $900.

Photo courtesy of Northern Tool

Photo courtesy of Northern Tool

Splitting – log lifters

Farmer-built crane to lift logs onto splitter. Equipped with tractor seat! Hearing protection recommended.

Splitting – mobile splitters

Splitters mount to tractor loaders. Operator drives to log and splits it without manually handling log. ~$3000 Upper extremity, lower extremity, back impairment, strength and endurance.

Photo courtesy of US Pride Products

Processors – Cutting and Splitting

Processors cut logs to length and split firewood automatically. New equipment is about $18,000. Plans for “build-your-own” can be purchased and materials would be around $3000.

Photo courtesy of Built Rite Mfg.

Photo courtesy of Miller Woodcutting, Inc.

Firewood Handling

Conveyors are used to load firewood into dump trucks or wagons for delivery or hauling back to the farm from the woods. A loader bucket on a tractor can accomplish the same thing for smaller firewood operations.

Firewood Handling

Firewood Handling

Mobile firewood crates or skid boxes and totes allow stacked wood to be hauled close to the house or wood burner with a tractor loader. Upper extremity, Lower extremity, Back impairment, Strength and Endurance.

Firewood Handling

Wood sheds are better than tarps. Tarps blow off in wind and snow collapses around the wood pile as wood is removed from under the tarp.

Firewood Handling

Old manure spreaders or silage wagons make great firewood hauling wagons because they can be mechanically unloaded. Back Impairment.

Firewood Handling

Photo courtesy of Bailey’s

Firewood carts and log fork carts can be used to carry wood into the house to the wood burner.

Photo courtesy of Farmshow Magazine

Firewood Burning

Log crane can lift logs into a large outdoor boiler. Outdoor boilers may be easier to access than a forced air wood burner down in a basement.

Firewood Burning

This sweep allows the chimney to be cleaned without climbing a ladder.

Thank you.• MSU is an affirmative-action, equal-opportunity employer. Michigan State University Extension programs

and materials are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, religion, age, height, weight, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, family status or veteran status. Issued in furtherance of MSU Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Thomas G. Coon, Director, MSU Extension, East Lansing,MI 48824. This information is for educational purposes only. Reference to commercial products or trade names does not imply endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not mentioned.