It’s that time of year ....

[Highbeam]

Psh, we’ve got 3.5 months to go! Burning both stoves today.

 

[MissMac]

I was burning out of a less than fully stocked stash for this year. I figure I've got maybe another 1.5 weeks of seasoned wood, then I'm done. I have a bit of marginal wood around 22%, but I don't want to start putting that through the stove just because there's still lots of heating season. The furnace will get its turn to run full time soon. Plus that wood will be great for next summer.

 

[kennyp2339]

Regardless of burning what really helps is daylight savings time next week, having the sun light until 7pm is so nice and helps break up the regular week of leave in the dark, come home in the dark, by the end of the month our average high temp is in the mid 50's which is a blessing to get out and do more outside activities.

 

[Touch0Gray]

year number 36...... almost exclusive wood heat, season is winding down but I have wood stacked for next winter, I am ready for open windows and birds and desperate to get my bicycle back on the road, 4700 miles last year, hoping for 5K this year. Burning wood isn't a hobby, it is a job which pays about 5 grand a year.

 

[bholler]

That's a shame. With so much clay available locally I figured it would be fun to build a small wood fired kiln. Maybe even make a brick kiln. I have met some local potters that would be interested if I am successful. It will probably be a few years yet before we have the time to devote to such a project. There is a lot of reading material about traditional Japanese wood fired kilns built into hillsides using local materials.

If you really want to know about it my father's good friend has been doing wood fired pottery and ceramics for about 40 years now. I am sure he could give you some pointers

 

[Mike.O]

I'm looking forward to getting an extra half hour of sleep in the morning! Especially since my new project starting in a few weeks has me leaving the house at 3:45am. I can't imagine a 2:45 am wake up.

 

[trguitar]

I'm with you. I do get tired of fires at this point in the year. The good thing is as it starts to warm up, I can go to 24 hour burns. It's nice to only fill up once a day. And, having the cat stove means I don't have start from scratch. I have plenty of coals left to get it going again.

I do miss it by the end of the summer, though. So, once October rolls around I am itching to get fires going again.

Do you have the ability to store a ton of wood in the garage, or on a porch or something, so you don't have to keep bring stuff in? I bring in about 3 cords into the garage on Columbus Day weekend, and top it off before we get big snow. This takes me to about March, so I can just walk out into the garage, which is right next to the stove room, to get wood for the stove.

 

[SpaceBus]

If you really want to know about it my father's good friend has been doing wood fired pottery and ceramics for about 40 years now. I am sure he could give you some pointers

When I'm closer to actually breaking ground on I will definitely sent you a PM for contact information.

 

[bholler]

When I'm closer to actually breaking ground on I will definitely sent you a PM for contact information.

Ok let me know

 

[Mutineer]

I ran out of dry wood a week ago, which isn't that big a deal except at this time of year I keep a 1 gal pot on the stove with maple sap in it and keep filling it until I get enough to finish off on the regular gas stove. Did 25 gals of sap on it before I ran out of wood, made about 80 oz of syrup, and I plan on pulling my taps this weekend so I missed out on about another 12-14 gals steamed off by running out of wood. Just have to boil more in my rig in the woods, with all the mud.

 

[Woody Stover]

Sad to say Space Bus, but you are few years late to this site. There was a potter that would report out on experiments with wood fired pottery kilns and report on his progress. I havent seen him post any shots of his adventures in kiln firing for a couple of years but it was interesting stuff.

I bought a few of his pieces, they are great! I miss seeing his posts.

User Adios Pantalones. https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/wood-fired-pottery-kiln.18345/
These links aren't about wood-firing per se, but might have some useful info:
(broken link removed to https://ceramicartsnetwork.org/ceramics-monthly/ceramic-glaze-recipes/glaze-chemistry/working-ash-glazes/#)
(broken link removed to https://ceramicartsnetwork.org/pottery-making-illustrated/ceramic-supplies/ceramic-glazes-and-underglazes/using-wood-ash-glazes/#)

my father's good friend has been doing wood fired pottery and ceramics for about 40 years now.

Not really pertinent since my sister doesn't have a wood-fired kiln, but maybe the effects of ash are similar? Nevertheless, I'll take the opportunity to associate myself with her, even though I've not done anything remotely as kewl.

 

[bholler]

User Adios Pantalones. https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/wood-fired-pottery-kiln.18345/
These links aren't about wood-firing per se, but might have some useful info:
(broken link removed to https://ceramicartsnetwork.org/ceramics-monthly/ceramic-glaze-recipes/glaze-chemistry/working-ash-glazes/#)
(broken link removed to https://ceramicartsnetwork.org/pottery-making-illustrated/ceramic-supplies/ceramic-glazes-and-underglazes/using-wood-ash-glazes/#)
Not really pertinent since my sister doesn't have a wood-fired kiln, but maybe the effects of ash are similar? Nevertheless, I'll take the opportunity to associate myself with her, even though I've not done anything remotely as kewl.
View attachment 257879 View attachment 257878 View attachment 257877 View attachment 257876

Very nice stuff but no not at all like the wood fired stuff I have seen or that he does. Regardless it is beautiful

 

[JotulOwner]

I have to admit something. Right around this time of year I get sick of bringing the wood in, bringing the ashes out... I love burning wood, I just get sick of that part of it. Anybody else feel like that?

I burn part time so it involves less work, but by mid-Spring, I have had my fill. By the next cold season, I am ready to start all over.

 

[Ashful]

I get sick of burning two stoves earlier each year. I keep one going into late May most years, sometimes even early June, but the second stove has been shut down earlier in the season each year. I gave up on it mid-February, this year, really thinking hard about tearing it out in the next year or three.

 

[webby3650]

really thinking hard about tearing it out in the next year or three

What will you replace it with?

 

[heavy hammer]

I don't mind the process of burning wood this winter has been difficult just because nothing has really ever froze. It was just mud and rain with soggy ground all the time. Just made it more difficult to do anything. I'm ready for spring to hopefully start drying things out. I run 2 stoves and with the temps this year I have burned a lot less wood, but it seems like I have had to work harder to get that wood.

 

[Ashful]

What will you replace it with?

That's the question. As soon as I have a good answer for it, it'll be done. You know I don't usually let grass grow under my feet, once I've decided on something, but the deciding may take awhile

But I shouldn't derail this thread with that discussion, I'll start another, at some point.

 

[webby3650]

That's the question. As soon as I have a good answer for it, it'll be done. You know I don't usually let grass grow under my feet, once I've decided on something, but the deciding may take awhile

But I shouldn't derail this thread with that discussion, I'll start another, at some point.

Coal baby!

 

[Woody Stover]

Coal baby!

He just built a few wood sheds, though.

 

[Woody Stover]

That's the question. As soon as I have a good answer for it, it'll be done. But I shouldn't derail this thread with that discussion, I'll start another, at some point.

Too late, thread's already been derailed. Actually, it was over after the first mea culpa post by BIGChris, where he admitted that besides the wood and ash hauling, he loves everything about burning wood..IOW, sitting in his chair and basking in the heat.
How about getting rid of the two low-output stoves and getting one flame-throwing heat monster?

 

[SpaceBus]

User Adios Pantalones. https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/wood-fired-pottery-kiln.18345/
These links aren't about wood-firing per se, but might have some useful info:
(broken link removed to https://ceramicartsnetwork.org/ceramics-monthly/ceramic-glaze-recipes/glaze-chemistry/working-ash-glazes/#)
(broken link removed to https://ceramicartsnetwork.org/pottery-making-illustrated/ceramic-supplies/ceramic-glazes-and-underglazes/using-wood-ash-glazes/#)
Not really pertinent since my sister doesn't have a wood-fired kiln, but maybe the effects of ash are similar? Nevertheless, I'll take the opportunity to associate myself with her, even though I've not done anything remotely as kewl.
View attachment 257879 View attachment 257878 View attachment 257877 View attachment 257876

Our house is painted in the colors of her vessel on the far left. Those are really beautiful glazes. Thanks for the link to the wood fired kiln thread as well. There was a link to a (now defunct I assume) web 1.0 ceramics website called sidestoke.com which has a ton of information, but as typical for old websites it will be a hassle to sort through it all.

 

[Microduck17]

For me it's the warmer temps that prevent me from running a big hot fire and keeping the stack hot. I have to clean the chimney about every other week during the last few weeks of the heating season. And I get tired of fighting the mud when bringing in the firewood. I would rather 10 degrees and a foot of snow than have 45 degrees and 6 inches of mud.

 

[Diabel]

That's the question. As soon as I have a good answer for it, it'll be done. You know I don't usually let grass grow under my feet, once I've decided on something, but the deciding may take awhile

But I shouldn't derail this thread with that discussion, I'll start another, at some point.

Nothing beats a nice efficient NG fireplace.

 

[webby3650]

Nothing beats a nice efficient NG fireplace.

I don’t know about that..
I do love my direct vent gas fireplace, but I also burn wood/coal because I want to and I really enjoy it. The fireplace is really convenient for quick heat there’s no disputing that.

 

[Diabel]

I love both. And find wood and NG supplement one another well.