Jotul Rockland 550: 22" logs OK?

[drewsome]

I've found a guy who claims to have 10 month seasoned wood, but said it's 22". I told him my Jotul 550 insert should be able to take 24" (per Jotul's website: (broken link removed to http://www.jotul.com/en-us/wwwjotulus/Main-menu/Products/Wood/Wood-inserts/Jotul-C-550-Rockland/)).

I actually don't have the Jotul installed yet. The insert should be coming in within the next week or so, but I don't want to miss the chance to get seasoned wood. Anyway, the firewood guy was very skeptical that a stove could take such big pieces, so I got a little nervous and figured I'd double check with the experts in this forum.

I have to believe 22" pieces will fit, no? Also any disadvantages to working with such long splits? I'm a newbie, so any assistance would be appreciated!

 

[Roxburyeric]

They work in my 550.

 

[firefighterjake]

I'm not familiar with the 550, but it sounds like the 550 users here say it shouldn't be a problem.

Like GAWN I too cut down my wood a bit shorter than the max length . . . gives me some room to move things around a bit.

However, the real key here is if this wood is truly seasoned for 10 months and it's a good deal . . . to me it wouldn't matter on the length . . . you can always cut them down if need be . . . granted cutting down an entire cord by hand if you don't have a chainsaw could be a bit labor intensive using a chop saw or hand saw.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I've found a guy who claims to have 10 month seasoned wood, but said it's 22". I told him my Jotul 550 insert should be able to take 24" (per Jotul's website: (broken link removed to http://www.jotul.com/en-us/wwwjotulus/Main-menu/Products/Wood/Wood-inserts/Jotul-C-550-Rockland/)).

I actually don't have the Jotul installed yet. The insert should be coming in within the next week or so, but I don't want to miss the chance to get seasoned wood. Anyway, the firewood guy was very skeptical that a stove could take such big pieces, so I got a little nervous and figured I'd double check with the experts in this forum.

I have to believe 22" pieces will fit, no? Also any disadvantages to working with such long splits? I'm a newbie, so any assistance would be appreciated!

The only disadvantage with handling longer logs is in the splitting but that should not be a concern if you are buying. Also, just because the stove can handle longer logs does not mean you can't burn shorter logs and a couple inches you will not be able to notice any difference in heat output because it is so small.

 

[drewsome]

I just thought of something... if the logs are 22", then am I really getting a FULL cord?

Three 16" logs = 48", which is exactly right for a cord (4'x4'x8'). But with 22" logs, I am only getting 44" in width. By my math, that means I'd be getting 91.6% (44/48) of a full cord, no???

 

[firefighterjake]

I just thought of something... if the logs are 22", then am I really getting a FULL cord?

Three 16" logs = 48", which is exactly right for a cord (4'x4'x8'). But with 22" logs, I am only getting 44" in width. By my math, that means I'd be getting 91.6% (44/48) of a full cord, no???

Technically, you are right. I would suspect most folks would call it close enough . . . or the dealer will go a bit over the 4 foot or 8 foot mark to make sure it's a solid cord.

 

[drewsome]

Thanks Inferno. I never bought firewood before, and I hear that finding a reputable dealer can be a challenge.

He's certainly giving me no discount on the wood ($250/cord delivered, but supposedly seasoned for 10 months and I want to use it now), so I want to be sure I'm getting what I'm paying for.

 

[firefighterjake]

Thanks Inferno. I never bought firewood before, and I hear that finding a reputable dealer can be a challenge.

He's certainly giving me no discount on the wood ($250/cord delivered, but supposedly seasoned for 10 months and I want to use it now), so I want to be sure I'm getting what I'm paying for.

No problem Firestarter . . . and it probably goes without saying, but when the dealer says the wood has been seasoned for 10 months does he mean it was cut down, bucked to stove length, split and stacked 10 months ago . . . or does he mean the trees were cut down 10 months ago and left in log length until a week or so ago when he bucked them up and split them . . . there will be a notable difference in just how seasoned and how much moisture is in the woods with these two different definitions . . . in the first example you could probably use the wood right now . . . in the second example you would most likely have to wait several months.

 

[drewsome]

The dealer claims it was split 12 months ago (no longer saying 10, but maybe he's estimating). Says it a mix of maple, birch and beech. Think it is ready to burn??

 

[BrotherBart]

Not if it has been sitting buried under snow.

 

[billb3]

The dealer claims it was split 12 months ago (no longer saying 10, but maybe he's estimating). Says it a mix of maple, birch and beech. Think it is ready to burn??

If it's coming from West Virginia it'll be pale , pasty white.
I think they have everybody's snow this year.

Seems odd a dealer would be skeptical of wood length. Why cut to 22 if you don't believe it's going to fit in stoves.
Perhaps skeptical of insert capacity ?
Just " a guy with some wood" I'd not question.

Estimates of dry time usually get shorter not longer. As in you snooze you lose, the older stuff is gone.



Ya gotta have something though. Even if it's for next year.

 

[firefighterjake]

The dealer claims it was split 12 months ago (no longer saying 10, but maybe he's estimating). Says it a mix of maple, birch and beech. Think it is ready to burn??

Split 12 months ago . . . so it went through an entire summer and Fall . . . yup . . . I would say it would be ready to burn . . . of course as mentioned right now it may be snow covered, but you can knock that off easy enough. Obviously, if this wood was stacked and left until this Fall it should be even better fuel for the fire . . . if it truly was split 12 months ago.