BK on the way, no firewood.

[jetsam]

I have no qualms about burning green wood in my BK. Understand that it works differently and why, and you can heat just fine. Lower your expectations, inspect your flue frequently, sweep as needed, burn hot whenever you can, and always try do a hot reload. Save some dry stuff in case you let the fire go out.

Dry wood is of course much nicer and provides more heat, but wet wood is better than no wood (unless you're unwilling to inspect and/or sweep your flue weekly, in which case no wood is better than wet wood.)

 

[Bill in the U.P.]

Quite a dilemma! I scrounged and begged a lot last year (first year after a December install), and was fortunate enough to make it through with a clean flue, although I did a lot of stove-front drying to get there.

You have any land with that new paradise that you just moved to?

Most of my new neighbors have been pretty generous with their wood, and I have about 5 acres to scrounge from. I did some fantasizing about a wood fired firewood kiln as well, although I never executed anything more than a few tarp covered wood racks.

Good luck to you, and happy holidays, Bill!

Thanks and Happy Holidays to you too ED 3000. I have 10 acres here, lots of field and a few acres of red pine plantation. I have my fingers crossed though. I e-mailed with a guy and hour away that said he cut, split and piled the wood he has for sale TWO YEARS AGO! I will talk with him after the Holiday and maybe go put a meter to his stuff. Because of the distance if he delivers he asked for $90 a face cord. My BIL's family has a business and I might be able to get a truck or trailer and go pick it up at $75 a face cord. Its worth it to me for this year being late to the game. Just bought the house two weeks ago, committed to both the stove and chimney install this week.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

Thanks and Happy Holidays to you too ED 3000. I have 10 acres here, lots of field and a few acres of red pine plantation. I have my fingers crossed though. I e-mailed with a guy and hour away that said he cut, split and piled the wood he has for sale TWO YEARS AGO! I will talk with him after the Holiday and maybe go put a meter to his stuff. Because of the distance if he delivers he asked for $90 a face cord. My BIL's family has a business and I might be able to get a truck or trailer and go pick it up at $75 a face cord. Its worth it to me for this year being late to the game. Just bought the house two weeks ago, committed to both the stove and chimney install this week.

I see that you have your priorities straight!

 

[begreen]

If the wood is 2 yr seasoned then $270/cord delivered is a decent price, especially at this time of year.

 

[Bill in the U.P.]

If the wood is 2 yr seasoned then $270/cord delivered is a decent price, especially at this time of year.

My thoughts exactly begreen. (what's the saying about great minds....)

 

[jeff_t]

I called the closest TC an hour away and was quoted a price of $315.12 for a pallet of the Redstone FB. Is that a fair price? She said there were a hundred per pallet and I'm assuming she meant 100 packs of 6. Does this all sound reasonable?

I put 49855 in for the zip code, and TSC shows bricks for $3.00.

They're good to mix with wood that may not be as dry as it should be.

You can probably stuff your stove with them, too. They are very dry, but very dense. The superior air control on the BK kinda lets you do what you want. I put 120 pounds of them in my King. I would recommend starting small, though, especially with a new stove and chimney setup.

 

[DUMF]

Rant follows----I may be a cynic ( flame away oh you %$#@ ), but anyone seriously using wood for heating knows ( knows ) that there is really really no such beast as sold truly seasoned firewood. Most of us righteous woodpile fanatics either: 1. harvest their own from varied sources dead green in time to really really season for correct burns, sometimes years, or , 2. if you buy firewood ( you silly %$#@& ), buy it green just cut in time for you to stack it for proper drying ( e.g. "seasoning" ) sometimes years.
There are no other ways to get firewood ready for winter ( unless you are a moneybags needing to buy KILN DRIED firewood which is like gold or the same as those fossil using people.)
"We sell seasoned firewood" is like "I will love you in the morning". Rant ends.

 

[begreen]

Agreed that there are a lot of wood sellers out there that will call almost anything "seasoned" Technically it is as long as you don't ask for how long and expect a straight answer. If you're lucky however, in some areas, there are reputable sellers that do split and store wood for seasoning under cover. Not in every state or every area, but they are out there. Even locally I can find it if willing to pay a stiff premium and they are not sold out. If possible visit their yard first and check the wood out.

 

[jetsam]

"We sell seasoned firewood" is like "I will love you in the morning". Rant ends.

I WILL love you in the morning, baby.

 

[tarzan]

Rant follows----I may be a cynic ( flame away oh you %$#@ ), but anyone seriously using wood for heating knows ( knows ) that there is really really no such beast as sold truly seasoned firewood. Most of us righteous woodpile fanatics either: 1. harvest their own from varied sources dead green in time to really really season for correct burns, sometimes years, or , 2. if you buy firewood ( you silly %$#@& ), buy it green just cut in time for you to stack it for proper drying ( e.g. "seasoning" ) sometimes years.
There are no other ways to get firewood ready for winter ( unless you are a moneybags needing to buy KILN DRIED firewood which is like gold or the same as those fossil using people.)
"We sell seasoned firewood" is like "I will love you in the morning". Rant ends.

I resorted to buying firewood when the number of screws and rods in my back bypassed that of my chainsaws. Other than that, I agree with you and always purchase a couple seasons ahead. "Seasoned wood for sale" is just a myth around here.

 

[begreen]

It also depends on the species of wood and one's location. Ash can dry out and be ready to burn in one season if split early and top covered.

 

[jetsam]

I've dropped, limbed, bucked, split, and burned standing deadwood all on the same day. Some if it was remarkably dry when it went into the stove. (Look for a tree that's been dead a long time but still has the bark tight on all the way up.)

One thing about standing deadwood though, you get significant variation in dryness throughout the length (if bugs and woodpeckers got into it higher up as well,, it's going to be wetter there).

Do be careful felling deadwood; have about six escape routes and be ready to run, because it can fall in any direction. You can't really know what's rotten inside until you start a cut, and your hinge may not be anywhere near as sturdy as you may expect- which can lead to the base of the tree swinging out in any direction if the hinge gives.

Pros actually use explosives to fell especially large and dangerous rotten trees, which is awesome and I encourage you to look it up on YouTube.

 

[Tar12]

Check to see if you have any saw mills close. Although its not ideal the slab cuts that they discard will burn and make BTUs.I have a older friend who can't get out and get after the wood cutting anymore and he buys the slabs by the truck load dirt cheap from a local mill. He runs a BK and gets along fine with them...just a thought.

 

[nola mike]

Agreed that there are a lot of wood sellers out there that will call almost anything "seasoned" Technically it is as long as you don't ask for how long and expect a straight answer. If you're lucky however, in some areas, there are reputable sellers that do split and store wood for seasoning under cover. Not in every state or every area, but they are out there. Even locally I can find it if willing to pay a stiff premium and they are not sold out. If possible visit their yard first and check the wood out.

A year or 2 ago people were getting their panties in a bunch about the state (michigan? ohio?) trying to regulate what terms meant when selling wood. I really liked the idea...let me see if I can find it.

 

[jeff_t]

Rant follows----I may be a cynic ( flame away oh you %$#@ ), but anyone seriously using wood for heating knows ( knows ) that there is really really no such beast as sold truly seasoned firewood. Most of us righteous woodpile fanatics either: 1. harvest their own from varied sources dead green in time to really really season for correct burns, sometimes years, or , 2. if you buy firewood ( you silly %$#@& ), buy it green just cut in time for you to stack it for proper drying ( e.g. "seasoning" ) sometimes years.
There are no other ways to get firewood ready for winter ( unless you are a moneybags needing to buy KILN DRIED firewood which is like gold or the same as those fossil using people.)
"We sell seasoned firewood" is like "I will love you in the morning". Rant ends.

I bought this over the summer. The guy told me it was cut, split, stacked, and top covered for over two years. I had no reason to doubt him, and neither did my moisture meter. It's out there, though I think maybe I just got lucky finding it.

 

[rdust]

I bought this over the summer. The guy told me it was cut, split, stacked, and top covered for over two years. I had no reason to doubt him, and neither did my moisture meter. It's out there, though I think maybe I just got lucky finding it.

I've sold some ready to burn stuff in the past so it's out there. I usually only sell when I need to make room for more wood. I try to wait until January or February when ready to burn wood is a unicorn.

 

[jeff_t]

I sold some a couple years ago when I knew I would be moving in the fairly near future. I sold it at quite the premium, too, almost twice the price of some. Five of the six called me the following year for more, and one guy wouldn't leave me alone and kept offering me more money. None of them ever had firewood that actually burned like I told them it would.

 

[Highbeam]

I've sold some ready to burn stuff in the past so it's out there. I usually only sell when I need to make room for more wood. I try to wait until January or February when ready to burn wood is a unicorn.

I've done the same thing. I worry that softwood can be too seasoned or begin to dry rot so I have sold some of my driest stuff. Plus, a few cords sold puts a nice lump of cash in my pocket after Christmas.

 

[DUMF]

I WILL love you in the morning, baby.

Prove it .

 

[Bill in the U.P.]

I mentioned above emailing a young fellow who said he cut, split and stacked his wood two years ago. I met with him today and I am satisfied he is telling the truth. The ends are weathered and cracked and the weight of the wood was reasonable. No I did not put the meter to any splits. After we talked and he told me he was burning in a catalytic stove and this was his wood I was satisfied. He bought a house in town and isn't burning any more. I bought 12 face cord from him and will start hauling tomorrow. $70 per FC. Like money in the bank (said with a giddy excitement you guys understand!)

Bill in the U.P.

 

[DUMF]

Dear Bill:
"Face Cords" are like unicorns, they are what you want them to be and what a seller is selling..
You MAY have gotten a deal, the seller may have been honest. If you follow the posts here you'll see that face cords can be near anything a seller wants them to be. Are the splits 16", 14", 12" ? Is the "face" 4' X 4', or 4' X 8' ?
The only true measure of firewood is a cord ( in many state regs ). It is a standard measure long used for all types of wood production for generations.
I don't mean to give you grief, but "caveat emptor" is a worthy warning. "Money in the bank" = "I will love you in the morning" ( if the bank is Wells Fargo ! )
I do hope you got your money's worth.

 

[begreen]

A face cord typically is 1/3d of a cord. Typically measure is 4' x 8' x 16" wood. With the price down to $210 a cord for fully seasoned, that's a nice deal. Bill would it be cost effective to rent or hire a large truck? Or is it pretty close by?

 

[rdust]

Dear Bill:
"Face Cords" are like unicorns, they are what you want them to be and what a seller is selling..
You MAY have gotten a deal, the seller may have been honest. If you follow the posts here you'll see that face cords can be near anything a seller wants them to be. Are the splits 16", 14", 12" ? Is the "face" 4' X 4', or 4' X 8' ?
The only true measure of firewood is a cord ( in many state regs ). It is a standard measure long used for all types of wood production for generations.
I don't mean to give you grief, but "caveat emptor" is a worthy warning. "Money in the bank" = "I will love you in the morning" ( if the bank is Wells Fargo ! )
I do hope you got your money's worth.

Bill lives in Michigan, unfortunately a "face cord" is a typical method of sale here. It's "usually" 4'x8'x16-18".

While I'll not a fan of this sales method I often wonder how accurate the lengths are if someone sells a 1/3 cord. Even if I advertise a cord of wood that measures 4'x24'x16" I doubt the split lengths are all 16".

 

[chance04]

Check to see if you have any saw mills close. Although its not ideal the slab cuts that they discard will burn and make BTUs.I have a older friend who can't get out and get after the wood cutting anymore and he buys the slabs by the truck load dirt cheap from a local mill. He runs a BK and gets along fine with them...just a thought.

We do the same thing. It's really hard to beat 45 dollar cords of wood that's pre split. Stacks really well to

Woodstock IS

 

[Tar12]

We do the same thing. It's really hard to beat 45 dollar cords of wood that's pre split. Stacks really well to

Woodstock IS

It truly is a value. They use to give it away just to get rid of it..Those days are gone...lol