# Our wood burning story



## cwitham (Dec 10, 2012)

After 5 years of homeownership we finally got the chimney lined it was one of the things that was wrong when we bought the house and by wrong I mean no liner at all







We decided to keep the old insert instead of buying a new one






Loaded






Burning








Are the wood racks in photo above necessary? It was in stove when we bought the house.

They came and did all the work (liner, new crown, new blower motor and switch, and counter flashing) 12/5/12including a new fan motor as ours was stuck. We got a cricket added to the roof too since it didn't have one




















Any tips on maximizing our wood burning? We have a slight heat signature emitting from chimney with minimal smoke is this good? I presume smoke is wasted wood and inefficient burning correct?
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




It is burning in this photo



We have a 1200'ish square foot slab ranch in central Indiana and we have had nearly $500 a month electric bills in the winter ($250 summer with window air conditioners) since we moved in we dropped the $3000 to see if we an get $250/ month electric bills year round.

The clay is only about 8" tall the rest is stainless liner. I don't foresee an EPA insert in my future... I'll fin another old dinosaur if my Hutch Rebel ever goes bad but it seems unlikely from what I have read.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## chimneylinerjames (Dec 10, 2012)

If you have no smoke that is good, like you said smoke is showing an inefficient burn.  The grate is just there for better air flow to the fire, not necessary, more personal choice.


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## cwitham (Dec 10, 2012)

chimneylinerjames said:


> If you have no smoke that is good, like you said smoke is showing an inefficient burn.  The grate is just there for better air flow to the fire, not necessary, more personal choice.



So I can shorten the legs then? They are about 3-4" I figure 1-2" is plenty


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## chimneylinerjames (Dec 10, 2012)

Sure, many stoves don't have anything.


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## tigeroak (Dec 10, 2012)

We live in east central Illinois and our gas and electric bill , in the summer or winter never reaches 150.00 a month. Summer time we use the air and that runs about 1.00 a day. To reply to one question no smoke is good. The racks in stove, try burning it without them and see if there is a difference.


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## cwitham (Dec 10, 2012)

Here is some of the wood we have split this year as last resort end of the season wood.

Some of these rounds were a half Rick and up










Not just a pretty face




Numerous loads like this



Our small wood shed


Pallet floor


Dismantled pallet siding


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## cwitham (Dec 10, 2012)

Finished


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## cwitham (Dec 10, 2012)

chimneylinerjames said:


> Sure, many stoves don't have anything.



Do I just stack on the "floor" of the insert if I take it out?


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## tigeroak (Dec 10, 2012)

Yep


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## cwitham (Dec 10, 2012)

I will say that I've been pleased, we have only been burning every other day so far coolest its been in doors before a new fire to warm it up is 65.


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## Gasifier (Dec 10, 2012)

Is the misses using that chain saw. You have too beautiful of a family to not be using protective equipment. Many, many people get hurt, bad. When they do not use some safety equipment. No one ever thinks it will happen to them. Chaps are in order for sure. That is a big saw. Hearing protection. A safey helmet with a shield and safety glasses. Something. You don't see to many accidents. Just hear about them. Don't want to sound like a downer. But it will do no one any good to save some money for years and years. And then someone ends up getting hurt bad. And it was not worth it. Chainsaws are dangerous.

Again. Welcome friend. Keep your family safe. Talk to ya.


Oh. Sorry. Very nice set up you have there. Nice tools. Nice family. Nice house. Cool.


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## cwitham (Dec 10, 2012)

Yeah that is the Mrs. Running the saw and behind the maple. Yeah I know we need equipment, we have discussed it and I had the money but it got spent replacing the fan motor on the insert. We haven't ran the saw in a couple months and likely won't again til spring the gear will be here by then. We (well me currently and here previously) are so used to not having gear when running saws at work (Firefighters)that it doesn't cross our minds. We all do wear safety glasses (of course not her in that pic) especially after earlier this year our little man came up to watch dad split some wood and a chunk flew off the piece I was splitting and hit him in the eye, I'll add a pic in the next post if ya look you can see where it scratched his cornea, he is fine thanks god. It's his second scratched cornea to the same eye in about 3 years (chicken pecked him in it the first time, she met the pot)


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## JP11 (Dec 10, 2012)

Gasifier said:


> Oh. Sorry. Very nice set up you have there. Nice tools. Nice family. Nice house. Cool.


 

Ditto!

Nice family.  PLEASE protect them and yourself.  Chaps are cheap.  A helmet with integrated face shield and ear protection is CHEAP.  Those two items will cost you less than your insurance deductible for any ER visit.

Pretty hard to buy a new arm or leg. 

Great pics.. but please take the advice in the spirit it was offered.. just concerned for your family.

JP


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## cwitham (Dec 10, 2012)




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## cwitham (Dec 10, 2012)

Gasifier said:


> Is the misses using that chain saw. You have too beautiful of a family to not be using protective equipment. Many, many people get hurt, bad. When they do not use some safety equipment. No one ever thinks it will happen to them. Chaps are in order for sure. That is a big saw. Hearing protection. A safey helmet with a shield and safety glasses. Something. You don't see to many accidents. Just hear about them. Don't want to sound like a downer. But it will do no one any good to save some money for years and years. And then someone ends up getting hurt bad. And it was not worth it. Chainsaws are dangerous.
> 
> Again. Welcome friend. Keep your family safe. Talk to ya.
> 
> ...





JP11 said:


> Ditto!
> 
> Nice family.  PLEASE protect them and yourself.  Chaps are cheap.  A helmet with integrated face shield and ear protection is CHEAP.  Those two items will cost you less than your insurance deductible for any ER visit.
> 
> ...




I appreciate the concern and I promise the next pics we will have protective gear and we will be using it.


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## Blue Vomit (Dec 10, 2012)

cwitham said:


> (chicken pecked him in it the first time, she met the pot)


 
awesome


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## cwitham (Dec 10, 2012)

Lol chickens dying here is nothing new, we have had them for 4 years and out of the 40-50 we have owned we have had about 20 die mostly by us but some by a fox, and some by a dog... Lol oh yeah and my wife shot one with a .22 she was convinced that chicken was the devil.


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## Blue Vomit (Dec 10, 2012)

cwitham said:


> ... Lol oh yeah and my wife shot one with a .22 she was convinced that chicken was the devil.


 
even more awesome.


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## midwestcoast (Dec 10, 2012)

Nice work so far! You will be a happy guy when the winter utility bills come.  The shed looks great. Very nice to keep the snow off the splits.  Is the palette floor elevated? Kinda looks like it from the pics.  If so how are the palettes supported?
You are tackling some big wood there with that maple. Nice wok.
One hint : When you're chunking-up a round with a saw it's easier on the saw and operator to cut in from the edge of the round with the saw parallel to the trunk (round is on its side).  Instead of dust the saw makes curly noodles (aka noodling).


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## bogydave (Dec 11, 2012)

Looking good. 
Got the wood shed filled yet? 

May look into federal & state energy credits/rebates to help you reduce you electric bill.
Sometime you need an energy audit before you do anything but most times, that $$ cost is rebated after the audit.
Talk to some local  heat & air conditioning dealers, they should know about any rebates. 

Some places to look for state & federal energy credits, save some $$  
Indiana, by county:
http://energy.gov/savings?rebate_el...ngs_for=0&rebate_provider=0&rebate_state=3835
State & Federal:
http://www.in.gov/oed/2379.htm


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## cwitham (Dec 11, 2012)

I'm hoping to fill it today. My problem is since I am new to this wood burning thing I am unsure of how muc its going to hold and want to get my older seasoned wood in front of stuff not as well seasoned.

I guess I should've stated a little back story to our heating costs. Our energy bills are so high due to the all electric baseboard heat our home has. I'll look into the tax credits and rebates.


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## cwitham (Dec 11, 2012)

I have a question about wood in the woodshed. Is it ok to put a fan in the wood shed to blow air onto the wood to ensure it is dry?


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## cwitham (Dec 11, 2012)

midwestcoast said:


> Nice work so far! You will be a happy guy when the winter utility bills come.  The shed looks great. Very nice to keep the snow off the splits.  Is the palette floor elevated? Kinda looks like it from the pics.  If so how are the palettes supported?
> You are tackling some big wood there with that maple. Nice wok.
> One hint : When you're chunking-up a round with a saw it's easier on the saw and operator to cut in from the edge of the round with the saw parallel to the trunk (round is on its side).  Instead of dust the saw makes curly noodles (aka noodling).



Yeah so far it is elevated, I'm not sure it will stay that way it is supported by 2x4's ran the 8' width and nailed and screwed in multiple places. My bet is it will not support it but its worth a shot. It is 12" up the frame so if it doesn't work I'll look on the bright side that I can put more wood in it.


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## Gasifier (Dec 11, 2012)

cwitham said:


> Yeah so far it is elevated, I'm not sure it will stay that way it is supported by 2x4's ran the 8' width and nailed and screwed in multiple places. My bet is it will not support it but its worth a shot. It is 12" up the frame so if it doesn't work I'll look on the bright side that I can put more wood in it.


 
I would remove the supports and lower it down to sit on some cinder blocks. Anything you can get to support it up off the ground a few inches and keep it flat will work. Even some old bricks. The weight of the wood is likely to break your screws off. Or support it at the height it is at. Have a good one.


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## Jags (Dec 11, 2012)

Looks like you are stages ahead of most burners at this point (with the exception of PPE).  Looks like you are rocking it out.
Check out this site for weights of seasoned wood.  It adds up faster than most realize.
http://www.chimneysweeponline.com/howood.htm


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## cwitham (Dec 11, 2012)

You guys keep talking about cords of wood, I have no idea what that is we use Rick in Indiana 8' long 4' high cut to fit in your "fireplace". So what is a cord of wood equal to in ricks?


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## Gasifier (Dec 11, 2012)

cwitham said:


> You guys keep talking about cords of wood, I have no idea what that is we use Rick in Indiana 8' long 4' high cut to fit in your "fireplace". So what is a cord of wood equal to in ricks?


 
A cord is 8'x4'x4'. Your rick is like what we call a face cord where I am. Equal to 1/3 of a full cord.


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## cwitham (Dec 11, 2012)

Gasifier said:


> A cord is 8'x4'x4'. Your rick is like what we call a face cord where I am. Equal to 1/3 of a full cord.



Wow


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## cwitham (Dec 11, 2012)

Aside from not level yet is there any reason why I shouldn't just use the bottom pallets and ditch the other two on their sides?


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## Jags (Dec 11, 2012)

Cord = 128 cuft of wood, no matter how you stack it or length you cut it. It is a "legal" unit of measure. Rick/face cord/bush cord.... not a legally recognized unit.
Fractions of cords is then used (i.e. 1/3 cord, 1/2 cord, etc)

There will be a written test on Thursday.

Oh - loose the side pallets.  More storage area.


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## cwitham (Dec 11, 2012)

Rick is a legally recognized unit of measure in Indiana and is the only way you can sell fire wood


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## Jags (Dec 11, 2012)

cwitham said:


> ... and is the only way you can sell fire wood


 
Without doing the research I believe this to be horse hockey.

Yep - I am correct. (not trying to be a hard azz - its just the OCD in me).
http://www.evansvillegov.org/Index.aspx?page=352


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## Gasifier (Dec 11, 2012)

The pallets on the ground are just what you need. I store all my wood on pallets. Lose the ones on the side. And you could probably just lower your cross bracing so the top of them are even with the tops of the pallets. No need for some of them, just keep your sides where you want them with one in the back and one in the front.


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## cwitham (Dec 11, 2012)

Jags said:


> Without doing the research I believe this to be horse hockey.
> 
> Yep - I am correct. (not trying to be a hard azz - its just the OCD in me).
> http://www.evansvillegov.org/Index.aspx?page=352




Yeah well I stand corrected, no one in Indiana sells cords that I am aware of. EVERYONE sells ricks


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## Gasifier (Dec 11, 2012)

Jags said:


> Without doing the research I believe this to be horse hockey.
> 
> Yep - I am correct. (not trying to be a hard azz - its just the OCD in me).
> http://www.evansvillegov.org/Index.aspx?page=352


 
The only way anyone sells wood up in our area is by the face cord. It may not be "legal unit" , but that is the way it is. 
Don't pay too much attention to Jags. He recently had his 44th birthday and is becoming a miserable old codger! 
Ya, ya Jags. I know. I get that way sometimes too.


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## cwitham (Dec 11, 2012)

The f'ed up thing is there is no reference to it on the Indiana dept of health website.

Evansville is more Kentucky than Indiana anyway


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## Jags (Dec 11, 2012)

I really don't care if they call it a "frinkle"  (remember that AP?).  It is no skin off of my nose.  Just pointing out the ONLY real measure of firewood.  Ya want to know why?  What if your "rick" is cut at 15" long?  How about 18" long?  Two completely different and noticeable amounts of wood....but it is all a "rick" (or face cord) to you.

And Gassy - get it right - I am not miserable, I am crotchety.


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## Gasifier (Dec 11, 2012)

Jags said:


> I really don't care if they call it a "frinkle" (remember that AP?). It is no skin off of my nose. Just pointing out the ONLY real measure of firewood. Ya want to know why? What if your "rick" is cut at 15" long? How about 18" long? Two completely different and noticeable amounts of wood....but it is all a "rick" (or face cord) to you.
> 
> And Gassy - get it right - I am not miserable, I am crotchety.


 

 That is right. Your "rick" or my "face cord" would have to be cut at 16". Then three of them would equal a full cord. You are correct about the only real measurement being a cord. But it is still done many different ways all over the good old USA. I stand corrected. Crotchety.  My 44 year old muscles were feeling all the cutting I did last week. The dragging of all the brush did not help either.


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## Jags (Dec 11, 2012)

cwitham said:


> The f'ed up thing is there is no reference to it on the Indiana dept of health website.


 
That is not f'ed up because there is NO true definition. Again - 15" long, 18" long, 20" long???
at 15" long a rick = 25 cuft
at 18" long a rick = 48 cuft
at 20" long a rick = 53 cuft

This of course does not take into consideration air space and blah, blah, blah....just showing the dramatic difference that can happen in your "face", "rick", "bush" or any other nomenclature that is not a fraction of a cord.


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## cwitham (Dec 11, 2012)

Jags said:


> That is not f'ed up because there is NO true definition.



INDIANAPOLIS - It's easy to get burned when buying firewood, especially when the buyer has received less than they bargained for, according to the Weights and Measures Division of the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH).

Firewood is sold in large amount throughout Indiana until the end of the winter heating season, but many people are buying measurements of firewood that are not defined and less than state requirements. The ISDH's Weights and Measures reminds Hoosiers that firewood must be sold in measurements of "cords" - or 128 cubic feet of firewood.

I meant anything about measures of firewood, that article clearly states that is dept of health justidiction


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## Jags (Dec 11, 2012)

cwitham said:


> .
> 
> ....firewood must be sold in measurements of "*cords*" - or 128 cubic feet of firewood.


 
I are cunfuddled??


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## cwitham (Dec 11, 2012)

Jags said:


> I are cunfuddled??


My point is it isn't on the state website, that is an article from a newspaper you are quoting. I'm not arguing you are wrong but there is no mention of firewood measure on the Indiana Dept of Health Website that I have found


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## Jags (Dec 11, 2012)

cwitham said:


> My point is it isn't on the state website, that is an article from a newspaper you are quoting. I'm not arguing you are wrong but there is no mention of firewood measure on the Indiana Dept of Health Website that I have found


 
Yeah, it doesn't appear to be easy to parse that info out of their website.


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## cwitham (Dec 11, 2012)

I have a new question, when cutting your firewood for whatever length you use lets say 16" what do you use to make sure it is "always" 16"?


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## Jags (Dec 11, 2012)

cwitham said:


> I have a new question, when cutting your firewood for whatever length you use lets say 16" what do you use to make sure it is "always" 16"?


 
Mark your saw (bar), or get a mental note of where 16" is on your saw.  Use it as a length guide.


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## Gasifier (Dec 11, 2012)

Jags said:


> Mark your saw (bar), or get a mental note of where 16" is on your saw. Use it as a length guide.


 
Yup. I have a spot on my saw that will give me right around 20". Close nough.


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## cwitham (Dec 11, 2012)

Changes suggested by you guys



First wood



What about burning this stuff? Pine that's been done 4-5 years and some what I would consider bonfire stuff. Is it better to just leave it for the bonfire pit? Actually most of this has been down at least three years.



Part of my "ugly" wood pile



Last pic for this post my pile-o-maple


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## cwitham (Dec 11, 2012)

One more pic of the "trash" bonfire wood


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## cwitham (Dec 11, 2012)

This where I think my new wood shed is going to go
	

		
			
		

		
	




Or maybe here


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## Jags (Dec 11, 2012)

Looking good.  That junk wood is up to you.  If you are home on the weekend and don't mind feeding the fire, it will make heat, but depending on condition (punky), it will make a lot of ash as well.


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## Gasifier (Dec 11, 2012)

Nice work cwitham! Dam, you are fast! That looks great now. Nice shed dude. That pile looks like you could split some of it up, let it dry and then burn it next year. Some of the worst stuff you can enjoy a nice cold one by the bonfire! I got to have one of those this weekend. Cold one and bonfire that is.


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## cwitham (Dec 11, 2012)

I'm gonna have a cold one once I move all of this wood into the shed


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## cwitham (Dec 11, 2012)

This is the black walnut I can't bring myself to cut up into firewood.



There is a long story I'd rather forget about the day that tree came down, it ended badly and with my wife saying I told you so, but my neighbors got a nice new deck out of the deal. So much for trying to be a good neighbor the next one can fall on their house


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## firefighterjake (Dec 11, 2012)

cwitham said:


> I have a new question, when cutting your firewood for whatever length you use lets say 16" what do you use to make sure it is "always" 16"?


 
I don't . . . I use my chainsaw bar length and get an approximate length . . . most of it comes out the same length . ..  some a bit shorter, some a bit longer. Where this wood is going an inch or two shorter or longer will not matter.

Incidentally . . . I once knew Rick. I think he still owes my buddy money from when they went on a river rafting trip.


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## Lumber-Jack (Dec 11, 2012)

cwitham said:


> Lol chickens dying here is nothing new, we have had them for 4 years and out of the 40-50 we have owned we have had about 20 die mostly by us but some by a fox, and some by a dog... Lol oh yeah and my wife shot one with a .22 she was convinced that chicken was the devil.


We use to have chickens back when my oldest son was about 2 years old. We often let them free range and for the most part it wasn't a problem, but my son use to avoid going outside because he was afraid of the "Big White Thing", as he put it. It was the large white rooster we kept. My son was deathly afraid of it, in fact it even put the run on my wife a couple times. If it wasn't such a good protector of the hens I never would have kept him around at all, but one day I decided enough was enough, I was squatting down showing my son something on the ground when "the big white thing" came running up behind my son and drop kicked him onto the ground. Fortunately my son was facing the other way and had a heavy jacket on that protected him. Had he been facing toward the rooster and the rooster hit him in the face it could have been much worse. After that I realized just how dangerous this bird could be to two year old child who stood only a couple inches bigger that the rooster. Imagine facing a mean and very aggressive rooster that stands nearly eye level with yourself, it was no wonder my son didn't like playing outside.
The "Big White Thing" never saw another sunrise after that incident.


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## Gasifier (Dec 11, 2012)

Carbon_Liberator said:


> We use to have chickens back when my oldest son was about 2 years old. We often let them free range and for the most part it wasn't a problem, but my son use to avoid going outside because he was afraid of the "Big White Thing", as he put it. It was the large white rooster we kept. My son was deathly afraid of it, in fact it even put the run on my wife a couple times. If it wasn't such a good protector of the hens I never would have kept him around at all, but one day I decided enough was enough, I was squatting down showing my son something on the ground when "the big white thing" came running up behind my son and drop kicked him onto the ground. Fortunately my son was facing the other way and had a heavy jacket on that protected him. Had he been facing toward the rooster and the rooster hit him in the face it could have been much worse. After that I realized just how dangerous this bird could be to two year old child who stood only a couple inches bigger that the rooster. Imagine facing a mean and very aggressive rooster that stand nearly eye level with yourself, it was no wonder my son didn't like playing outside.
> The "Big White Thing" never saw another sunrise after that incident.


 
Did he see the inside of your oven?


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## ScotO (Dec 11, 2012)

Very nice set-up, and good on you for fixing the chimney the right way.  Beautiful family, beautiful shed, beautiful flue (I'm a stone masonry connisuer), nice maple rounds, nice choice in chainsaws.......looks like you are off to a great start.

But as others said (not preaching, just reaffirming) make sure you use at minimum eyeglasses and hearing protection especially for the wife and child.......some accidents will last a lifetime.

Welcome to the forum, looks like you'll be fitting in real good around here!  Keep the pics coming, and God Bless....


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## Backwoods Savage (Dec 11, 2012)

cwitham said:


> I have a question about wood in the woodshed. Is it ok to put a fan in the wood shed to blow air onto the wood to ensure it is dry?



You can do that if you wish. It will increase your electric bill, which you are attempting to lower. Much, much better to dry the wood out in the wind. Stack it so it is not on the ground. Stack so the wind hits the side of the piles. Because you aren't giving wood much time to dry, I'd recommend stacking really loosely to get even more air circulation and that also means you won't be stacking it very high else it will fall over. If you really want to get good at this wood burning, get yourself busy and get 3 years ahead on your wood. Dry it before putting it into the shed. Top cover the wood but never cover the sides. The idea is to let the moisture evaporate and not hold it in. Getting 3 years ahead gets you pretty busy for a while but once there it is easy sledding. In addition to prime firewood, you also will have some backup. Should something happen, injury or sickness perhaps, and you can't cut wood one year, you have something to fall back on. This is better than money in the bank and you won't even be taxed on it. I can't imagine that high of electric bills except for business. We complain when ours is over $50 per month. Another thing to aim for. Getting rid of that old stove and getting a really nice one. Heck, we found we only need half the amount of wood we used to burn when we got our last stove. On the grate, I'd simply remove it and burn without it. It simply is not needed and you'll get a better fire without it.


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## cwitham (Dec 11, 2012)

Backwoods Savage said:


> You can do that if you wish. It will increase your electric bill, which you are attempting to lower. Much, much better to dry the wood out in the wind. Stack it so it is not on the ground. Stack so the wind hits the side of the piles. Because you aren't giving wood much time to dry, I'd recommend stacking really loosely to get even more air circulation and that also means you won't be stacking it very high else it will fall over. If you really want to get good at this wood burning, get yourself busy and get 3 years ahead on your wood. Dry it before putting it into the shed. Top cover the wood but never cover the sides. The idea is to let the moisture evaporate and not hold it in. Getting 3 years ahead gets you pretty busy for a while but once there it is easy sledding. In addition to prime firewood, you also will have some backup. Should something happen, injury or sickness perhaps, and you can't cut wood one year, you have something to fall back on. This is better than money in the bank and you won't even be taxed on it. I can't imagine that high of electric bills except for business. We complain when ours is over $50 per month. Another thing to aim for. Getting rid of that old stove and getting a really nice one. Heck, we found we only need half the amount of wood we used to burn when we got our last stove. On the grate, I'd simply remove it and burn without it. It simply is not needed and you'll get a better fire without it.


 
We have no plans on getting rid of this stove. It isn't broke and it burns well


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## Gasifier (Dec 11, 2012)

cwitham said:


> We have no plans on getting rid of this stove. It isn't broke and it burns well


 
I hear you on this cwitham. What Dennis is saying is the new ones are much more efficient. They burn the gases before they go up the chimney by sending them back down the front of the stove, washing the glass front door on the way down and hitting the hot coal bed to create a secondary burn. You then end up with a hotter fire and end up using less wood. Maybe eventually you will decide to go to a newer one after a few years. For about $1300 on sale, you can probably cut your wood consumption down quite a bit. Like maybe 25 percent. That saves on a lot of work. Just something to think about for the future.


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## cwitham (Dec 11, 2012)

I'm not interested in adding an EPA controlled stove to my home. Likely never unless they come pry it from my cold dead hands.


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## Gasifier (Dec 11, 2012)

Yup. There are many that burn in the older stoves. Whatever works for ya. My brother has one in his house and likes it. How is your supply of wood for this year looking? And will you get a chance over the winter to start working on next years?


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## cwitham (Dec 11, 2012)

Gasifier said:


> Yup. There are many that burn in the older stoves. Whatever works for ya. My brother has one in his house and likes it. How is your supply of wood for this year looking? And will you get a chance over the winter to start working on next years?



Lol I have no idea how much we have aside from what's in the shed none is stacked. Wifey is in school and so are my little monkeys so its just me stacking and sorting when I can


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## cwitham (Dec 11, 2012)

To answer your other question about getting ahead for next year the short answer is I don't know. I have some offers from people to go drop some trees on their places however I don't have any way to move big wood just yet.


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## Boom Stick (Dec 11, 2012)

I don't start my saw without chaps and helmet (as of this year)......I would never let my lady do so either.  She wouldn't ever go near my saw though, she watches.  I went a couple years without PPE and it was always in the back of my mind.  Pulled the trigger and ate the expense this year.  Very glad that I did.  Realistically, don't go out to dinner a couple of times and it is paid for.   Good luck.


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## fishingpol (Dec 11, 2012)

Welcome, nice wood shed.  You got my wheels turning, that is a real nice size for my needs.

I just wanted to comment on the spalted maple rounds.  Wood turners that make bowls and wood carvers may find that maple desirable if the wood is not punky or wet.  Spalted maple can have some beautiful grain patterns.  There may be some extra cash in those rounds to the right person on Craigslist.  That was all.


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## hilbiliarkiboi (Dec 11, 2012)

Jags said:


> I are cunfuddled??




Mark Twain!  Literally!  Two marks(4' & 8') on a "cord" was used to measure "cordwood" stacked on the riverbank for steamships
Often on the honor system, a "chord" of wood 4×4×8 would be stacked and left,
This was mostly small pole sized to make it easy to carry a 'ways' .


ETA: shoulda been steamboats , not steamships.


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## cwitham (Dec 12, 2012)

fishingpol said:


> Welcome, nice wood shed.  You got my wheels turning, that is a real nice size for my needs.
> 
> I just wanted to comment on the spalted maple rounds.  Wood turners that make bowls and wood carvers may find that maple desirable if the wood is not punky or wet.  Spalted maple can have some beautiful grain patterns.  There may be some extra cash in those rounds to the right person on Craigslist.  That was all.



Those rounds are all split, there were 12 that size. Huge pile in three pics in post #47.


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## fishingpol (Dec 12, 2012)

cwitham said:


> Those rounds are all split, there were 12 that size. Huge pile in three pics in post #47.


 

Ha, oh well.


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## cwitham (Dec 14, 2012)

fishingpol said:


> Welcome, nice wood shed.  You got my wheels turning, that is a real nice size for my needs.
> 
> I just wanted to comment on the spalted maple rounds.  Wood turners that make bowls and wood carvers may find that maple desirable if the wood is not punky or wet.  Spalted maple can have some beautiful grain patterns.  There may be some extra cash in those rounds to the right person on Craigslist.  That was all.



Just found out that there is a lot more of that Maple to be had come spring, 

Anyone have any idea what this tree is?


Close up of bark


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## brokenknee (Dec 14, 2012)

I also have a 1200 square foot slab house with electric baseboard heat. I am located in northern MN. After I received my electric bill last November for October I got the tin up in the wood furnace room and went to all wood heat. The tin on the roof was an insurance requirement.

Even though we had a relatively mild winter last year, it did get down to below minus 30* F on a few days. The only time we will have the electric heat on is when we are gone for a few days during the winter. Other than that the breakers are off to the baseboard heat.

I purchase most of my wood by the grapple load 10 cords at a time. Going rate is $70 a cord for oak, ash and maybe some birch thrown in. For me it cuts down on the processing time. I do have 40 acres. but it is mostly poplar and pine, I do harvest some of it, but I really like the longer burn time of the hard wood. I have an old smoke dragon that I would like to upgrade, but purchased a "project" house and a new wood furnace is a little lower on the priority list.

Heating with wood isn't for everyone, it's a life style. A life style that gets you outside, gives you exercise, is good for the environment and can save you a few bucks while your at it.


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## red oak (Dec 14, 2012)

cwitham said:


> I'm not interested in adding an EPA controlled stove to my home. Likely never unless they come pry it from my cold dead hands.


 
Ha!  Welcome - and yes I feel the same way about my old Fisher Stove!  I know it's not the most efficient but I like it and that's all that matters!


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## fabsroman (Dec 15, 2012)

cwitham said:


> After 5 years of homeownership we finally got the chimney lined it was one of the things that was wrong when we bought the house and by wrong I mean no liner at all
> 
> 
> We have a 1200'ish square foot slab ranch in central Indiana and we have had nearly $500 a month electric bills in the winter ($250 summer with window air conditioners) since we moved in we dropped the $3000 to see if we an get $250/ month electric bills year round.
> ...


 
I am pretty sure you will reduce your electric bill considerably. We have a ranch with 2,100 sf upstairs and 2,400 sf in the basement. We moved in middle of February 2011 and paid $440 for heating oil that lasted 3 weeks. I ordered a wood burning furnace that summer, but did not have it installed for that winter because the installation quotes were just insane and would have prevented us from doing a 529 contribution that year for one of our kids. Plus, I did not have any seasoned wood ready yet. So, last winter we used space heaters in the house and a single 50 gallon heating oil delivery for when the space heaters were not enough. I installed the furnace this fall with the help of my dad and we have been burning this year. The oil furnace is gone. After last winter, our "budget billing" turned out to be $342 a month based upon prior usage.

So far, our electricity usage in October was 1/2 of what it was compared to the prior year, and the average temp outside was 5 degree colder this October than last. This November, our electricity usage was 1/3 of what it was last November and the average temp outside for November was 6 degree colder than last year's average. Not only that, but instead of having the thermostat set at 68 degrees, we are keeping it in the 70's. Our last utility bill was $135 with $20 of it being natural gas. The natural gas was mostly for the cooktop and water heater. I am ecstatic about that.

Seeing no smoke is a good thing. It means the fire is burning hot. Just make sure you use seasoned wood and you should be in great shape. I think you are going to be like me. Ecstatic to see the utility bill dropping and all ready to get some more firewood lined up. Me, I am going to cut and split a couple cord this week and stack them up as I use the stuff from the racks. Getting the furnace in was a project with a couple headaches, but now that it is in and working, it was well worth it.


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## cwitham (Dec 19, 2012)

Wifey wanted a fire tonight because its supposed to be cold tonight, I need to work on the computer in our dining room where the stove is so instead of sweating my nuggets off I did some hillbilly rigging. It dropped 20 degrees in the dining room to a "cool comfortable" 90 degrees or so. 



Our next house (the one I hope to build on about 100 acres) will be built around a fireplace instead of it being on one end or the other.


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## cwitham (Jan 8, 2013)

Brand new (1 month ago) Rheostat went out Saturday. Chimney guy hasn't called back yet, not real happy.


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## Ralphie Boy (Jan 8, 2013)

cwitham said:


> Here is some of the wood we have split this year as last resort end of the season wood.
> 
> Some of these rounds were a half Rick and up
> View attachment 84641
> ...


 
 Careful there with that saw! Kikback with that nice lady in that position could be the end of that nice lady.


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