Going broke heating with wood. :)

[Oldhippie]

yeah, yeah, yeah

LOL

 

[ohlongarm]

With the weather in the upper 70's I'm burning none of the wood I've been scrounging. Since starting to heat with wood (this is my 3rd 'winter') I've purchased a new saw, a splitter and countless pieces of PPE and other 'aids'.

I got tired of looking at my stacks after seeing how pretty some of you guys stack yours and I had some 2" sch40 pipe laying around so I built a rack. 21' long, 4' tall. Well I liked the look of it so I decided to build a few more. I use 3 sticks of pipe to build one rack at $125. This attempt to save a few bucks has evolved into a hobby which is always bad for the checkbook.

If the winters continue to be this mild the good news is I'm 6yrs ahead on wood!

Did I mention it's in the 70's here right now?

Beautiful racks best I've seen,and a wonderful helper.

 

[Reckless]

Ill take some of that wood off your hands XP Were in the midst of an icestorm here and the "Cord" I bought only half of it is seasoned and the other half is waterlogged and frozen..... nice racks btw

 

[Dakotas Dad]

My brother in the Waco area burns more wood than me.

Nice racks for sure.

I also thought PVC at first.. lol

 

[Sprinter]

Very nice. I'm no welder, but I can slop glue on PVC just fine. I'm thinking I'd like to do something similar with PVC. Do you think PVC would work, and what size do you think would be best?

 

[Reckless]

Very nice. I'm no welder, but I can slop glue on PVC just fine. I'm thinking I'd like to do something similar with PVC. Do you think PVC would work, and what size do you think would be best?

Does PVC crack and break down over time with extreme tempature changes? No need to weld, I'm using 2" steel pipe I had lying around, works just fine for me. Once you get weight on them they aint moving it would be nice to have those ends but I just stack them pretty.

 

[corey21]

Nice wood racks.

 

[begreen]

We had a discussion about the lows and highs in the south vs the north on the garden forum. Yes I know they can have some chilly nights but down there the highs last much longer during the day and the lows are typical more brief. More like Oct in the north. Thats why they are already planting their gardens down there. Just seems to me it wouldn't be worth the bother. However I'm guessing homes are not insulated like ours are. If it were sunny and 60 here that kind of solar gain would carry me through a night below freezing even in a house like mine.

Insulation is important down there too, especially during the air conditioning season which can be 5 months of the year or more.

 

[mking7]

Insulation is important down there too, especially during the air conditioning season which can be 5 months of the year or more.

Usually more for us. But I got to thinking....I wonder if some of what we do to make our homes efficient for summer make them less so in winter. Insulation is great either way but for example I have radiant barrier roof decking that is supposed block 90+% of the sun's radiant heat from the sun. Keeps the attic cooler in the summer and reduces your cooling bill. In the winter, I might like that radiant heat to keep the house warmer, no? Do you guys install radiant barriers up north?

 

[mking7]

Does PVC crack and break down over time with extreme tempature changes? No need to weld, I'm using 2" steel pipe I had lying around, works just fine for me. Once you get weight on them they aint moving it would be nice to have those ends but I just stack them pretty.

I would think PVC would have a relatively short life in our weather conditions here. You'd also probably need to put a runner across the top of the rack to keep them solid.

But good point on not needing a welder. You could do what I did with threaded pipe ends and some elbows.

 

[begreen]

Ideally what happens up at the roof and in the attic will be isolated from the house interior. You would be better off to maximize solar gain in the interior of the house from the low sun angle in the winter. Even if it is not through windows in the house a solar space heater can help in your climate. See how precaud did this in the green room.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/adding-another-solar-air-heater.52195/
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads...ces-for-space-heating-and-other-stuff.103879/
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/passive-solar.104532/

 

[Motor7]

I wish I had some Sch 40 pipe "laying around"...excellent job! Don't get to far ahead on wood, uncovered stuff I have from 3 years ago is almost past it's prime...gotta burn it up this season for sure.

 

[mking7]

I wish I had some Sch 40 pipe "laying around"...excellent job! Don't get to far ahead on wood, uncovered stuff I have from 3 years ago is almost past it's prime...gotta burn it up this season for sure.

Well, I wish I hadn't had it laying around. Since I only had enough for 1 rack laying around. The 2nd two proved to be kinda pricey.

Too far ahead on wood? Are you in the wrong forum?

 

[oldspark]

I wish I had some Sch 40 pipe "laying around"...excellent job! Don't get to far ahead on wood, uncovered stuff I have from 3 years ago is almost past it's prime...gotta burn it up this season for sure.

What type of wood is it, have not had any problem with three year old wood getting bad.

 

[Motor7]

No and I'm way behind. The house build took all my "energy" so I did't cut any wood until Oct-ish. And yes, saws, chaps, grinder, pto log splitter, tractor for the logsplitter, etc ....gets expensive....BUT LOOK AT THEN MONEY WE ARE SAVING ON THE LIGHT BILL

...and no I wouldn't have it any other way

 

[Motor7]

What type of wood is it, have not had any problem with three year old wood getting bad.

Oak, up on pallets uncovered. The lower layer has termites in it.....NG(not good).

 

[Ashful]

Oak, up on pallets uncovered. The lower layer has termites in it.....NG(not good).

I've had a plan (no time to act on it), to buy some ground treatment for termites, and install it in the aisles between my woodpiles. I've also seen evidence of termites in my stacks, mostly in the wood that sat on dirt for a few years in the round.

 

[Slow1]

Oak, up on pallets uncovered. The lower layer has termites in it.....NG(not good).

Get that wood up off the ground using something that the termites can't or won't eat and you will have your problem solved. As I understand it they have to have a path to ground to survive.

Consider using plastic pallets and be sure they are elevated high enough (perhaps go 2 high if necessary) so the termites can't mound their way up.

I'm glad I haven't had to deal with those buggers! We do get carpenter ants here but I believe we've beat those back into the woods finally... at least for a few months.

 

[Ashful]

As I understand it they have to have a path to ground to survive.

They have no trouble building a path, when none exist. Mud tunnels.

 

[Slow1]

They have no trouble building a path, when none exist. Mud tunnels.

I just googled that - amazing and scary. I reiterate - sure glad I haven't had to deal with them!

 

[Motor7]

Yep, the first log house I built in TX was up on old creosote power poles. The little buggers would mud tunnel up over 4' on the poles to get to the sweet sweet southern yellow pine logs

 

[katwillny]

you teaching that girl the tricks of the trade is worth every penny my friend. there is no price to the amount of memories you are creating for that little girl right there. in 30 years she will look back and say, i remember the days when I did this and that with "MKING7" lol.