# Tactics for burning semi-seasoned wood



## gyrfalcon (Dec 26, 2007)

This site and you folks who post to the forums are just awesome!
Would you throw some of that awesomeness my way and give me
some advice on fire-building with less than perfect wood?

Of course I'm a newbie, and of course I have the apparently
universal problem of not having adequately seasoned wood for my
first winter.  The better of the two cords I have (from two
different sources) is mixed hardwood, mostly maple, that was
cut and split last week from logs that had been lying in an open
field in the sun since April.  The more troublesome stuff, which
I'm not even trying to burn this year now, is maple tops from
trees that were cut down and left lying in the woods this spring
before being hauled out, cut and split a couple weeks ago.

This is apparently not uncommon practice here, and the many folks
who use large and generally older woodstoves for their main
source of heat consider it adequate seasoning, so I'm told.

Have I understood right from things I've read on this forum that
it's typical that my fairly new small non-cat stove (Hearthstone
Tribute, with a newly installed SS chimney) chokes on wood older
stoves will happily burn?  I think the term I read in one post
was that the new stoves were "unforgiving" of unseasoned wood.

In any case, I have no fully seasoned wood this year and have to
figure out how to make do with the better of the two lots I do
have.  I'm using the stove only as a supplement, but hopefully a
major one, to oil heat.  When I've been able to get it up to a
modest operating temperature (300-400), it does just what I need
it to do.

But I sure can't get it there with the standard non-cat
techniques I've read so much about here and elsewhere.  Top-down,
front to back on front coals, fire cycles, and a well-filled
firebox all produce smoky smoldering with occasional licks of
flame and a stovetop temp that doesn't even move the thermometer.

If any of you wise wood-burners have a tip or three to pass on
about how to get the most out of semi-seasoned wood, I'd sure
appreciate hearing them.  I do know about chimney creosote 
build-up with this kind of wood, but I'd rather have the chimney 
checked a couple times this winter than just give up until next year.

Experimenting on my own, I've been having better luck falling
back on my old fireplace and campfire building habits--
continuous bottom-up fires with smaller splits criss-crossed (to
the extent possible in such a small stove) to provide just the
right amount of airflow, adding bigger pieces one or two at a
time on active fires, rather than letting a big load burn down to
coals and starting over with a new one.  It does mean constant
tending and liberal use of the poker to keep the spacing, but I
can live with that if that's the way to go.  If this is what
works, is there any reason I shouldn't do it this way, in a
continuous fire rather than a cycle of letting it all burn down
and then starting over?

And would it all work better if I had some smaller 8 or 9-inch
wood I could place front to back, instead of having everything go
side to side?  Well, I guess I know the answer to that, but what
I mean is whether it would make a big enough difference in
getting a hot enough fire to burn the semi-seasoned wood to be
worth the hassle and expense of getting a good amount of it
cut down to that size for me.

A second thing I would appreciate advice on is further
splitting the over-large half-splits in the load I have.  I'm
thinking of getting one of the manual devices like the
vertical Wood Wiz or Easy Splitter, or the Fireplace Friend
horizontal splitter I've seen advertised where you stomp on a 
lever to work the splitter.   I can't find any of these devices 
for sale around here, so I'll have to mail-order without a chance 
to even eyeball the thing directly.

As a single middle-aged female in decent physical shape, it's
just beyond me to go swinging even a lighter maul or axe
repeatedly with any kind of precision.  I don't want and really
don't need an expensive electric or gas or even hydraulic
splitter, and I don't think it makes sense to try to learn how to
use and maintain that kind of machinery by myself at this point
in my life!  But I don't want to be dependent either on having to
hire someone to come and split a relatively small amount of
cordwood for me.  It's probably going to be a continuing problem
over the years that some amount of the wood I get will just be
too big to use in my little Tribute.

Do any of you have any thoughts about which of these two general
types is more likely to be something I could manage by myself
reasonably well?  I wouldn't be doing huge numbers of splits,
maybe a dozen or so a week at most.  With not much upper body
strength (although I'm sure improving with all the wood I've been
hauling around and stacking!), would the horizontal stomp-on
thingy likely be easier for me than the vertical one, where you
pull the splitter up and throw it down repeatedly?

Thank you so much in advance for any advice you can give me.

Hearthstone Tribute
New SS chimney


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## North of 60 (Dec 26, 2007)

Well the bad news is your wood has not had really a chance to fall into the seasoned category.  Expesially being a hard wood and not dead standing when it fell.
 It being left whole in round uptill 2 weeks ago was its doom.  Your gonna waste alot of heat just boiling that moisture out and makin that new ss liner of yours a sticky mess know matter how you slice it.  Its not magic.  Others may chime in after my comments and tell you to mix with pallet wood.  Id say save it
for next year and get your value out of it.  The good news is cut up and burn the odd pallet and get your fix on burnin because thats a real nice stove.
  This is just my opinion.   Good luck and welcome to the Hearth.


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## narutojp (Dec 26, 2007)

Yeah, I've only been doing this for a few years, so I'm no expert at all.  But I agree that if it isn't seasoned, it's not good.  Our first year we made due with leftover wood (a lot of 2x4's etc) from our house which was just built.  That plus a little (maybe half a cord?) seasoned hardwood and we made it out of the first year.  The second year I cut wood and received a lot of cut wood, but it was not seasoned and I needed wood when winter came.  I mixed it with pallets and 2x4's but we also had a lot of smoke sometimes.   Now that I've got wood that is seasoned (it's nice to get ahead of  the game), there's no problem with burning.  I wonder if you burned something like pallets  and rotated some of the maple into the house, near the fire (not too near) whether it would dry out enough to burn some of it?  The experts here will know.


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## Lignums (Dec 26, 2007)

One thing I did not notice was the ability to buy some seasoned wood in the meantime.  Around this time of year it is common for people to come look at the wood I am selling because they are tired of getting the ' so called seasoned ' crap .  Perhaps this is an option for you.  It might very well be more expensive that the normal wood for sale, but believe me, people who sell wood keep the best for themselves, it's human nature I guess.  I myself have 5 extra cords of wood that is 2 years seasoned, mostly for myself in next years winter, but for the desperate people whose wallet runs a little deeper than most.  If you do succeed on finding some, space the seasoned at the bottom in the firebox, and the smaller split green pieces at the top of the pile.  This should help out with getting and keeping a fire going. 


Desperate times call for desperate measures.  In so far as splitting, maybe there is some teenager who can split wood for some small exchange of money.  The suggestion of burning pallet wood is a very good suggestion, it may be a lot of work getting what you need, and just be careful, some of that stuff is very dry and can get out of control easily.  


Another thing you can try is to split the wood you do have into small pieces, that would allow the air to get to all the wood, helping you from poking the fire all the time.

The top down fire technique did not work too well for me in my Homestead.  I have been making a trench in the ash/coals, placing 2 pieces north/south, the the newspaper twists, then the small kindling on top of the newspaper.  What helped me out was to make a trench from the front to back in the middle of the stove, from the air wash, all the way back to rear wall and keep one there.  This will allow air to get to the bottom of the pile and again help you from tending the fire all the time.  This method has been allowing me to get 8-10 hour burn times on all kinds of wood, Maple, Locust, Red Oak, and Mulberry.  2 years seasoned out of course.


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## Vic99 (Dec 26, 2007)

If you have green wood, you might try bringing it into a basement or porch, stacking it loosely, and sticking a good fan on it.  This will work slightly better if the wood is also exposed to direct sunlight.  Try this for a week continuously and then burn some.  See if it bubbles or hisses . . . if not, perhaps you are in passable shape.  Clearly this method is not ideal, but it seems everyone makes many of these kinds of mistakes at the start.

Of course the downside is that you'll pay for fan electricity, but not much.

Pallets are also a good option.  I've been trying to hoard them.  Since I can't get an 8 hour overnight burn (my wood is only 9 months seasoned and I only have 2 cu ft firebox) they help to get the temperature up quickly in the morning.  I also figure pallets are a good ready to burn reserve for late February when I'll probably start running out of wood.  Just mix pallets with hardwood to avoid overfiring your stove.  Sometimes you get lucky and get hardwood pallets.

 Good luck.


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## woodconvert (Dec 26, 2007)

"I have no fully seasoned wood this year and have to
figure out how to make do with the better of the two lots I do
have."

THAT sucks...really...if I were you I wouldn't fuss with the wood. If possible i'd try to score some seasoned to get you through this year. "Burning" semi-seasoned wood just isn't worth the potential chimney fire you are begging for. Somebody has to have some decent stuff for sale. If not you could go the pallet wood route. 

A hissing 300-400F fire is just no good.


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## gyrfalcon (Dec 26, 2007)

Thanks for the welcome, North of 60!  (I'm just barely south of there myself.)

I haven't actually had any hissing and spitting from my better lot of wood, at least that I've noticed.  I keep reminding myself to look carefully for it, but given how much time I'm spending fussing with the fire, I think there can't be much of that going on if I haven't noticed it.  Can you tell from the cut-up wood whether the tree was alive or dead when it was cut down?  It's a question I didn't think to ask.  But I don't think it's quite so bad.  It looks and smells reasonably dry, the bark is falling off some of the pieces and at least a few have a couple of cracks in the cut ends.  It does burn if I build the fire right, but doesn't consistently get the temperature up as high as it could be.  Some kind neighbors loaned me a small supply of their several-years-seasoned wood early on, and that behaved exactly as all the instructions tells you it should, so that's my point of comparison.

There's no truly seasoned wood to be had around here at all at any price that I've been able to find, and I had to make many calls, pester everybody I know and visit a lot of general store bulletin boards just to find this.  Around here, people are mostly like many of you and they cut their own firewood from their own woodlots and do a little business here and there on the side selling their excess to neighbors.  When the price of heating oil shot up again this year, everybody with a functioning woodstove got real serious about using it, and the available cut wood was snapped up early.  There are only a handful of actual dealers within a couple-hour drive, and they're all completely sold out.

Also, this is an area of family farms and very small towns where everybody knows everybody, and there's  a real price to pay in the community if you cheat your neighbor.  Neither of the guys in the next town I got the two lots of wood from has a bad reputation here, and when they tell me they burn wood treated this way themselves, I believe them.

I'd gladly use pallet wood, but since I don't have the equipment, the expertise or the strength to get them and cut them up myself, it's not so simple.  I think sometimes you strong men don't fully realize that what's a fairly simple job of physical work for you is impossible for those of us on the opposite side of the gender gap, especially if we haven't been doing this kind of work all our lives and are staring at it from the far edge of middle age!

Lignums, thanks very much for the suggestion about keeping a north/south trench.  I will definitely try that. 

I have half a cord of the better wood stacked in my attached (unheated) woodshed and the other half on my south-facing enclosed porch, which when the sun is out is quite warm.  I've been bringing in a two or three-day supply at a time to warm up and dry out  for a day or two in a stack a few feet from the safe range near the hearth, so I think I'm doing that part right, at least.

I do want to split some of this wood down further, preferably myself.  Does anybody have any experience at all, even word of mouth, with the Wood Wiz or the horizontal "Fireplace Friend" manual splitters?  I could manage one of those safely myself, I think.


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## gyrfalcon (Dec 26, 2007)

Woodconvert, the little Tribute stove instruction manual says 300-400 is OK, in the "medium burn" range, and the fire doesn't hiss that I've been aware of.


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## KevinM (Dec 26, 2007)

I am in a similar situation but we usually only burn on the weekends, more so this week.  Splitting the wood smaller helps, like any exercise you have to start slow and light and then build up as your strength and endurance increases.

I loosely stack wood in the storage area in the basement for two weeks, it makes a big improvement.  I am working on getting more ahead.  Our house is dry, 30-40% relative humidity, so the extra moisture can't hurt.  I haven't tried using fans but the room has air circulation and is large.

As you go along you will learn about the different species of wood you have.  I have no idea about the names but am starting to be able to tell which ones will not burn well.  Weight/density, bark, grain, and split surface texture are the features I am paying attention to.

Kevin.


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## Cearbhaill (Dec 26, 2007)

gyrfalcon said:
			
		

> I think sometimes you strong men don't fully realize that what's a fairly simple job of physical work for you is impossible for those of us on the opposite side of the gender gap, especially if we haven't been doing this kind of work all our lives and are staring at it from the far edge of middle age!


Nothing like some manual splitting to build yourself back up   ;-P 

Truly- I'm a lady well on the far side of 50 and light splitting like you mention isn't that difficult. Using a 6 lb. maul and further splitting already split splits should be well within your capability. Sure beats paying for a gym.


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## woodconvert (Dec 26, 2007)

"Woodconvert, the little Tribute stove instruction manual says 300-400 is OK, in the “medium burn” range, and the fire doesn’t hiss that I’ve been aware of."

Can you easily exceed the 400F if you wanted to?. I only ask as 300-400 isn't very hot and if you've got wet wood it's hard to get beyond that temp. If it's not hissing i'd say you may be ok then. Something i've done ONLY WHEN I'M HOME is i'll set some "needing some quick seasoning" wood on the hearth about 12"-18" from the stove while it's crankin' (i've also set it on the warming shelves). In two to three hours the stuff is ready to go...NOT something i'd recommend if you are forgetful or are busy doing something else but i've yet to set a stick of wood on fire on my hearth (I must admit it smells REAL good too). Now, having said that....I couldn't see me drying two cords that way but if you need some good dry wood to start a fire this will help. Again, though, this shouldn't be done if you can't keep an eye on it.


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## biggins08 (Dec 26, 2007)

I don't know what your current financial situation is, but I would reccomend getting at least a cord of SEASONED wood to get the coal bed started and then throw on some of the un seasoned stuff. This has probably been pointed out already but I did not read all of the posts....


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## gyrfalcon (Dec 26, 2007)

Kevin, I keep thinking about my warm, dry dirt-floor cellar, but with no outside entrance and steep stairs that are a little dicey when I'm not carrying a thing, I just don't see how.  I look at those little dumbwaiter things some folks have that bring the wood right up to the living room and I drool with envy.  Maybe in my next life!  My house is also very dry.  There was a pretty elaborate state forestry agency exhibit at the state fair last year on identifying wood species from cut rounds and splits that I glanced at and passed by, and wow, I sure wish I'd been smart enough to go study it.  If it's there next year, I'll go and make a nuisance of myself.


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## KateC (Dec 26, 2007)

I often need to re-split larger pieces and got myself a 4lb. wedge and a 4lb. sledge hammer. Tap the wedge into an existing crack until it's stuck then a few good whacks usually does it. Instead of trying to split the piece in half this way I'll work off several small splits from the edges in, that way I end up with a good medium size split and a handful of large kindling.  Not an efficient way to do alot of splitting of course, but for a couple big honkers here and there and/or if I run short of kindling it works fine.


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## gyrfalcon (Dec 26, 2007)

woodconvert said:
			
		

> "Can you easily exceed the 400F if you wanted to?"



In a word, no, not with this wood.   With lots of attention and very careful wood selection and timing, etc., I can eventually get it up near 400, but haven't been able to keep it there for terribly long.  Some of that is surely my learning curve with this stove and shortage of pieces exactly the right size, though.

I may *carefully* try your drying technique on a few pieces.  I was wondering whether it made any sense at all to do that.  I work out of a home office in the next room, so it's not out of the question.  It sure would help to be able to have at least a couple of well-dried pieces.

Tell me about your "warming shelf"?


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## gyrfalcon (Dec 26, 2007)

Cearbhaill said:
			
		

> Nothing like some manual splitting to build yourself back up   ;-P Truly- I'm a lady well on the far side of 50 and light splitting like you mention isn't that difficult. Using a 6 lb. maul and further splitting already split splits should be well within your capability. Sure beats paying for a gym.



Heh!  OK, well, maybe I'll give it a try.  But I'm concerned about how safe that is for me to try to do.  Without the muscle strength to begin with, it's impossible to control the tool well, especially after the first couple of whacks.  Not to mention my hand-eye coordination really, really s***s.


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## gyrfalcon (Dec 26, 2007)

Hard Woods said:
			
		

> I don't know what your current financial situation is, but I would reccomend getting at least a cord of SEASONED wood to get the coal bed started and then throw on some of the un seasoned stuff. This has probably been pointed out already but I did not read all of the posts....



I'd gladly do that, but there ain't any to be had anywhere in the entire state right now, as far as I've been able to find out.  It's been an unusually cold fall, and there was a monster stampede for wood when people got their first horrifying oil bills.  There's something about getting a bill upwards of $600 for a tank fill that focuses the mind on the pleasures of woodstoves.


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## gyrfalcon (Dec 26, 2007)

nyk0306 said:
			
		

> I often need to re-split larger pieces and got myself a 4lb. wedge and a 4lb. sledge hammer. Tap the wedge into an existing crack until it's stuck then a few good whacks usually does it. Instead of trying to split the piece in half this way I'll work off several small splits from the edges in, that way I end up with a good medium size split and a handful of large kindling.  Not an efficient way to do alot of splitting of course, but for a couple big honkers here and there and/or if I run short of kindling it works fine.



Sure sounds a lot safer than messing around with a maul or an axe I can't be sure I can control.  Is that why you use the sledgehammer and wedge?


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## KateC (Dec 26, 2007)

Well, the couple of times I tried the maul I couldn't hit the same spot twice and ended up exhausted with nothing but a dented and bludgeoned hunk of maple.
Also I had the wood in the basement where there's not alot of headroom to flail around a big scary stick of destruction.
The wedge and sledge works great for me---when you're middle-aged, tiny and half-blind sometimes the hard way is the safer and more convenient way.


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## Girl (Dec 26, 2007)

I use a sledge & a wedge too.
My back, neck & shoulders are too crappy to swing an axe.
I split my pieces & dry them by the hearth if I need to too.
BTW-
Pallets are easy to break apart


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## woodconvert (Dec 26, 2007)

"In a word, no, not with this wood.  With lots of attention and very careful wood selection and timing, etc., I can eventually get it up near 400, but haven’t been able to keep it there for terribly long." 

GAH!...now i'm back to don't fuss with the wood this year though i'm SHOCKED it's not hissing. 

"I may *carefully* try your drying technique on a few pieces.  I was wondering whether it made any sense at all to do that.  I work out of a home office in the next room, so it’s not out of the question.  It sure would help to be able to have at least a couple of well-dried pieces."

Good deal. That's ideal to have the office at home when you are a wood burner. Give it a try and vary the spacing between the wood and the stove to find what works best. Obviously if it's smoking it's too close but you will get a fragrant odor in doing this. It works for me and I hope it does for you too.

"Tell me about your “warming shelf”?" 

My stove has two warming shelves on either side of the stove....kind of like side extensions of the top of the stove. It works good for rising a loaf of bread, keeping coffee warm...or cookin' wood!!. I did a quick search and I can't find a picture to describe it better. If I find one i'll post it.


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## gyrfalcon (Dec 26, 2007)

woodconvert said:
			
		

> "GAH!...now i'm back to don't fuss with the wood this year though i'm SHOCKED it's not hissing. .



I think stoves like mine don't run as hot as some, so 300-400 isn't quite as bad as "GAH!"   The manual says burning at 600 or higher will damage the stove and void the warranty.  Believe me, if I had a practical alternative, I would save even the better wood for next year, but it's really this or nothing for this winter.

I envy you the warming shelves.  They sound great.


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## JimWalshin845 (Dec 26, 2007)

> author="Cearbhaill" date="1198702702Nothing like some manual splitting to build yourself back up   ;-P
> 
> Truly- I'm a lady well on the far side of 50 and light splitting like you mention isn't that difficult. Using a 6 lb. maul and further splitting already split splits should be well within your capability. Sure beats paying for a gym.



You go girl!

My Lady is (sssshhhh... don't anyone read this) 61 and 120#'s soaking wet! Sometimes I can't get the splitter out of her hands.  She loves the exercise and often finds it a challenge to split up a 16" round.


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## woodconvert (Dec 26, 2007)

"I think stoves like mine don’t run as hot as some, so 300-400 isn’t quite as bad as “GAH!” grin The manual says burning at 600 or higher will damage the stove and void the warranty.  Believe me, if I had a practical alternative, I would save even the better wood for next year, but it’s really this or nothing for this winter."

My opinion is that you should be able to achieve 500F, probably easily, with dry wood. The fact that you cannot is a concern. Just for giggles do you have someone that can check your chimney out for creosote buildup???....maybe with a stainless liner you are fine but I would be very cautious. 

"I envy you the warming shelves.  They sound great."

They are functional so they serve a purpose. I like them.

Hey, i just had a thought...and maybe someone else has mentioned it but i've read guys in here burning "Bio-Bricks". I wouldn't know a bio-brick if it smacked me in the mellon but it sounds like an option until you get some dry wood.


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## tradergordo (Dec 26, 2007)

Although nobody "officially" can recommend it due to fire risk, setting splits around your stove, positioned so that there is no way they can fall over and lean against the stove, is one way to "speed dry" your wood.  If you don't have a laser thermometer, I highly recommend them ($30 from harbor freight), you can zap the splits every now and then to see how hot they are getting (should never be above 160).

Another thing you could do is find a construction site with a dumpster, and load up on discarded lumber, or find a free source of wood pallets and cut them up.  Mix that in with your less than seasoned wood.  This super dry wood will burn hot.


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## Chettt (Dec 26, 2007)

Don't overlook deadfall twigs and sticks. I collect them year round in my trunk or in my bike's burley. If you have more time than strength, tie your twigs together with picture hanging wire. Once loosely tied, continue packing them in till you have a tight log size bundle. The tighter they are the longer they'll burn and hold their shape. Place four or five of these on firebox bottom and then top with rounds and splits. I've used this method for camp fires and woodstoves.

next year will be better.


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## woodconvert (Dec 26, 2007)

I found an obscure picture of some warming shelves (on a Vermont Castings stove I believe).

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/fp.php?pid=1966540

Pretty simple concept and I do use them a lot for various things.


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## eernest4 (Dec 26, 2007)

Dear gyrfalcon:

                       PLEASE DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND TAKE THIS ADVISE.

BUY YOURSELF a 5 ton, 2 hp, Task force electric log splitter from    www.lowes.com
Extreemly inexpensive , only $299.oo brand new. The first cord of wood you split with it will pay for it.

It is an extremely simple machine to opperate .
 You push the on button, you have to hold it in with your thumb as it will automatically return to off without your thumb pressure on it. This starts the quite running electric motor.

 Then you push the hand lever forward with your other hand. This opperates the hydralic ram & pushes the log against the splitting wedge. if you let go of the hydralic lever, the ram with automatically retract into the cylinder.
 Thats all there is to it.
 You have to keep both hands on the controls to opperate the machine as a safety measure.


this is a very small machine , about the smallest made,it only wieghts 100 lbs & is on wheels so that even a weak woman can easily move it around & opperate it.

 It is 120volt electric , so it will plug right into the wall or you can run it from a 12 gague extension cord.

 It pulls 15 amps , so it needs to be on a circuit with nothing else drawing power from that circuit while the log splitter is running.

You dont need a seperate circuit for it, meerly turn off everthing else on the circuit you plug the log splitter into.

This is a 5 ton splitter, one ton more power at the same price as the 4 ton ryobi electric log splitter from www.homedepot.com The ryobi only splits up to 10 inch diameter logs.

The 5 ton TaskForce splits logs 20 inches long & up to 12 inches in diameter. Some of the users say they have even split 14 & 15 inch diameter logs.

I am 59 & I bought a similar electric log splitter, only a 4 ton though. So far, I have split about 10 cords with it in 2 years.

The electric log splitter is nice for a woman, no balky gasoline engine to pull start & you can split logs just as fast & easy as any man could do .

Being electric, you can even take it in the house or garage & be warm splitting your logs in the winter time.

The drawback of the machine is that you will hit some logs it just doesnot have the power to split. My machine, 4 ton , sometimes stops against a 12 inch diamater log because not enough power to split it. The 5 ton machine will go thru logs mine cant , but will still stop on a 16 inch log. 

www.ramsplitter.com sells larger 12,16 & 20 ton electric log splitters, but $1100.oo to $1400.oo & they are full sized splitters as powerfull as any gasoline model & will split anything you can lift to get on them. They are also vertical & horz ,convertable opperation. they require a 20 amp dedicated circuit & are probably more machine that you need, but I tell you of them for your knowledge.

an electric chain saw t think you would also be able to handle, they are cheap 40.oo to 60.oo
& work well & dont vibrate. It would come in handy for cutting oversized logs down to legnth to fit into the electric log splitter.

I won't usually say anything unelse I have been there & done that & i have . That is why I feel sure that if you buy the electric log splitter,you will love it.

My best heartfelt advise, so i hope you take it.


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## dtabor (Dec 26, 2007)

Hey there fellow Vter.

I feel for you on the wood situation. Been there, done that and it really stinks. I burned the sizzling wood one year. I used Saf-T-Flue on a regular basis and when the guy came to clean my chimney, it was in great shape and he couldnt believe it.

Not sure what town you are in, but Id have to think someone around you in neighboring towns has some wood. I see it advertised in the paper here all the time. Then you have to trust that they know what they're talking about when they say seasoned! I see the same thing here all the time that people are burning wood that they dropped and split a couple months ago, or think since the tree has been on the ground for awhile that it must be dry by now!

Good luck to you.

D


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## nshif (Dec 26, 2007)

Just a thought ... any neighbors or friends close by with an abundance of dry wood? Maybe you could trade out some of the wet stuff for their dry stuff and they could burn the wet stuff next year? maybe even a 2:1 swap. youd still be better off.  And next year buy your wood in the spring and let it dry through the summer.


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## gyrfalcon (Dec 26, 2007)

eernest4 said:
			
		

> Dear gyrfalcon:
> 
> PLEASE DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND TAKE THIS ADVISE.
> 
> ...



Thanks so much for the very detailed advice, and I will sure bear it in mind.  But you know it's not just the splitting itself, it's the lifting of big heavy green rounds onto the darn thing, as well.  If I were 10 or 15 years younger, I'd probably go that way, but I'm heading for the downslope of the capacity for strenous physical work, and I've got a lot of it to do around here as it is.  I have only minor lower back problems now, but lugging big rounds of wood around seems like pushing things farther than I should go.  I may well change my mind after this winter, but for now, I think it works better for me to pay to have my wood split and do the small amount of additional splitting I need myself with simpler tools.  Gotta choose my battles carefully!


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## gyrfalcon (Dec 26, 2007)

woodconvert said:
			
		

> "I think stoves like mine don’t run as hot as some, so 300-400 isn’t quite as bad as “GAH!” grin The manual says burning at 600 or higher will damage the stove and void the warranty.  Believe me, if I had a practical alternative, I would save even the better wood for next year, but it’s really this or nothing for this winter."
> 
> My opinion is that you should be able to achieve 500F, probably easily, with dry wood. The fact that you cannot is a concern. Just for giggles do you have someone that can check your chimney out for creosote buildup???....maybe with a stainless liner you are fine but I would be very cautious.
> 
> ...



The chimney is brand-new, just installed, and the whole thing is stainless steel, not just the liner.  It's more of a pipe than a chimney, actually.  In fact, when I asked the master chimney guy who installed it how I should check for creosote, he quite scornfully blew the whole idea off.  According to him, the combination of this stove and the fancy SS chimney makes it not an issue.  I assume he knows what he's talking about, but I do plan anyway to have him or somebody more local have a look in a week or two just to be sure.

I assume, too, but I don't know, that I was getting up around the 500 mark with the very dry wood my neighbors loaned me, but I had used that up by the time I got the thermoeter, so I don't know for sure.

I've been looking around for either biobricks or Prestologs since reading about them in other threads on this forum, but so far no joy.  It may be that in such a heavily wooded state, there's not enough demand for them for places to stock them.


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## gyrfalcon (Dec 26, 2007)

Girl said:
			
		

> I use a sledge & a wedge too.
> My back, neck & shoulders are too crappy to swing an axe.
> I split my pieces & dry them by the hearth if I need to too.
> BTW-
> Pallets are easy to break apart



How, just with the sledgehammer?  I've got a spare one lying around, and I'm pretty sure I can get more if I can get the loan of a pick-up.


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## gyrfalcon (Dec 26, 2007)

Chettt said:
			
		

> Don't overlook deadfall twigs and sticks. I collect them year round in my trunk or in my bike's burley. If you have more time than strength, tie your twigs together with picture hanging wire. Once loosely tied, continue packing them in till you have a tight log size bundle. The tighter they are the longer they'll burn and hold their shape. Place four or five of these on firebox bottom and then top with rounds and splits. I've used this method for camp fires and woodstoves..



Hmm.  Interesting idea.  It's all pretty well covered by snow (actually frozen slush at the moment!) now, but I'll keep my eyes open.

[/quote]next year will be better.[/quote]

Yeah.  Can't wait.  This has been a hell of an intense education on the subject these last few weeks.

When I emailed my totally urban sister in New Jersey about my wood woes, she promptly emailed back with the URLs of various *mail-order* wood suppliers.  (Tee-hee!)   Stuff like 50 bucks for a 20-pound box of fancy wood for flavoring the grill.


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## KevinM (Dec 26, 2007)

Bio-Bricks or Energy Logs are made from highly compressed sawdust and wood shavings, no wax or other materials.  They are really heavy and make great coals for under damp wood.  Different types have different characteristics and shapes so try some out before you get a larger order.  Rona (Canadian Hardware chain)  now even has there own house brand which is cheaper than name brands but you can also buy them bulk (skids or tonnes) for cheaper prices.

For moving wood around http://www.condar.com/backsaver.html really helps.  My neighbours made a little chute to slide the logs down through a window into their basement.

Kevin.


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## gyrfalcon (Dec 26, 2007)

woodconvert said:
			
		

> I found an obscure picture of some warming shelves (on a Vermont Castings stove I believe).
> 
> http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/fp.php?pid=1966540
> 
> Pretty simple concept and I do use them a lot for various things.



Nice! I barely have room for a thermometer, fan and humidifier on my tiny stovetop.


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## gyrfalcon (Dec 26, 2007)

dtabor said:
			
		

> Hey there fellow Vter.
> 
> I feel for you on the wood situation. Been there, done that and it really stinks. I burned the sizzling wood one year. I used Saf-T-Flue on a regular basis and when the guy came to clean my chimney, it was in great shape and he couldnt believe it.
> 
> ...



Thanks!  I'm in Shoreham, and I see those ads in the paper, too, but every one was out anyway, when they would even return my call.  I think they sign up for X weeks of ads, so they keep running long after there's no stock left.  And according to the two local guys I got these two lots of wood from, it's seasoned enough to burn.

I was going to ask about the Saf-T-Flue stuff, so I'm glad it hear it works.  My stuff isn't sizzling much, if at all, so it's not the absolute worst, just sub-ideal.


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## Eric Johnson (Dec 26, 2007)

That's funny. Reminds me of the time I got my weekly $50 (at the time) "allowance" mixed up with some junk mail pieces, and my wife threw it in the boiler. Made a heck of a warm fire, I'll say that.

I think dry wood is something you learn, through excruciating experience, to make sure you have on hand for the heating season. Unfortunately, there's no way to dry out green wood quickly, short of baking it in a dry kiln. Wet wood can be dried out in a matter of days if it's kept dry and warm, but there's a huge difference between wet and green.

There is a guy to the north of you (Randolph, maybe) who sells kiln dried wood, but it's pricey, as you might expect. His name is Ray Colton, and he mostly supplies ski resorts, I think. If you can find a local logger cutting white ash, that's an easy-splitting wood that burns OK green. Better than most of the alternatives, anyway. Busted up pallets are always an option. Mixing pallet wood in is not a bad idea.

Anyway, it sounds like you're on the right track for next season. Get it split and stacked as early in the spring as you can. And put up more than you think you'll need.


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## gyrfalcon (Dec 26, 2007)

nshif said:
			
		

> Just a thought ... any neighbors or friends close by with an abundance of dry wood? Maybe you could trade out some of the wet stuff for their dry stuff and they could burn the wet stuff next year? maybe even a 2:1 swap. youd still be better off.  And next year buy your wood in the spring and let it dry through the summer.



So far, no luck on that score (I've only lived here 18 months, so don't yet know that many people well enough to ask), but I've been thinking about putting a notice on the bulletin board at the general store.  Geez, this is nuts!  Three quarters of the state or more is covered in forest, but I can't find wood to burn!  It's like "Water, water everywhere but not a drop to drink."


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## gyrfalcon (Dec 26, 2007)

KevinM said:
			
		

> Bio-Bricks or Energy Logs are made from highly compressed sawdust and wood shavings, no wax or other materials.  They are really heavy and make great coals for under damp wood.  Different types have different characteristics and shapes so try some out before you get a larger order.  Rona (Canadian Hardware chain)  now even has there own house brand which is cheaper than name brands but you can also buy them bulk (skids or tonnes) for cheaper prices.
> 
> For moving wood around http://www.condar.com/backsaver.html really helps.  My neighbours made a little chute to slide the logs down through a window into their basement.
> 
> Kevin.



Heh.  Well, that's half the battle, but do they have another little chute that tosses them back upstairs again? <groaning at the thought>


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## gyrfalcon (Dec 26, 2007)

Eric Johnson said:
			
		

> That's funny. Reminds me of the time I got my weekly $50 (at the time) "allowance" mixed up with some junk mail pieces, and my wife threw it in the boiler. Made a heck of a warm fire, I'll say that.
> 
> I think dry wood is something you learn, through excruciating experience, to make sure you have on hand for the heating season. Unfortunately, there's no way to dry out green wood quickly, short of baking it in a dry kiln. Wet wood can be dried out in a matter of days if it's kept dry and warm, but there's a huge difference between wet and green.
> 
> ...



Yeah, well, the problem is everybody seems to have a different definition of "seasoned."  I was late getting started on this through circumstances beyond my control, but I sure never expected to have wood described by trustworthy, reliable people as "seasoned" that was only halfway there.  I sure will be ready to roll come spring, though.  That's the time of year a gardener's muscles start itching to really dig in and do something, but there's nothing you can really do yet other than plant some peas and lettuce and stand around tapping your foot.  I'm VERY eager to sort of start from the beginning on this whole business at this point.

Just about everybody here is talking pallets, so maybe that's the best way to go.  Still no luck finding biologs or energy logs or anything of the sort here.

What's your opinion of "fatwood"?


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## Eric Johnson (Dec 27, 2007)

If you're a gardener, then you should buy loads of logs and process them yourself. I have a raised bed organic garden and I fill the paths between the beds with sawdust. It keeps in the moisture, is a worm sanctuary (for some reason) and allows you to walk around the garden barefoot.

There are plenty of loggers in your part of Vermont. Look in the phone book for "logging contractors" or "timber buyers." Tell them you want to get a triaxle load of good hardwood firewood. Tell them no soft maple or cherry. The markets for logs aren't very good at the moment. A lot of guys would like to sell a load of wood for cash (it doesn't bounce). If you can get your hands on a chain saw, a hard hat, chaps and steel-toed boots, you'll be all set. I'm guessing you'll pay about $75 a cord. When dried, it will be worth $200. Not a bad investment for a guy with a woodstove.


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## jeffman3 (Dec 27, 2007)

We are getting a Tribute also! I don't know when we will up and burning, but it is coming! It was supposed to be put in on the 28th, but 4-6 inches of snow will most llikly prevent that. I also don't have good wood this year. (gee... go figure) I expect to have problems, this season, but we will manage I suppose. Our plan is to burn cottonwood that has been dead and down for years. I have just short of half a cord. (Yea I will need alot more) I also have access to elm branches that were downed in an ice storm last spring. (I cut some of that today, not quite half a face cord.) I will get out and cut more of that as the weather permits. My plan is to burn more of the elm branches then cottonwood, but I will just have to see how it goes. 

At least you are burning! :cheese: 

Keep us informed how it is going. Maybe we can learn from each other seeing how we both will burning the same stove.


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## gyrfalcon (Dec 27, 2007)

jeffman3 said:
			
		

> We are getting a Tribute also! I don't know when we will up and burning, but it is coming! It was supposed to be put in on the 28th, but 4-6 inches of snow will most llikly prevent that. I also don't have good wood this year. (gee... go figure) I expect to have problems, this season, but we will manage I suppose. Our plan is to burn cottonwood that has been dead and down for years. I have just short of half a cord. (Yea I will need alot more) I also have access to elm branches that were downed in an ice storm last spring. (I cut some of that today, not quite half a face cord.) I will get out and cut more of that as the weather permits. My plan is to burn more of the elm branches then cottonwood, but I will just have to see how it goes.
> 
> At least you are burning! :cheese:
> 
> Keep us informed how it is going. Maybe we can learn from each other seeing how we both will burning the same stove.



Congratulations on your expected new baby.   I think it's a pretty nifty little stove-- but it is a bit fussy.

I hope you know to cut your firewood no longer than 14 inches for this stove.  The booklet that came with mine, which may have been revised since, says it takes 16, but it doesn't.  Very, very thin splits or kindling that long can be forced in, one or two of them max, from upper corner to lower corner, but that's it.  That's one of the reasons I ended up looking for cordwood in December.

Also, if you still have wood to cut, cut some 8 or 9 inches long so you can put some in front to back on the bottom.  The main air inlet is smack in the middle of the front of the stove, and if everything in the box runs across that, it's much harder to keep a good draft going.

When I've been able to get a good fire working, it warms a quite large room up very well, but without getting so searing hot itself that you're terrified of coming near it.  And the soapstone means it continues to broadcast heat for hours after the actual fire has died.  (Also means it takes the outside a while to warm up from a cold start.)

You may already know this, but... a stovetop thermometer is a must, and also one of those non-electric stove fans that sits on the stove and moves the heated air out from around the stove.  You'll have to get the more expensive kind designed and sold for gas stoves, though, because the soapstone ones don't run hot enough to make the cheaper fans turn from just the stovetop temperature alone and have to have a little motor in them.  NO idea how it really works, but that's the general idea.  They cost around $150.


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## colsmith (Dec 27, 2007)

Don't abandon the idea of splitting your own wood, especially since you mention you are a gardener which probably means you already do a lot of physical stuff.  I hate to admit to being middle aged, but at 48 that is a bit past the middle already.  I am large for a woman, 5'10", a little heavier than I should be, but fairly strong from years of regular swimming, gardening, and working out.  This year I dropped my health club membership because I know I get a better workout schlepping wood around and splitting it.  When I started splitting this fall I was a bit concerned that I seemed to have lost the ability to split wood very well, and was actually thinking about buying an electric splitter.  But it just took me a while to get my maul swinging muscles back in shape or something.  

I use an 8 lb. maul.  Last year I used our 12 pound maul sometimes but haven't tried it recently, although I think I am up to it again now.  Since you are probably smaller, a 6 lb. maul would be good.  I have notoriously bad depth perception but am somehow a crack shot with a maul.  If you just practice little with wood on a chopping block you will improve your aim.  Also, having the wood elevated slightly on a chopping block means you are striking it quite far away from your body, so less likely to hit yourself.  Or, just get an electric splitter if you don't feel up to using a maul, but really it isn't very hard.  And I feel so powerful when the wood splits! 

Since you have a soapstone stove, there is also less danger of wood piled near it setting itself on fire for speed drying of wood.  Just pile it on the hearth not touching the stove.  Good luck!


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## gyrfalcon (Dec 27, 2007)

Some Like It Hot said:
			
		

> Don't abandon the idea of splitting your own wood, especially since you mention you are a gardener which probably means you already do a lot of physical stuff.  I hate to admit to being middle aged, but at 48 that is a bit past the middle already.  I am large for a woman, 5'10", a little heavier than I should be, but fairly strong from years of regular swimming, gardening, and working out.  This year I dropped my health club membership because I know I get a better workout schlepping wood around and splitting it.  When I started splitting this fall I was a bit concerned that I seemed to have lost the ability to split wood very well, and was actually thinking about buying an electric splitter.  But it just took me a while to get my maul swinging muscles back in shape or something.
> 
> I use an 8 lb. maul.  Last year I used our 12 pound maul sometimes but haven't tried it recently, although I think I am up to it again now.  Since you are probably smaller, a 6 lb. maul would be good.  I have notoriously bad depth perception but am somehow a crack shot with a maul.  If you just practice little with wood on a chopping block you will improve your aim.  Also, having the wood elevated slightly on a chopping block means you are striking it quite far away from your body, so less likely to hit yourself.  Or, just get an electric splitter if you don't feel up to using a maul, but really it isn't very hard.  And I feel so powerful when the wood splits!
> 
> Since you have a soapstone stove, there is also less danger of wood piled near it setting itself on fire for speed drying of wood.  Just pile it on the hearth not touching the stove.  Good luck!



Hey, Marcia, thanks for the encouragement.  I'm not that much smaller than you, but I'm a good bunch older and although no couch potato, haven't got the history of swimming and working out so I'm nowhere near as fit.  Also I live by myself out in the middle of nowhere (which I love!), and that makes me extra hesitant about trying things with new tools that could injure me badly, ones I'm not really strong enough to use and have no experience with whatsoever (well, in Girl Scout camp when I was a kid, I  learned to swing a pretty mean hatchet, but I don't think that counts!).  I think I'll start small with the lighter wedge and sledgehammer and see how that goes for me and whether I feel enough confidence to "move up."  I would really, really like to be less dependent on others for at least some of this kind of thing, but I've also injured myself in the past (two year-long bouts of nearly crippling sciatica, for one thing) and know how easy it is and how hard to recover from.

Thanks very much for the advice on the soapstone and drying.  I  thought that might be the case, since I can get quite close to the stove without discomfort.   Also, the fact that I'm not achieving terribly hot fires...  I tried it a bit this evening, and some smaller splits I brought in from outside warmed up and dried out their dampness in a couple hours without getting anywhere near hot enough to burn.


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## dtabor (Dec 27, 2007)

Gyrfalcon,

Its quite a way's north of you, but Guys Farm and Yard in Morristown is advertising Biobricks and he has a store in Williston. Not sure on delivery prices etc.

D


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## jeffman3 (Dec 27, 2007)

"Congratulations on your expected new baby. I think it's a pretty nifty little stove-- but it is a bit fussy.

I hope you know to cut your firewood no longer than 14 inches for this stove. The booklet that came with mine, which may have been revised since, says it takes 16, but it doesn't. Very, very thin splits or kindling that long can be forced in, one or two of them max, from upper corner to lower corner, but that's it. That's one of the reasons I ended up looking for cordwood in December.

Also, if you still have wood to cut, cut some 8 or 9 inches long so you can put some in front to back on the bottom. The main air inlet is smack in the middle of the front of the stove, and if everything in the box runs across that, it's much harder to keep a good draft going.

When I've been able to get a good fire working, it warms a quite large room up very well, but without getting so searing hot itself that you're terrified of coming near it. And the soapstone means it continues to broadcast heat for hours after the actual fire has died. (Also means it takes the outside a while to warm up from a cold start.)

You may already know this, but... a stove top thermometer is a must, and also one of those non-electric stove fans that sits on the stove and moves the heated air out from around the stove. You'll have to get the more expensive kind designed and sold for gas stoves, though, because the soapstone ones don't run hot enough to make the cheaper fans turn from just the stovetop temperature alone and have to have a little motor in them. NO idea how it really works, but that's the general idea. They cost around $150.[/quote]


Thank you I suspected that 16 inches was a bit optimistic! I have been cutting most of the wood around 12" with some smaller too. We are planning to run an oscillating fan pointed toward the stove to move air for now, but a blower or stove top fan is in the plan for down the road, as well as a soap stone steamer. (read... "birthday gifts")


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## gyrfalcon (Dec 27, 2007)

dtabor said:
			
		

> Gyrfalcon,
> 
> Its quite a way's north of you, but Guys Farm and Yard in Morristown is advertising Biobricks and he has a store in Williston. Not sure on delivery prices etc.
> 
> D



Hey, tbanks!  I'll check that out.


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## James04 (Dec 27, 2007)

gyrfalcon said:
			
		

> dtabor said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



gyrfalcon,

This seems like the best option for you. That and the small splitter from Lowes. I use biobricks to help burn my less than seasoned wood and I also own the splitter. You will not go wrong. Trust me you will love it. You can actually roll the logs onto the splitter because it is so low to the ground. It has wheels and a handle so you can move it around if you need to. Home depot also sells one similar made by Royobi. But the one from lowes is nicer in my opinion.

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=241483-53393-26083&lpage=none

James


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## tutu_sue (Dec 28, 2007)

gyrfalcon, another alternative for splitting wood is a tool known as a froe.  Using a one hand sledgehammer, you will be able to easily split and not take out your back.  I have seen a large froe at www.lehmans.com and smaller one at www.garretwade.com.  My hubby made a small one, about a foot long and I use it to split 6 inch logs for kindling and smaller pieces.  I'm 5'3" with back problems for years and I can ably split 16 inch rounds using an Ames Super Splitter axe we got at Lowes.  I feel that if you're not sure how your back will handle it definitely look at the smaller electric splitters.  They work quite well.  We are also installing a Tribute soon and will be using 12" to 14" splits my hubby used his chain saw to cut down from 18 inch logs we had cut for our other bigger stove.  I split the leftover slices into 4 inch chunks and will use those in the Tribute as well.

In case you're interested in seeing how a froe works, here is a cool video from Taylor guitars showing a guy splitting a large round from a big Alaskan Sitka Spruce:  http://www.taylorguitars.com/see-hear/Video.aspx?file=CuttingSpruce_high.wmx


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## woodconvert (Dec 28, 2007)

"I tried it a bit this evening, and some smaller splits I brought in from outside warmed up and dried out their dampness in a couple hours without getting anywhere near hot enough to burn"

So you did get some dry?. I dried out a couple monster splits last night from the bottom course of one of my stacks. We didn't have a hot fire going as it was in the mid 30's but it dried out nice in about 2.5-3 hours. Something else I noticed in doing that last night...a piece of suspected high moisture wood will push out the moisture out of the end grain until dry. You won't get a puddle on your hearth but you will feel the end of it (usually the end on the hearth) being a little damp. If you've got enough room on your hearth I suppose you could dry and burn to get you through though it would be a chore (also make sure you are not bringing in critters on the wood and giving them an early spring...)


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## gyrfalcon (Dec 29, 2007)

tutu_sue said:
			
		

> gyrfalcon, another alternative for splitting wood is a tool known as a froe.



Boy, there's a nifty-looking tool I never heard of before.  And many thanks for including the video link to show how to use it, Sue.


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## gyrfalcon (Dec 29, 2007)

woodconvert said:
			
		

> "I tried it a bit this evening, and some smaller splits I brought in from outside warmed up and dried out their dampness in a couple hours without getting anywhere near hot enough to burn"
> 
> So you did get some dry?. I dried out a couple monster splits last night from the bottom course of one of my stacks. We didn't have a hot fire going as it was in the mid 30's but it dried out nice in about 2.5-3 hours. Something else I noticed in doing that last night...a piece of suspected high moisture wood will push out the moisture out of the end grain until dry. You won't get a puddle on your hearth but you will feel the end of it (usually the end on the hearth) being a little damp. If you've got enough room on your hearth I suppose you could dry and burn to get you through though it would be a chore (also make sure you are not bringing in critters on the wood and giving them an early spring...)



That's interesting.  This wood isn't soaked, but it is of course cold and has some (water) moisture in it, bits of snow and ice, etc.  I've made a space a couple feet from the hearth to cross-stack two or three days' worth to dry out for a couple days before using it, as well as putting a few "hurry-up" pieces on the edge of the hearth.  Discovered I can't stand 'em up on end, though, with two half-grown cats running around the house.  I keep trying to tell them they're "combustible material" and ought to stay outside the hearth area, but as usual, they pay me no mind whatsoever!


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## Burn-1 (Dec 29, 2007)

Gyrfalcon I haven't read through this whole thread but I use this 3 lb mini maul from Labonville for splitting up wood near my woodbox. It's not that heavy but still will split most of my wood although most of what I have is ash. And, I can swing it in my shorter basement as well and with a shorter handle it's more accurate but not the stopping power of a larger maul.

I was in the same boat as you last year burning in a Phoenix. One of the things I did was to split up the wood a bit and secured as much kindling as I could, (town dump, construction sites with permission, local pine millwork shop),. The best kindling I found was dead pine branches. If you can find some that would help quite a bit. I would make two small short kindling fires like a soapstone stove 'break-in' fire and then add the split wood with more kindling and leave the door open a crack for a few minutes. The combined heat from the coals, kindling, and new split wood should be enough to sustain and build the fire before turning down.

The trick with the soapstone is that it will absorb so much of the initial heat of the fire that if you use damp wood the fire won't be able to build on itself to get to where it will ignite the volatiles and wood gases. 400 degrees is a decent temp for soapstone if you are talking about the stovetop and OK if a flue thermometer temp but you should try to get it at least that high.

As far as the stovetop fans go the best price I have seen on the Ecofan GS (for gas stoves) is at Lee Valley. This is a Canadian company which you could either mail order from or road trip to Ottawa.


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## gyrfalcon (Dec 29, 2007)

Burn-1 said:
			
		

> Gyrfalcon I haven't read through this whole thread but I use this I would make two small short kindling fires like a soapstone stove 'break-in' fire and then add the split wood with more kindling and leave the door open a crack for a few minutes. The combined heat from the coals, kindling, and new split wood should be enough to sustain and build the fire before turning down.
> 
> The trick with the soapstone is that it will absorb so much of the initial heat of the fire that if you use damp wood the fire won't be able to build on itself to get to where it will ignite the volatiles and wood gases. 400 degrees is a decent temp for soapstone if you are talking about the stovetop and OK if a flue thermometer temp but you should try to get it at least that high.




Thank you very much for the excellent advice, just what I'm looking for.   Long story short, the wood I've been able to get isn't green, but it's not seasoned quite enough, especially the bigger splits, for the small stove to easily cope with, and will not burn at all if I try to build fires the way one is supposed to (top-down fires, etc.)  Kindling supply of the volume I need to get something going well under these circumstances is definitely a major problem.  I did finally find some of the biobrick type things in a supermarket and I'm experimenting with them, but that's a pretty expensive kindling substitute.  Once I get hold of a wedge and sledgehammer, or one of these froes, and make a decent supply of thinner splits from the wood I have, I think I'll be in better shape.  The small patches of forest I have access to here (middle of mostly open farm country) are under a pretty good blanket of snow which will likely last the rest of the winter, so foraging for kindling there will probably have to wait till next year-- when I won't need it as badly, of course!


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## tutu_sue (Dec 29, 2007)

Another reason I like froes - won't hit my hand with the hammer.  Just a consideration when using wedges - be careful.  Best wishes on your woody endeavors.  Give the kitties a hug for me...


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