I have plenty of wood in stock for the boiler but since its a bottom grate it does not retain coals. Therefore I get to restart if frequently and the easiest way is with dry kindling. Years ago before the collapse of a lot of small furniture mills in Western Maine, there were several sawmills that generated lots of kiln dried hardwood board ends. There were a few folks that would deliver to my area and for around $75 I could get a truck load (probably a half cord )which would last a couple of years. The blocks were usually small and I didnt even have to split them before putting them in the boiler With the mills gone, I set some aside but usually set some straight ash or birch aside and hand split it in my basement as needed. I was reading the local paper and saw an ad by a sawmill for 1/4 cord bag on a pallet of kiln dried ends between 8 and 16" long. I was not familiar with the place as it was a bit of a drive but figured I would try a bag. I cranked up the Unimog and headed south. It was last minute decision and I left message with a friend while driving and I offered to pick up one for him. I got to the mill and paid my money ($80 a bag) then drove out back. I had a bit of a surprise when I got there as the warehouse they sent me to was where they bundled campfire wood. Turns out the 8 to 16" kiln dried ends are firewood ends not board ends 
.
In addition to being a sawmill they run a large bundled fire wood operation that supplies a lot of places in the White Mountains. I have used it before when camping and its good wood and definitely dry. They cut from their own large land holdings and have a large kin operation optimized for firewood. The woods clean and almost looks like its been partially debarked. My place is north of the "oak" line so I dont normally have access to oak but this place seems to have lot of red oak. My bet it they cut for red oak logs as the market is always good for oak sawlogs and that boosts the amount of oak in their firewood. i took a look at it and decided it was worth it too me as it was good solid dry wood that has been kiln dried and undercover since it was processed. The put it in polypropylene "big bag" which is roughly 4 by 4 by 5' high. Its fills out a bit larger when filled with wood. It has four loops on the top corners but they load it with a pallet. The Unimog has 2 ton load capacity so it handled the two bags fine but I did notice the weight driving home. Normally the mog is overspring and stiff but with the wood on the back it rode nice. I give my friend the option of me keeping the bag I bought for him as it was not what I represented but he was glad to get it as the shorts fit a Jotul 602 he uses in shoulder season.
Definitely not my plan to begin with but I look forward to a season or two of easy starts. I suspect it would be great for folks who have marginally dry wood or those just looking for weekend fires. Its clean but dusty. Its mostly red oak with some hard maple and I saw a few pieces of beech in the mix. Its about 2/3rd shorts but contrary to the ad some splits were longer than 16" and I may have to trim some on my chop saw to fit in the boiler. They had 80 pallets in stock. Locally green hardwood delivered is in the $225 a full cord range (usually oak tends to go $25 to $50 a cord higher) delivered so someone who plans ahead would not pay $320 a cord for firewood but for someone who needs some super dry wood to mix in, it may be the ticket. The place is located in Tamworth NH. They do not deliver but will load trucks but expect at minimum a half ton truck would be needed. If a NH wood burner wants the info PM me.
I am going to leave it in the bag with tarp over it. Its not waterproof but its polypropylene that tends to shed water. I have a tarp over the top and will empty it as I go until I clear out my bulkhead.
.In addition to being a sawmill they run a large bundled fire wood operation that supplies a lot of places in the White Mountains. I have used it before when camping and its good wood and definitely dry. They cut from their own large land holdings and have a large kin operation optimized for firewood. The woods clean and almost looks like its been partially debarked. My place is north of the "oak" line so I dont normally have access to oak but this place seems to have lot of red oak. My bet it they cut for red oak logs as the market is always good for oak sawlogs and that boosts the amount of oak in their firewood. i took a look at it and decided it was worth it too me as it was good solid dry wood that has been kiln dried and undercover since it was processed. The put it in polypropylene "big bag" which is roughly 4 by 4 by 5' high. Its fills out a bit larger when filled with wood. It has four loops on the top corners but they load it with a pallet. The Unimog has 2 ton load capacity so it handled the two bags fine but I did notice the weight driving home. Normally the mog is overspring and stiff but with the wood on the back it rode nice. I give my friend the option of me keeping the bag I bought for him as it was not what I represented but he was glad to get it as the shorts fit a Jotul 602 he uses in shoulder season.
Definitely not my plan to begin with but I look forward to a season or two of easy starts. I suspect it would be great for folks who have marginally dry wood or those just looking for weekend fires. Its clean but dusty. Its mostly red oak with some hard maple and I saw a few pieces of beech in the mix. Its about 2/3rd shorts but contrary to the ad some splits were longer than 16" and I may have to trim some on my chop saw to fit in the boiler. They had 80 pallets in stock. Locally green hardwood delivered is in the $225 a full cord range (usually oak tends to go $25 to $50 a cord higher) delivered so someone who plans ahead would not pay $320 a cord for firewood but for someone who needs some super dry wood to mix in, it may be the ticket. The place is located in Tamworth NH. They do not deliver but will load trucks but expect at minimum a half ton truck would be needed. If a NH wood burner wants the info PM me.
I am going to leave it in the bag with tarp over it. Its not waterproof but its polypropylene that tends to shed water. I have a tarp over the top and will empty it as I go until I clear out my bulkhead.
Last edited:
