ride the wood
v. phr.— «Malikowski was using a replica of an 18th-century tool called a froe to split firewood into one-half- to three-quarter-inch slabs to make roofing shingles. The process is called “riding the wood,” said Malikowski, who is part of a volunteer group that regularly demonstrates the 18th-century lifestyle at Constitution House in Windsor, Vt.» —“Life wasn’t easy in 18th century” by Maury Thompson Post Star (Glen Falls, New York) Sept. 14, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
David from Plymouth, Wisconsin, wonders about the expression a cord of wood. The phrase goes back to the 17th century and has to do with using a cord to measure a specific quantity of stacked wood. This is part of a complete episode.
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