A Guide to Choosing Wood and Wood Cutting Tools

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From Forest to fireplace: a compendium of useful knowledge.
From Forest to fireplace: a compendium of useful knowledge.
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Diagram: Ax.
Diagram: Ax.
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Diagram: Monster maul.
Diagram: Monster maul.
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Photo: Chain saw: oil filler cap; starter grip; trigger; electronic ignition; fuel filler cap.
Photo: Chain saw: oil filler cap; starter grip; trigger; electronic ignition; fuel filler cap.
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Diagram: Sledge and wedges.
Diagram: Sledge and wedges.
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Diagram: Splitting maul.
Diagram: Splitting maul.
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Photo: Chain saw:  Throttle lock; padded handle; chain brake; muffler; rear hand guard; guide bar; saw chain.
Photo: Chain saw:  Throttle lock; padded handle; chain brake; muffler; rear hand guard; guide bar; saw chain.
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Mike Metz and the
Mike Metz and the "corb crib."
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Diagram: Full cord of wood.
Diagram: Full cord of wood.
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Woodpile winner: Michael Hawkes.
Woodpile winner: Michael Hawkes.
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Putting on a happy face.
Putting on a happy face.
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George Boise reaches new heights.
George Boise reaches new heights.
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Bill Kiebel's a stickler.
Bill Kiebel's a stickler.
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The Palmers' firewood wall.
The Palmers' firewood wall.

This wood-burning almanac has all you need to know about selecting wood, wood cutting and wood cutting tools.

A Guide to Choosing Wood and Wood Cutting Tools

From the crash of a newly felled tree in the woods to the first weak fingers of flame in a newly lit fire back home; from the resounding hollow “whomp” of a maul busting rounds to the deep, radiant warmth of a roaring stove; from the fundamental security of a well-built woodpile to the pioneer’s pride in working for your home’s heat — wood burning offers a continually fulfilling sequence of basic rural pleasures.

Getting wood in is work, hard work, lots of work, sometimes dangerous work. Turning cords of standing timber into stove pans of ash is far more time- and labor-consuming than turning up a thermostat dial with your thumb and forefinger.

But for millions of Americans, the rewards far outweigh the effort expended. Consider: A wood-burning home has a true hearth, a center of warmth that pulls family and friends together during the cold winter months. The task of gathering wood is exercise with a purpose — each billet you heft will serve your family. Last, getting heat from trees directly connects you to the natural world, just as harvesting fresh corn connects the gardener and bagging a winter’s worth of venison bonds the hunter.

  • Published on Sep 1, 1987
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