I hate wood

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
  • Super Cedar firestarters 30% discount Use code Hearth2024 Click here
Status
Not open for further replies.

603doug

Member
Hearth Supporter
Sep 26, 2008
64
seacoast nh
As I buck up 7 cords for the heating season (which for us is year round) and the sweat is pouring off my back and some how we got poison ivy in the loads from the field we are reclaiming, I am swearing to myself I should of installed a geo thermal system. I install wells for systems and am still not convinced there is a pay back or saving but that is for another topic. Then I come in and the top news item on the Drudge report is oil has increased for the fourth week in a row, "god I love wood."
 
Love the cardio/vascular workout. It's a good thing.
 
I was thinking about this the other dayand how I was saving so much money heating with wood and came up with these round about numbers.
eko80-$7000
four propane tanks and all plumbing -$3000
chain saw, extra chain, misc tools, gas, oil-$700
Tractor - $17000
dump truck old and rusty- $1000
log splitter- $1000
Fami wench for tractor -$2000
misc trailers and wire boxes for hauling wood- $2000
Truck- $32000
ASV skidsteer for building road to get to the wood- $17000
600yds of large stones and 1000yds of sand used to build road that I could have sold- $15000
tools (welders, plasma torch, and misc hand stuff) to keep things running- $20000
Buildings to put every thing in- $20000
And I'm sure I've missed something.

But all said and done I love the work out, running the equipment, making things, managing the wood lot, hunting the deer, smelling the slight smell of smoke, giving the grandkids something to do, spitting and stacking the wood and just watching those gauges and blow torch flame on that eko. I'm 67 years old and can out work most younger guys, buy most anything I really want to because I've been frugal and happy with life. Ya I do like this life style and burning wood is part of it.
leaddog
 
In this pasture we are clearing to save money on hay and cord wood we had an excavator, d-5 cat dozier, 580 case backhoe 943 bobcat, triaxle dump, 2 pickups 3 chain saws and 3 men(my Dad, brother and I owned the equipment so it is "FREE"). How expensive can oil get?:)
The best reason is we have control, nice to have the equipment but even nicer to know my family will be warm and cozy no matter what oil or our leader do.
 
I have been heating with wood since 1977 and never bought a cord in my life. I also do not believe I have ever saved a dime doing it.

So what?
 
1 ton chevy; piad for years ago and it's my work truck anyway
Chainsaws; used jonsered $80, year old craftsman $140, few spare chains, gas and oil, collection of used junk
splitter, $100 for used D-8 piston and a chunk of I-beam, rest of the parts in stock
Fiskers splitting ax $41

Savings; 1200 gallons of oil a year at market price. There is no question that I save thousands of dollars a year burning wood. It is a lot of work, like a second job, but without taxes.
 
Fami wench for tractor -$2000

Where can I get a wench like this? I spend about $2000 a month supporting my wench, and while she performs well, a one-time $2000 would be much better.
 
leaddog said:
I was thinking about this the other dayand how I was saving so much money heating with wood and came up with these round about numbers.
eko80-$7000
four propane tanks and all plumbing -$3000
chain saw, extra chain, misc tools, gas, oil-$700
Tractor - $17000
dump truck old and rusty- $1000
log splitter- $1000
Fami wench for tractor -$2000
misc trailers and wire boxes for hauling wood- $2000
Truck- $32000
ASV skidsteer for building road to get to the wood- $17000
600yds of large stones and 1000yds of sand used to build road that I could have sold- $15000
tools (welders, plasma torch, and misc hand stuff) to keep things running- $20000
Buildings to put every thing in- $20000
And I'm sure I've missed something.

But all said and done I love the work out, running the equipment, making things, managing the wood lot, hunting the deer, smelling the slight smell of smoke, giving the grandkids something to do, spitting and stacking the wood and just watching those gauges and blow torch flame on that eko. I'm 67 years old and can out work most younger guys, buy most anything I really want to because I've been frugal and happy with life. Ya I do like this life style and burning wood is part of it.
leaddog


I hear ya Les!!!!

Don
 
BrotherBart said:
I have been heating with wood since 1977 and never bought a cord in my life. I also do not believe I have ever saved a dime doing it.

So what?

Maybe so...but I bet you've been nice and warm just about every winter since 1977? Being Dutch myself I can tell you I stay much much warmer when I'm burning "free" wood as opposed to when I was paying for natural gas....
 
jebatty said:
Fami wench for tractor -$2000

Where can I get a wench like this? I spend about $2000 a month supporting my wench, and while she performs well, a one-time $2000 would be much better.

They still need to be greased and are pretty ornery when they get their cable in a knot.
 
Well said Leaddog, if oil was .10 a gal, I would still burn wood
 
Bucked up and split 3 face today and bucked up a couple maples out in the woods, I love wood. I bought 200 gallons of oil last august and just ran out. I figure I'm 1500 gallons to the good.
 
SolarAndWood said:
jebatty said:
Fami wench for tractor -$2000

Where can I get a wench like this? I spend about $2000 a month supporting my wench, and while she performs well, a one-time $2000 would be much better.

They still need to be greased and are pretty ornery when they get their cable in a knot.

And boy, can they yank you around when you get crossways with them. But after 30 years, I wouldn't trade mine in for anything.
 
Eric Johnson said:
And boy, can they yank you around when you get crossways with them. But after 30 years, I wouldn't trade mine in for anything.

I am holding out for one of those "clunkers" programs. :lol: Problem is I would probably be the one traded in.
 
I know mine would trade me in on clunker program, much better fuel economy, would not be all ways breaking down and the best part for the "little woman" would be a better ride
 
stee6043 said:
BrotherBart said:
I have been heating with wood since 1977 and never bought a cord in my life. I also do not believe I have ever saved a dime doing it.

So what?

Maybe so...but I bet you've been nice and warm just about every winter since 1977? Being Dutch myself I can tell you I stay much much warmer when I'm burning "free" wood as opposed to when I was paying for natural gas....

If you ain't Dutch, you ain't much ;)

Spoken by a 5th generation pureblood Hollander..............me
 
Status
Not open for further replies.