Woodlot Gear Guide: What to Buy for Firewood, Lumber and Syrup
A woodlot gear guide for landowners: the tools for cutting, splitting, chipping, milling, storing firewood and making maple syrup, with the numbers behind each.
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Most woodlot owners need four things: a way to split (maul or splitter sized to their wood), a place to season (a raised rack and a moisture meter), a way to clean up (a chipper for brush), and, if the trees allow, a way to mill or tap. Buy the splitter for your biggest rounds, season to under 20 percent moisture, and keep OSHA's chipper rules.
Job by job
| Job | Gear | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Splitting a few cords | Maul or electric splitter | mauls, electric |
| Big green hardwood | Gas splitter, 25 tons and up | gas splitters |
| Brush and limbs | Chipper shredder | chippers |
| Logs to lumber | Bandsaw or chainsaw mill | sawmills |
| Seasoning | Raised rack, moisture meter | racks |
| Maple syrup | Tapping kit, evaporator pan | kits |
The numbers that matter
- A cord is 128 cubic feet, ranked and well stowed (NIST Handbook 130 via Connecticut). Cord calculator.
- Burn wood under 20 percent moisture, seasoned at least six months (EPA). Seasoning guide.
- A 14 inch ash round wants a splitter of at least 26 tons (WEN). Splitter sizing.
- Hickory holds 29.1 million Btu per cord; cottonwood 16.1 (Missouri Department of Conservation). BTU chart.
- Finish syrup 7.1 degrees F above boiling water (University of Maine). Syrup guide.
Safety first
OSHA's chipper guidance: never reach into a running chipper, wear hearing, eye, head and hand protection, and lock out before clearing jams. See wood chipper safety.
Frequently asked questions
What equipment do I need for a woodlot?
A chainsaw, a splitting tool sized to your wood, a raised rack and moisture meter, and a chipper if you clear brush; a mill or tapping kit if you make lumber or syrup.
How much firewood do I need for a winter?
It depends on your stove and climate; measure what you burn in cords and compare species by heat on the BTU chart.
What is the best firewood to burn?
Dense hardwoods hold the most heat: Osage orange, hickory and black locust top Missouri's chart.
How dry should firewood be?
Under 20 percent moisture, per EPA. Season it at least six months and check with a moisture meter.
Do I need a log splitter or a maul?
A maul for a cord or two of straight-grained wood; a splitter for many cords or big, knotty rounds.
Sources
- Best Wood-Burning Practices, US EPA Burn Wise
- Firewood and Stove Wood Regulations, Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection
- Home Heating, Missouri Department of Conservation
- How to Choose a Log Splitter, WEN Products
- Chipper Machine Safety (QuickCard), OSHA
- Bulletin #7036, How to Tap Maple Trees and Make Maple Syrup, University of Maine Cooperative Extension
Related guides
Firewood BTU Chart: Heat Value by Wood Species
Which firewood gives the most heat per cord, by species.
Firewood Cord Calculator: How Many Cords (and BTUs) Are in Your Stack?
Measure a stack, get cords, face-cord share and million Btu by species.
How to Measure a Cord of Wood (and What a Face Cord Really Is)
Check a firewood delivery: 128 cubic feet, measured the right way.