Our wood burning story

[Gasifier]

Nice work cwitham! Dam, you are fast! That looks great now. Nice shed dude. That pile looks like you could split some of it up, let it dry and then burn it next year. Some of the worst stuff you can enjoy a nice cold one by the bonfire! I got to have one of those this weekend. Cold one and bonfire that is.

 

[cwitham]

I'm gonna have a cold one once I move all of this wood into the shed

 

[cwitham]

This is the black walnut I can't bring myself to cut up into firewood.


There is a long story I'd rather forget about the day that tree came down, it ended badly and with my wife saying I told you so, but my neighbors got a nice new deck out of the deal. So much for trying to be a good neighbor the next one can fall on their house

 

[firefighterjake]

I have a new question, when cutting your firewood for whatever length you use lets say 16" what do you use to make sure it is "always" 16"?

I don't . . . I use my chainsaw bar length and get an approximate length . . . most of it comes out the same length . .. some a bit shorter, some a bit longer. Where this wood is going an inch or two shorter or longer will not matter.

Incidentally . . . I once knew Rick. I think he still owes my buddy money from when they went on a river rafting trip.

 

[Lumber-Jack]

Lol chickens dying here is nothing new, we have had them for 4 years and out of the 40-50 we have owned we have had about 20 die mostly by us but some by a fox, and some by a dog... Lol oh yeah and my wife shot one with a .22 she was convinced that chicken was the devil.

We use to have chickens back when my oldest son was about 2 years old. We often let them free range and for the most part it wasn't a problem, but my son use to avoid going outside because he was afraid of the "Big White Thing", as he put it. It was the large white rooster we kept. My son was deathly afraid of it, in fact it even put the run on my wife a couple times. If it wasn't such a good protector of the hens I never would have kept him around at all, but one day I decided enough was enough, I was squatting down showing my son something on the ground when "the big white thing" came running up behind my son and drop kicked him onto the ground. Fortunately my son was facing the other way and had a heavy jacket on that protected him. Had he been facing toward the rooster and the rooster hit him in the face it could have been much worse. After that I realized just how dangerous this bird could be to two year old child who stood only a couple inches bigger that the rooster. Imagine facing a mean and very aggressive rooster that stands nearly eye level with yourself, it was no wonder my son didn't like playing outside.
The "Big White Thing" never saw another sunrise after that incident.

 

[Gasifier]

We use to have chickens back when my oldest son was about 2 years old. We often let them free range and for the most part it wasn't a problem, but my son use to avoid going outside because he was afraid of the "Big White Thing", as he put it. It was the large white rooster we kept. My son was deathly afraid of it, in fact it even put the run on my wife a couple times. If it wasn't such a good protector of the hens I never would have kept him around at all, but one day I decided enough was enough, I was squatting down showing my son something on the ground when "the big white thing" came running up behind my son and drop kicked him onto the ground. Fortunately my son was facing the other way and had a heavy jacket on that protected him. Had he been facing toward the rooster and the rooster hit him in the face it could have been much worse. After that I realized just how dangerous this bird could be to two year old child who stood only a couple inches bigger that the rooster. Imagine facing a mean and very aggressive rooster that stand nearly eye level with yourself, it was no wonder my son didn't like playing outside.
The "Big White Thing" never saw another sunrise after that incident.

Did he see the inside of your oven?

 

[ScotO]

Very nice set-up, and good on you for fixing the chimney the right way. Beautiful family, beautiful shed, beautiful flue (I'm a stone masonry connisuer), nice maple rounds, nice choice in chainsaws.......looks like you are off to a great start.

But as others said (not preaching, just reaffirming) make sure you use at minimum eyeglasses and hearing protection especially for the wife and child.......some accidents will last a lifetime.

Welcome to the forum, looks like you'll be fitting in real good around here! Keep the pics coming, and God Bless....

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I have a question about wood in the woodshed. Is it ok to put a fan in the wood shed to blow air onto the wood to ensure it is dry?

You can do that if you wish. It will increase your electric bill, which you are attempting to lower. Much, much better to dry the wood out in the wind. Stack it so it is not on the ground. Stack so the wind hits the side of the piles. Because you aren't giving wood much time to dry, I'd recommend stacking really loosely to get even more air circulation and that also means you won't be stacking it very high else it will fall over. If you really want to get good at this wood burning, get yourself busy and get 3 years ahead on your wood. Dry it before putting it into the shed. Top cover the wood but never cover the sides. The idea is to let the moisture evaporate and not hold it in. Getting 3 years ahead gets you pretty busy for a while but once there it is easy sledding. In addition to prime firewood, you also will have some backup. Should something happen, injury or sickness perhaps, and you can't cut wood one year, you have something to fall back on. This is better than money in the bank and you won't even be taxed on it. I can't imagine that high of electric bills except for business. We complain when ours is over $50 per month. Another thing to aim for. Getting rid of that old stove and getting a really nice one. Heck, we found we only need half the amount of wood we used to burn when we got our last stove. On the grate, I'd simply remove it and burn without it. It simply is not needed and you'll get a better fire without it.

 

[cwitham]

You can do that if you wish. It will increase your electric bill, which you are attempting to lower. Much, much better to dry the wood out in the wind. Stack it so it is not on the ground. Stack so the wind hits the side of the piles. Because you aren't giving wood much time to dry, I'd recommend stacking really loosely to get even more air circulation and that also means you won't be stacking it very high else it will fall over. If you really want to get good at this wood burning, get yourself busy and get 3 years ahead on your wood. Dry it before putting it into the shed. Top cover the wood but never cover the sides. The idea is to let the moisture evaporate and not hold it in. Getting 3 years ahead gets you pretty busy for a while but once there it is easy sledding. In addition to prime firewood, you also will have some backup. Should something happen, injury or sickness perhaps, and you can't cut wood one year, you have something to fall back on. This is better than money in the bank and you won't even be taxed on it. I can't imagine that high of electric bills except for business. We complain when ours is over $50 per month. Another thing to aim for. Getting rid of that old stove and getting a really nice one. Heck, we found we only need half the amount of wood we used to burn when we got our last stove. On the grate, I'd simply remove it and burn without it. It simply is not needed and you'll get a better fire without it.

We have no plans on getting rid of this stove. It isn't broke and it burns well

 

[Gasifier]

We have no plans on getting rid of this stove. It isn't broke and it burns well

I hear you on this cwitham. What Dennis is saying is the new ones are much more efficient. They burn the gases before they go up the chimney by sending them back down the front of the stove, washing the glass front door on the way down and hitting the hot coal bed to create a secondary burn. You then end up with a hotter fire and end up using less wood. Maybe eventually you will decide to go to a newer one after a few years. For about $1300 on sale, you can probably cut your wood consumption down quite a bit. Like maybe 25 percent. That saves on a lot of work. Just something to think about for the future.

 

[cwitham]

I'm not interested in adding an EPA controlled stove to my home. Likely never unless they come pry it from my cold dead hands.

 

[Gasifier]

Yup. There are many that burn in the older stoves. Whatever works for ya. My brother has one in his house and likes it. How is your supply of wood for this year looking? And will you get a chance over the winter to start working on next years?

 

[cwitham]

Yup. There are many that burn in the older stoves. Whatever works for ya. My brother has one in his house and likes it. How is your supply of wood for this year looking? And will you get a chance over the winter to start working on next years?

Lol I have no idea how much we have aside from what's in the shed none is stacked. Wifey is in school and so are my little monkeys so its just me stacking and sorting when I can

 

[cwitham]

To answer your other question about getting ahead for next year the short answer is I don't know. I have some offers from people to go drop some trees on their places however I don't have any way to move big wood just yet.

 

[Boom Stick]

I don't start my saw without chaps and helmet (as of this year)......I would never let my lady do so either. She wouldn't ever go near my saw though, she watches. I went a couple years without PPE and it was always in the back of my mind. Pulled the trigger and ate the expense this year. Very glad that I did. Realistically, don't go out to dinner a couple of times and it is paid for. Good luck.

 

[fishingpol]

Welcome, nice wood shed. You got my wheels turning, that is a real nice size for my needs.

I just wanted to comment on the spalted maple rounds. Wood turners that make bowls and wood carvers may find that maple desirable if the wood is not punky or wet. Spalted maple can have some beautiful grain patterns. There may be some extra cash in those rounds to the right person on Craigslist. That was all.

 

[hilbiliarkiboi]

I are cunfuddled??

Mark Twain! Literally! Two marks(4' & 8') on a "cord" was used to measure "cordwood" stacked on the riverbank for steamships
Often on the honor system, a "chord" of wood 4×4×8 would be stacked and left,
This was mostly small pole sized to make it easy to carry a 'ways' .


ETA: shoulda been steamboats , not steamships.

 

[cwitham]

Welcome, nice wood shed. You got my wheels turning, that is a real nice size for my needs.

I just wanted to comment on the spalted maple rounds. Wood turners that make bowls and wood carvers may find that maple desirable if the wood is not punky or wet. Spalted maple can have some beautiful grain patterns. There may be some extra cash in those rounds to the right person on Craigslist. That was all.

Those rounds are all split, there were 12 that size. Huge pile in three pics in post #47.

 

[fishingpol]

Those rounds are all split, there were 12 that size. Huge pile in three pics in post #47.

Ha, oh well.

 

[cwitham]

Welcome, nice wood shed. You got my wheels turning, that is a real nice size for my needs.

I just wanted to comment on the spalted maple rounds. Wood turners that make bowls and wood carvers may find that maple desirable if the wood is not punky or wet. Spalted maple can have some beautiful grain patterns. There may be some extra cash in those rounds to the right person on Craigslist. That was all.

Just found out that there is a lot more of that Maple to be had come spring,

Anyone have any idea what this tree is?

Close up of bark

 

[brokenknee]

I also have a 1200 square foot slab house with electric baseboard heat. I am located in northern MN. After I received my electric bill last November for October I got the tin up in the wood furnace room and went to all wood heat. The tin on the roof was an insurance requirement.

Even though we had a relatively mild winter last year, it did get down to below minus 30* F on a few days. The only time we will have the electric heat on is when we are gone for a few days during the winter. Other than that the breakers are off to the baseboard heat.

I purchase most of my wood by the grapple load 10 cords at a time. Going rate is $70 a cord for oak, ash and maybe some birch thrown in. For me it cuts down on the processing time. I do have 40 acres. but it is mostly poplar and pine, I do harvest some of it, but I really like the longer burn time of the hard wood. I have an old smoke dragon that I would like to upgrade, but purchased a "project" house and a new wood furnace is a little lower on the priority list.

Heating with wood isn't for everyone, it's a life style. A life style that gets you outside, gives you exercise, is good for the environment and can save you a few bucks while your at it.

 

[red oak]

I'm not interested in adding an EPA controlled stove to my home. Likely never unless they come pry it from my cold dead hands.

Ha! Welcome - and yes I feel the same way about my old Fisher Stove! I know it's not the most efficient but I like it and that's all that matters!

 

[fabsroman]

After 5 years of homeownership we finally got the chimney lined it was one of the things that was wrong when we bought the house and by wrong I mean no liner at all


We have a 1200'ish square foot slab ranch in central Indiana and we have had nearly $500 a month electric bills in the winter ($250 summer with window air conditioners) since we moved in we dropped the $3000 to see if we an get $250/ month electric bills year round.

The clay is only about 8" tall the rest is stainless liner. I don't foresee an EPA insert in my future... I'll fin another old dinosaur if my Hutch Rebel ever goes bad but it seems unlikely from what I have read.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I am pretty sure you will reduce your electric bill considerably. We have a ranch with 2,100 sf upstairs and 2,400 sf in the basement. We moved in middle of February 2011 and paid $440 for heating oil that lasted 3 weeks. I ordered a wood burning furnace that summer, but did not have it installed for that winter because the installation quotes were just insane and would have prevented us from doing a 529 contribution that year for one of our kids. Plus, I did not have any seasoned wood ready yet. So, last winter we used space heaters in the house and a single 50 gallon heating oil delivery for when the space heaters were not enough. I installed the furnace this fall with the help of my dad and we have been burning this year. The oil furnace is gone. After last winter, our "budget billing" turned out to be $342 a month based upon prior usage.

So far, our electricity usage in October was 1/2 of what it was compared to the prior year, and the average temp outside was 5 degree colder this October than last. This November, our electricity usage was 1/3 of what it was last November and the average temp outside for November was 6 degree colder than last year's average. Not only that, but instead of having the thermostat set at 68 degrees, we are keeping it in the 70's. Our last utility bill was $135 with $20 of it being natural gas. The natural gas was mostly for the cooktop and water heater. I am ecstatic about that.

Seeing no smoke is a good thing. It means the fire is burning hot. Just make sure you use seasoned wood and you should be in great shape. I think you are going to be like me. Ecstatic to see the utility bill dropping and all ready to get some more firewood lined up. Me, I am going to cut and split a couple cord this week and stack them up as I use the stuff from the racks. Getting the furnace in was a project with a couple headaches, but now that it is in and working, it was well worth it.

 

[cwitham]

Wifey wanted a fire tonight because its supposed to be cold tonight, I need to work on the computer in our dining room where the stove is so instead of sweating my nuggets off I did some hillbilly rigging. It dropped 20 degrees in the dining room to a "cool comfortable" 90 degrees or so.

Our next house (the one I hope to build on about 100 acres) will be built around a fireplace instead of it being on one end or the other.

 

[cwitham]

Brand new (1 month ago) Rheostat went out Saturday. Chimney guy hasn't called back yet, not real happy.